Shorthanded Men’s Basketball Opens Conference Play with a 59-57 win at East Carolina

Wednesday, December 28

Greenville, N.C.

7:00 P.M.

Temple University

7-7,1-0AAC

East Carolina

9-5,0-1AAC

Temple

East Carolina

Shorthanded Men’s Basketball Opens Conference Play with a 59-57 win at East Carolina

12.28.22 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Khalif Battle came off the bench to score a game-high 18 points to lead Temple to a 59-57 win at East Carolina Wednesday night in the American Athletic Conference opener for both teams. The Owls snap a three-game skid with the win and even their record at 7-7 (1-0 AAC). The Pirates (9-5, 0-1) had their three-game win streak end with the loss.

Battle scored 16 of his points in the second half with Jahlil White matching his season-high with 10 and six rebounds. Temple was without its second leading scorer, Damian Dunn (concussion protocol), who had many family members in attendance with the game played close to his hometown of Kinston. Jamille Reynolds, the team's leading rebounder and third leading scorer, is sidelined for another four-six weeks following thumb surgery.

Brandon Johnson had 11 points and a game-high 18 rebounds to lead ECU. Jaden Walker also scored 11 while Ezra Ausar added 10.

First Half
> With a lineup missing the team's top three scorers at the opening tip, the Owls jumped out to a 14-8 lead with White (6 points) leading the way.
> Defense would be the name of the game for Temple with the team holding the Pirates without a field goal for over 10 minutes during one stretch, missing nine straight field goal attempts.
> The Owls were not able to make the Pirates pay, however, and only led 22-17 before ECU drained consecutive threes in the final 12 seconds to take a 23-22 lead at the half. The first was by Javon Small following an offensive rebound with the second a Walker halfcourt heave off a steal as time expired.
> The 23 points ties for the best defensive half for Temple on the season.

Second Half
> The second half started slowly before the Owls went on an 8-1 run with Battle capping it on a three from the top of the key to give the Owls a 34-28 lead with just under 14 to play.
> Temple would hold the lead in the tightly contested battle for the next nine minutes despite Hysier Miller picking up his fourth personal at the nine-minute mark.
> East Carolina would rattled off seven straight points after that to take a 42-41 lead with 5:13 remaining.
> The lead changed hands four times before Temple scored six straight with a Nick Jourdain three-point play followed by three Battle free throws.
> The Pirates cut the lead to two with 48 seconds left on two free throws from Javon Small, but Zach Hicks made two from the line with 11 seconds to play and the Owls held on for the win.

Notes
> Temple played stifling defense, holding East Carolina to 27.1 percent from the field (16-59) and 23.8 percent from three (5-21). It was the first time this season the Owls held an opponent under 30 percent from the field.
> Small, who entered the game as the AAC's assist leader, did not dish a helper to a teammate. He also was held to nine points, eight below his team best 17.2 scoring average.
> Shane Dezonie scored a season high six points while Kur Jongkuch pulled down a season and team high nine rebounds.
> White also added a season high seven rebounds.

Next Up
> Temple opens 2023 with a New Years' Day home game against Cincinnati (3 pm/ESPN/1210 AM WPHT).