Men's Basketball Opens Big 5 Play Tuesday Against Penn

PHILADELPHIA - Big 5 Basketball will be on display Tuesday evening at the Liacouras Center when Temple (2-2) plays host to the Penn Quakers (0-3) in the first of three city-series games in the span of 12 days for the Owls. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. (ESPN3/1210 AM WPHT).

Temple head coach Fran Dunphy is all too familiar with the Quakers as he coached there for 17 seasons before taking over the Owls program in 2006. He is also very close with Penn's current head coach, Jerome Allen, as he recruited and coached the former Quaker star, now in his sixth year at the school.

Also in attendance and serving as color analyst for the game will be Steve Donahue. The former head coach at Cornell and Boston College served on Dunphy's Penn staff for a decade (1990-00) which corresponded with Allen's playing days (1991-95).

Temple returns to the Liacouras Center, home of its two wins this season, after falling to #4/3 Duke (74-54) and UNLV (57-50) at the Barclays Center this past weekend. The Owls will look to get their offense back on track as Temple is making just 31.9 percent of its field goal attempts on the season, and a mere 21.9 percent from three-point range.

Senior guard Will Cummings leads the Owls with a 16.5 scoring average while junior guard Quenton DeCosey also tallies double-figures with a 10.8 average. Sophomore forward Mark Williams (5.3 ppg.) tops Temple in rebounding with an 8.0 average.

The Owls' defense, much maligned last season, is limiting opponents to 60.8 points per game - 17 points below 2013-14 - and 37.9 shooting from the field.

Junior guard Tony Hicks is the lone Quaker averaging double figures, scoring at an 18.7 ppg. clip. He also tops the squad with 5.7 assists per contest while freshman forward Mike Auger tops Penn with 6.7 rebounds per game.

Temple leads the all-time series 46-22 and has won the last seven meetings. The Quakers last victory over Temple came on Jan. 24, 2007, a 76-74 barnburner at The Palestra in Dunphy's first game coaching against his former school.

Tickets for all Temple men's and women's home games can be purchased via phone at 1-800-298-4200, online at comcastTix.com or in person at the Liacouras Center Box Office.

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Men's Basketball Opens Big 5 Play Tuesday Against Penn

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Players Mentioned

Will Cummings

Quenton DeCosey

Mark Williams

Temple University Athletics