Temple University Athletics
Temple Hosts St. Bonaventure On Bobblehead And Birthday Sunday
2.19.09 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 19, 2009
PHILADELPHIA - Temple (16-9, 8-3 A-10) will look to extend its winning streak to a season-long five games when it hosts St. Bonaventure (13-12, 4-8) on Sunday at the Liacouras Center. Dionte Christmas bobbleheads, sponsored by the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union, will be agiven to the first 3,000 fans ages 14 and over. TU will also celebrate Hooter the Owl's Birthday with other local mascots. Tip-off is set for 2:00 pm.
Christmas, who continues to lead the Atlantic 10 in scoring (19.5 ppg.), is also second in the league in three-point field goals per game (3.04). The All-America candidate is on pace to become the first Owl to score 600 points in three straight seasons.
Sophomore Lavoy Allen, who had his ninth double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds in a 72-45 win over Fordham on Wednesday, is averaging 11.0 ppg. and a team-high 7.8 rebounds per game. Junior Ryan Brooks chips in with 10.3 ppg.
The Owls are 7-1 at home and riding a seven-game winning streak at the Liacouras Center after dropping the home opener to Miami (OH), 68-52. It is the longest home winning streak for the Cherry and White since winning a building-record 24 straight home contests from Dec. 14, 1998 to Dec. 14, 2000. Temple has won seven games in a row at the Liacouras Center twice before (Feb. 15-Mar. 21, 2003 and Jan. 14-Feb. 22, 2006).
St. Bonaventure, uner the direction of second-year head coach Mark Schmidt, is led by three players scoring more than 12 points per game. Andrew Nicholson leads the way with a 13.4 ppg. average and is shooting .621 from the field. Jonathan Hall (13.1 ppg.) leads the Bonnies in rebounding (6.5 rpg.) and assists (3.2 apg.) while Chris Matthews (12.6 ppg.) has connected on 66 three-point field goals.
Temple leads the all-time series, 48-6, and has won the last 10 games against SBU. The Owls are 24-0 at home against the Bonnies and 9-0 at the Liacouras Center.
