Temple University Athletics
Wednesday, February 22
Liacouras Center
7:00 p.m.
Temple University
vs
UCF
Photo by: Betsy Manning/Temple University
Men's Basketball Hosts UCF for "Cherry Out" Night on Wednesday
2.20.17 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - Fans are asked to "Cherry Out" for Temple men's basketball's next home game on Wednesday, Feb. 22 as the Owls host American Athletic Conference rival UCF (17-10, 8-7) at 7 p.m. (ESPNU / 1210 AM WPHT). The game is the second in a three-game homestand for the Owls (14-14, 5-10), who play their final regular season home game on Saturday, Feb. 25.
The official "Cherry Out" t-shirt is available for sale at the Temple Bookstore and will also be sold at the merchandise stands at the Liacouras Center at the game.
Wednesday's game also marks Student-Athlete Recognition Night. During halftime, over 350 student-athletes will take to the court and be honored for achieving a GPA of 3.0 or above for the fall semester.
Heading into its final three regular season games, Temple has lost two straight and three of its last four. The most recent defeat was a heartbreaker, as UConn's Rodney Purvis scored a layup with three seconds left to hand the Owls a 64-63 loss on Feb. 19. The Huskies' final bucket marked their only lead of the second half, and Temple also led for all but a total of one minute in the first half.
Senior Daniel Dingle led the Owls with 17 points, six rebounds and six assists vs. UConn, becoming the first player to lead Temple in all three categories in a single game since Khalif Wyatt had done so at Fordham on March 6, 2013.
The Owls have led at halftime in each of their last two losses, after previously being 11-2 when leading at the break. They held a one-point, 38-37 lead at East Carolina on Feb. 15, and led 35-29 vs. UConn on Feb. 19. Four different players have led Temple in scoring in its last four games. Sophomore Shizz Alston, Jr., who leads the team and ranks 11th in the league with 13.6 ppg, has led or tied for the team lead the most times this season (10 games).
UCF had a strong start to the 2016-17 season, going 12-3 and winning its first three conference games. Recently, the Knights suffered a 1-6 stretch, but have since won two straight against Tulsa and East Carolina heading into Wednesday's game at Temple.Â
Three players average in double figures for the Knights, led by redshirt sophomore guard B.J. Taylor with 16.6 points per game and redshirt senior guard Matt Williams with 15.5 ppg. Taylor missed seven games in a row with a hand injury from early December to early January, including the game against Temple on Dec. 31 Leading UCF and ranking second in the league in rebounding is 7-6 sophomore center Tacko Fall with 9.7 rpg.
Temple and UCF are meeting for the ninth time, with the Owls holding a 5-3 lead in the series. The Owls had won four straight against the Knights before losing 77-53 on the road on New Year's Eve. Temple swept the season series in both 2015-16 and 2014-16. The Owls won two close games last year, coming out ahead 63-61 at home Feb. 27, 2016, and winning 62-60 on the road on Feb. 6, 2016.
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The official "Cherry Out" t-shirt is available for sale at the Temple Bookstore and will also be sold at the merchandise stands at the Liacouras Center at the game.
Wednesday's game also marks Student-Athlete Recognition Night. During halftime, over 350 student-athletes will take to the court and be honored for achieving a GPA of 3.0 or above for the fall semester.
Heading into its final three regular season games, Temple has lost two straight and three of its last four. The most recent defeat was a heartbreaker, as UConn's Rodney Purvis scored a layup with three seconds left to hand the Owls a 64-63 loss on Feb. 19. The Huskies' final bucket marked their only lead of the second half, and Temple also led for all but a total of one minute in the first half.
Senior Daniel Dingle led the Owls with 17 points, six rebounds and six assists vs. UConn, becoming the first player to lead Temple in all three categories in a single game since Khalif Wyatt had done so at Fordham on March 6, 2013.
The Owls have led at halftime in each of their last two losses, after previously being 11-2 when leading at the break. They held a one-point, 38-37 lead at East Carolina on Feb. 15, and led 35-29 vs. UConn on Feb. 19. Four different players have led Temple in scoring in its last four games. Sophomore Shizz Alston, Jr., who leads the team and ranks 11th in the league with 13.6 ppg, has led or tied for the team lead the most times this season (10 games).
UCF had a strong start to the 2016-17 season, going 12-3 and winning its first three conference games. Recently, the Knights suffered a 1-6 stretch, but have since won two straight against Tulsa and East Carolina heading into Wednesday's game at Temple.Â
Three players average in double figures for the Knights, led by redshirt sophomore guard B.J. Taylor with 16.6 points per game and redshirt senior guard Matt Williams with 15.5 ppg. Taylor missed seven games in a row with a hand injury from early December to early January, including the game against Temple on Dec. 31 Leading UCF and ranking second in the league in rebounding is 7-6 sophomore center Tacko Fall with 9.7 rpg.
Temple and UCF are meeting for the ninth time, with the Owls holding a 5-3 lead in the series. The Owls had won four straight against the Knights before losing 77-53 on the road on New Year's Eve. Temple swept the season series in both 2015-16 and 2014-16. The Owls won two close games last year, coming out ahead 63-61 at home Feb. 27, 2016, and winning 62-60 on the road on Feb. 6, 2016.
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