Temple University Athletics
Wednesday, January 14
Liacouras Center
7:00 p.m.
Temple University
12-6, 3-2
55
vs
60
SMU
13-4, 4-1
1
2
F
SMU
26
34
60
Temple
33
22
55
Jesse Morgan
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
SMU Rallies in the Second Half for a 60-55 Win Over Men's Basketball
1.14.15 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - After a strong start, a second-half lead slipped away for Temple men's basketball in a 60-55 loss to SMU (13-4, 4-1) on Wednesday night. The Owls (12-6, 3-2) led by 13 early in the second period, but the Mustangs shot over 52 percent in a big second half to overcome the deficit and take the lead with two minutes remaining.
Markus Kennedy scored a game-high 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting to lead SMU. Temple held a slight edge in rebounding in the first half, but the Mustangs dominated on the glass in the second half to finish with a 33-23 edge.
Much of Temple's rebounding woes were due to foul trouble, as forwards Jaylen Bond and Obi Enechionyia both picked up fouls early and finished with four.
The Owls had three players finish in double figures, led by senior Jesse Morgan with 15 points. Junior Quenton DeCosey, who has scored in double figures in 16 of 18 games, finished with 13. Junior Devin Coleman came off the bench for a season-high 10 points including a pair of three-pointers.
Temple got off to a strong start with Bond and Morgan hitting a trey apiece in the first three minutes, and held a 10-7 lead five minutes into the contest. SMU picked up the pace and eventually took a five-point lead just past the midway point of the half.
Josh Brown drained a three-pointer with nine minutes remaining that would begin an impressive run for Temple down the stretch. Coleman scored eight straight points for the Owls, including two treys, as they outscored the Mustangs 18-6 over those final nine minutes.
Temple's largest lead was nine, 33-24, before SMU hit a layup at the buzzer to cut the Owls' halftime lead to seven, 33-26.
Morgan and Coleman each hit two from long range as Temple finished with six treys in the first half to SMU's one. The pair led all scorers with eight points apiece at the break.
Just over a minute into the second half, the Owls had widened their lead to 13 on a pair of three-pointers from Morgan and Quenton DeCosey, but it would prove to be their largest lead of the game.
SMU used a 13-4 run over a seven-minute span to come within four, 43-39 at 11:50. Near the five-minute mark, Yanick Moreira scored four straight points for the Mustangs to make it a one-point game, 49-48. The Owls briefly regained the lead, but a Nic Moore jumper for SMU at the two-minute mark gave it back to the Mustangs.
Moore made a big three-pointer less than a minute later for a three-point lead, and the Owls came no closer than that in the final minute. They had a couple of good looks from long range, but both missed the mark.
Temple will look to recover from its two-game skid on Saturday, Jan. 17 as the Owls head to Cincinnati for a 7:30 p.m. game (ESPNU/1210 AM WPHT).
Box Score l Photo Gallery | Dunphy Interview | Players Interview
Markus Kennedy scored a game-high 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting to lead SMU. Temple held a slight edge in rebounding in the first half, but the Mustangs dominated on the glass in the second half to finish with a 33-23 edge.
Much of Temple's rebounding woes were due to foul trouble, as forwards Jaylen Bond and Obi Enechionyia both picked up fouls early and finished with four.
The Owls had three players finish in double figures, led by senior Jesse Morgan with 15 points. Junior Quenton DeCosey, who has scored in double figures in 16 of 18 games, finished with 13. Junior Devin Coleman came off the bench for a season-high 10 points including a pair of three-pointers.
Temple got off to a strong start with Bond and Morgan hitting a trey apiece in the first three minutes, and held a 10-7 lead five minutes into the contest. SMU picked up the pace and eventually took a five-point lead just past the midway point of the half.
Josh Brown drained a three-pointer with nine minutes remaining that would begin an impressive run for Temple down the stretch. Coleman scored eight straight points for the Owls, including two treys, as they outscored the Mustangs 18-6 over those final nine minutes.
Temple's largest lead was nine, 33-24, before SMU hit a layup at the buzzer to cut the Owls' halftime lead to seven, 33-26.
Morgan and Coleman each hit two from long range as Temple finished with six treys in the first half to SMU's one. The pair led all scorers with eight points apiece at the break.
Just over a minute into the second half, the Owls had widened their lead to 13 on a pair of three-pointers from Morgan and Quenton DeCosey, but it would prove to be their largest lead of the game.
SMU used a 13-4 run over a seven-minute span to come within four, 43-39 at 11:50. Near the five-minute mark, Yanick Moreira scored four straight points for the Mustangs to make it a one-point game, 49-48. The Owls briefly regained the lead, but a Nic Moore jumper for SMU at the two-minute mark gave it back to the Mustangs.
Moore made a big three-pointer less than a minute later for a three-point lead, and the Owls came no closer than that in the final minute. They had a couple of good looks from long range, but both missed the mark.
Temple will look to recover from its two-game skid on Saturday, Jan. 17 as the Owls head to Cincinnati for a 7:30 p.m. game (ESPNU/1210 AM WPHT).
Box Score l Photo Gallery | Dunphy Interview | Players Interview
Team Stats
SMU
TU
FG%
.478
.408
3FG%
.200
.308
FT%
.875
.583
RB
33
23
TO
16
12
STL
6
10
Game Leaders
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
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