Temple University Athletics
Thursday, March 3
Houston, Texas
7:00 P.M.
Temple University
at
#14 Houston
Photo by: Zamani Feelings
Men’s Basketball Travels to AAC Leader #14 Houston for Thursday ESPN2 Tilt
3.2.22 | Men's Basketball
HOUSTON – Temple will be looking to clinch a first-round bye when it travels to American Athletic Conference leader #14 Houston on Thursday (7 p.m./ESPN2/1210 AM WPHT).
The Owls (16-10, 9-6 AAC), which had their string of 13 straight seasons with a Top 25 scalp snapped in the Covid-shortened 2020-21 campaign, will also be looking for its first win over a ranked opponent since defeating #16 Wichita State on Jan. 15, 2020.
Temple will also be looking to snap a five-game losing streak in the series with Houston. The Owls last win in the series came on Jan. 9, 2019, a 73-69 decision over the #17 Cougars at the Liacouras Center.
Temple has only one road victory over Houston, that being a 69-66 win on Feb. 21, 2016.
Houston (25-4, 14-2 AAC), which clinched the top-seed in next week's American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship (Mar. 10-13), is 15-1 at home this season.
The top five teams in the AAC standings receive first-round byes.
SCOUTING TEMPLE
> Damian Dunn, who has scored in double figures a team-high 20 times, leads the Owls in scoring (15.1 ppg/6th AAC) and free throw percentage (111-133, .835/5th AAC).
> Jeremiah Williams, who has missed three of the last four games (shoulder), remains questionable. He is second on the team in scoring (9.5 ppg) and tops the Owls in assists (4.3 apg, 5th AAC), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.94/4th AAC) and steals (30).
> Tai Strickland, who was named the AAC Player of the Week on Feb. 21, is averaging 8.6 ppg (3rd on team). He exploded for a career-high 27 points in the SMU win and tallied 11 points in his first collegiate start at Cincinnati.
> Zach Hicks (8.0 ppg), who has averaged 12.7 points and 7.4 rebounds over the last seven games, leads the Owls with 53 three-pointers. He has been red-hot of late from deep, making 47 of his treys over the last 15 games, including a school-record 10 treys against Delaware State.
> Nick Jourdain (6.9 ppg), who scored a career-high 23 at Tulsa, leads TU in blocks (1.7 bpg/2nd AAC), and offensive rebounding (2.5 pg/4th AAC) while is second in overall rebounding (5.4 rpg/16th AAC).
> Jahlil White (7.3 ppg), who came off the bench to tie his career scoring high (17 pts) at Memphis, leads the team in rebounding (5.8 rpg/t-9th AAC).
> Hysier Miller, who has averaged 10.4 ppg and 4,0 apg since joining the starting lineup at Tulane, scored a career-high 16 point at Memphis.
SCOUTING HOUSTON
> Despite losing its leading scorer, Marcus Sasser (17.7 ppg), and top reserve, Tramon Mack (10.1 ppg), Houston clinched the AAC regular season title and remained in the Top 25 all season.
> Defense has been the key as Houston leads the nation in field-goal percentage defense (36.9) and the AAC in three-point percentage defense (.293).
> The Cougars also rank among the nation's Top-10 statistical leaders in scoring margin (+17.3, 4th), scoring defense (58.8, 7th), offensive rebounds (13.5, 7th), rebounding margin (+7.7, 10th) and winning percentage (86.2, 9th).
> Houston has a balanced attack offensively with three players, Kyler Edwards (13.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg), Fabian White, Jr. (12.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and Josh Carlton (12.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg), averaging double figures.
SERIES HISTORY
> Houston holds a 11-3 series advantage over the Owls, winning five straight and seven of the last eight matchups.
> The Owls last win in the series came on Jan. 9, 2019, a 73-69 decision over the #17 Cougars at the Liacouras Center.
> Temple has only one road victory over Houston, that being a 69-66 win on Feb. 21, 2016.
> Houston won the first meeting this season, 66-61 at the Liacouras Center on Jan. 2.
The Owls (16-10, 9-6 AAC), which had their string of 13 straight seasons with a Top 25 scalp snapped in the Covid-shortened 2020-21 campaign, will also be looking for its first win over a ranked opponent since defeating #16 Wichita State on Jan. 15, 2020.
Temple will also be looking to snap a five-game losing streak in the series with Houston. The Owls last win in the series came on Jan. 9, 2019, a 73-69 decision over the #17 Cougars at the Liacouras Center.
Temple has only one road victory over Houston, that being a 69-66 win on Feb. 21, 2016.
Houston (25-4, 14-2 AAC), which clinched the top-seed in next week's American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship (Mar. 10-13), is 15-1 at home this season.
The top five teams in the AAC standings receive first-round byes.
SCOUTING TEMPLE
> Damian Dunn, who has scored in double figures a team-high 20 times, leads the Owls in scoring (15.1 ppg/6th AAC) and free throw percentage (111-133, .835/5th AAC).
> Jeremiah Williams, who has missed three of the last four games (shoulder), remains questionable. He is second on the team in scoring (9.5 ppg) and tops the Owls in assists (4.3 apg, 5th AAC), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.94/4th AAC) and steals (30).
> Tai Strickland, who was named the AAC Player of the Week on Feb. 21, is averaging 8.6 ppg (3rd on team). He exploded for a career-high 27 points in the SMU win and tallied 11 points in his first collegiate start at Cincinnati.
> Zach Hicks (8.0 ppg), who has averaged 12.7 points and 7.4 rebounds over the last seven games, leads the Owls with 53 three-pointers. He has been red-hot of late from deep, making 47 of his treys over the last 15 games, including a school-record 10 treys against Delaware State.
> Nick Jourdain (6.9 ppg), who scored a career-high 23 at Tulsa, leads TU in blocks (1.7 bpg/2nd AAC), and offensive rebounding (2.5 pg/4th AAC) while is second in overall rebounding (5.4 rpg/16th AAC).
> Jahlil White (7.3 ppg), who came off the bench to tie his career scoring high (17 pts) at Memphis, leads the team in rebounding (5.8 rpg/t-9th AAC).
> Hysier Miller, who has averaged 10.4 ppg and 4,0 apg since joining the starting lineup at Tulane, scored a career-high 16 point at Memphis.
SCOUTING HOUSTON
> Despite losing its leading scorer, Marcus Sasser (17.7 ppg), and top reserve, Tramon Mack (10.1 ppg), Houston clinched the AAC regular season title and remained in the Top 25 all season.
> Defense has been the key as Houston leads the nation in field-goal percentage defense (36.9) and the AAC in three-point percentage defense (.293).
> The Cougars also rank among the nation's Top-10 statistical leaders in scoring margin (+17.3, 4th), scoring defense (58.8, 7th), offensive rebounds (13.5, 7th), rebounding margin (+7.7, 10th) and winning percentage (86.2, 9th).
> Houston has a balanced attack offensively with three players, Kyler Edwards (13.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg), Fabian White, Jr. (12.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and Josh Carlton (12.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg), averaging double figures.
SERIES HISTORY
> Houston holds a 11-3 series advantage over the Owls, winning five straight and seven of the last eight matchups.
> The Owls last win in the series came on Jan. 9, 2019, a 73-69 decision over the #17 Cougars at the Liacouras Center.
> Temple has only one road victory over Houston, that being a 69-66 win on Feb. 21, 2016.
> Houston won the first meeting this season, 66-61 at the Liacouras Center on Jan. 2.
Players Mentioned
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