Temple University Athletics
Temple University
23-6 (12-3,A-10)
Massachusetts
19-10 (8-7 A-10)
#23/25 Men's Basketball Prevails Over UMass In Senior Night Overtime Thriller, 90-88
2.29.12 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - #23/25 Temple clinched a share of its Atlantic 10 record 10th regular season title Wednesday night with a thrilling 90-88 overtime win over Massachusetts. The win was the 100th for the Owls (23-6, 12-3 A10) over the last four years and was only fitting as it was Senior Night for TU's quartet of Jake Godino, Micheal Eric, Juan Fernandez and Ramone Moore.
Temple's three senior starters, Eric, Fernandez and Moore all scored in double figures in the win with Godino, a three-year walk-on who was placed on scholarship in January, making his first career start.
It was a junior, Khalif Wyatt, who led the Owls to the victory. The 6-4 guard scored seven of his game-high 26 points in the extra stanza, including a three-point play to tie the game at 88, and then a breakaway lay-up with 16 seconds left for the final points.
Wyatt, among the A10 best free throw shooters (.846), connected on 17 of 18 from the charity stipe. It is the second most free throws in school history behind only Lynn Greer's 18 against Saint Joseph's in 2002.
Eric, who continues to improve with every game, tied his career high with 19 points in his final home game, while also pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds. It is his third straight double-double and sixth of the season.
Fernandez, who became the eighth Temple player to make 200 three-pointers, added 18 points while Moore contributed 13.
Junior Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson, who made the pass to Wyatt for the winning basket, had eight points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
The game was played at a frenetic pace dictated by the Minutemen (19-10, 8-7). Sophomore guard Chaz Williams (26 pts, 8 rebs, 11 assists) orchestrated it, and almost single-handedly willed his team to the upset.
Trailing 77-67 with two minutes remaining, Williams drained a three-pointer, then after a Moore miss, went the length of the court for a lay-up to make it a five-point game. Fernandez then traveled on the ensuing inbounds play with UMass' Freddie Riley nailing a trey to cut the Owls' lead to two, 77-75.
Following two Wyatt free throws, Riley again connected from long-range to make it 79-78. Wyatt was then fouled and hit one-of-two, making it 80-78 with 33 seconds left. Williams then missed a jumper, but Raphiael Putney (16 points) hit the follow shot to send the game to overtime.
UMass used the momentum from the final two minutes of regulation to score the first six points in the extra frame.
The Owls finally scored on two Fernandez free throws with 2:04 remaining to make it 86-82. Moore added a free throw following a Wyatt steal with Wyatt adding two more from the charity to cut the deficit to one.
Putney countered with two from the line, making it 88-85, setting up Wyatt's last minute heroics.
Temple, which clinched the #1 seed in the A10 Tournament, concludes its regular season at Fordham on Saturday (4:00 pm/1210 AM WPHT).
