Covile Hits Career Milestones in Women's Basketball Win over UCF

Monday, February 29

McGonigle Hall

7:00 p.m.

Temple University

19-10, 13-5AAC

UCF

7-22, 4-14AAC

UCF

Temple

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Covile Hits Career Milestones in Women's Basketball Win over UCF

2.29.16 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Senior Erica Covile sparked a huge third quarter, as the Temple women's basketball team locked up the number three seed in the conference tournament with an 78-64 win over UCF at McGonigle Hall on Monday. The Owls move to 19-10 overall, 13-6 in conference play, while UCF finishes the regular season 7-22, 4-14 in The American.

Playing in her final game at McGonigle Hall, Covile scored 11 points and pulled down seven rebounds in a six-minute span to start the third quarter, igniting a 21-9 Temple run. That surge gave the Owls its largest lead of the game to that point, a 12-point advantage, which would not shrink the rest of the way. Temple finished that important third quarter 50% (8-16) from the field and 88.2% (15-17) from the line to take control of the contest.

Covile, who had just one rebound and no points in the first half, notched her 16th-career double-double, ended her senior night with a season-best 18 points with 12 rebounds. Needing just five points and three rebounds entering the game, she is now just the fourth player in program history to amass at least 1,000 points, 750 rebounds, and 150 steals.

Sophomore Tanaya Atkinson finished with a game-high 24 points, also adding nine rebounds and a pair of steals, while classmate Donnaizha Fountain had 18 points and five boards. Sophomore Alliya Butts had seven points and six assists, while sophomore Khadijah Berger finished with six points and two steals. Junior Feyonda Fitzgerald rounded out the box score with five points, nine assists, and four steals.

The Owls used a 7-0 run to take control of a tie game midway through the first quarter. Berger hit a three during the stretch, while Atkinson had four points to give Temple a 20-13 lead. UCF countered with a three from Aliyah Gregory in their final possession of the frame, setting the score to 20-16 after 10 minutes.

UCF battled back to tie the game twice in the second quarter, knotting it up as late as 25-25. A Berger three gave the Owls some breathing room, but UCF kept it close, sending the teams into the locker room with Temple holding a slim 33-30 advantage.

Atkinson led all players with 12 points in the first half, while Fountain had eight. Gregory led the UCF offense with 11 points, while Fifi Ndour had nine. Joslyn Massey racked up 10 first-half rebounds, helping the Knights to a 23-16 advantage on the glass.

Covile's huge third quarter gave the Owls the edge they needed as Temple out-scored UCF, 32-17 in the frame. After 30 minutes of play, the Owls held a 65-47 lead.

Temple rolled into the fourth quarter and a Fountain three pushed the lead to its largest of the game at 72-49. UCF made some noise down the stretch, hitting a few big threes, but the Owls' lead was too large to overcome.

For UCF, Ndour ended the game with a team-high 16 points, adding 13 rebounds and seven assists. Gregory finished with 15 points, while Massey had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Up next, the Owls will head to the American Athletic Conference Tournament. Temple has the number three seed and will play in the quarterfinals on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. against the winner of the Tulsa/Houston game.

Box Score (PDF) | Video Highlights | Post-Game Press Conference | Senior Night Ceremony