Temple University Athletics
Photo by: Zamani Feelings
Men's Basketball Takes Four-Game Win Streak to SMU Saturday
1.27.22 | Men's Basketball
DALLAS - Two of the hottest teams in the American Athletic Conference will be on display Saturday (3 pm ET/ESPN+/1210 AM WPHT) at Moody Coliseum when Temple travels to SMU for a key battle.
The Owls are currently on a four-game win streak following close wins over UCF, East Carolina, Tulsa and Cincinnati are 4-2 in conference play and 11-6 overall. Like Temple, the Mustangs enter the game on a four-game win streak with two wins over USF sandwiching road victories over Tulane and Memphis. SMU is 15-4 overall and in second place in the conference (6-1), a game-and-a-half ahead of the third place Owls.
Temple owns the second best road record in the conference at 3-1, but the Owls will be heading to one of the toughest venues in the league. SMU is a perfect 10-0 at home this season and has a current 12-game home win streak.
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SCOUTING TEMPLE
> Temple comes into the game on a four-game winning streak with road wins against UCF and Tulsa sandwiching and home victories against East Carolina and Cincinnati.
> Damian Dunn provided the heroics in the first two wins, making a three to put the Owls ahead in the final minute against UCF and a buzzer-beating three to complete a career-high 33 point game against East Carolina. He also made the game-winning three-point play with 36 seconds left against Cincinnati.
> Dunn leads the Owls in scoring (15.4 ppg/6th AAC), free throw percentage (77-91, .846/3rd AAC) and steals (19) while ranking second in assists (35) .
> Jeremiah Williams is second on the team in scoring (9.5 ppg) and runs the show offensively. He leads the Owls in assists (4.7 apg, 4th AAC), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.05/5th AAC), steals (19) and minutes per game (32.7/8th AAC).
> Nick Jourdain (6.8 ppg), who set career scoring highs in consecutive games (ECU-16, Tulsa-23), has averaged 11.4 ppg since joining the starting lineup seven games ago. He leads Temple in blocks (1.7 bpg/3rd AAC), rebounding (4.9 rpg, tied for lead) and offensive rebounding (2.5 pg/4th AAC).
> Another recent starter making noise is Jahlil White (6.2 ppg). White, who posted his first career double-double (11 pts, 10 rebs) at Tulsa, is averaging 9.7 ppg and 8.0 rpg in his six starts. He is tied for the team lead in rebounding (4.9 ppg) and ranks third in steals (16).
> Zach Hicks (5.9 ppg), who set a school record with 10 threes vs. Delaware State, leads the Owls with 27 three-pointers. He has been red-hot of late from deep, making 21 of his treys over the last five games while shooting 42.9 percent during that span.
SCOUTING SMU
> All-America candidate guard Kendric Davis is leading the AAC in scoring (20.6 ppg) and is in the top five in the league in free-throw percentage (87.3%, 2nd AAC), field-goal percentage (45.7%, 2nd AAC), 3-point percentage (38.3.2%, 2nd AAC), assists (4.7 apg, 4th AAC), 3FGs made (2.6, 3rd AAC) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.05, 3rd AAC).Â
> Marcus Weathers (10.9 ppg) leads SMU in rebounding (6.9 rpg, 3rd AAC) and double-doubles (4, 1st AAC) while Michael Weathers (9.2 ppg) tops the Mustangs in blocked shots (20) and is second in steals (25) and rebounding (5.2 rpg).
> Emmanuel Bandoumel (10.5 ppg, 42 threes) and Zach Nutall (7.9 ppg, 33 threes) round out the Owls starting five.
SERIES HISTORYÂ
> This will be the 17th meeting between the teams, SMU holding an 9-7 series edge.
> SMU won the first meeting this season, 79-71, at Temple on Dec. 30.
> The teams played just once last season, with SMU winning in Dallas, 79-68. The teams split the 2019-20 series with each holding serve on its own court.
> The teams were slated to play in the first round of the 2020 AAC Championship before the season ended due to COVID 19.
> Temple is 1-5 at SMU with the lone win against the Mustangs in Dallas coming on Jan. 10, 2018.
> The Owls were the first team to defeat SMU in 2015-16 after an 18-0 start for the #8 Mustangs. Temple pulled off the upset at home on Jan. 24, winning 89-80.
> Prior to meeting as American opponents in 2013-14, the most recent meeting was in the 1956 NCAA Final Four when the Owls beat SMU, 90-81, in the third-place game.
> The first meeting between the teams was in 1937-38, with Temple earning a 53-41 win at the Philadelphia Arena.
The Owls are currently on a four-game win streak following close wins over UCF, East Carolina, Tulsa and Cincinnati are 4-2 in conference play and 11-6 overall. Like Temple, the Mustangs enter the game on a four-game win streak with two wins over USF sandwiching road victories over Tulane and Memphis. SMU is 15-4 overall and in second place in the conference (6-1), a game-and-a-half ahead of the third place Owls.
Temple owns the second best road record in the conference at 3-1, but the Owls will be heading to one of the toughest venues in the league. SMU is a perfect 10-0 at home this season and has a current 12-game home win streak.
Â
SCOUTING TEMPLE
> Temple comes into the game on a four-game winning streak with road wins against UCF and Tulsa sandwiching and home victories against East Carolina and Cincinnati.
> Damian Dunn provided the heroics in the first two wins, making a three to put the Owls ahead in the final minute against UCF and a buzzer-beating three to complete a career-high 33 point game against East Carolina. He also made the game-winning three-point play with 36 seconds left against Cincinnati.
> Dunn leads the Owls in scoring (15.4 ppg/6th AAC), free throw percentage (77-91, .846/3rd AAC) and steals (19) while ranking second in assists (35) .
> Jeremiah Williams is second on the team in scoring (9.5 ppg) and runs the show offensively. He leads the Owls in assists (4.7 apg, 4th AAC), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.05/5th AAC), steals (19) and minutes per game (32.7/8th AAC).
> Nick Jourdain (6.8 ppg), who set career scoring highs in consecutive games (ECU-16, Tulsa-23), has averaged 11.4 ppg since joining the starting lineup seven games ago. He leads Temple in blocks (1.7 bpg/3rd AAC), rebounding (4.9 rpg, tied for lead) and offensive rebounding (2.5 pg/4th AAC).
> Another recent starter making noise is Jahlil White (6.2 ppg). White, who posted his first career double-double (11 pts, 10 rebs) at Tulsa, is averaging 9.7 ppg and 8.0 rpg in his six starts. He is tied for the team lead in rebounding (4.9 ppg) and ranks third in steals (16).
> Zach Hicks (5.9 ppg), who set a school record with 10 threes vs. Delaware State, leads the Owls with 27 three-pointers. He has been red-hot of late from deep, making 21 of his treys over the last five games while shooting 42.9 percent during that span.
SCOUTING SMU
> All-America candidate guard Kendric Davis is leading the AAC in scoring (20.6 ppg) and is in the top five in the league in free-throw percentage (87.3%, 2nd AAC), field-goal percentage (45.7%, 2nd AAC), 3-point percentage (38.3.2%, 2nd AAC), assists (4.7 apg, 4th AAC), 3FGs made (2.6, 3rd AAC) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.05, 3rd AAC).Â
> Marcus Weathers (10.9 ppg) leads SMU in rebounding (6.9 rpg, 3rd AAC) and double-doubles (4, 1st AAC) while Michael Weathers (9.2 ppg) tops the Mustangs in blocked shots (20) and is second in steals (25) and rebounding (5.2 rpg).
> Emmanuel Bandoumel (10.5 ppg, 42 threes) and Zach Nutall (7.9 ppg, 33 threes) round out the Owls starting five.
SERIES HISTORYÂ
> This will be the 17th meeting between the teams, SMU holding an 9-7 series edge.
> SMU won the first meeting this season, 79-71, at Temple on Dec. 30.
> The teams played just once last season, with SMU winning in Dallas, 79-68. The teams split the 2019-20 series with each holding serve on its own court.
> The teams were slated to play in the first round of the 2020 AAC Championship before the season ended due to COVID 19.
> Temple is 1-5 at SMU with the lone win against the Mustangs in Dallas coming on Jan. 10, 2018.
> The Owls were the first team to defeat SMU in 2015-16 after an 18-0 start for the #8 Mustangs. Temple pulled off the upset at home on Jan. 24, winning 89-80.
> Prior to meeting as American opponents in 2013-14, the most recent meeting was in the 1956 NCAA Final Four when the Owls beat SMU, 90-81, in the third-place game.
> The first meeting between the teams was in 1937-38, with Temple earning a 53-41 win at the Philadelphia Arena.
Players Mentioned
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