Temple University Athletics
Saturday, February 6
Liacouras Center
2:00 p.m.
Temple University
15-7, 9-2AAC
68
vs
66
USF
16-6, 9-3AAC
1
2
3
4
F
USF
23
7
22
14
66
Temple
20
11
13
24
68
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Covile Putback Gives Women's Basketball 68-66 Upset of #19/17 USF
2.6.16 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA -- A put-back from senior Erica Covile with one second on the clock gave the Temple women's basketball team a 68-66 upset victory over #19/17 USF on Saturday afternoon at the Liacouras Center. The win was the program's first over a nationally-ranked opponent since February 25, 2009 when the Owls topped #13 Xavier, 74-65. The Owls move into sole posession of second place in The American with a 9-2 conference mark, 15-7 overall. The Bulls dip to 16-6, 9-3 in conference play.
Temple out-scored USF 24-14 in the fourth-quarter, rallying from an eight-point deficit to seal the win. The score was tied twice in the final minute of play, before Covile's put-pack sealed the victory.
Covile's offensive board on the game-winner gave her a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, her fifth of the season. Sophomore Tanaya Atkinson had a team-high 17 points, also adding six boards and three steals. Junior Feyonda Fitzgerald finished with 13 points, five assists, and four rebounds, while sophomore Alliya Butts had 12 points, four assists, and two steals. Rounding out the box, sophomore Donnaizha Fountain had nine points and nine rebounds.
USF All-American Courtney Williams started things off for the Bulls, as she scored nine early points to put the visitors up, 12-6. Temple answered with a Covile three, before two Butts steals sparked an 8-0 Owl run that put the hosts on top, 14-12. After USF tied things up on the next posession, the lead changed hands twice more until a 9-0 run put USF back on top, 23-17. Temple closed the gap in the waning seconds, however, as a three from Fitzgerald made it 23-20 after one.
USF opened the second quarter with a 7-2 run, as Temple went 1-9 from the field. With the Bulls leading 30-22 with 5:13 left in the frame, Temple surged. The Owls closed the quarter on a 9-0 run, going 4-for-4 from the field to take a 31-30 lead into the break.
At halftime, Atkinson led the Owls with nine points, while Covile had eight points and eight rebounds. Fitzgerald chipped in with five points and three assists, while Butts had four points, two assists, and two steals. For USF, Williams racked up 12 first-half points with five rebounds, while Shaleth Stringfield had six points.
USF got off to a hot start in the third quarter, using a 12-5 surge to go up 40-34 after three minutes of play. Temple cut the deficit to just one, 43-42 with an 8-3 run, which included four points each from Atkinson and Fitzgerald. From there, USF closed the frame on a 9-2 run to take a 52-44 lead after three.
Temple opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run, with the surge putting the Owls on top, 57-54. The run was keyed by back-to-back Butts' threes and two free throws from Atkinson. USF answered with five-unanswered points, including a three from Williams, putting the Bulls up, 59-57. From there the lead changed hands three more times, until Fountain drained a three at the top of the key to give Temple a 64-61 lead with 1:54 on the clock.
USF got a few extra chances with offensive boards on their next posession, and coralled a loose ball into the hands of Williams, who nailed a three that tied the game at 64-64 with 51 seconds on the clock. Temple briefly took the lead when Fitzgerald hit a running jumper with 30 seconds on the clock, but USF answered with a pair of Stringfield free throws that tied it up at 66-66.
On Temple's final turn, an off-the-mark jumper with three seconds remaining was grabbed by Covile, who put up the game-winner. USF had just one second left to try for the equalizer, but the tight Temple defense did not allow a shot.
Williams finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, all defensive, for USF, while Kitija Laksa had 15 points. Alisia Jenkins chipped in 12 points and seven boards, while Stringfield added 10 points in the loss.
The Owls are back in action on Tuesday, heading to Cincinnati for another American match-up. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Box Score (PDF) | Video Highlights | Press Conference
Temple out-scored USF 24-14 in the fourth-quarter, rallying from an eight-point deficit to seal the win. The score was tied twice in the final minute of play, before Covile's put-pack sealed the victory.
Covile's offensive board on the game-winner gave her a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, her fifth of the season. Sophomore Tanaya Atkinson had a team-high 17 points, also adding six boards and three steals. Junior Feyonda Fitzgerald finished with 13 points, five assists, and four rebounds, while sophomore Alliya Butts had 12 points, four assists, and two steals. Rounding out the box, sophomore Donnaizha Fountain had nine points and nine rebounds.
USF All-American Courtney Williams started things off for the Bulls, as she scored nine early points to put the visitors up, 12-6. Temple answered with a Covile three, before two Butts steals sparked an 8-0 Owl run that put the hosts on top, 14-12. After USF tied things up on the next posession, the lead changed hands twice more until a 9-0 run put USF back on top, 23-17. Temple closed the gap in the waning seconds, however, as a three from Fitzgerald made it 23-20 after one.
USF opened the second quarter with a 7-2 run, as Temple went 1-9 from the field. With the Bulls leading 30-22 with 5:13 left in the frame, Temple surged. The Owls closed the quarter on a 9-0 run, going 4-for-4 from the field to take a 31-30 lead into the break.
At halftime, Atkinson led the Owls with nine points, while Covile had eight points and eight rebounds. Fitzgerald chipped in with five points and three assists, while Butts had four points, two assists, and two steals. For USF, Williams racked up 12 first-half points with five rebounds, while Shaleth Stringfield had six points.
USF got off to a hot start in the third quarter, using a 12-5 surge to go up 40-34 after three minutes of play. Temple cut the deficit to just one, 43-42 with an 8-3 run, which included four points each from Atkinson and Fitzgerald. From there, USF closed the frame on a 9-2 run to take a 52-44 lead after three.
Temple opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run, with the surge putting the Owls on top, 57-54. The run was keyed by back-to-back Butts' threes and two free throws from Atkinson. USF answered with five-unanswered points, including a three from Williams, putting the Bulls up, 59-57. From there the lead changed hands three more times, until Fountain drained a three at the top of the key to give Temple a 64-61 lead with 1:54 on the clock.
USF got a few extra chances with offensive boards on their next posession, and coralled a loose ball into the hands of Williams, who nailed a three that tied the game at 64-64 with 51 seconds on the clock. Temple briefly took the lead when Fitzgerald hit a running jumper with 30 seconds on the clock, but USF answered with a pair of Stringfield free throws that tied it up at 66-66.
On Temple's final turn, an off-the-mark jumper with three seconds remaining was grabbed by Covile, who put up the game-winner. USF had just one second left to try for the equalizer, but the tight Temple defense did not allow a shot.
Williams finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, all defensive, for USF, while Kitija Laksa had 15 points. Alisia Jenkins chipped in 12 points and seven boards, while Stringfield added 10 points in the loss.
The Owls are back in action on Tuesday, heading to Cincinnati for another American match-up. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Box Score (PDF) | Video Highlights | Press Conference
Team Stats
USFWB
TEMPLE
FG%
.386
.351
3FG%
.500
.333
FT%
.882
.857
RB
44
42
TO
16
8
STL
3
8
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
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