Temple University Athletics
Temple University
St. John's
Temple To Take On St. John's In Philly Hoop Group Finale Tonight
11.28.09 | Men's Basketball
Two of the winningest programs in the country to battle at The Palestra
PHILADELPHIA - Temple concludes its four-game run in the Philly Hoop Group Classic with an old rival, St. John's, Saturday night at The Palestra (8:30 p.m./1210 AM WPHT). Although no official winner will be declared, the only two unbeaten teams among the seven teams in the field will play in the final game of the tournament. Temple has won all three of its Philly Hoop Group games while St. John's has posted wins in its two games in the Classic.
Junior forward Lavoy Allen (12.6 pp.g, 11.0 rpg., 4.0 apg.) had a dominant game, both offensively and defensively to lead Temple to a 61-50 win over Virginia Tech on Friday. Allen made eight of nine shots, including three highlight reel dunks, en route to a team-high 18 points. He also pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds, blocked two shots and dished four assists.
Senior Ryan Brooks (14.0 ppg.) continues to pace the Owls in scoring with a 14.0 average while sophomore guard Juan Fernandez (12.0 ppg., 3.8 apg.) is the Owls' top perimeter threat (10-23, .423).
St. John's, under the direction of sixth-year head coach Norm Roberts, improved to 4-0 on the season with a 77-68 win over Siena Friday. Junior forward D.J. Kennedy (18.0 ppg.) topped the Red Storm with 23 points. Dwight Hardy (12.5 ppg.) came off the bench to score 13 points. Paris Horne also averages double figures at 10.3 points per game.
This is the 55th meeting between the schools with St. John's leading the series 32-22. The teams have met 12 times in The Palestra, meeting every other year from 1956 through 1980 with the exception of 1970 (that season St. John's opened the “new” McGonigle Hall). The Owls own an 8-4 record against the Red Storm in the building. The last meeting of the two schools, currently ranked sixth and seventh on the all-time win list, came on March 16, 1990, an 81-65 St. John's win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
