Temple University Athletics
Tuesday, March 4
Liacouras Center
6:30 PM
Temple University
8-21, 3-14
86
vs
78
UCF
11-17, 3-14
1
2
OT 1
F
UCF
33
37
8
78
Temple
36
34
16
86
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Men's Basketball Posts Thrilling 86-78 OT Win Over UCF
3.4.14 | Men's Basketball
Box Score (PDF) l Photo Gallery | Dunphy Interview | Players Interview
PHILADELPHIA - Temple honored its lone senior, Dalton Pepper, prior to tip-off and then the Levittown, Pa. native took the court and led his Owls to a 86-78 overtime victory over UCF Tuesday in the team's final home game.
Pepper topped the Cherry and White with a game-high 26 points while grabbing six rebounds and dishing four assists. Junior forward Anthony Lee recorded his 11th double-double, and first since Feb. 6, with 20 points and 10 rebounds while Will Cummings added 21 points.
It marked the second time this season that three Owls topped 20 points (Memphis, 2/22/14). The feat had not been previously accomplished since 2008.
Lee, who had been quiet for much of the second half, scored four straight points for the Owls in the extra frame, including a three-point play off a nifty pass by freshman Mark Williams (7 pts) to give Temple a 78-74 lead with just over a minute remaining.
Pepper then sealed the deal, converting a layup off a feed from sophomore Quenton DeCosey, following two free throws by UCF's Kasey Wilson (14 pts, 7 rebs) to keep it a two-possession game at 80-76. He then connected on four-of-four from the line to help put the Owls' win on ice.
He was a perfect seven-of-seven from the line to increase his team-high percentage to .891 (57-64). Cummings also added two free throws in the final 30 seconds and was 8-of-10 from the charity stripe for the game.
The game was sloppy at the start with the Knights taking a 20-13 lead at the midway point of the first half despite not having their leading scorer Isaiah Sykes (16.1 ppg.), who sat out the contest with a foot injury.
Trailing 24-18, the Owls ran off six straight to tie the game on a Cummings' three-point play. The teams traded baskets until Temple ran off six more unanswered points, capped by two Pepper free throws to take a 36-30 advantage.
UCF's Calvin Newell, who topped the visitors with 23 points, banked in a three-pointer as the buzzer went off to end the half. It was the seventh trey in the opening 20 minutes for the Knights.
The Owls exploded out of the locker room following intermission, posting a 12-4 run to take a 48-37 lead with their senior leading the way with five points. The Knights answered right back, running off 16 of the 20 to retake the lead at 53-52. Matt Williams drained two treys in the stretch and assisted on the final basket, a layup by Staphon Blair.
Neither team could get separation over the final eight minutes. Anthony Lee's lay-up with 1:14 gave the Owls a 70-68 lead with just over one minute remaining, but Newell was fouled driving to the basket with five seconds on the clock. He converted both free throws to tie the game.
Cummings then took the ball the length of the court, but Blair made a clean block at the rim to send the game to overtime.
The Owls snapped a four-game losing streak and improved to 8-21, 3-14 in the American Athletic Conference. UCF falls to 11-17, 3-14.
Temple closes out the regular season at South Florida on Saturday. Tip is 2:00 p.m. with the game being televised by ESPNews. The game will be broadcast by 97.5 The Fanatic.
-- more to come --
PHILADELPHIA - Temple honored its lone senior, Dalton Pepper, prior to tip-off and then the Levittown, Pa. native took the court and led his Owls to a 86-78 overtime victory over UCF Tuesday in the team's final home game.
Pepper topped the Cherry and White with a game-high 26 points while grabbing six rebounds and dishing four assists. Junior forward Anthony Lee recorded his 11th double-double, and first since Feb. 6, with 20 points and 10 rebounds while Will Cummings added 21 points.
It marked the second time this season that three Owls topped 20 points (Memphis, 2/22/14). The feat had not been previously accomplished since 2008.
Lee, who had been quiet for much of the second half, scored four straight points for the Owls in the extra frame, including a three-point play off a nifty pass by freshman Mark Williams (7 pts) to give Temple a 78-74 lead with just over a minute remaining.
Pepper then sealed the deal, converting a layup off a feed from sophomore Quenton DeCosey, following two free throws by UCF's Kasey Wilson (14 pts, 7 rebs) to keep it a two-possession game at 80-76. He then connected on four-of-four from the line to help put the Owls' win on ice.
He was a perfect seven-of-seven from the line to increase his team-high percentage to .891 (57-64). Cummings also added two free throws in the final 30 seconds and was 8-of-10 from the charity stripe for the game.
The game was sloppy at the start with the Knights taking a 20-13 lead at the midway point of the first half despite not having their leading scorer Isaiah Sykes (16.1 ppg.), who sat out the contest with a foot injury.
Trailing 24-18, the Owls ran off six straight to tie the game on a Cummings' three-point play. The teams traded baskets until Temple ran off six more unanswered points, capped by two Pepper free throws to take a 36-30 advantage.
UCF's Calvin Newell, who topped the visitors with 23 points, banked in a three-pointer as the buzzer went off to end the half. It was the seventh trey in the opening 20 minutes for the Knights.
The Owls exploded out of the locker room following intermission, posting a 12-4 run to take a 48-37 lead with their senior leading the way with five points. The Knights answered right back, running off 16 of the 20 to retake the lead at 53-52. Matt Williams drained two treys in the stretch and assisted on the final basket, a layup by Staphon Blair.
Neither team could get separation over the final eight minutes. Anthony Lee's lay-up with 1:14 gave the Owls a 70-68 lead with just over one minute remaining, but Newell was fouled driving to the basket with five seconds on the clock. He converted both free throws to tie the game.
Cummings then took the ball the length of the court, but Blair made a clean block at the rim to send the game to overtime.
The Owls snapped a four-game losing streak and improved to 8-21, 3-14 in the American Athletic Conference. UCF falls to 11-17, 3-14.
Temple closes out the regular season at South Florida on Saturday. Tip is 2:00 p.m. with the game being televised by ESPNews. The game will be broadcast by 97.5 The Fanatic.
-- more to come --
Team Stats
UCF
TU
FG%
.500
.426
3FG%
.478
.273
FT%
.773
.846
RB
30
36
TO
19
9
STL
4
9
Game Leaders
Pts
26
FGM
8
3FGM
3
FTM
7
Pts
23
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
8
Pts
20
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Ep. 14: Temple Athletics Recap & Basketball Preview!
Tuesday, October 21
Ep. 13: Head Field Hockey Coach Michelle Vittese
Friday, October 17
Ep. 12: Homecoming Recap; Women's Soccer's Tamsin Bynoe
Tuesday, October 14
American Tipoff - The Field of 68 with Adam Fisher, Babatunde Durodola and Aiden Tobiason
Tuesday, October 14
