Temple University Athletics
Temple University
7-9, 1-3Big 5
Penn
7-4, 3-0Big 5
Women's Basketball Falls in Big 5 Nailbiter at Penn
1.5.15 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA — The Temple women's basketball team dropped a nail-biting 52-50 match-up on the road at Big 5-rival Penn on Monday night at the Palestra. The Owls led for nearly 32 minutes, but couldn't close out the victory, as the Quakers snapped a three-game TU win streak. Temple dips to 7-9 with the loss, while Penn, who nabs at least a share of the Big 5 title, improves to 7-4.
Freshman Tanaya Atkinson recorded a double-double with 12 points and a career-best 17 rebounds to lead the Owls. Junior Erica Covile, who played just 21 minutes due to foul trouble, just missed her fifth-straight double-double, finishing with 12 points and nine boards. Senior Tyonna Williams added eight points, while freshman Alliya Butts had five points and a game-best four steals, as Temple struggled offensively, shooting just 28.6% from the field and 50% from the charity stripe.
The teams traded buckets to open the game, with each squad hitting a three and a jumper in the opening minutes. Temple then put together an 8-0 run to take a 13-5 lead with 12:15 to play in the half. Butts hit a big three during the surge, while Covile added four points for the Owls.
Penn followed with a 7-0 run of their own, cutting the Temple lead to 13-12 with 10:33 to play in the half. Despite Temple being called for its seventh foul midway through the stanza, the Owls held the lead until a conventional three-point play from Sydney Stipanovich put the Quakers ahead 22-21 with 3:15 to play in the half.
Temple was able to re-gain the momentum in the following minutes, closing out the half with a 6-1 run. Atkinson scored four of the Owls' final six points to give TU a 26-22 lead heading into the break.
At the half, Atkinson had eight points and eight boards for Temple, while Williams had seven points. Penn's Kathleen Roche led all players with 10 points. Both teams were hovering around 30% from the field, while Temple held a slim 23-22 advantage on the boards.
Penn wasted little time in the second half, charging back to tie the game at 27-27 after a three from Roche. Temple rebounded with six straight, including four from Covile to re-gain the edge, 33-27 with 17:18 to play.
The Quakers kept themselves within striking distance, and took advantage of more foul trouble from Temple. Roche then gave Penn its first lead of the contest as Roche buried a three with 8:28 to play to put Penn ahead 41-40 with 8:28 to play.
The hosts pushed their advantage to three, but Temple battled back to find themselves on top once again, as a Fitzgerald jumper put the Owls up 45-43 with 2:46 to play. Penn responded with another three-point play from Roche and then a lay-up from Sydney Stipanovich to match its largest lead of the game, a three-point edge (48-45) with 1:11 to play.
Temple was able to tie the game once again, as a three from Fitzgerald knotted the teams at 48-48 with 50 seconds to play. The Owls played tight defense, but an offensive board from Bonenberger after kept Penn alive on its next possession, and Renee Busch nailed a three to put the Quakers ahead, 51-48.
The Owls missed a pair of threes on their next trip down the court, but an offensive board and a put-back from Atkinson closed the gap to just one (51-50) with five seconds remaining. Forced to foul, Temple had a shot at the end, as Penn made just one of two free throws to go up 52-50, but a last second rebound, sprint, and jumper in traffic from Williams fell just short, giving the Quakers the win.
Penn's Roche led all players with 22 points, adding nine boards, while Stipanovich nearly had a triple-double with 12 points, nine rebounds, and nine blocks.
Temple jumps back to conference play on Sunday, hosting USF at McGonigle Hall at 12 p.m.
Box Score (PDF)
