Temple University Athletics
Tuesday, December 13
Villanova, Pa.
7:00 p.m.
Temple University
at
Villanova
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Men's Basketball Goes for Philadelphia Big 5 Title at No. 1/1 Villanova on Tuesday
12.12.16 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - To earn its seventh-ever outright Philadelphia Big 5 title, Temple men's basketball will have to upset the nation's No. 1 team when the Owls (7-3) head across town to Villanova (10-0) on Tuesday, Dec. 13 (FS1 / 1210 AM WPHT). Both teams come into the contest with 3-0 records in the city series.
Temple will be playing the No. 1 team for the 19th time in program history, and has a 2-16 record in those contests. The Owls played two No. 1 teams last season, facing North Carolina in their season opener and Villanova in February. The last time Temple beat the No. 1 team was a 77-69 win against Cincinnati on Feb. 20, 2000.
The Owls had a five-game win streak snapped with a 66-63 loss to George Washington at home on Dec. 7, but rebounded for a 74-65 win vs. DePaul in the Hoophall Miami Invitational on Dec. 10. Senior guard Josh Brown, playing in his fourth game after returning from injury, was named the Hoophall Miami Invitational MVP. Brown recorded a career-high seven steals to go with 11 points and five assists in the win vs. DePaul.
Junior Obi Enechionyia leads Temple and ranks third in The American with 18.6 ppg. He has scored in double figures in all 10 games, and tied his career high for a second time this season with 26 points in a win at Saint Joseph's. Sophomore guard Shizz Alston, Jr. leads the American and ranks seventh in NCAA Division I with an assist/turnover ratio of 4.6 while also ranking second in the league with 2.1 steals per game.
Temple has already defeated two Top 25 teams this season, doing so in back-to-back games over Thanksgiving to win the NIT Season Tip-Off. The Owls erased an 18-point second-half deficit in an 89-86 upset of #25/RV Florida State on Thanksgiving Day behind a career-high 26 points from freshman Quinton Rose and a career-high 22 points from Alston. One day later, Temple earned the tournament title with an 81-77 upset of #19/17 West Virginia in the championship game. Four players scored in double figures, led by Enechionyia's double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds.
The Owls have now defeated at least one Top 25 team for 10 straight seasons. In seven of those years, Temple has also taken down a Top 10 team, most recently with an 89-80 upset of #8 SMU on Jan. 24, 2016.
Villanova remains undefeated this year at 10-0 after a come-from-behind, 74-66 win against No. 23/22 Notre Dame on Dec. 10. Prior to that, the Wildcats won three in a row against Big 5 foes Penn, Saint Joseph's and La Salle. Senior guard Josh Hart, an AP Preseason All-American selection, leads Villanova with 19.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg and 3.8 apg. Hart scored a career-high 37 points in the Notre Dame win and made it a double-double with 11 rebounds.
Hart is one of three returning starters from last year's 35-5 NCAA Champion Villanova team. The Wildcats started the 2016-17 season at No. 4 in the polls, but rose to the top spot in both polls on Dec. 5 with a record of 8-0. Villanova has won 16 straight games and a record 17 straight Big 5 contests. The Owls were the last Big 5 team to beat the Wildcats back in 2012.
Temple and Villanova are meeting for the 91st time in a series that dates back to the 1914-15 season. Villanova leads the series 47-43, and has an 11-6 lead in home games. The series record between Villanova and Temple is the closest of any of the Big 5 schools.
The Owls have won three of the last seven meetings, but have lost three in a row. Temple suffered a 90-74 loss at home in 2013-14 to the #9/9 Wildcats, lost 85-62 at #7/7 Villanova on Dec. 14, 2014 and lost 83-67 to the #1/1 Wildcats on Feb. 17 of last season.
This will be the 14th meeting in the series that Temple plays a ranked Villanova team. The Owls are 5-8 in previous meetings with a ranked Wildcat squad. The Owls have won one of four such meetings at The Pavilion, when No. 19 Temple defeated No. 24 Villanova 70-57 on Nov. 29, 1990. The Wildcats have been ranked in the Top 25 in three of the last four meetings at their home arena, including a Top 10 ranking in two of the last three.
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Temple will be playing the No. 1 team for the 19th time in program history, and has a 2-16 record in those contests. The Owls played two No. 1 teams last season, facing North Carolina in their season opener and Villanova in February. The last time Temple beat the No. 1 team was a 77-69 win against Cincinnati on Feb. 20, 2000.
The Owls had a five-game win streak snapped with a 66-63 loss to George Washington at home on Dec. 7, but rebounded for a 74-65 win vs. DePaul in the Hoophall Miami Invitational on Dec. 10. Senior guard Josh Brown, playing in his fourth game after returning from injury, was named the Hoophall Miami Invitational MVP. Brown recorded a career-high seven steals to go with 11 points and five assists in the win vs. DePaul.
Junior Obi Enechionyia leads Temple and ranks third in The American with 18.6 ppg. He has scored in double figures in all 10 games, and tied his career high for a second time this season with 26 points in a win at Saint Joseph's. Sophomore guard Shizz Alston, Jr. leads the American and ranks seventh in NCAA Division I with an assist/turnover ratio of 4.6 while also ranking second in the league with 2.1 steals per game.
Temple has already defeated two Top 25 teams this season, doing so in back-to-back games over Thanksgiving to win the NIT Season Tip-Off. The Owls erased an 18-point second-half deficit in an 89-86 upset of #25/RV Florida State on Thanksgiving Day behind a career-high 26 points from freshman Quinton Rose and a career-high 22 points from Alston. One day later, Temple earned the tournament title with an 81-77 upset of #19/17 West Virginia in the championship game. Four players scored in double figures, led by Enechionyia's double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds.
The Owls have now defeated at least one Top 25 team for 10 straight seasons. In seven of those years, Temple has also taken down a Top 10 team, most recently with an 89-80 upset of #8 SMU on Jan. 24, 2016.
Villanova remains undefeated this year at 10-0 after a come-from-behind, 74-66 win against No. 23/22 Notre Dame on Dec. 10. Prior to that, the Wildcats won three in a row against Big 5 foes Penn, Saint Joseph's and La Salle. Senior guard Josh Hart, an AP Preseason All-American selection, leads Villanova with 19.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg and 3.8 apg. Hart scored a career-high 37 points in the Notre Dame win and made it a double-double with 11 rebounds.
Hart is one of three returning starters from last year's 35-5 NCAA Champion Villanova team. The Wildcats started the 2016-17 season at No. 4 in the polls, but rose to the top spot in both polls on Dec. 5 with a record of 8-0. Villanova has won 16 straight games and a record 17 straight Big 5 contests. The Owls were the last Big 5 team to beat the Wildcats back in 2012.
Temple and Villanova are meeting for the 91st time in a series that dates back to the 1914-15 season. Villanova leads the series 47-43, and has an 11-6 lead in home games. The series record between Villanova and Temple is the closest of any of the Big 5 schools.
The Owls have won three of the last seven meetings, but have lost three in a row. Temple suffered a 90-74 loss at home in 2013-14 to the #9/9 Wildcats, lost 85-62 at #7/7 Villanova on Dec. 14, 2014 and lost 83-67 to the #1/1 Wildcats on Feb. 17 of last season.
This will be the 14th meeting in the series that Temple plays a ranked Villanova team. The Owls are 5-8 in previous meetings with a ranked Wildcat squad. The Owls have won one of four such meetings at The Pavilion, when No. 19 Temple defeated No. 24 Villanova 70-57 on Nov. 29, 1990. The Wildcats have been ranked in the Top 25 in three of the last four meetings at their home arena, including a Top 10 ranking in two of the last three.
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