Women's Basketball Outlasts UCF, Remains Undefeated in AAC Play

Saturday, January 9

Philadelphia, Pa.

2:00 PM

Temple University

4-3,4-0AAC

UCF

5-2,3-1AAC

UCF

Temple

Women's Basketball Outlasts UCF, Remains Undefeated in AAC Play

1.9.21 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Despite a sluggish first quarter, the Temple women's basketball team topped UCF, 61-58, Saturday afternoon to remain undefeated in American league play. With the win, the Owls improve to 4-3 (4-0 AAC) while the Knights fall to 5-2 (3-1 AAC).

How It Happened
> Both teams started slow, with defense being the name of the game for the first quarter. Only 19 points were scored by both teams in the first.
> The Cherry and White offense found a spark heading into the second quarter, scoring immediately out of the break and going on a 12-4 run to take the lead.
> The Owls were able to earn a two-point lead at halftime (26-24), with the defense holding the Knights to 12 points in each half.
> UCF got within one after the half, but Mia Davis' three points gave Temple some breathing room.
> Th Knights cut Temple's lead to just one with less than a minute left in the game, but the Owls were able to seal the win with two pairs of free throws.

Statistically Speaking
> Jasha Clinton and Kash Ayuso both posted career-high points, with Clinton scoring 17 and Ayuso scoring seven.
> Emani Mayo's steals three steals were a season-high while Asonah Alexander's three were a career-high.
> Temple shot 34.5 percent from the field (19-of-55), while the Knights shot 43.8 percent (21-of-48).
> Davis' 19 points led both teams, while Brittney Smith's 17 led UCF.

First Quarter: UCF 12, Temple 7
> Temple took the lead early, going up 5-0 on back to back buckets from Clinton and Emani Mayo.
> Both teams looked disorganized, with the Knights recording nine turnovers and the Owls recording seven.
> UCF would score 12 of the next 14, holding the Owls to a layup from Davis.
> The Knights tied it up (7-7) with four minutes left, and took their first lead of the day on a bucket from Destiny Thomas. UCF held Temple scoreless for the last 5:41 remaining in the quarter.

Second Quarter: Temple 26, UCF 24
> The Owls' offense opened the quarter on fire, scoring immediately out of the break.
> Temple tied the game 14-14 on a three-pointer from Kash Ayuso and took the lead after going on a 12-4 run in the first four minutes of the quarter.
> UCF rallied and tied it back up 23-23, but a trey from Clinton with :30 left on the clock sealed Temple's halftime lead.
> The Cherry and White defense once again held the Knights to just 12 points, outscoring UCF 19-12.

Third Quarter: Temple 47, UCF 40
> Temple scored the first six points out of the half, going up 32-24.
> UCF went on a 7-0 run and got within one, but failed to pull ahead on a pair of missed free throws.
> Davis answered UCF's run with a layup and free throw with 6:30 left on the clock while the Owls' defense held the Knights to just one field goal in the last six minutes of the quarter.

Fourth Quarter: Temple 61, UCF 58
> UCF went on 9-5 run, pulling the score within three (52-49) at the media timeout.
> Both teams 2 minute scoring drought with 1:36 left on the clock, but a UCF layup from Alisha Lewis cut Temple's lead to just one score.
> The Knights were able to get within one point with less than a minute remaining, but a pair of free throws from Alexander and Davis put the game away.

Up Next
> Temple will remain home for mid-week action, hosting Cincinnati on Jan.13 at 3:30 p.m.