Men's Basketball Tops La Salle, 67-51, in Big 5 Battle

Wednesday, November 30

Philadelphia, PA

6:00 PM

Temple University

4-4,0-0AAC

La Salle

3-4,0-0Atlantic 10

Temple

La Salle

Photo by: Andrew Kim

Men's Basketball Tops La Salle, 67-51, in Big 5 Battle

11.30.22 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - A big second half at the Palestra led the Temple men's basketball team past La Salle, 67-51, Wednesday night in the first game of a Big 5 doubleheader at the venue. The Owls overcame an eight-point deficit at the half in the win, which saw head coach Aaron McKie face off against former head coach Fran Dunphy to mark the first time in program the history that the team has played against a former head coach.

With the win, the Cherry and White now sits at 4-4 on the season, 2-0 in Big 5 play, while the Explorers fall to 3-4, 0-2. Khalif Battle's 22 points led both teams, while Damian Dunn (17) and Jamille Reynolds (10) round out the team's double figure scorers. Khalil Brantley led La Salle with 14 points.

First Half
> Both teams traded buckets to open the game, with neither team holding more than a one-basket lead at the first media timeout.
> La Salle opened up the game with a 7-0 run to go up 11-6 at the 15-minute mark.
> A Battle three and a Kur Jongkuch layup tied the game with 13:34 left on the clock before both teams traded buckets once more.
> The offensive effort for both teams went ice cold coming out of the under-12 media timeout. Dunn snapped the scoreless streak with a jumper at 7:44 and put Temple back on top, 17-16, with a pair of free throws to cap a 6-0 run.
> La Salle's offense got a spark from Rokas Jocius after 11-straight misses to put the team back on top, (18-17), and the Explorers would score 11 of the next 15 and the final seven points to take a 29-21 lead into the half.

Second Half
> A Brantley layup at 18:57 gave the Explorers a double figure lead, 31-21, but Temple would cut the lead and break a four-minute drought on a Battle layup to spark a 6-0 run.
> La Salle cut into the Owls' run with another Brantley layup, but back to back Temple baskets would put the deficit at just two (33-31) at the under-16 media timeout.
> The Cherry and White capped a 13-2 run with a Battle trey to give Temple its first lead, 34-33, since the first half, and both teams would trade baskets without much separation.
> Reynolds made a jumper and free throw with under nine minutes left in the game to open up a 15-1 run and give Temple a 12-point lead, 58-46.
> The Explorers drained their first basket in nearly five minutes to stop the bleeding, but a basket and free throw from Dunn gave the Owls another 12-point lead at the 3:39 minute mark.
> Temple scored nine of the last 11, with a Nick Jourdain free throw sealing the win.
> The Owls shot 59.3 percent from the field in the half (16-of-27) and 54.5. percent from beyond the arc (6-of-11)

Notes
> Dunn set a career-high six assists.
> Jahlil White re-entered the lineup after missing the last two games with a knee injury.

Next Up
> Temple will return home to host VCU at 1 p.m. on Dec. 3 for the first game in a doubleheader with the women's basketball team. The women will face UMBC 40 minutes following the conclusion of the men's game.