Temple University Athletics
Saturday, December 19
East Rutherford, NJ
7:00 p.m.
Temple University
at
Seton Hall
Photo by: Harvey Levine
Men's Basketball Travels To Seton Hall For Saturday Showdown
12.16.09 | Men's Basketball
Owls' top-rated defense to be challenged by high-scoring Pirates
Game Notes
NEWARK, NJ - For the fourth time this season the Temple men's basketball team will take on an undefeated Big East Conference opponent as the Owls (8-2) travel to Newark, N.J. to take on the Seton Hall Pirates (8-0) Saturday night (1210 AM WPHT).
Temple, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Fran Dunphy, is riding a four-game win streak, including a 75-65 win over previously unbeaten #3/3 Villanova on Sunday. Sophomore guard Juan Fernandez, who was named the Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Week, exploded for a career-high 33 points, hitting 11-of-15 field goal attempts (7-9 3-pointers) to lead the Owls to the city-series win.
Fernandez, who leads Temple in three-pointers made (24), three-point percentage (.436) and assists (40), ranks second on the Cherry and White in scoring (12.8 ppg.). Senior co-captain Ryan Brooks (14.3 ppg.) tops the Owls while also pulling down 5.4 rebounds per game. Junior forward Lavoy Allen, who grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds against Villanova, averages a double-double (11.8 ppg., 10.2 rpg.).
Senior co-captain Luis Guzman (4.7 ppg.), who dished a career-high seven assists Sunday, and sophomore forward Micheal Eric (4.0 ppg.) round out the starting five. Eric, who reinjured his left knee in the contest, is day-to-day and if he is unavailable for action look for junior forward Craig Williams (6.0 ppg.) to make his fifth start of the season. Sophomore Ramone Moore (4.9 ppg.) and freshman Rahlir Jefferson (4.3 ppg.) provide depth.
Defense has been key for Temple over the first 10 games. The Owls currently lead the nation in scoring defense (54.1 ppg.) while ranking ninth in three-point percentage defense (.244). The Cherry and White also is second in fewest turnovers per game (9.7 tpg.).
The Owls top-rated defense will be tested as the Pirates, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Bobby Gonzalez, rank second in the nation with a 90.8 scoring average. Junior guard Jeremy Hazell leads SHU, averaging 21.5 points per game. Sophomore Herb Pope (14.6 ppg., 12.8 rpg.), junior Robert Mitchell (13.4 ppg.) and junior Jamel Jackson (11.1 ppg.) also score in double figures while senior Eugene Harvey (9.9 ppg., 6.0 apg.) and sophomore Jordan Theodore (9.6 ppg.) follow close behind.
Two transfers, juniors Keon Lawrence and Jeff Robinson, are expected to see their first action of the season for the Pirates.
Temple leads the series 5-4, but this is the first meeting between the schools since Seton Hall upset the second-seed Owls, 67-65 in overtime, in the second round of the 2000 NCAA Tournament.
NEWARK, NJ - For the fourth time this season the Temple men's basketball team will take on an undefeated Big East Conference opponent as the Owls (8-2) travel to Newark, N.J. to take on the Seton Hall Pirates (8-0) Saturday night (1210 AM WPHT).
Temple, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Fran Dunphy, is riding a four-game win streak, including a 75-65 win over previously unbeaten #3/3 Villanova on Sunday. Sophomore guard Juan Fernandez, who was named the Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Week, exploded for a career-high 33 points, hitting 11-of-15 field goal attempts (7-9 3-pointers) to lead the Owls to the city-series win.
Fernandez, who leads Temple in three-pointers made (24), three-point percentage (.436) and assists (40), ranks second on the Cherry and White in scoring (12.8 ppg.). Senior co-captain Ryan Brooks (14.3 ppg.) tops the Owls while also pulling down 5.4 rebounds per game. Junior forward Lavoy Allen, who grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds against Villanova, averages a double-double (11.8 ppg., 10.2 rpg.).
Senior co-captain Luis Guzman (4.7 ppg.), who dished a career-high seven assists Sunday, and sophomore forward Micheal Eric (4.0 ppg.) round out the starting five. Eric, who reinjured his left knee in the contest, is day-to-day and if he is unavailable for action look for junior forward Craig Williams (6.0 ppg.) to make his fifth start of the season. Sophomore Ramone Moore (4.9 ppg.) and freshman Rahlir Jefferson (4.3 ppg.) provide depth.
Defense has been key for Temple over the first 10 games. The Owls currently lead the nation in scoring defense (54.1 ppg.) while ranking ninth in three-point percentage defense (.244). The Cherry and White also is second in fewest turnovers per game (9.7 tpg.).
The Owls top-rated defense will be tested as the Pirates, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Bobby Gonzalez, rank second in the nation with a 90.8 scoring average. Junior guard Jeremy Hazell leads SHU, averaging 21.5 points per game. Sophomore Herb Pope (14.6 ppg., 12.8 rpg.), junior Robert Mitchell (13.4 ppg.) and junior Jamel Jackson (11.1 ppg.) also score in double figures while senior Eugene Harvey (9.9 ppg., 6.0 apg.) and sophomore Jordan Theodore (9.6 ppg.) follow close behind.
Two transfers, juniors Keon Lawrence and Jeff Robinson, are expected to see their first action of the season for the Pirates.
Temple leads the series 5-4, but this is the first meeting between the schools since Seton Hall upset the second-seed Owls, 67-65 in overtime, in the second round of the 2000 NCAA Tournament.
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