Temple University Athletics
Sunday, January 24
Liacouras Center
12:00 p.m.
Temple University
11-7, 5-2
89
vs
80
SMU
18-1, 7-1
1
2
F
SMU
34
46
80
Temple
44
45
89
Photo by: Alex Subers
Men's Basketball Upsets #8 SMU; Ends Mustangs' Undefeated Season
1.24.16 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA — For the seventh time in the last eight seasons, the Temple men's basketball team defeated a Top-10 opponent. The unranked Owls ended #8 SMU's quest for an undefeated campaign, topping the Mustangs 89-80 at the Liacouras Center the day after one of the worst blizzards in Philadelphia history. Temple snapped SMU's 18-0 start to the season, taking down the last undefeated men's team in the country.
The win gives the 11-7 Owls (5-2 American) a third win over a Top-25 team this season, the first time that a Temple team has accomplished that feat since the 1999-00 season. It was also the seventh career win over a top-10 team for head coach Fran Dunphy.
Senior Devin Coleman was the x-factor in the game, as the guard did not miss a shot, going 7-for-7 from long range (8-8 overall), finishing with a career-high 23 points. Coleman's performance from behind the arc tied the school record for three-point percentage in a game, matching Pepe Sanchez's 100% (7-7) game against Rhode Island on February 16, 1997.
Coleman led three Owls in double figures, as senior Quenton DeCosey finished with 19 points and junior Daniel Dingle added a career-best 14. DeCosey also added five rebounds and three steals in the win. Junior Josh Brown had nine points and sophomore Obi Enechionya and freshman Trey Lowe each chipped in with eight to round out the Temple box score.
As a team, the Owls connected for a season-high 14 threes, shooting just under 50% (14-29) from beyond the arc in the game. Temple also reached a season-high in points.
In Temple's highest-scoring first half of the season, it was SMU that had the edge early in the period. The Mustangs led by four on two occasions, but Temple took over the lead twice before settling on an 11-11 tie. A DeCosey three put Temple on top 19-16 and from there the Owls did not trail. SMU cut the deficit to one point twice before the end of the half, but Temple used a 12-3 run to take a 44-34 advantage into the locker room.
Coleman and Dingle each hit back-to-back treys to spur the Owls' closing surge, as SMU allowed the most points in any half of a game this season. Coleman had 12 points at the half, going 4-for-4 from long range, while Dingle had 10 points and DeCosey had nine.
After SMU cut the lead to four midway through the second half, Temple responded with a 24-9 run that spanned nearly seven minutes of play. Coleman connected for three from long range during the stretch, as the Owls took their largest lead of the game, a 19-point cushion, 78-59 with 5:28 to play.
Temple withstood a late 10-0 SMU run that saw the Mustangs get the deficit to under nine at 78-69 with 3:14 to play. From there, the Owls made 11-of-14 from the free throw line to ice the upset victory.
Five players finished in double-digits in scoring for SMU, led by 19 points and nine rebounds from Sterling Brown. Jordan Tolbert added 15 points and Ben Moore chipped in with 13.
Temple next plays at East Carolina on Wednesday at 7 p.m. (ESPN3 / 1210 AM WPHT).
Video Highlights | Press Conference l Box Score (PDF)
The win gives the 11-7 Owls (5-2 American) a third win over a Top-25 team this season, the first time that a Temple team has accomplished that feat since the 1999-00 season. It was also the seventh career win over a top-10 team for head coach Fran Dunphy.
Senior Devin Coleman was the x-factor in the game, as the guard did not miss a shot, going 7-for-7 from long range (8-8 overall), finishing with a career-high 23 points. Coleman's performance from behind the arc tied the school record for three-point percentage in a game, matching Pepe Sanchez's 100% (7-7) game against Rhode Island on February 16, 1997.
Coleman led three Owls in double figures, as senior Quenton DeCosey finished with 19 points and junior Daniel Dingle added a career-best 14. DeCosey also added five rebounds and three steals in the win. Junior Josh Brown had nine points and sophomore Obi Enechionya and freshman Trey Lowe each chipped in with eight to round out the Temple box score.
As a team, the Owls connected for a season-high 14 threes, shooting just under 50% (14-29) from beyond the arc in the game. Temple also reached a season-high in points.
In Temple's highest-scoring first half of the season, it was SMU that had the edge early in the period. The Mustangs led by four on two occasions, but Temple took over the lead twice before settling on an 11-11 tie. A DeCosey three put Temple on top 19-16 and from there the Owls did not trail. SMU cut the deficit to one point twice before the end of the half, but Temple used a 12-3 run to take a 44-34 advantage into the locker room.
Coleman and Dingle each hit back-to-back treys to spur the Owls' closing surge, as SMU allowed the most points in any half of a game this season. Coleman had 12 points at the half, going 4-for-4 from long range, while Dingle had 10 points and DeCosey had nine.
After SMU cut the lead to four midway through the second half, Temple responded with a 24-9 run that spanned nearly seven minutes of play. Coleman connected for three from long range during the stretch, as the Owls took their largest lead of the game, a 19-point cushion, 78-59 with 5:28 to play.
Temple withstood a late 10-0 SMU run that saw the Mustangs get the deficit to under nine at 78-69 with 3:14 to play. From there, the Owls made 11-of-14 from the free throw line to ice the upset victory.
Five players finished in double-digits in scoring for SMU, led by 19 points and nine rebounds from Sterling Brown. Jordan Tolbert added 15 points and Ben Moore chipped in with 13.
Temple next plays at East Carolina on Wednesday at 7 p.m. (ESPN3 / 1210 AM WPHT).
Video Highlights | Press Conference l Box Score (PDF)
Team Stats
SMU
TU
FG%
.470
.466
3FG%
.214
.483
FT%
.652
.700
RB
38
31
TO
14
11
STL
6
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
8
3FGM
7
FTM
0
Pts
19
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
7
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG/F
/ Men's Basketball
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