Temple University Athletics
Temple University
2-1
Rutgers
2-2
Rutgers Trips Up Women's Basketball
11.22.15 | Women's Basketball
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. -- A late fourth-quarter surge wasn't enough, as the Temple women's basketball team dropped a low-scoring affair, 61-51, on the road at Rutgers on Sunday afternoon. Temple moves to 2-1 overall, while Rutgers, receiving votes in the latest national poll, evens its mark at 2-2.
Temple junior Feyonda Fitzgerald and sophomore Alliya Butts accounted for all but six of the Owls' points. Fitzgerald scored 27 points, adding nine rebounds, and dishing out three assists, while Butts finished with 18 points and five rebounds. Senior Erica Covile and junior Donnaizha Fountain combined for 11 rebounds in the loss.
Temple shot a season-low by far, as Rutgers defense allowed the Owls just 25.4% from the field. The Scarlet Knights' lead ballooned to as many as 16 points, before Temple rallied to get to within four late in the fourth quarter. Rutgers came up with big shots when they needed, however, squashing Temple's comeback attempt.
Defense ruled the first quarter, as neither team scored for nearly three minutes of play. After Rutgers hit the opening bucket, Temple answered with a three from Fitzgerald and a running jumper from Butts to take a 5-3 lead. Rutgers then went on an 8-0 run, including back-to-back threes, to push the lead to 13-5. Temple was able to cut the deficit to just six, as Fitzgerald hit a pair of free throws to close the half with a 13-7 Rutgers lead.
Rutgers opened the second frame with a three to go up 16-7, before the Owls used a 6-2 run to cut the lead to 18-11. Again the Scarlet Knights responded, hitting back-to-back threes to make it a 13-point game at 24-11. Temple cut the lead to just nine (24-15) on a Butts bucket, but Rutgers added a putback at the end of the quarter to head to the locker room with a 26-15 advantage.
Rutgers stretched its lead to the largest of the game in the third quarter, as the Scarlet Knights got a three from Kahleah Copper to make it 33-17. Temple got the lead back down to 10 points on two occasions in the third quarter, but both times, Rutgers had an answer. Three-straight from sophomore Tanaya Atkinson made it a 37-28 game with 1:06 left in the frame, but Rutgers' got five-straight points, including a three from Cynthia Hernandez to make it 42-28. Temple landed the last punch, however, as Fitzgerald drained a three at the buzzer setting the score to 42-31 at the end of the frame.
In the fourth quarter, Temple began to rally. A three-point play from junior Taylor Robinson started the surge, before Fitzgerald nailed back-to-back threes to make it an eight point game (48-40). After a Rutgers' basket, the Owls went on a 10-4 run, as Butts hit two threes and Fitzgerald added four free-throws making it 54-50 with 1:50 to play. On the next possession, Temple's defense held Rutgers for 29 seconds, as Safiya Martin blocked a shot out of bounds with just one second on the shot clock. However, Rutgers' Tyler Scaife worked herself free at the top of the key and hit a three as time expired to push the Rutgers lead back to seven. That shot proved to be the end for Temple, as the Owls were unable to get any closer over the last minute. The Scarlet Knights finished the game on the free throw line, winning it 61-51.
Temple stays on the road and heads north to Quinnipiac for a Tuesday game. Tip-off is slated for 5:00 p.m.
Box Score (PDF)
