Temple University Athletics
Temple University
Charlotte
Men's Basketball to Test Its Road Mettle at Charlotte Wednesday
1.24.12 | Men's Basketball
A10' top road team looks to post first win at Halton Arena
CHARLOTTE, NC - The Temple men's basketball team, arguably the A10's best road team with a 5-3 record on opponent's courts, travels to the one place in the conference it has never won, Halton Arena, to take on the Charlotte 49ers Wednesday night (7:30 p.m./1210 AM WPHT). The Owls (13-5, 2-2 A10) have lost all previous four meetings with the 49ers (10-8, 2-3) at the arena.
Senior Ramone Moore continues to lead the Cherry and White, as well as the A10, with a 17.2 scoring average. He is just one of head coach Fran Dunphy's three-guard attack that averages double figures. Junior guard Khalif Wyatt ranks fourth in the conference in scoring (16.6 ppg.), but first overall in conference games only (21.0 ppg.). Senior guard Juan Fernandez averages 11.6 points per game while topping Temple in assists (4.2 apg.). The trio has combined to make 98 of the Owls' 130 three-pointers with Fernandez topping the squad (39 made).
Junior forward Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson (9.6 ppg., 6.4 rpg.) and redshirt freshman Anthony Lee (5.9 ppg., 6.8 rpg.) have provided a strong presence in the paint which will be bolstered by the return of graduate center Micheal Eric (8.4 ppg., 9.0 rpg.). Eric, who had missed 13 games due to a knee injury, returned to the lineup against Maryland Saturday, playing seven minutes in a limited role.
Sophomore guard Aaron Brown, who has emerged as a leading candidate for A10 Sixth Man of the Year, continues to be an offensive spark off the bench (7.8 ppg.) while redshirt junior T.J. DiLeo (2.6 ppg.) and freshman Will Cummings (2.3 ppg.) round out the nine-man rotation.
Charlotte, under the direction of head coach Alan Major, is led in scoring and rebounding by junior center Chris Braswell (14.5 ppg., 7.5 rpg.). Senior forward Javarris Barnett (11.4 ppg., 6.6 rpg.) and sophomore swingman DeMario Mayfield (10.0 ppg., 6.1 rpg.) also tally double figures for the 49ers, who have lost three of their last four contests.
