Temple University Athletics
Temple University
4-0
Buffalo
2-6
Stifling Defense Leads Temple To, 54-39, Win At Buffalo
11.28.12 | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO – Temple used a stifling defense to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2000-01 with a 54-39 over Buffalo Wednesday night at Alumni Arena.
After trailing by a bucket to open the game, the Owls never looked back, as they raced to a 24-8 lead over the first 16 minutes. Temple claimed its first win in the City of Buffalo since 1977 and held an opponent under 40 points for the first time since Dec. 28, 2009 when it limited Bowling Green to an identical figure of 39.
Sophomore Anthony Lee, who stunned the Bulls with a last-second tip-in in last season's 87-85 overtime victory in Philadelphia, led the Owls with 10 points on a five-of-eight shooting night along with seven boards. Freshman Quenton DeCosey played his most minutes (10) off the bench, allowing him to go four-of-seven from the floor to rack up a season-best eight points.
Javon McCrea, the only other double-figure scorer in the contest, led Buffalo with a game-high 14 points.
The Owls held the Bulls to 17-of-52 from the field for 32.7 percent shooting while limiting the hosts even more from behind the arc (3-16, 18.8%).
Temple made 50 percent (12-24) of its first half shots to open up a 31-16 lead at intermission, but then limped home by hitting just six-of-27 in the final 20 minutes (22,2%).
The Owls, who never trailed, took control early, holding the Bulls scoreless over an eight-plus minute stretch to take a 13-2 lead. Lee led the charge, making his first three shots of the game.
Buffalo cut the margin to eight twice, the last on a three-pointer by Auraum Nuiriankh to make it 16-8, but the Owls would answer with eight straight points, the final four on free throws by Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson (7 pts, 7 rebs), to take a 24-8 lead.
Despite Temple's shooting woes in the second half, the Bulls never cut the lead under double figures. The Owls built it to as many as 19, 43 -24, on a Lee dunk with 6:16 remaining before coasting home with the win.
Sophomore guard Will Cummings had his best outing of the season, playing a career-high 34 minutes- the most of any player in the game - while setting career bests in points (9), rebounds (6) and steals (3).
Senior guard Khalif Wyatt added eight points in 24 minutes. Wyatt had to leave the game with just over nine minutes to play due to a cut on his left arm that required three stitches to close.
Senior swingman Scootie Randall, who came into the game as the Atlantic 10 Conference's leading scorer (21.7 ppg.), was mired in early foul trouble and limited to a season-low four points.
Temple returns to the Liacouras Center to host Wagner on Saturday with a 2:00 p.m. tip-off (OwlAccess/1210 WPHT AM).
