Temple University Athletics
Temple University
Xavier
#16/17 Men’s Basketball Stays Unbeaten In A-10 With 77-72 Win Over Xavier
1.20.10 | Men's Basketball
Brooks leads all scorers with 22 points
PHILADELPHIA – A meeting of the Atlantic 10's top two teams at the Liacouras Center Wednesday night was nothing short of thrilling, as the #16/17 Temple men's basketball team topped Xavier, 77-72, to remain the only undefeated team in the conference.
The Owls, who are now 16-3, 4-0 in league play, were led by a game-high 22-points from senior guard Ryan Brooks. Temple has now won five straight and 12 out of its last 13 games. Xavier falls to 12-6, 4-1 in A-10 play.
The scoring started with a surprising three from Temple junior forward Lavoy Allen (16 pts, 7 rbs), who found himself wide open at the top of the arc.
From the start, Xavier's offense was running hot, using an up-tempo transition game to spark its scoring. The A-10's leading scorer coming into the contest, sophomore guard Jordan Crawford (18 pts) nailed a three to match Allen's.
The Owls continued to work their offense, with senior guard Luis Guzman (10 pts, 4 asts), who topped double figures for the fifth time of his career, spotting up in the corner for a trey at 18:08.
Again Xavier responded in transition, getting a quick two from sophomore guard Terrell Holloway. The Musketeers would take a slight advantage, working down low to senior Jason Love (16 pts, 7 rbs) for an inside lay-up and a hook shot from just outside the lane, getting their first lead at 9-8.
Still with a one-point lead, Xavier would get another two from Love to move their lead to 13-10.
Coming of the bench, junior Craig Williams (2-3, 3-pointers) sparked a 7-0 Temple run, evening the score with a long three at 14:18. Gaining possession after a Xavier miss, sophomore guard Juan Fernandez (15 pts, career-high 7 asts) led in transition with a pass to Brooks, who caught Allen in the lane for two and the lead, 15-13 at 12:55.
The run continued with Williams again dialing up from three, followed by Fernandez spinning in the lane for a tough two moving the Owls lead to 20-13.
Recently inserted Xavier sophomore guard Brad Redford (3-7, 3-pointers) nailed a three to halt the Owls momentum. Junior Dante Jackson would hit another trey for Xavier, starting a quick 6-0 run of their own.
The moment was short lived, as the Owls quickly responded with another run, initiated by a fastbreak basket from Brooks. Guzman would steal the ensuing inbound and drop it in for two, igniting the Temple student section.
Temple would get another boost from the bench, this time five straight points from sophomore guard Ramone Moore. Moore took over in transition, slicing down the lane for a lay-up and then completing an old-fashioned three-point play to extend the Owls run to 9-2.
Heading into the break, the Owls would have a 39-34 advantage.
Second half play featured a much more physical battle between the A-10's top teams.
Allen's shots continued to fall, scoring TU's first six points of the half, including two unanswered jumpers from 10-feet plus.
The Temple lead would be cut to two, thanks to Love converting a three-point play at 18:14.
A 7-2 Xavier run would give them its first lead of the half. After a Brooks miss from three, Crawford led a fast break, making a lay-up and drawing a foul in the process.
Although unable to convert, Xavier gathered the rebound and Crawford struck again, this time from three to give the Musketeers a 48-47 advantage at 15:20.
Fernandez put an end to the momentum, connecting with a clutch three to regain the lead at 50-48. The Owls would not trail for the remainder of the contest.
Following a Xavier miss, Brooks pulled up for two from the foul line, upping the Owls tally to 52-48 with 13:23 left.
The Owls run continued with a one-handed dunk from Allen, a pair of jumpers and free throws from Fernandez, and another 10-footer from Brooks. Temple would post 15 points to Xavier's five in the span, padding their largest lead of the game to nine with 7:23 remaining.
The visitors would cut their deficit to five at 5:13, on a Holloway two in transition and two Love free throws.
The game tightened more in the final minute with Xavier narrowing the deficit to three on three occasions in the final 30-seconds. Timely long-range shooting from Redford narrowed the score to a basket twice, while Holloway stepped up with a lay-up at 0:25 to bring the score to 71-68.
Brooks showed poise and consistency down the stretch, accounting for 10 of Temple's final 14 points. The senior sealed the game with clutch free throw shooting, going six of six from the line in the final 22-seconds of the game.
The Owls, which made 13-of-19 from the field in the second half (68.4%), shot a season-high 59.2 percent (29-49). Temple is now off to its best start since opening 16-3 in 1993-94.
Temple is in action next Saturday, January 23, when they travel to Fordham. Tip-off is slated for 1:00 p.m., with the game being broadcast on 1210 AM WPHT.
