Men's Basketball Ready to Face Memphis in American Quarterfinal

Friday, March 13

Hartford, Conn.

2:00 p.m.

Temple University

Memphis (American Athletic Conference Quarterfinal)

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Men's Basketball Ready to Face Memphis in American Quarterfinal

3.12.15 | Men's Basketball

HARTFORD, Conn. - After a day that featured head coach Fran Dunphy being named conference Coach of the Year and a full practice session at the Trinity College, the alma mater of University President Neil Theobald, the Temple men's basketball team is set to open play in the American Athletic Conference quarterfinal round Friday (2:00 pm/ESPN2/1210 WPHT) against fifth-seed Memphis (18-13).

The fourth-seed Owls (22-9) defeated the Tigers, 61-60, in Memphis on February 7, the only meeting between the teams this season. Sophomore guard Josh Brown's jumper with 2.4 second remaining, his only basket in the game, proved to be the difference as Temple overcame a 16-point deficit in the contest.

Senior guard Will Cummings, named to the all-conference first team on Tuesday, continues to lead the Temple attack. The Jacksonville, Fla. native leads the Owls in scoring (14.1 ppg), assists (4.3 apg) and the conference in steals (2.1 spg). Honorable mention all-conference forward Jaylen Bond (8.2 ppg, 8.3 rpg) has led the league in rebounding throughout most of the season while helping bolster a Temple defense that allows a mere 59.9 ppg.

Junior guard Quenton DeCosey and senior guard Jesse Morgan also score in double figures, averaging 12.3 ppg. and 11.9 ppg., respectively. Junior center Devontae Watson (2.4 ppg) rounds out the starting five.

Brown (6.3 ppg) headlines a deep Cherry and White bench that includes freshman forward Obi Enechionyia (4.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg), sophomore forward Daniel Dingle (3.9 ppg), sophomore forward Mark Williams (3.7 ppg) and junior Devin Coleman (3.5 ppg).

Memphis enters play losers of three of its last four games and the Tigers are likely without the services of their only double-figure scorer, sophomore Austin Nichols (13.3 ppg). A first team all-conference honoree, the Memphis forward reinjured his right ankle a week ago in a loss to Tulsa and is expected to be out for the tournament.

Junior forward Shaq Goodwin, who pulled down a career-high 23 rebounds against the Owls, averages 9.5 ppg. and 7.1 rpg. while junior Trahson Burrell and sophomore Avery Woodson average 8.9 and 8.1 ppg.

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