Temple University Athletics
Thursday, November 24
Brooklyn, N.Y.
12:30 p.m.
Temple University
vs
Florida State
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Men's Basketball Faces No. 25 Florida State on Thanksgiving in NIT Season Tip-Off
11.22.16 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - The first ranked opponent of the season awaits Temple men's basketball on Thanksgiving Day, as the Owls will face No. 25/RV Florida State at 12:30 p.m. (ESPNU / 1210 AM WPHT) in the NIT Season Tip-Off at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. Temple will play again on Friday against either No. 19/17 West Virginia or Illinois, with game times set for 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
The Owls are 2-2 overall and 1-1 in their NIT Season Tip-Off games with a 57-52 loss to New Hampshire and an 88-67 win over Manhattan in their most recent contest. The Owls hit 53.4 percent from the field in their win against the Jaspers on Nov. 20, and shot at a 60 percent clip for all but the first five minutes of the game. Senior Daniel Dingle scored a career-high 22 points in the Manhattan win, leading four players in double figures. Sophomore Shizz Alston, Jr. and freshman Quinton Rose also posted career highs of 17 points and 14 points, respectively. Temple forced 22 turnovers in the victory, the most for an opponent of the Owls since a win against La Salle on March 11, 2011.
Temple is making its sixth appearance in the NIT Season Tip-Off, tying for third among all Division I programs. The Owls are 10-5 all-time in preseason NIT games, including a 4-0 mark to capture the 1986 title. The other seasons Temple competed in the preseason NIT are 1990 (0-1 record), 1995 (1-1), 2001 (3-1) and 2005 (1-1).Â
Junior Obi Enechionyia leads Temple and ranks third in the American with 20.8 points per game. He tied his career high with 26 points at UMass on Nov. 17 including 5-of-10 three-pointers. Enechionyia was the first player since All-American Mark Macon in 1987-88 to score 20 or more points in the Owls' first three games to start season. Alston leads the league with 3.0 steals per game and an assist/turnover ratio of 10.5. As a team, Temple is first in the American with 6.8 blocks per game.
Florida State, ranked 25th in the AP Poll and receiving votes in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll, is undefeated so far with a 4-0 record. The Seminoles have scored 100 points in each of their last two games for the first time in 20 years, most recently beating Detroit Mercy 100-71 on Nov. 20. Two days earlier, Florida State took down Winthrop 100-86. Sophomore guard Dwayne Bacon leads FSU with 17.5 points per game, while freshman forward Jonathan Isaac is averaging 14.5 ppg along with a team-best 6.0 rebounds per game. Five players are shooting better than 60 percent from the field for the Seminoles, led by freshman guard Trent Forrest at 69.6 percent (16-of-23 FG's).
In 2015-16, Florida State finished 20-14 overall and advanced to the NIT Second Round. The Seminoles returned two of their top three scorers this season, along with their top rebounder and their assists leader. Over the past eight seasons, FSU has advanced to the NCAA Tournament four times.
Watch Live l Listen Live l Live Stats l Game Notes
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The Owls are 2-2 overall and 1-1 in their NIT Season Tip-Off games with a 57-52 loss to New Hampshire and an 88-67 win over Manhattan in their most recent contest. The Owls hit 53.4 percent from the field in their win against the Jaspers on Nov. 20, and shot at a 60 percent clip for all but the first five minutes of the game. Senior Daniel Dingle scored a career-high 22 points in the Manhattan win, leading four players in double figures. Sophomore Shizz Alston, Jr. and freshman Quinton Rose also posted career highs of 17 points and 14 points, respectively. Temple forced 22 turnovers in the victory, the most for an opponent of the Owls since a win against La Salle on March 11, 2011.
Temple is making its sixth appearance in the NIT Season Tip-Off, tying for third among all Division I programs. The Owls are 10-5 all-time in preseason NIT games, including a 4-0 mark to capture the 1986 title. The other seasons Temple competed in the preseason NIT are 1990 (0-1 record), 1995 (1-1), 2001 (3-1) and 2005 (1-1).Â
Junior Obi Enechionyia leads Temple and ranks third in the American with 20.8 points per game. He tied his career high with 26 points at UMass on Nov. 17 including 5-of-10 three-pointers. Enechionyia was the first player since All-American Mark Macon in 1987-88 to score 20 or more points in the Owls' first three games to start season. Alston leads the league with 3.0 steals per game and an assist/turnover ratio of 10.5. As a team, Temple is first in the American with 6.8 blocks per game.
Florida State, ranked 25th in the AP Poll and receiving votes in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll, is undefeated so far with a 4-0 record. The Seminoles have scored 100 points in each of their last two games for the first time in 20 years, most recently beating Detroit Mercy 100-71 on Nov. 20. Two days earlier, Florida State took down Winthrop 100-86. Sophomore guard Dwayne Bacon leads FSU with 17.5 points per game, while freshman forward Jonathan Isaac is averaging 14.5 ppg along with a team-best 6.0 rebounds per game. Five players are shooting better than 60 percent from the field for the Seminoles, led by freshman guard Trent Forrest at 69.6 percent (16-of-23 FG's).
In 2015-16, Florida State finished 20-14 overall and advanced to the NIT Second Round. The Seminoles returned two of their top three scorers this season, along with their top rebounder and their assists leader. Over the past eight seasons, FSU has advanced to the NCAA Tournament four times.
Watch Live l Listen Live l Live Stats l Game Notes
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Players Mentioned
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