Temple University Athletics
Temple University
8-2
Canisius
8-2
Temple Falls To Canisius, 72-62
12.19.12 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA – Temple saw its 11-game win streak at the Liacouras Center come to an end Wednesday night as Canisius defeated the Owls, 72-62, in the second game of the Chevrolet Gotham Classic for both teams. Temple, who next plays #3/3 Syracuse Saturday at Madison Square Garden, falls to 8-2 while Canisius improves to 8-2 on the season.
The Owls were led by senior guard Khalif Wyatt, who was one of four Temple players in double figures with 17 points. Graduate forward Jake O'Brien had a season-high 14 points off the bench while sophomores Will Cummings and Anthony Lee each added 10. For Cummings it was a new career scoring high while he also made a game-high three steals.
Senior guard Bill Baron, son of Golden Griffins' coach Jim Baron, paced the visitors with 19 points while dishing a game-high five assists. Isaac Sosa added 13 points while Harold Washington and Reggie Groves each added 12 points.
The Owls were ice cold from the field, especially in the second half. Temple made just four of 28 from three-point range (14.3%) and only two of 16 from behind the arc after intermission. The Cherry and White's top two scorers, Scootie Randall (1-12) and Wyatt (0-6) combined for one-of-18 from three-point range.
While Temple struggled, Canisius caught fire, hitting seven of its 12 second half shots from three-point range to overcome a 36-28 halftime deficit.
The only Owl to shoot well in the contest was O'Brien, who made five of his seven shots from the floor, including three of four from long-range.
The Golden Griffins scored nine straight points in a four-minute stretch to take a 43-42 lead on a Sosa jumper with just under 14 minutes to play. Following five straight Temple points, Canisius went on its first 14-4 run with Groves banking in a trey to cap it and give the Golden Griffins a 57-51 advantage.
The Owls answered by rolling off seven straight points with a Lee slam enabling TU to regain the lead, 58-57, with just under six minutes remaining. Wyatt and then Randall both missed threes on the ensuing possessions that could have extended the margin before Baron hit a jumper in traffic and then drained a trey to make it 62-58.
That was the start of Canisius' final 14-4 run that closed out the contest.
Temple had just four turnovers in the game, the lowest total for an Owl team since Jan.31, 2008 at Fordham.
