Men's Basketball Opens NIT Play Against Bucknell Wednesday

PHILADELPHIA - It has been nine years since Temple played a game in the National Invitation Tournament, and 33 years since it squared off against former conference foe Bucknell, but that is just what will happen Wednesday night (7:00 pm/ESPN3/1210 AM WPHT) when the top-seed Owls (23-10) host the eighth-seed Bison (19-14) at the Liacouras Center.

Temple, which according to NCAA Selection Committee Chair Scott Barnes was the first team left out of the 68-team field, is looking to refocus in the NIT. The Owls have won the NIT twice (1938, 1969) and have made it to the tourney's Final Four two other times, the last coming in 2002.

This will be the first NIT appearance for Temple head coach Fran Dunphy, who recorded his 500th career victory against Memphis on March 13. Dunphy, however, is no stranger to postseason play, having coached 15 of his 23 previous teams into the NCAA Tournament.

Senior guard Will Cummings, a first team all-conference selection as well as a member of the conference's all-Championship team, leads the team in scoring (14.2 ppg), assists (4.3 apg) and the conference in steals (2.0 spg) while his perimeter defense is one of the reasons the Owls are holding opponents to 60.6 ppg.

Junior Quenton DeCosey (12.4 ppg) and senior Jesse Morgan (11.8 ppg), also average double figures, providing Temple with a balanced attack. Junior forward Jaylen Bond, who leads the conference in rebounding (8.0 rgp/7.9 ppg) and junior center Devonta Watson (2.5 ppg) round out the starting five for the Owls.

Junior guard Josh Brown (6.2 ppg) leads a deep Cherry and White bench that includes freshman Obi Enechionyia (5.0 ppg/3/5 rpg), junior Devin Coleman (3.6 ppg), sophomore Daniel Dingle (3.8 ppg) and sophomore Mark Williams (3.6 ppg).

Junior guard Chris Haas, a first team all-Patriot League selection, leads seventh year head coach Dave Paulsen's regular season league champions. Haas, who has team-highs of 16.0 ppg and 80 three-pointers, torched NCAA top-seed Villanova for 32 points in a narrow 72-65 defeat at the Pavilion in November.

Freshman forward Nana Foulland tops the Bison in rebounding (5.3 rpg) and is the only other Bucknell player averaging double figures (10.1 ppg).

This is the 35th meeting between the former Middle Atlantic Conference and East Coast Conference members with the Owls owning a 29-5 lead in the series. Temple has won the last 10 meetings in the series with the most recent being an 80-54 victory in Lewisburg, Pa. on Jan. 6, 1982. Bucknell's last win in the series was a 79-72 decision at home on Feb. 5, 1959.

Bucknell is making its second NIT appearance. The Bison toppled a top-seed in 2012, winning at Arizona before falling to Nevada.

The winner will advance to the second round of the NIT to play the winner of #5-seed George Washington at #4-seed Pittsburgh (Tuesday/7:00 pm/ESPN).

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Men's Basketball Opens NIT Play Against Bucknell Wednesday

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Players Mentioned

Jaylen Bond

Josh Brown

Devin Coleman

Will Cummings

Quenton DeCosey

Daniel Dingle

Obi Enechionyia

Jesse Morgan

Mark Williams

Temple University Athletics