Men's Basketball Prevails 75-67 Over La Salle in Season Opener

Tuesday, November 6

Philadelphia, Pa.

7:30 p.m.

Temple University

1-0

La Salle

0-1

La Salle

Temple

Photo by: Zamani Feelings

Men's Basketball Prevails 75-67 Over La Salle in Season Opener

11.6.18 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - With his first career double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds, sophomore Nate Pierre-Louis led Temple to a 75-67 win over Philadelphia Big 5 rival La Salle in the season opener for both teams. The Owls (1-0) led for the final 19 minutes and made 26 free throws to hold off the Explorers (0-1).

Game Summary
> Both teams made 22 field goals with La Salle getting an 8-5 edge in three-pointers, but Temple's ability to get to the line made the difference. The Owls hit 26-of-36 while La Salle was more efficient but just 15-of-18.
> The Owls pounded the glass, finishing with a 50-28 advantage in rebounds (15-5 on the offensive glass) and an 11-0 lead in second chance points.
> It was La Salle with the lead out of the gate and for much of the first half, but Temple picked up the pace late in the first half and led for nearly all of the second.

Individual Highlights
> Pierre-Louis shattered his previous career rebounding high of seven, and made 4-of-6 field goals including 2-of-2 from long range.
> Senior guard Shizz Alston, Jr. scored 13 points and added a game-high eight assists.
> Leading the Owls in scoring was junior Quinton Rose with 15 points. Rose made 6-of-8 at the line and tallied two steals.
> Senior Ernest Aflakpui was the Owls' fourth player to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points and adding eight boards.
> La Salle also had four players score in double figures, led by Isiah Deas with a game-high 23 points.

First Half
> The Explorers jumped out to an early 7-0 lead and increased it to as many as nine just past the 15-minute mark.
> The Owls used a 10-2 run to get within one at 17-16 before falling behind by five, but used solid free-throw shooting stretch to take their first lead.
> Temple hit 5-of-6 at the line in a 7-0 run to lead by two, 23-21 with 5:47 left in the period.
> Three ties followed, the last of which was the final score of the half as the teams were knotted at 28-28 heading into the break.

Second Half
> After another tie at 30-30 early in the second period, Pierre-Louis scored five straight points in an 8-0 run that put the Owls in the lead for good.
> Pierre-Louis hit his second trey at 12:10 to give Temple its largest lead of 12 points, 49-37, matched on the Owls' next possession with a three-pointer by Alston.
> The lead held up the rest of the way, with La Salle coming within no fewer than eight points until near the final minute.
> The Explorers' Traci Carter got a steal and a layup to make it a six-point game at 1:31, but Alston answered with a long jumper and La Salle would get no closer.
> Alston made 4-of-4 free throws while Rose hit a pair, all in the final 26 seconds to seal the victory.

Up Next
> The Owls will play their second of four straight home games on Friday, Nov. 9, hosting Detroit Mercy in the GotPrint.com Legends Classic (ESPN3 / 1210 AM WPHT).