Temple University Athletics
Wednesday, February 17
Liacouras Center
7:00 p.m.
Temple University
vs
Villanova
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Men's Basketball Set for Big 5 Showdown With #1/1 Villanova on Wednesday
2.15.16 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - With a share of the Philadelphia Big 5 title on the line, Temple men's basketball will face #1/1 Villanova in front of a sold-out Liacouras Center crowd on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. (ESPN2 / 1210 AM WPHT). The Owls (16-8, 10-3 American) are 2-1 in the Big 5 this season, and would capture a share of the title with a win over the top-ranked Wildcats (22-3, 12-1 Big East, 3-0 Big 5).
Headlines
• Temple has won eight of its last nine contests including a season-best streak of five in a row. The Owls are coming off a 77-65 win over USF on Sunday in which five players scored in double figures for the first time this season.
• Senior Jaylen Bond and sophomore Obi Enechionyia led the way against USF with 18 points apiece, while Bond made it his seventh double-double of the season with 14 rebounds (tying his season high). With 8.4 rebounds per game, Bond leads the team and ranks sixth in the American Athletic Conference.
• The Owls' Feb. 14 win puts them in sole possession of first place in The American with a record of 10-3.
• Temple will play the #1 team for the 17th time in program history on Wednesday, and has a 2-14 record in those contests. The Owls already played a #1 this season, falling short against North Carolina in their season opener.
• With a win against Villanova, Temple would clinch a share of its 28th Philadelphia Big 5 title.
• On Feb. 11, Temple came back from 12 points down with less than six minutes left for a 63-58 win vs. UConn.
• The Owls completed a regular season sweep of the Huskies thanks to 23 points from senior Quenton DeCosey, and the second-half heroics of junior Daniel Dingle who scored four 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 15 points.
• When Temple edged UCF on the road on Feb. 6, 62-60, the Owls gave 10th-year head coach Fran Dunphy his 517th career victory to make him the all-time winningest coach in Philadelphia Big 5 history.
• Two of the Owls' other recent wins include an 89-80 upset of #8 and previously undefeated SMU on Jan. 24, and an 83-79 overtime thriller against Tulsa on Feb. 4.
• DeCosey is Temple's leading scorer this season with 16.6 points per game, ranking third in the conference, and has scored in double figures in 22 of 24 contests including the last 12 straight. He has scored 1,386 points to tie for 29th all-time in program history. When he scores at least 20 points, the Owls are 8-1 this season.
• With the SMU win on Jan. 24, Temple has now taken down a Top 10 team in seven of the last eight seasons.
• Senior Devin Coleman went a perfect 8-of-8 from the field including 7-of-7 from long range against SMU. He scored a career and game-high 23 points, and was named The American's Player of the Week.
• With 7.9 made three-pointers per game, Temple leads all teams in the American Athletic Conference.
• As a team, the Owls rank third in the nation in fewest turnovers per game at 9.3. They have recorded single digit turnovers in 14 of 24 games, tallying as few as five (vs. Delaware on Nov. 29 and at USF on Jan. 31).
• The Owls have three regular-season wins over Top 25 teams, the most since 1999-00. This season also marks the first since 1998 that the Owls have beaten two Top 25 opponents on the road. Temple has beaten at least one ranked opponent for nine straight seasons.
• Villanova earned its first-ever No. 1 national ranking when the Feb. 8 polls were released. The Wildcats are 22-3 overall with a 12-1 mark in the Big East.
• Five players average in double figures for Villanova, led by junior guard Josh Hart with 15.2 ppg. Senior forward Daniel Ochefu leads the team with 8.2 rpg. The Wildcats, who have outscored opponents by an average of 14.7 ppg this season, have held 14 opponents to 60 points or fewer.
Temple vs. Villanova
• Temple and Villanova are meeting for the 90th time in a series that dates back to the 1914-15 season.
• Villanova leads the series 46-43, but Temple holds a 15-9 advantage in home games.Â
• The series between Villanova and Temple is the closest of any of the Big 5 schools.
• The Owls have won three of the last six meetings, but have lost two in a row. Temple suffered a 90-74 loss at home in 2013-14 to the #9/9 Wildcats, and lost 85-62 at #7/7 Villanova on Dec. 14 of last season.
• Temple won in both 2011-12 (78-67 at home) and 2012-13 (76-61 at Villanova).
• Villanova has been ranked in the Top 25 for seven of the last 10 meetings, and was as high as #3 in both 2005 and 2009.Â
Ranked Record
This will be the 13th meeting in the series that Temple plays a ranked Villanova team. The Owls are 5-7 in previous meetings with a ranked Wildcat squad. The Owls have won one of three such meetings at the Liacouras Center, a 75-65 upset of #3 Villanova on Dec. 13, 2009.Â
Sold Out
Temple's game against top-ranked Villanova is officially sold out to the general public. Student tickets are still available the night of the contest on a first-come, first-serve basis. Doors open for students starting at 5:30 p.m. This marks the third straight meeting at the Liacouras Center between the Philadelphia Big 5 rivals that has sold out.
Temple vs. #1
Wednesday will be the 17th time Temple has faced the #1 team in the Associated Press poll. The Owls are 2-14 in the previous 16 encounters. The program's first win over a top-ranked foe came against Kansas, 74-66 in overtime at the Jimmy V. Classic held in The Meadowlands on Dec. 22, 1995. The other win was at Cincinnati, 77-69, on Feb. 20, 2000.Â
Video Preview | Live Stats l Listen Live l Watch Live l Game Notes
Headlines
• Temple has won eight of its last nine contests including a season-best streak of five in a row. The Owls are coming off a 77-65 win over USF on Sunday in which five players scored in double figures for the first time this season.
• Senior Jaylen Bond and sophomore Obi Enechionyia led the way against USF with 18 points apiece, while Bond made it his seventh double-double of the season with 14 rebounds (tying his season high). With 8.4 rebounds per game, Bond leads the team and ranks sixth in the American Athletic Conference.
• The Owls' Feb. 14 win puts them in sole possession of first place in The American with a record of 10-3.
• Temple will play the #1 team for the 17th time in program history on Wednesday, and has a 2-14 record in those contests. The Owls already played a #1 this season, falling short against North Carolina in their season opener.
• With a win against Villanova, Temple would clinch a share of its 28th Philadelphia Big 5 title.
• On Feb. 11, Temple came back from 12 points down with less than six minutes left for a 63-58 win vs. UConn.
• The Owls completed a regular season sweep of the Huskies thanks to 23 points from senior Quenton DeCosey, and the second-half heroics of junior Daniel Dingle who scored four 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 15 points.
• When Temple edged UCF on the road on Feb. 6, 62-60, the Owls gave 10th-year head coach Fran Dunphy his 517th career victory to make him the all-time winningest coach in Philadelphia Big 5 history.
• Two of the Owls' other recent wins include an 89-80 upset of #8 and previously undefeated SMU on Jan. 24, and an 83-79 overtime thriller against Tulsa on Feb. 4.
• DeCosey is Temple's leading scorer this season with 16.6 points per game, ranking third in the conference, and has scored in double figures in 22 of 24 contests including the last 12 straight. He has scored 1,386 points to tie for 29th all-time in program history. When he scores at least 20 points, the Owls are 8-1 this season.
• With the SMU win on Jan. 24, Temple has now taken down a Top 10 team in seven of the last eight seasons.
• Senior Devin Coleman went a perfect 8-of-8 from the field including 7-of-7 from long range against SMU. He scored a career and game-high 23 points, and was named The American's Player of the Week.
• With 7.9 made three-pointers per game, Temple leads all teams in the American Athletic Conference.
• As a team, the Owls rank third in the nation in fewest turnovers per game at 9.3. They have recorded single digit turnovers in 14 of 24 games, tallying as few as five (vs. Delaware on Nov. 29 and at USF on Jan. 31).
• The Owls have three regular-season wins over Top 25 teams, the most since 1999-00. This season also marks the first since 1998 that the Owls have beaten two Top 25 opponents on the road. Temple has beaten at least one ranked opponent for nine straight seasons.
• Villanova earned its first-ever No. 1 national ranking when the Feb. 8 polls were released. The Wildcats are 22-3 overall with a 12-1 mark in the Big East.
• Five players average in double figures for Villanova, led by junior guard Josh Hart with 15.2 ppg. Senior forward Daniel Ochefu leads the team with 8.2 rpg. The Wildcats, who have outscored opponents by an average of 14.7 ppg this season, have held 14 opponents to 60 points or fewer.
Temple vs. Villanova
• Temple and Villanova are meeting for the 90th time in a series that dates back to the 1914-15 season.
• Villanova leads the series 46-43, but Temple holds a 15-9 advantage in home games.Â
• The series between Villanova and Temple is the closest of any of the Big 5 schools.
• The Owls have won three of the last six meetings, but have lost two in a row. Temple suffered a 90-74 loss at home in 2013-14 to the #9/9 Wildcats, and lost 85-62 at #7/7 Villanova on Dec. 14 of last season.
• Temple won in both 2011-12 (78-67 at home) and 2012-13 (76-61 at Villanova).
• Villanova has been ranked in the Top 25 for seven of the last 10 meetings, and was as high as #3 in both 2005 and 2009.Â
Ranked Record
This will be the 13th meeting in the series that Temple plays a ranked Villanova team. The Owls are 5-7 in previous meetings with a ranked Wildcat squad. The Owls have won one of three such meetings at the Liacouras Center, a 75-65 upset of #3 Villanova on Dec. 13, 2009.Â
Sold Out
Temple's game against top-ranked Villanova is officially sold out to the general public. Student tickets are still available the night of the contest on a first-come, first-serve basis. Doors open for students starting at 5:30 p.m. This marks the third straight meeting at the Liacouras Center between the Philadelphia Big 5 rivals that has sold out.
Temple vs. #1
Wednesday will be the 17th time Temple has faced the #1 team in the Associated Press poll. The Owls are 2-14 in the previous 16 encounters. The program's first win over a top-ranked foe came against Kansas, 74-66 in overtime at the Jimmy V. Classic held in The Meadowlands on Dec. 22, 1995. The other win was at Cincinnati, 77-69, on Feb. 20, 2000.Â
Video Preview | Live Stats l Listen Live l Watch Live l Game Notes
Players Mentioned
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