Temple University Athletics
Saturday, February 14
Liacouras Center
5:00 p.m.
Temple University
72
vs
60
Houston
Safiya Martin had 10 points and six rebounds
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Women's Basketball Tops Houston on Valentine's Day
2.14.15 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple women's basketball team celebrated Valentine's Day with a 72-60 victory over Houston on Saturday at the Liacouras Center. The Owls shot nearly 70% in the first half to get by the Cougars, as Temple moves to 8-5 in the American, 12-14 overall. Houston falls to 1-13 in conference play, 6-19 overall.
Five players scored in double figures for the Owls, led by 22 points from freshman Alliya Butts. The rookie also had a career-high six assists with three rebounds and a steal. Freshman Tanaya Atkinson and junior Erica Covile each scored 12 points in the win, with Atkinson tying a team-high with seven rebounds. Sophomore Feyonda Fitzgerald had 11 points and a season-high seven boards, while classmate Safiya Martin had 10 points and six boards.
Houston jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but Temple stormed back as Butts and Atkinson keyed a 19-7 Temple run, putting the Owls up 19-11 with 14:11 remaining in the half. Butts knocked down three from beyond-the-arc during the surge, while Atkinson had six points in the paint.
The Cougars used a 7-2 run to close the gap to just three (25-22) with 9:46 on the clock, but Temple scored 10-straight, including threes from Covile and Fitzgerald, to put the Owls on top 35-22 with 6:14 to play.
The teams traded buckets over the final minutes of the half, with Temple holding a 46-34 lead at the break. Butts and Atkinson had 12 each in the first stanza, with Fitzgerald and Covile adding nine and eight point halves. Temple shot 69.2% from the field in the half, and 70% from three-point range.
Houston opened the second half with a 7-0 run, cutting the lead to 48-41 with 16:57 remaining. Temple scored four-straight to push it back to a double-digit lead, but another Houston surge, this one, 6-0, cut it to just a five-point advantage (54-49) with 8:22 on the clock.
The five-point deficit was the closest that Houston could get to the Owls, as the teams traded buckets before Temple went on a 13-5 run to bring the lead back to double-figures, where it would stay. The Owls closed out the game with solid free throw shooting from Butts and Martin, as Temple nailed down the 12-point victory.
The Owls finished with a 51% performance from the floor, connecting on 7-of-12 (53.2%) from three-point range. Temple also out-rebounded Houston, 35-21.
Houston was led by 13 points each from Mariah Mitchell and Tyler Gilbert, while Alecia Smith, Jessieka Palmer, and Marche' Amerson all had nine points.
Box Score (PDF)
Five players scored in double figures for the Owls, led by 22 points from freshman Alliya Butts. The rookie also had a career-high six assists with three rebounds and a steal. Freshman Tanaya Atkinson and junior Erica Covile each scored 12 points in the win, with Atkinson tying a team-high with seven rebounds. Sophomore Feyonda Fitzgerald had 11 points and a season-high seven boards, while classmate Safiya Martin had 10 points and six boards.
Houston jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but Temple stormed back as Butts and Atkinson keyed a 19-7 Temple run, putting the Owls up 19-11 with 14:11 remaining in the half. Butts knocked down three from beyond-the-arc during the surge, while Atkinson had six points in the paint.
The Cougars used a 7-2 run to close the gap to just three (25-22) with 9:46 on the clock, but Temple scored 10-straight, including threes from Covile and Fitzgerald, to put the Owls on top 35-22 with 6:14 to play.
The teams traded buckets over the final minutes of the half, with Temple holding a 46-34 lead at the break. Butts and Atkinson had 12 each in the first stanza, with Fitzgerald and Covile adding nine and eight point halves. Temple shot 69.2% from the field in the half, and 70% from three-point range.
Houston opened the second half with a 7-0 run, cutting the lead to 48-41 with 16:57 remaining. Temple scored four-straight to push it back to a double-digit lead, but another Houston surge, this one, 6-0, cut it to just a five-point advantage (54-49) with 8:22 on the clock.
The five-point deficit was the closest that Houston could get to the Owls, as the teams traded buckets before Temple went on a 13-5 run to bring the lead back to double-figures, where it would stay. The Owls closed out the game with solid free throw shooting from Butts and Martin, as Temple nailed down the 12-point victory.
The Owls finished with a 51% performance from the floor, connecting on 7-of-12 (53.2%) from three-point range. Temple also out-rebounded Houston, 35-21.
Houston was led by 13 points each from Mariah Mitchell and Tyler Gilbert, while Alecia Smith, Jessieka Palmer, and Marche' Amerson all had nine points.
Box Score (PDF)
Players Mentioned
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