Temple University Athletics
Saturday, March 5
Liacouras Center
3:00 p.m.
Temple University
90
vs
82
La Salle
Lavoy Allen
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Temple Caps Perfect Season In Liacouras Center With 90-82 Win Over La Salle
3.5.11 | Men's Basketball
Allen nets career-high 24 points to record double-double in final home game
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PHILADELPHIA - Honored before the game, senior Lavoy Allen returned the favor with a career-high 24 points to secure just the second perfect season in Liacouras Center history with a 90-82 win over Atlantic 10/Big 5 rival La Salle on Saturday afternoon. Temple concludes the regular season with a 24-6, 14-2 A-10, and 3-1 Big 5 record while La Salle finishes 14-17, 6-10 A-10, 2-2 Big 5.
The Owls dominance on their home court was shown today. Battling through the emotions of Senior Day and a resilient La Salle team, Temple earned its 22nd consecutive win in the Liacouras Center, to tie the arena mark, and set a new mark for wins in a season in the arena going 14-0 this year.
Allen scored 17 of his career-best 24 points in the second half to mark his eighth career 20-point game. Temple's all-time leading rebounder recorded his fifth-straight and 38th career double-double collecting 11 boards on the game.
A supporting cast of double-figure scorers in sophomore Khalif Wyatt and juniors Juan Fernandez and Ramone Moore helped send off Allen, graduate student Dutch Gaitley and five team managers with a win. Wyatt netted 18 points on six-for-10 shooting (2-4 3-ptr.), while Moore added 16 and Fernandez 15.
Temple held La Salle big man sophomore Aaric Murray below a double-double. Murray led three Explorers in double-digit points with 17, also pulling down nine rebounds. Junior Earl Pettis recorded 12 points in the start and senior Steve Weingarten gave La Salle 11 points off of the bench.
The bittersweet pre-game ceremony seemed to be getting the better of the Owls out of the opening tip, as La Salle jumped out to a 5-2 lead. Temple settled down, however, ripping off an 8-3 run to take a 10-8 lead with 15:33 to go. Allen started and finished the run with inside twos, the last bucket being a dunk from the far baseline.
Neither side would let up as the lead changed 14 times before Temple made another critical run to build a 34-29 lead with 6:06 to play. Sophomore T.J. DiLeo drained a three to spark a 12-4 TU run and greatly change the momentum in favor of the home team. Allen went one-for-two from the line and, after four points from La Salle, the Owls put up eight unanswered points on the visitors for their largest lead of the half.
La Salle proved relentless though and battled to take the lead back with a 9-3 run with 3:44 to go. Fernandez drained a three as the only points for the Owls in the stretch, with Wyatt halting the Explorers with five straight points of his own to give the Owls a 42-38 advantage just over two minutes left in the half.
Temple took a 44-42 lead into the break, even with shooting 45.9 percent from the field compared to the Explorers' 64.0 shooting percentage.
Perfect trips to the line by Allen and Brown gave the Owls the first four points of the half, growing a six point lead at 19:16. Temple held a lead for the next three minutes, but La Salle gradually chipped away and took the lead with a 9-2 run. Tying the game on a three by Murray, the Explorers went up four (57-53, 15:35) on a put-back by Weingarten and a high-arching hook shot by Murray.
The Owls bested the Explorers with an 11-2 run to regain the lead just minutes later (64-59, 13:16). Allen sparked the run with a reverse layup, but it was Moore who electrified the crowd with a deep three. After a two by La Salle freshman Sam Mills, Jefferson sandwiched a two from Allen with a pair of buckets.
After trading baskets with La Salle, Temple burst out to a double-digit lead with six straight points on jumpers by Fernandez, Wyatt and Allen (76-66, 8:33). The Explorers continued to try and chip back into the Owls' lead but Temple would not allow the visitors any closer than five the rest of the way.
Temple's point total today was the most the team has scored this season, and coincidentally matched the most the Owls have scored since a March 8, 2008, win at La Salle (90-85). The Owls shot over 55.6 percent from the field in the second half to shoot exactly 50.0 percent on the game (32-64).
The Owls earned a first round bye in the Atlantic 10 Tournament and as the second seed will play the winner of La Salle/St. Bonaventure (3/8, TBA) in the second round game at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 11.
PHILADELPHIA - Honored before the game, senior Lavoy Allen returned the favor with a career-high 24 points to secure just the second perfect season in Liacouras Center history with a 90-82 win over Atlantic 10/Big 5 rival La Salle on Saturday afternoon. Temple concludes the regular season with a 24-6, 14-2 A-10, and 3-1 Big 5 record while La Salle finishes 14-17, 6-10 A-10, 2-2 Big 5.
The Owls dominance on their home court was shown today. Battling through the emotions of Senior Day and a resilient La Salle team, Temple earned its 22nd consecutive win in the Liacouras Center, to tie the arena mark, and set a new mark for wins in a season in the arena going 14-0 this year.
Allen scored 17 of his career-best 24 points in the second half to mark his eighth career 20-point game. Temple's all-time leading rebounder recorded his fifth-straight and 38th career double-double collecting 11 boards on the game.
A supporting cast of double-figure scorers in sophomore Khalif Wyatt and juniors Juan Fernandez and Ramone Moore helped send off Allen, graduate student Dutch Gaitley and five team managers with a win. Wyatt netted 18 points on six-for-10 shooting (2-4 3-ptr.), while Moore added 16 and Fernandez 15.
Temple held La Salle big man sophomore Aaric Murray below a double-double. Murray led three Explorers in double-digit points with 17, also pulling down nine rebounds. Junior Earl Pettis recorded 12 points in the start and senior Steve Weingarten gave La Salle 11 points off of the bench.
The bittersweet pre-game ceremony seemed to be getting the better of the Owls out of the opening tip, as La Salle jumped out to a 5-2 lead. Temple settled down, however, ripping off an 8-3 run to take a 10-8 lead with 15:33 to go. Allen started and finished the run with inside twos, the last bucket being a dunk from the far baseline.
Neither side would let up as the lead changed 14 times before Temple made another critical run to build a 34-29 lead with 6:06 to play. Sophomore T.J. DiLeo drained a three to spark a 12-4 TU run and greatly change the momentum in favor of the home team. Allen went one-for-two from the line and, after four points from La Salle, the Owls put up eight unanswered points on the visitors for their largest lead of the half.
La Salle proved relentless though and battled to take the lead back with a 9-3 run with 3:44 to go. Fernandez drained a three as the only points for the Owls in the stretch, with Wyatt halting the Explorers with five straight points of his own to give the Owls a 42-38 advantage just over two minutes left in the half.
Temple took a 44-42 lead into the break, even with shooting 45.9 percent from the field compared to the Explorers' 64.0 shooting percentage.
Perfect trips to the line by Allen and Brown gave the Owls the first four points of the half, growing a six point lead at 19:16. Temple held a lead for the next three minutes, but La Salle gradually chipped away and took the lead with a 9-2 run. Tying the game on a three by Murray, the Explorers went up four (57-53, 15:35) on a put-back by Weingarten and a high-arching hook shot by Murray.
The Owls bested the Explorers with an 11-2 run to regain the lead just minutes later (64-59, 13:16). Allen sparked the run with a reverse layup, but it was Moore who electrified the crowd with a deep three. After a two by La Salle freshman Sam Mills, Jefferson sandwiched a two from Allen with a pair of buckets.
After trading baskets with La Salle, Temple burst out to a double-digit lead with six straight points on jumpers by Fernandez, Wyatt and Allen (76-66, 8:33). The Explorers continued to try and chip back into the Owls' lead but Temple would not allow the visitors any closer than five the rest of the way.
Temple's point total today was the most the team has scored this season, and coincidentally matched the most the Owls have scored since a March 8, 2008, win at La Salle (90-85). The Owls shot over 55.6 percent from the field in the second half to shoot exactly 50.0 percent on the game (32-64).
The Owls earned a first round bye in the Atlantic 10 Tournament and as the second seed will play the winner of La Salle/St. Bonaventure (3/8, TBA) in the second round game at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 11.
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