Temple University Athletics
Temple University
San Diego State
#7-Seed Temple To Face #2-Seed San Diego State Saturday
3.18.11 | Men's Basketball
Owls-Aztecs to tip at 6:10 p.m. ET on TNT
Game Notes
TUSCON, AZ - Temple, seeded seventh in the West Region, will face #2-seed San Diego State in the third round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., on Saturday, March 19 (6:10 p.m ET/TNT/Westwood One Radio/1210 AM?WPHT).
The Cherry and White (26-7), under the direction of fifth-year head coach Fran Dunphy, posted their first NCAA
Tournament win since 2001 with a thrilling 66-64 victory over #10-seed Penn State Thursday. It was the Owls' 13th win over their last 15 contests. Junior guards Juan Fernandez (11/1 ppg.) and Ramone Moore (15.2 ppg.) tied for game-high honors with 23 points each. Fernandez, who's point total was a season-best, connected on the game-winning shot with an off-balanced leaner in the lane with 0.4 seconds remaining.
Senior Lavoy Allen, named first team all-conference for the second straight season and to the league's all-defensive team for the third time, had his streak of seven double-doubles come to an end, but he did pull down a game-high 11 rebounds and blocked four shots. He leads the team in rebounding (8.5 rpg.) and ranks second in scoring (11.6 ppg.).
San Diego State (33-2) had an easier time with 15-seed Northern Colorado, posting a 68-50 win in the second game of the day at the McKale Center. Sophomore forward Khawi Leonard, who averages a double-double (15.6 ppg., 10.6 rpg.)?for the Aztecs, led the way with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Senior forward Malcolm Thomas (11.5 ppg., 8.2 rpg,)?and senior guard D.J. Gay (11.2 ppg,) also average double-figures for head coach Steve Fisher's squad that have won six in a row and 13 of its last 15 games. Its win Thursday was its first in NCAA?Tournament play in the program's history.
Temple and San Diego State have met only once, that coming 30 years ago with the Aztecs taking a 75-64 home win in the finals of the 1981 Cabrillo Classic on Dec. 30.
