Temple University Athletics
Thursday, November 30
Madison Square Garden
9:00 p.m.
Temple University
vs
South Carolina
Photo by: Zach Bland
Men's Basketball to Face South Carolina at Madison Square Garden on Thursday
11.28.17 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - The famed Madison Square Garden will be the site of Temple men's basketball's next challenge, a 9 p.m. contest on Thursday, Nov. 30 against 2017 NCAA Final Four team South Carolina (5-1). The Owls (3-1) and the Gamecocks, who are meeting for the first time since 2005, are playing in the second of two Under Armour Reunion games at MSG.
Scouting Temple
> Temple started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2012-13 before losing in a Philadelphia Big 5 battle at La Salle, 87-83 on Nov. 26. The Owls never trailed until the final 1:05, and the Explorers were perfect at the line to seal the win.
> The Owls won the team title at the 2017 Gildan Charleston Classic to start the season, going 3-0. It was the first Charleston Classic win for the Owls in three appearances, and they now stand at 7-2 all-time in the tournament.
> This season marked the first in program history that Temple started the year with three straight wins away from home. In all, the Owls will play six road games before their home opener vs. Wisconsin on Dec. 6.
> Senior forward Obi Enechionyia became the 52nd player in program history to reach 1,000 points with his 16-point effort at La Salle on Nov. 26. Enechionyia has now scored 1,014 career points.
> Enechionyia was named the Charleston Classic MVP, and also named to the American Conference and Big 5 Weekly Honor Rolls. Sophomore guard Quinton Rose joined Enechionyia on the Charleston Classic All-Tournament Team.
> After leading the American Athletic Conference with 9.0 three-pointers per game in 2016-17, Temple has already hit 10 three-pointers in three of its first four games this year.
> Junior guard Shizz Alston, Jr. leads Temple with 18.3 ppg and a field goal percentage of .561. Alston has hit a perfect 16-of-16 free throws so far this season, and has now made 44 free throws in a row dating back to Dec. 28, 2016. His streak is the second-longest in program history behind Lynn Greer's 49 consecutive free throws.
Scouting South Carolina
> The Gamecocks are 5-1 overall and have won three straight since their lone loss, to Illinois State on Nov. 16. Most recently, South Carolina beat Florida International on the road by a score of 78-61 on Nov. 27.
> South Carolina finished 26-11 last season. After losing their only game of the SEC Tournament, the Gamecocks made an improbable and impressive run through the NCAA Tournament as a 7-seed, winning their first NCAA game since 1973 and eventually advancing to their first-ever Elite Eight and first-ever Final Four.Â
> Only two starters returned from last season for South Carolina, who is now without 2017 SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell.
> Leading the way so far this season is junior forward Chris Silva with a team-best 14.0 points per game and a team-best 8.0 rebounds per game.
All-Time Series
>Â Temple and South Carolina are meeting for the 15th time, with the Gamecocks holding an 8-6 lead in the series.
> The teams have not met since the 2005-06 season, the year before Fran Dunphy began coaching the Owls. Temple won that game, 63-50 at home on Dec. 22 after losing a year before, 60-46 on the road.
> The Owls and Gamecocks are tied 1-1 in neutral-site games, last playing one on Dec. 3, 1994, a 49-44 win for Temple in the consolation game at the Harris Teeter Tournament of Champions in Charlotte, N.C.
> Neither Dunphy or South Carolina head coach Frank Martin have faced the other team, either in their current position or in past head coaching stints.
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Scouting Temple
> Temple started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2012-13 before losing in a Philadelphia Big 5 battle at La Salle, 87-83 on Nov. 26. The Owls never trailed until the final 1:05, and the Explorers were perfect at the line to seal the win.
> The Owls won the team title at the 2017 Gildan Charleston Classic to start the season, going 3-0. It was the first Charleston Classic win for the Owls in three appearances, and they now stand at 7-2 all-time in the tournament.
> This season marked the first in program history that Temple started the year with three straight wins away from home. In all, the Owls will play six road games before their home opener vs. Wisconsin on Dec. 6.
> Senior forward Obi Enechionyia became the 52nd player in program history to reach 1,000 points with his 16-point effort at La Salle on Nov. 26. Enechionyia has now scored 1,014 career points.
> Enechionyia was named the Charleston Classic MVP, and also named to the American Conference and Big 5 Weekly Honor Rolls. Sophomore guard Quinton Rose joined Enechionyia on the Charleston Classic All-Tournament Team.
> After leading the American Athletic Conference with 9.0 three-pointers per game in 2016-17, Temple has already hit 10 three-pointers in three of its first four games this year.
> Junior guard Shizz Alston, Jr. leads Temple with 18.3 ppg and a field goal percentage of .561. Alston has hit a perfect 16-of-16 free throws so far this season, and has now made 44 free throws in a row dating back to Dec. 28, 2016. His streak is the second-longest in program history behind Lynn Greer's 49 consecutive free throws.
Scouting South Carolina
> The Gamecocks are 5-1 overall and have won three straight since their lone loss, to Illinois State on Nov. 16. Most recently, South Carolina beat Florida International on the road by a score of 78-61 on Nov. 27.
> South Carolina finished 26-11 last season. After losing their only game of the SEC Tournament, the Gamecocks made an improbable and impressive run through the NCAA Tournament as a 7-seed, winning their first NCAA game since 1973 and eventually advancing to their first-ever Elite Eight and first-ever Final Four.Â
> Only two starters returned from last season for South Carolina, who is now without 2017 SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell.
> Leading the way so far this season is junior forward Chris Silva with a team-best 14.0 points per game and a team-best 8.0 rebounds per game.
All-Time Series
>Â Temple and South Carolina are meeting for the 15th time, with the Gamecocks holding an 8-6 lead in the series.
> The teams have not met since the 2005-06 season, the year before Fran Dunphy began coaching the Owls. Temple won that game, 63-50 at home on Dec. 22 after losing a year before, 60-46 on the road.
> The Owls and Gamecocks are tied 1-1 in neutral-site games, last playing one on Dec. 3, 1994, a 49-44 win for Temple in the consolation game at the Harris Teeter Tournament of Champions in Charlotte, N.C.
> Neither Dunphy or South Carolina head coach Frank Martin have faced the other team, either in their current position or in past head coaching stints.
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Players Mentioned
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