Temple University Athletics
Saturday, January 25
McGonigle Hall
2 PM
Temple University
10-9, 4-4Amer.
68
vs
74
RUTGERS
15-4, 6-2Amer.
1
2
F
RUTGERS
22
52
74
TEMPLE
24
44
68
Freshman Feyonda Fitzgerald
Women’s Basketball Drops 74-68 Decision to Rutgers
1.25.14 | Women's Basketball
BOXSCORE IN PDF | VIDEO
PHILADELPHIA– Temple women's basketball dropped a 74-68 decision to Rutgers in American Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon at McGonigle Hall.
The Owls fell to 10-9 overall and 4-4 in the conference, while the Scarlet Knights improved to 15-4 overall and 6-2 in the league.
"We're losing games down the stretch, because we're not playing defense," said Temple head coach Tonya Cardoza. "We're allowing people to score and giving up key offensive rebounds. They way (Rutgers) was scoring on us was embarrassing."
In the first half, Temple jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Rutgers came back to tie the score at 11-11 with 10:19 to go. The Scarlet Knights took their first lead of the game, 14-13, with 6:57 to play in the half. Once again, the Owls went ahead by six, 24-18, and led 24-22 at intermission.
In the second half, Temple went up by five points early. Rutgers responded with a 10-2 run to take a seven-point advantage, 50-43, and never trailed again. RU pushed its lead to as many as 15 points, 63-48 with 4:55 to go. Temple never gave up. The Owls then went on a 7-0 run, capped off with a three from freshman Feyonda Fitzgerald (Norfolk, Va.), to cut the gap to six, 65-59, with 1:34 to go. TU came within four points, 72-68 with four seconds to go after two free throws by junior Rateska Brown (Alvin, S.C.), but ran out of time.
"When the game is on the line, we have to do the little things," Cardoza said. "Mentally I think there are breakdowns."
Fitzgerald led the Owls with 25 points. Freshman Taylor Robinson (St. Louis, Mo.) was the only other Owl in double figures. She finished with career-high 18 points. Senior Natasha Thames (Port Huron, Mich.) grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
Betnijah Laney paced Rutgers with a double-double of 24 points and 10 boards. Kahleah Copper added 20 points, and Rachel Hollivay had 11.
"We were planning to play zone (defense) from the beginning, but we continued with man, and they went to the free throw line," said Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer. We decided to switch it up. It was enough to put them off rhythm."
Overall, Temple out-rebounded Rutgers, 48-41. The Owls shot 32 percent (23-72) from the field, and the Knights shot 46 percent (28-61). RU held advantages in fast break points (14-4) and bench points (13-7).
"Temple is a very solid basketball team," Stringer added. "They are fighters. They are never out of it. That was a concern."
Temple concludes its three-game homestand with No. 1 Connecticut in American Athletic Conference action on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. at McGonigle Hall.
PHILADELPHIA– Temple women's basketball dropped a 74-68 decision to Rutgers in American Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon at McGonigle Hall.
The Owls fell to 10-9 overall and 4-4 in the conference, while the Scarlet Knights improved to 15-4 overall and 6-2 in the league.
"We're losing games down the stretch, because we're not playing defense," said Temple head coach Tonya Cardoza. "We're allowing people to score and giving up key offensive rebounds. They way (Rutgers) was scoring on us was embarrassing."
In the first half, Temple jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Rutgers came back to tie the score at 11-11 with 10:19 to go. The Scarlet Knights took their first lead of the game, 14-13, with 6:57 to play in the half. Once again, the Owls went ahead by six, 24-18, and led 24-22 at intermission.
In the second half, Temple went up by five points early. Rutgers responded with a 10-2 run to take a seven-point advantage, 50-43, and never trailed again. RU pushed its lead to as many as 15 points, 63-48 with 4:55 to go. Temple never gave up. The Owls then went on a 7-0 run, capped off with a three from freshman Feyonda Fitzgerald (Norfolk, Va.), to cut the gap to six, 65-59, with 1:34 to go. TU came within four points, 72-68 with four seconds to go after two free throws by junior Rateska Brown (Alvin, S.C.), but ran out of time.
"When the game is on the line, we have to do the little things," Cardoza said. "Mentally I think there are breakdowns."
Fitzgerald led the Owls with 25 points. Freshman Taylor Robinson (St. Louis, Mo.) was the only other Owl in double figures. She finished with career-high 18 points. Senior Natasha Thames (Port Huron, Mich.) grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
Betnijah Laney paced Rutgers with a double-double of 24 points and 10 boards. Kahleah Copper added 20 points, and Rachel Hollivay had 11.
"We were planning to play zone (defense) from the beginning, but we continued with man, and they went to the free throw line," said Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer. We decided to switch it up. It was enough to put them off rhythm."
Overall, Temple out-rebounded Rutgers, 48-41. The Owls shot 32 percent (23-72) from the field, and the Knights shot 46 percent (28-61). RU held advantages in fast break points (14-4) and bench points (13-7).
"Temple is a very solid basketball team," Stringer added. "They are fighters. They are never out of it. That was a concern."
Temple concludes its three-game homestand with No. 1 Connecticut in American Athletic Conference action on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. at McGonigle Hall.
Team Stats
RU
TEMPLE
FG%
.459
.319
3FG%
.667
.190
FT%
.667
.720
RB
41
48
TO
17
16
STL
10
8
Game Leaders
Pts
25
FGM
9
3FGM
2
FTM
5
Pts
18
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
1
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
5
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
3
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