Temple University Athletics
Temple University
Saint Joseph's
#20/21 Temple Tops St. Joe's In A-10/Big 5 OT Thriller
2.20.10 | Men's Basketball
Ramone Moore scores career high for second straight game to lead way
Box score
PHILADELPHIA -- Ramone Moore scored a career-high 24 points, including the game-tying basket in regulation, to lead #20/21 Temple to a 75-67 overtime win over rival Saint Joseph's in an Atlantic 10/Philadelphia Big 5 thriller at The Palestra Saturday afternoon. The Owls, who clinched a share of their 25th Big 5 title with the win, improve to 22-5, 10-2 in the A-10 and 3-0 in Big 5 play. The Hawks fall to 9-18, 3-10, 1-2.
Moore, who reached double figures for the sixth straight game, set a new career scoring high for the second straight game. He is averaging 16.7 points per game over that stretch.
"Each game I'm gaining confidence," said Moore, who was 11 of 18 from the field and pulled down a season-high nine rebounds. "I've been playing well the last couple of weeks."
His length-of-the court driving finger-roll lay-up that tied the game with 1.5 seconds to play gave him 20 points for the game, eclipsing his previous high.
"Lavoy took the ball out and I tried to get open," Moore said on the pay. "I was going to go straight to the rim."
Temple coach Fran Dunphy added, "Lavoy made a good pass but it was all Ramone. It's nice to see him arriving as a scorer."
Moore helped the Owls jump out to a 10-2 start with four of his 13 first half points in the run. The Hawks climbed back in on the strength of long distance shooting, hitting five treys in the half.
SJU tied the game at 14, and then took the lead briefly, 23-21, on a three by freshman Carl Jones (16 points). The Owls scored the final eight points of the half - four by Allen, who posted his 10th double-double (16 pts, 10 rebs) - to take a 29-23 lead into the locker room.
The second half opened with SJU running off eight straight points, six on consecutive three-point plays by senior guard Garrett Williamson (20 pts), to take a 31-29 lead.
An 11-1 Temple run, capped by a Luis Guzman jumper, gave the Owls a 40-32 advantage with 13:28 to play.
The Hawks answered with 10 straight of their own, five coming from senior guard Darrin Govens (21 pts), allowed SJU to regain the lead, 42-40.
The teams then traded baskets the remainder of the period. With the Owls leading 55-54 with 1:07 to play on two free throws by Juan Fernandez (13 pts), Chris Prescott nailed a deep trey from the left corner.
Ryan Brooks (12 pts), who had made the Owls first three-pointer of the game with 1:52 to play, hit a one-handed runner with 37 seconds left to tie it at 57. Williamson, who played outstanding defense all day, drove the lane and scored with four seconds remaining for a 59-57 SJU lead, setting up Moore's tying basket.
The Owls never trailed in the extra frame as Fernandez drained a three-pointer to open it, and following a Williamson basket, Moore hit a lay-up and Brooks converted two free throws to make it 66-61.
Govens brought the Hawks back briefly back with three free throws after being fouled from behind the arc, but a one-handed slam by Allen off a nice feed from Fernandez and a jumper by Moore pushed the margin to seven, 71-64, with just over a minute to play.
Govens cut it to four with his fourth trey, but the Owls closed the game out at the line.
The Owls next host Dayton on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet. Temple will be collecting old cell phone at the game in support of Verizon Wireless' HopeLine program. The program collects no-longer used wireless phones, batteries and accessories from any wireless service provider in any condition, and converts them in ways to support victims of domestic violence.
