Temple University Athletics
Temple University
Villanova
Temple Stuns #3/3 Villanova, 75-65
12.13.09 | Men's Basketball
Juan Fernandez scores career-high 33 to lead Owls
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PHILADELPHIA - Sophomore guard Juan Fernandez erupted for a career-high 33 points and senior guard Ryan Brooks added 20 to lead the Temple Owls to a 75-65 win over #3/3 Villanova Sunday afternoon in front of 8,499 fans at the Liacouras Center. Temple's students stormed the court following the win, the first over a top-five team since Feb. 20, 2000, a 77-69 win at #1/1 Cincinnati. It was also the highest-ranked team Temple has defeated in the 13-year history of the building.
The Owls, who snapped a four-game losing streak in the series, have now won four in a row to improve to 8-2 (1-0 in Big 5 play) for the first time since 1993-94. Villanova falls to 9-1, 3-1 in the Big 5.
The win came exactly one year to the date of last season's signature victory, that being an 88-72 win over then #8/8 Tennessee. It was Dionte Christmas who lit up the Volunteers with a 35-point effort. Christmas was in the house for today's game, but watching from the stands as Fernandez turned in the most memorable performance of his young career.
The 6-4 Argentine product nearly eclipsed his previous career high of 20 points in the first 20 minutes when he had 17 of the Owls 31 points. He was even better in the second half, missing just ohe shot, while draining all four treys after intermission.
"When you are feeling good, I don't know I can't explain the feeling, you just throw it up there and it goes through the net," Fernandez said.
"Occassionally he does get unconscious and he was unconscious today," Temple coach Fran Dunphy added. "We are not going to win a game like that without terrific play from a number of guys and Juan was exceptional and that is what you need to beat a really good basketball team."
Fernandez did not start the game on fire, and likewise neither did the owls.
The Owl sharpshooter, who made 11 of his 15 shots, including seven of nine from long range, missed his first two attempts of the game. Villanova scored seven straight points after a Lavoy Allen basket had given TU an initial 2-0 lead.
The teams stayed close as Fernandez started to catch fire, keeping the Cherry and White within striking range.
Villanova, however, ran off 10 straight points, taking advantage of three Temple turnovers, to post its biggest lead, 33-19, of the game. Scottie Reynolds, who led the Wildcats with 23 points, and Corey Stokes (14, 7 assists) each drained treys in the run as the Owls stingy three-point defense allowed VU to shoot 50 percent (6-12) from long range in the period.
Temple did not fold, but instead mounted a mini-run to close the margin to a workable six, 37-31, by intermission. In the process, the Owls garnered some momentum to work with in the second half.
"The end of the first half was critical for us,' confirmed Dunphy.
The Owls stormed out of the locker room, scoring 11 straight points, to regain the lead, 42-37. Junior sharpshooter Craig Williams, who played just one minute in the first half, started and drained two treys, his second capping the run.
"Coach harped on coming out the first five minutes was going to be crucial," Brooks said. "We wanted to focus on being a tougher and more consistent team in the second half and I think that was where our focus was. We were happy to get on that 11-0 run which sparked us and gave us the confidence to keep pushing the rest of the half."
Temple would never trail the remainder of the contest, but had to continually fight off the Wildcats, matching them basket-for-basket.
Brooks, who scored 15 of his points in the second half, came up big down the stretch. The senior co-captain hit a jumper in the lane and followed with another basket a minute later, to lift Temple to a 70-63 lead after 'Nova had cut the margin to three with 3:06 to play on free throws by Antonio Pena (16 points).
The Owls, who have struggled from the foul line this season, made five of eight in the final 1:11 to seal the win.
Fernandez and Brooks had a lot of help in this victory. Junior forward Lavoy Allen (10 points) dominated the glass, pulling down 17 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. He also helped the Owls out-rebound the Wildcats, 34-25.
Senior co-captain Luis Guzman dished a career-high seven assist and joined Allen in playing the entire 40 minutes of the contest.
The Owls saved their best 20 minutes of offense of the season for the second half, shooting 64 percent from the field and 63.6 percent from long-range, while their defense shutdown the high-powered Villanova offense, limiting them to 11-29 from the field (37.9%) and just 2-of-12 (16.7%) from behind the arc.
Temple takes a break for final exams before next playing at undefeated (8-0) Seton Hall on Saturday night (7:00 p.m./1210 AM WPHT).
