Temple University Athletics
Temple University
19-5, (8-2,A-10)
Xavier
16-9, (7-4,A-10)
Men's Basketball "Whites Out" Xavier, 85-72
2.11.12 | Men's Basketball
Ramone Moore leads way with a game-high 30 points
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PHILADELPHIA - Senior Ramone Moore scored a game-high 30 points to lead Temple to a surprisingly easy 85-72 win over Xavier in a nationally-televised (ESPN2) showdown of the Atlantic 10's premier teams Saturday night at the Liacouras Center. The Owls posted their eighth straight win to improve to 19-5 overall and 8-2 in conference play. The Musketeers fall to 16-9 and 7-4.
Temple used the energy of a crowd of a frenzied 9,370 fans that "whited out" the Liacouras Center for the first time in the arena's history.
It marks the sixth straight game that Moore has led the Owls in scoring, and the 12th time this season. It was also his third 30-point game of his career, and second of the season.
The Owls used a 16-0 run over a seven-minute stretch in the first half to jump out to a 21-5 lead. Five different players scored in the run before Justin Martin stopped the bleeding with a putback at the 9:12 mark. Moore, who made nine-of-16 from the field, answered with one of his five three-pointers (8 attempts).
Martin cut the Temple lead down to 12 (30-18) four minutes later, only for the Owls to run off 13 of the next 17 points. Khalif Wyatt (18 pts) hit two treys and Moore one in the stretch that gave TU its largest lead of the first half, 43-22.
Micheal Eric, who pulled down a career high 16 rebounds en route to his fourth career double-double (11 pts), connected on a lay-up in the final seconds of the half to allow Temple to match its largest first-half lead of the season, 47-27.
Temple shot a blistering 19-of-31 from the field (61.3%) and a more impressive 7-of-11 (63.6%) from three-point range. The Owls defense held Xavier to 11-of-28 (39.3%) and 2-6 (33.3%), respectively.
The second half saw TU quickly extend its lead to a high of 23 points (45-31) on a Wyatt jumper. The Owls then held off every Musketeer challenge, keeping the lead at 15 points or more for most of the next 13 minutes.
Xavier finally cut the lead to to, 77-67, on a lay-up by Tu Holloway (23 pts) with 2:54 remaining, but only was able to get into single digits with 1:06 left, 80-71, following a Holloway free throw.
The Owls closed it out with Moore connecting on four-of-four free throws down the stretch and Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson (7 pts, 10 rebs) adding one.
Juan Fernandez, who suffered a hip pointer in Wednesday's win over George Washington, started and played 25 minutes, scoring six points and dishing three assists.
Temple controlled the boards behind Eric and Hollis-Jefferson, winning the battle on the glass, 43-29.
The Owls will now travel to St. Bonaventure for a Wednesday night game with the Bonnies. The game, which tips off at 8:00 p.m., will be televised live by CBS Sports Network, and can be heard on 1210 AM WPHT.
