Men's Basketball Plays Texas A&M Friday

ORLANDO - The last time Temple and Texas A&M played was in the consolation bracket of the Orlando Invitational nine years ago so it is only fitting that the teams will square off Friday afternoon (2 pm/ESPNews/1210 AM WPHT) on the same stage. The Owls (4-1), who lost for the first time under first-year head coach Aaron McKie, will play a Texas A&M team (3-2) also under a first-year coach, Buzz Williams.

Previewing the Owls

> Temple battled #5 Maryland in the opening round of the tournament, leading for more than half of the game before falling 76-69.

> Senior Alani Moore II led the Owls with 22 points against the Terps. It was his most points since tallying a career high 26 against Yale (2/26/16) as a freshman. He made a career-high six three-pointers on 10 attempts.

> Junior J.P. Moorman II scored eight of his 14 points in the first 3:21 to give the Owls a 13-7 early lead. He posted season highs in points and rebounds (9).

> Temple's leading scorers entering the game, junior Nate Pierre-Louis (15.8 ppg) and senior Quinton Rose (15.0 ppg), struggled on the day. Pierre-Louis was held without a field goal (0-7) for the first time since the final game of his freshman season. He finished with three points, five rebounds and four assists. Rose (4-16, 1-7 3pt) had one of the worst shooting days of his career, but did tie Moorman for the lead in rebounds (9) while dishing four assists and making two steals.

> Sophomore Jake Forrester, who was cleared to play by the NCAA on Tuesday, made an immediate impact. He came off the bench to score six points and grab two rebounds in 12 minutes.

Previewing the Aggies

> Senior guard Wendell Mitchell (9.4 ppg) led Texas A&M with 17 points and junior guard Savion Flagg (9.8 ppg) had 12 points in the Aggies 62-51 loss to Harvard.

> Senior forward Josh Nebo leads Aggies in scoring (10.5 ppg), rebounding (6.3 rpg) and blocks (3.2 bpg).

> Junior guard Jay Jay Chandler (10.2 ppg) and freshman guard Andre Gordon (10.0 ppg) also top double figures.

The Series

> This is the third meeting between the teams. Texas A&M defeated Temple, 54-51, in the fifth place game of the 2010 Old Spice Classic (now the Orlando Invitational). The Owls won the only other meeting, 60-44, at the Palestra on Dec. 17. 1957. That was the second game of a 25-game win streak that ended in the NCAA National Semifinals against Kentucky (61-60).

Men's Basketball Plays Texas A&M Friday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jake Forrester

Alani Moore II

J.P. Moorman II

Nate Pierre-Louis

Quinton Rose

Temple University Athletics

Men's Basketball Plays Texas A&M Friday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jake Forrester

Alani Moore II

J.P. Moorman II

Nate Pierre-Louis

Quinton Rose

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