Men’s Basketball Snaps Three-Game Skid with 62-55 Win Over UCF

Thursday, January 14

12:00 P.M.

Temple University

2-3,1-3AAC

UCF

3-4,1-3AAC

UCF

Temple

Photo by: Zamani Feelings

Men’s Basketball Snaps Three-Game Skid with 62-55 Win Over UCF

1.14.21 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Aaron McKie Interview J.P. Moorman II Interview Damian Dunn Interview

PHILADELPHIA – Redshirt freshman Damian Dunn scored a game-high 20 points to lead Temple (2-3, 1-3 AAC) to a 62-55 win over visiting UCF (3-4, 1-3) Thursday afternoon at the Liacouras Center. The Owls snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory with the Owls other win coming in its season opener against NJIT on Dec. 19.

Senior captain De'Vondre Perry (10) and freshman guard Jeremiah Williams (12) also scored in double figures for the Owls while UCF was led by Darin Green, Jr., and Isaiah Adams who each had 17 points.

First Half
> Neither team was able to get into an offensive rhythm early in the game, with Temple holding an 11-8 edge with just under 12 minutes to play. The Owls had five turnovers during that span with the Knights compiling four miscues.
> The teams then started to heat up from the perimeter, trading three-pointers over a four-minute stretch with Adams and Fuller, Jr. connecting for UCF and the Owls' sharpshooter Brendan Barry answering with a pair of his own.
> Temple held UCF scoreless for five-plus minutes, scoring six straight to take a 20-16 advantage with 3:53 to play.
> The Knights then ran off six straight over the next minute to retake the lead, 22-20, before a three-point play from Dunn put the Owls back on top.
> UCF answered with five straight points, but the Owls closed the half with four more from Dunn, including a three at the top of the key at the buzzer to tie the game at 27.

Second Half
> Temple opened the half with a fury, scoring 11 straight after a pair of UCF free throws. Captains Perry and J.P. Moorman II both drained threes with Perry adding a breakaway tomahawk slam and another three after a UCF timeout to make it 38-29 at the 14:45 mark.
> The Owls extended their lead to double figures, 41-31, on a Jeremiah Williams three-pointer, before UCF went on an 11-2 run over the next three minutes to cut the margin to one, 43-42.
> Temple responded with its own 11-2 run spearheaded by five points from Dunn to stretch the margin back to double digits, 54-44, with just under six minutes remaining.
> Temple led 58-48 with 2:25 remaining, but UCF clawed back, cutting the margin to 58-55 as the Owls missed two straight one-and-ones.
> UCF turned the ball over with 24 seconds remaining and Williams, who had previously missed a one-and-one, calmly drained two to seal the win.

Statistically Speaking
> Moorman tied a career-high with 13 rebounds to go along with his five points
> The Owls defense held the Knights to 37 percent shooting from the field.

Next Up
> Temple travels to Tulane to take on the Green Wave Saturday afternoon (1 pm/ESPN+/1210 AM WPHT).