Temple University Athletics
Saturday, February 28
McGonigle Hall
2:00 p.m.
Temple University
15-15, 11-6AAC
79
vs
69
East Carolina
19-9, 10-7AAC
1
2
F
ECU
31
38
69
Temple
30
49
79
Tyonna Williams scored 13 points with three assists
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Women's Basketball Celebrates Senior Day with 79-69 Win over ECU
2.28.15 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA -- Temple women's basketball player Tyonna Williams was sent out in style, as the Owls defeated East Carolina, 79-69, on Senior Day at McGonigle Hall on Saturday. In a battle between a pair of 10-6 teams vying for a higher seed in the conference tournament, it was Temple that came out on top, snapping the Pirate's six-game winning streak.
Today's victory improved Temple to 11-6 in the conference, 15-15 overall, with the Owls getting back to .500 for the first time since November 18. The loss dips ECU to 19-9 overall, 10-7 in The American.
The Owls rebounded from a slow start, taking a one-point deficit into the locker room before shooting 52.2% from the field, 50% from the line and 86.4% from three-point range in the second half. Junior Erica Covile tied for game-high honors with 22 points, also grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. Freshman Alliya Butts had 16 points, while Williams had 13 points and three assists in her final home game in Philadelphia.
Also for the Owls, freshman Tanaya Atkinson had 13 points, seven rebounds and three helpers, while classmate Khadijah Berger had seven points, four rebounds and three steals. Rounding out the box score, sophomore Safiya Martin pulled down seven rebounds for Temple.
ECU got off to a hot start, burying seven out of their first nine attempts from the field, en route to a 14-4 lead after a little over six minutes of play. Temple battled back with a 6-0 run, including four from Atkinson, to cut it to 14-10 at the 9:51 mark.
ECU interrupted the Temple run with back-to-back baskets, but the Owls took advantage of foul trouble scoring another six in a row, including four from the line making it 18-16 ECU with 6:09 to play. Following Temple's surge, a 7-3 Pirates run, punctuated by a Jada Payne three, put the visitors on top 25-19 with 3:48 left in the half.
Down by six, the Owls didn't back down, putting together an 11-3 run that spanned just over three minutes. The run gave the Owls a 30-28 edge on a Covile free throw, their first lead of the game. Temple with 36 seconds on the clock. Following a defensive stop by Temple, the Owls got charged with an offensive foul, and ECU took advantage, as a Shae Nelson three as time expired gave the Pirates a 31-30 lead heading into the break.
At the half, ECU was outshooting the Owls 48.3% to 34.5%, but the Owls had a commanding 21-12 lead on the boards. Atkinson had eight first half points and four boards for Temple, while Covile added five points and three boards. ECU's I'Tiana Taylor led all players with 10 points.
The visitors opened the second half with three-straight points to build their advantage to 34-30, but Temple responded with seven unanswered to take over the lead at 37-34 with 16:57 to play. ECU battled back to within one on two occasions, but threes from Berger and Williams stretched Temple's lead to 49-42 with 12:46 on clock.
ECU battled back to knot the contest at 49-49 with a 7-0 run that included five points from DeVaughn Gray. Temple responded with a pair of threes from Butts and two Atkinson free throws to go up 57-49 with 8:49 on the clock.
Temple extended its lead to 65-55 at the 6:36 mark, connecting on 10-straight free throws to match the largest lead by any team in the game. ECU wasn't finished, however, scoring nine-straight points to make it a one-point game (65-64) with 4:45 to play.
On the next possession, a step-back three from Butts at the 3:59 mark halted ECU's momentum and starting the run that would eventually close out the game for the Owls. ECU made it a three-point game with 2:24 on the clock, but another Butts three put Temple in the drivers seat up 73-67 with 1:48 to play.
Temple was able to get huge rebounds from Butts and Covile over the final two minutes of play, as the Owls closed out the game on a 6-2 run. Williams drained the final four free throws of the contest, as Temple sealed the 79-69 victory.
The Owls ended the game at 42.9% from the field, while ECU shot 45.2%. Temple played around an uncharacteristic 26 turnovers (eight coming on offensive fouls), but finished with a 41-28 advantage on the boards.
ECU's Taylor led the Pirates with 22 points and a team-high six rebounds, while Payne finished with 14 points and three assists.
Temple closes out the regular season on the road on Monday. The Owls head to Houston for an 8:00 p.m. match-up on the American Digital Network.
Box Score (PDF) | Post-Game Interviews
Today's victory improved Temple to 11-6 in the conference, 15-15 overall, with the Owls getting back to .500 for the first time since November 18. The loss dips ECU to 19-9 overall, 10-7 in The American.
The Owls rebounded from a slow start, taking a one-point deficit into the locker room before shooting 52.2% from the field, 50% from the line and 86.4% from three-point range in the second half. Junior Erica Covile tied for game-high honors with 22 points, also grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. Freshman Alliya Butts had 16 points, while Williams had 13 points and three assists in her final home game in Philadelphia.
Also for the Owls, freshman Tanaya Atkinson had 13 points, seven rebounds and three helpers, while classmate Khadijah Berger had seven points, four rebounds and three steals. Rounding out the box score, sophomore Safiya Martin pulled down seven rebounds for Temple.
ECU got off to a hot start, burying seven out of their first nine attempts from the field, en route to a 14-4 lead after a little over six minutes of play. Temple battled back with a 6-0 run, including four from Atkinson, to cut it to 14-10 at the 9:51 mark.
ECU interrupted the Temple run with back-to-back baskets, but the Owls took advantage of foul trouble scoring another six in a row, including four from the line making it 18-16 ECU with 6:09 to play. Following Temple's surge, a 7-3 Pirates run, punctuated by a Jada Payne three, put the visitors on top 25-19 with 3:48 left in the half.
Down by six, the Owls didn't back down, putting together an 11-3 run that spanned just over three minutes. The run gave the Owls a 30-28 edge on a Covile free throw, their first lead of the game. Temple with 36 seconds on the clock. Following a defensive stop by Temple, the Owls got charged with an offensive foul, and ECU took advantage, as a Shae Nelson three as time expired gave the Pirates a 31-30 lead heading into the break.
At the half, ECU was outshooting the Owls 48.3% to 34.5%, but the Owls had a commanding 21-12 lead on the boards. Atkinson had eight first half points and four boards for Temple, while Covile added five points and three boards. ECU's I'Tiana Taylor led all players with 10 points.
The visitors opened the second half with three-straight points to build their advantage to 34-30, but Temple responded with seven unanswered to take over the lead at 37-34 with 16:57 to play. ECU battled back to within one on two occasions, but threes from Berger and Williams stretched Temple's lead to 49-42 with 12:46 on clock.
ECU battled back to knot the contest at 49-49 with a 7-0 run that included five points from DeVaughn Gray. Temple responded with a pair of threes from Butts and two Atkinson free throws to go up 57-49 with 8:49 on the clock.
Temple extended its lead to 65-55 at the 6:36 mark, connecting on 10-straight free throws to match the largest lead by any team in the game. ECU wasn't finished, however, scoring nine-straight points to make it a one-point game (65-64) with 4:45 to play.
On the next possession, a step-back three from Butts at the 3:59 mark halted ECU's momentum and starting the run that would eventually close out the game for the Owls. ECU made it a three-point game with 2:24 on the clock, but another Butts three put Temple in the drivers seat up 73-67 with 1:48 to play.
Temple was able to get huge rebounds from Butts and Covile over the final two minutes of play, as the Owls closed out the game on a 6-2 run. Williams drained the final four free throws of the contest, as Temple sealed the 79-69 victory.
The Owls ended the game at 42.9% from the field, while ECU shot 45.2%. Temple played around an uncharacteristic 26 turnovers (eight coming on offensive fouls), but finished with a 41-28 advantage on the boards.
ECU's Taylor led the Pirates with 22 points and a team-high six rebounds, while Payne finished with 14 points and three assists.
Temple closes out the regular season on the road on Monday. The Owls head to Houston for an 8:00 p.m. match-up on the American Digital Network.
Box Score (PDF) | Post-Game Interviews
Team Stats
ECU
TEMPLE
FG%
.452
.429
3FG%
.400
.400
FT%
.500
.829
RB
28
41
TO
20
26
STL
13
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
12
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
13
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
5
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's BasketballG
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