Men's Basketball Hosts Northern Illinois Saturday

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PHILADELPHIA - After a week off for final examinations, the Temple University men's basketball team will face its next test on the hardwood Saturday against the Northern Illinois Huskies (2:00 p.m./1340 WHAT/OwlAccess). Fans are encouraged to show their holiday spirit by bringing a new coat or unwrapped, non-violent toy for kids ages 2-14. Items will be donated to The Salvation Army. All fans who donate an item will be entered into a drawing to win a signed basketball from the Temple Men's Basketball team. In addition, any fan who brings a canned food item to the game will receive discounted tickets at the Box Office (as much as $7 off tickets).

The Owls (7-2) will be looking for their fifth straight win, and their 13th straight in the Liacouras Center. Northern Illinois (3-4), coming off an 80-78 win over Illinois-Chicago Tuesday, sports the nation's leading scorer in senior guard Xavier Silas (28.3 ppg.).

Junior guard Ramone Moore, the Big 5 co-Player of the Week, leads a balanced Temple offense with a 14.0 scoring average. Fellow junior guard Juan Fernandez also tops double figures (10.3 ppg.) while boasting a team high 27 assists. Senior forward Lavoy Allen (9.3 ppg,), a Wooden and Naismith Award candidate, averages a team-best 6.1 rebounds per game while junior forwards Scootie Randall (8.0 ppg., 5.7 rpg.) and Micheal Eric (7.7 ppg., 17 blocks) round out the starting five for head coach Fran Dunphy's Owls.

Silas, who played under NIU head coach Ricardo Patton at Colorado before transferring following his sophomore season, is the Huskies' lone double-figure scorer. Freshman forward/center Nate Rucker is second on the squad in scoring (7.7 ppg.) while topping the team in rebounding (5.1 rpg.).

This is just the second meeting between the teams with Temple winning at NIU, 70-60, last season (12/30/09).

Temple University Athletics

Men's Basketball Hosts Northern Illinois Saturday

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