Temple University Athletics
Saturday, December 7
7:30 P.M.
Temple University
vs
Missouri
Photo by: Mary Holt
Men's Basketball Returns Home for Saturday Showdown with Missouri
12.5.19 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - It has been nearly a month since the Temple men's basketball team took the floor at the Liacouras Center, but the Owls (6-1) return home Saturday night to take on Missouri (7:30 pm/ESPNU/1210 AM WPHT). It is the completion of a home-and-home series with the SEC foe with the Owls defeating the Tigers (4-4), 79-77, in Columbia last season.
SCOUTING THE OWLS
> Temple is off to a hot start to the season, going 6-1 under first-year head coach Aaron McKie. This is the first time a Temple team has just one loss in its first seven games under a new head coach since James Usilton, Sr. took over the program in the 1926-27 season. Usilton, who would lead the Owls to the 1938 NIT Championship, started 7-1 before dropping his second game.
> The team's lone loss came against No. 5 Maryland in the opening round of the Orlando Invitational on Thanksgiving day. The Owls led the Terps for the majority of the game before eventually falling 76-69. Temple went on to win its final two games of the tournament (Texas A&M, 65-42, & Davidson, 65-53), finishing in fifth place.
> Sophomore Jake Forrester was cleared to play by the NCAA on Nov. 26 after his waiver to compete was approved. Forrester sat out the first four games of the season after transferring to Temple from Indiana last summer.
> Three Owls are averaging double figures in scoring through the first seven games, with senior Quinton Rose leading the team (14.6).
> Junior guard Nate Pierre-Louis leads the team in total rebounds (62) and steals (18) while leads the team in three-pointers made with 18.
> The Owls will play three of their five December games at home, with Saint Joseph's (Dec. 10), and Rider (Dec. 21) also coming to the Liacouras Center.
DEFENSE DOES IT
> Temple has been one of the top teams in the country defensively this season and currently leads the AAC and ranks ninth nationally in field goal percentage defense (.352). The Owls also top the conference (53rd NCAA) in three-point percentage defense (.282) and are second in the AAC (26th nationally) in scoring defense (59.4 ppg). Â
SCOUTING MISSOURI
> Missouri is 4-4 on the season, dropping its last three games. The Tigers most recently fell to Charleston Southern 68-60 at home, shooting just over 35 percent from the field and unable to hold off a late second half run by the Bucs.
> Forward Jeremiah Tilmon, Jr. led the team with 15 points against Charleston Southern, while redshirt junior Mitchell Smith came off the bench to add 10.Â
> Three Tigers average double-digit scoring figures, with junior gaurd Mark Smith leading the team (12.4). Tilmon (10.8 ppg), the team's leading rebounder, averages 5.1 boards per game and has recorded a team-leading 13 blocks.Â
> Missouri has played just one true road game this season, falling 63-58 in overtime at No. 21 Xavier before going 2-1 at the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo. over Thanksgiving break.
SERIES HISTORY
> This is the fourth meeting between the teams and second year in a row that the teams will meet. It is also the first time Missouri will play at Temple.
> The series is split 2-2, with Temple entering the matchup having won the last two. The last Missouri win was in the 1988-89 season opener, 91-74 (2OT) at the Tournament of Champions in Charlotte.
LAST MEETING: Nov. 27, 2018 - Temple 79, Missouri 77
> The Owls defeated the Tigers 79-77 in Columbia, Mo. last year, with four players scoring in double figures.Â
> Quinton Rose led the team with 18 points, with Shizz Alston, Jr. (15), De'Vondre Perry (11), and Damion Moore (10) rounding out the double-digit scorers.
> The game was tight throughout much of the first half before the Owls made a run going into halftime to put the score at 42-32. The Temple defense held Missouri's leading scorer without a point, forcing nine turnovers while commiting just one in the first half.
> Missouri made a late run, cutting Temple's 12-point lead to make it a two-point game with the Tigers eventually falling.Â
> Temple was held scoreless for over five minutes from the field and making just one free throw, before gaining a four-point lead and forcing Missouri to foul. Alston went 3-of-4 a the line with 11 second left on the clock, but a last-second jumper from the Tigers wasn't enough to seal the victory and the Owls walked away with the win.
This is the first time a Temple team has just one loss in its first seven games under a new head coach since James Usilton, Sr. took over the program in the 1926-27 season. Usilton, who would lead the Owls to the 1938 NIT Championship, started 7-1 before dropping his second game.
SCOUTING THE OWLS
> Temple is off to a hot start to the season, going 6-1 under first-year head coach Aaron McKie. This is the first time a Temple team has just one loss in its first seven games under a new head coach since James Usilton, Sr. took over the program in the 1926-27 season. Usilton, who would lead the Owls to the 1938 NIT Championship, started 7-1 before dropping his second game.
> The team's lone loss came against No. 5 Maryland in the opening round of the Orlando Invitational on Thanksgiving day. The Owls led the Terps for the majority of the game before eventually falling 76-69. Temple went on to win its final two games of the tournament (Texas A&M, 65-42, & Davidson, 65-53), finishing in fifth place.
> Sophomore Jake Forrester was cleared to play by the NCAA on Nov. 26 after his waiver to compete was approved. Forrester sat out the first four games of the season after transferring to Temple from Indiana last summer.
> Three Owls are averaging double figures in scoring through the first seven games, with senior Quinton Rose leading the team (14.6).
> Junior guard Nate Pierre-Louis leads the team in total rebounds (62) and steals (18) while leads the team in three-pointers made with 18.
> The Owls will play three of their five December games at home, with Saint Joseph's (Dec. 10), and Rider (Dec. 21) also coming to the Liacouras Center.
DEFENSE DOES IT
> Temple has been one of the top teams in the country defensively this season and currently leads the AAC and ranks ninth nationally in field goal percentage defense (.352). The Owls also top the conference (53rd NCAA) in three-point percentage defense (.282) and are second in the AAC (26th nationally) in scoring defense (59.4 ppg). Â
SCOUTING MISSOURI
> Missouri is 4-4 on the season, dropping its last three games. The Tigers most recently fell to Charleston Southern 68-60 at home, shooting just over 35 percent from the field and unable to hold off a late second half run by the Bucs.
> Forward Jeremiah Tilmon, Jr. led the team with 15 points against Charleston Southern, while redshirt junior Mitchell Smith came off the bench to add 10.Â
> Three Tigers average double-digit scoring figures, with junior gaurd Mark Smith leading the team (12.4). Tilmon (10.8 ppg), the team's leading rebounder, averages 5.1 boards per game and has recorded a team-leading 13 blocks.Â
> Missouri has played just one true road game this season, falling 63-58 in overtime at No. 21 Xavier before going 2-1 at the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo. over Thanksgiving break.
SERIES HISTORY
> This is the fourth meeting between the teams and second year in a row that the teams will meet. It is also the first time Missouri will play at Temple.
> The series is split 2-2, with Temple entering the matchup having won the last two. The last Missouri win was in the 1988-89 season opener, 91-74 (2OT) at the Tournament of Champions in Charlotte.
LAST MEETING: Nov. 27, 2018 - Temple 79, Missouri 77
> The Owls defeated the Tigers 79-77 in Columbia, Mo. last year, with four players scoring in double figures.Â
> Quinton Rose led the team with 18 points, with Shizz Alston, Jr. (15), De'Vondre Perry (11), and Damion Moore (10) rounding out the double-digit scorers.
> The game was tight throughout much of the first half before the Owls made a run going into halftime to put the score at 42-32. The Temple defense held Missouri's leading scorer without a point, forcing nine turnovers while commiting just one in the first half.
> Missouri made a late run, cutting Temple's 12-point lead to make it a two-point game with the Tigers eventually falling.Â
> Temple was held scoreless for over five minutes from the field and making just one free throw, before gaining a four-point lead and forcing Missouri to foul. Alston went 3-of-4 a the line with 11 second left on the clock, but a last-second jumper from the Tigers wasn't enough to seal the victory and the Owls walked away with the win.
This is the first time a Temple team has just one loss in its first seven games under a new head coach since James Usilton, Sr. took over the program in the 1926-27 season. Usilton, who would lead the Owls to the 1938 NIT Championship, started 7-1 before dropping his second game.
Players Mentioned
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