Temple University Athletics

Thursday, December 22
McGonigle Hall
4:00 PM

Temple University

5-6, 0-1Big 5

47
vs
56

Villanova

9-2, 3-0Big 5

1
2
F
Villanova
31
25
56
Temple
24
23
47
Kristen McCarthy
Kristen McCarthy led the Owls with 14 points
Photo by: Mitchell Leff

Women’s Basketball Loses 56-47 to Big 5 Rival Villanova

12.22.11 | Women's Basketball

Owls suffer cold shooting from the field for nearly the entire game

Box Score l Photo Gallery

PHILADELPHIA – Villanova (9-2, 3-0 Big 5) sank eight of its first 10 shots from the field and the Temple women's basketball team was never able to catch up in a 56-47 loss to the Wildcats in a Big 5 game on Thursday afternoon at McGonigle Hall. The Owls (5-6, 0-1 Big 5) were solid at the free throw line but struggled from the field, shooting just 25.5 percent.

Emily Leer scored a career-high 13 points off the bench for Villanova and also led her team with six rebounds. Lauren Burford also scored 13 which included 3-of-3 from behind the arc, and Laura Sweeney added 11.

Kristen McCarthy scored 14 points for Temple while Shey Peddy was close to a double-double with 13 points and a game-high nine boards.

Villanova came roaring out of the gate to shoot 80 percent in the first eight minutes including a span where the Wildcats made five straight. They led by as many as 13, 20-7 with 12 minutes left in the half. After falling in a 9-0 hole the Owls quickly used a 7-0 run to come within two, but hitting just two of its first 14 shots from the field proved very costly.

While the Wildcats' shooting cooled significantly, they still finished the half shooting 48 percent to Temple's 21 percent. Villanova still held a double-digit, 31-21 lead until Monaye Merritt hit a buzzer-beater three-pointer for Temple to send the Owls into the break down only seven, 31-24.

The bright spot for Temple in the first half was foul trouble on the Wildcats, sending the Owls to the line for 13 shots of which they made 11. Temple committed just three fouls and Villanova went 2-of-2 at the stripe.

After Temple closed the first half with a trey, the Wildcats opened the second half with one of their own to widen the margin back to double digits. Fouls began to go the opposite way as well, sending Sweeney to the line on two occasions early, where she hit 3-of-4.

The Owls suffered an eight-minute span without a field goal and with just one free throw, but the widest margin of deficit was only 14 due to Villanova's struggles from the field as well.

Temple's aggressiveness in the final minutes got the Owls within seven, but they could come no closer as the Wildcats were solid at the free throw line.

The Owls will now take just over a week off for the holiday break before returning to action on Friday, Dec. 30 at home against #9/9 Duke. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. in McGonigle Hall.

Next Event

#8/7 Duke
L, 54-65

Dec 30 (Fri)

7:00 PM

Team Stats

VU
TU
FG%
.377
.255
3FG%
.368
.154
FT%
.818
.850
RB
37
37
TO
10
10
STL
7
4

Game Leaders

Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
6
Pts
6
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
2
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