Temple University Athletics
Friday, November 13
McGonigle Hall
7:00 PM
Temple University
82
vs
78
Illinois
Shaqwedia Wallace
Women’s Basketball Wins Season Opener in Dramatic Fashion
11.13.09 | Women's Basketball
Owls rally from 18 down to defeat Illinois in overtime, 82-78
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA – Fighting back from an 18-point deficit, the Temple women's basketball team won its season opener in dramatic fashion, defeating visiting Illinois (0-1) 82-78 in overtime.
Shaqwedia Wallace scored a career-high 27 points for the Owls (1-0) while Kristen McCarthy tied her career-high with 19, including three free throws that tied up the game near the end of regulation.
Wallace went 3-of-4 from the field in the opening three minutes of the game to give Temple a 9-2 lead, but Illinois quickly picked up the pace and used a 13-2 run to lead by four near the midway point of the half.
Shooting 53 percent from the field in the first half, the Fighting Illini went on to take a 43-26 lead into the break. Jenna Smith led Illinois with 15 points, including three buckets during a 16-2 Illinois run in the final six minutes.
The Fighting Illini increased their lead to 18 within the first minute of the second half, but the Owls started to chip away at the margin and got to within nine, 52-43 at the 15:37 mark.
Temple needed all the fight it had as Illinois connected on three treys over the next few minutes to get the lead back to 17. With just over four minutes remaining, Temple still trailed by 11.
LaKeisha Eaddy, who had struggled all night from the field, turned it on with an old-fashioned three pointer, followed by a three-point bucket to get the Owls within five. Wallace later sank 2-of-2 at the charity stripe, and after Jasmine Stone picked up the rebound on a missed Illinois free throw, McCarthy was fouled on a three-point attempt with 16 seconds remaining.
McCarthy sank all three of her attempts and the Fighting Illini were unable to get a quality shot in their final possession as the game went into overtime tied at 75-75.
Stone went 2-for-2 from the field in overtime to put Temple ahead. The Owls made only 3-of-10 free throws, but it was enough to hold off Illinois as they went just 1-of-2 from the field in the extra period and committed four turnovers.
Temple will return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 17 in a home contest against Auburn. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. at McGonigle Hall.
PHILADELPHIA – Fighting back from an 18-point deficit, the Temple women's basketball team won its season opener in dramatic fashion, defeating visiting Illinois (0-1) 82-78 in overtime.
Shaqwedia Wallace scored a career-high 27 points for the Owls (1-0) while Kristen McCarthy tied her career-high with 19, including three free throws that tied up the game near the end of regulation.
Wallace went 3-of-4 from the field in the opening three minutes of the game to give Temple a 9-2 lead, but Illinois quickly picked up the pace and used a 13-2 run to lead by four near the midway point of the half.
Shooting 53 percent from the field in the first half, the Fighting Illini went on to take a 43-26 lead into the break. Jenna Smith led Illinois with 15 points, including three buckets during a 16-2 Illinois run in the final six minutes.
The Fighting Illini increased their lead to 18 within the first minute of the second half, but the Owls started to chip away at the margin and got to within nine, 52-43 at the 15:37 mark.
Temple needed all the fight it had as Illinois connected on three treys over the next few minutes to get the lead back to 17. With just over four minutes remaining, Temple still trailed by 11.
LaKeisha Eaddy, who had struggled all night from the field, turned it on with an old-fashioned three pointer, followed by a three-point bucket to get the Owls within five. Wallace later sank 2-of-2 at the charity stripe, and after Jasmine Stone picked up the rebound on a missed Illinois free throw, McCarthy was fouled on a three-point attempt with 16 seconds remaining.
McCarthy sank all three of her attempts and the Fighting Illini were unable to get a quality shot in their final possession as the game went into overtime tied at 75-75.
Stone went 2-for-2 from the field in overtime to put Temple ahead. The Owls made only 3-of-10 free throws, but it was enough to hold off Illinois as they went just 1-of-2 from the field in the extra period and committed four turnovers.
Temple will return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 17 in a home contest against Auburn. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. at McGonigle Hall.
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