Temple University Athletics
Temple University
Maryland
Men's Basketball Topples Maryland, 64-61
12.5.10 | Men's Basketball
Moore leads balanced attack with 16 points
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WASHINGTON, DC - Ramone Moore led a balanced scoring attack with 16 points to lead Temple to a 64-61 win over Maryland in the final of three games in the BB&T Classic Sunday night at the Verizon Center. The Owls improve to 5-2 with the win while Maryland falls to 6-3.
Moore was joined in double figures by backcourt mate Juan Fernandez (14 pts), Lavoy Allen (13) and Scootie Randall (10). Allen also added 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double.
"Terrific win for us, no question about it, against a terrific basketball program," said Temple coach Fran Dunphy. "For us, it's sort of a road win and it's a game that hopefully we make some strides at being a better basketball team."
It was sophomore Khalif Wyatt, however, who staved off a Terrapin comeback from 15-points down in the final 16 minutes. Wyatt, who has been a sparkplug off the bench all season, made a career-high four steals, but it was his offense that was key down the stretch. His first basket, a three-pointer with 6:15 to play, pushed the margin to nine points after Maryland had cut Temple's lead to four. It was his other basket, which helped seal the victory.
Leading 59-56 with under a minute to play, Rahlir Jefferson pulled down one of his three offensive rebounds (7 total) off a Moore miss. Dino Gregory then stripped Jefferson, but his pass was stolen by Wyatt under the basket for an easy lay-in and a five-point Owl lead with 34 seconds on the clock.
The Terps' Wooden Award Candidate, Jordan Williams, who muscled his way to 17 points and 11 rebounds, cut the deficit back to three with a lay-up. Moore then drained two free throws to push it back to five before Terrell Stoglin (16 pts) connected on a three-pointer with with 4.7 to play. Moore was again fouled, missing the first but making the second.
Maryland's desperation heave missed the mark and Temple walked away with a key non-conference road win.
The Owls defense finally gave up 60 points for the first time this season, snapping its record-tying streak at six games. But it was that defense that helped the Owls surge to a 32-21 halftime lead. Temple held Maryland, which came in averaging 78.1 points per game, to eight-of-28 shooting at the break (28.6%). The Owls also had nine steals in the period with Wyatt leading the way (3).
Allen had four points in an 8-0 run that gave Temple a 32-19 lead before a Stoglin jumper made it 11 at intermission.
Baskets by Moore and Randall to start the second half pushed the lead to 15, which is where it stayed until Allen picked up two quick fouls - his third and fourth - to take a seat on the bench at the 15:40 mark.
Maryland turned it up a notch with TU's big man out, running off 10 straight points over a two-minute stretch to get back into the contest.
Fernandez, who was a steadying force all night, drained a runner to make it 42-35. He would hit two more jumpers over the next four minutes, the last pushing the margin back to eight, 48-40, with just under nine remaining.
The Owls next host #16/14 Georgetown in a nationally-televised game Thursday night (9:00 p.m./ESPN or ESPN2).
