Temple University Athletics
Saturday, December 30
Philadelphia, Pa.
1:00 PM EST
Temple University
vs
UTSA
Photo by: Elita Odartei
Women’s Basketball Opens Conference Play with UTSA
12.28.23 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA – The Temple women's basketball team (6-6) returns to the court following a nine-day holiday break to face off against the UTSA Roadrunners (6-5). This matchup will be the first of the American Athletic Conference season for both teams and will be the first AAC women's basketball game ever for UTSA, who joined the conference this fall. Tip-off will be at 1 p.m., the game will air on ESPN+ and The Varsity Network App. Tickets are available at Owlstix.com.
PROMOTIONS/THEMES
> Parent-Child Layup Day: Kids 6th grade and younger – with an accompanying adult – can score a basket on the court following the game. No RSVP required.
LAST TIME OUT: Northwestern 72 @ Temple 68
> Temple fell for the first time since the beginning of the month to Big Ten opponent Northwestern before the break.
> The Owls led 30-26 at halftime before Northwestern took the lead in the third quarter. Temple made several comeback attempts, including cutting the lead to as little as two points in the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats held on to snap Temple's three-game winning streak.
> Rayne Tucker had her best game of the season, setting new season highs in points (19), rebounds (13), and assists (5). Her five assists are also a new career high. Tiarra East led the team in scoring with 20 and set a season-high in rebounds (7).
> Temple grabbed 27 offensive rebounds, its most in a game since 2014.
THE OWLS
> Temple has dominated the offensive glass, currently ranking 4th in the nation in rebounding on that end of the court (17.9 orpg). The Owls have also controlled possession, clocking in at 13th in the land in turnover margin (+7.75). The team leads in the American in turnovers per game (13.2) and assist to turnover ratio (+1.19).
> Aleah Nelson ranks second in the AAC in assists per game (5.0). She is scoring 11.2 points per contest, good for second on the team. The point guard has now passed for at least five assists in seven straight games. Nelson ranks 11th in Division I among active players in assists with 515, eight behind George Amoore of Virginia Tech. She is one of only six players in Division I with at least 500 assists and 1400 points.
> East paces Temple in scoring with 12.0 ppg. The wing has now scored in double figures in each of the last six games. She is one of only 12 players in the American who has had multiple 20-point performances.
> Tucker has recorded a double-double in two of the last three games. Her 7.2 rebounds per game check in at 9th in the American. The forward is third on the team in scoring.
SCOUTING UTSA
> UTSA spent last season in Conference USA where the team earned a 13-19 overall, and 9-11 in conference record.
> The Roadrunners concluded non-conference play with a 6-5 record. Of their five losses, four came against high-profile opponents, including Arizona State, Texas Tech, Houston, and Oregon.
> A trio of Roadrunners are averaging double-figures in Sidney Love (12.2 ppg), Kyra White (10.6 ppg), and Elyssa Coleman (10.3 ppg). Coleman also leads the team in rebounds with 7.4 per contest. Love, Aysia Proctor, and White have been recognized on the AAC Honor Roll this season. Idara Udo was named AAC Rookie of the Week on Tuesday following a 15 point, nine-rebound performance.
> Karen Aston is in her 16th season as a Division I women's basketball coach and her 3rd at UTSA. She has made stops at current AAC rivals Charlotte and North Texas before landing at Texas, where she coached for eight years. She is 311-193 in her career and 26-47 at UTSA.
SERIES HISTORY
> This is the first time Temple and UTSA have met on the court. This is the Roadrunners' first game in the American.
> This will be the 40th matchup the Owls have had against schools from the state of Texas. UTSA is the seventh Texas school Temple has faced, the Owls are 21-18 in those games.
UP NEXT
> Temple will face its second AAC newcomer from Texas in a row as the Cherry & White face off against North Texas on Tuesday, January 2nd at 7 p.m.(ESPN+/Varsity Network App). Tickets are available to purchase at Owlstix.com.
PROMOTIONS/THEMES
> Parent-Child Layup Day: Kids 6th grade and younger – with an accompanying adult – can score a basket on the court following the game. No RSVP required.
LAST TIME OUT: Northwestern 72 @ Temple 68
> Temple fell for the first time since the beginning of the month to Big Ten opponent Northwestern before the break.
> The Owls led 30-26 at halftime before Northwestern took the lead in the third quarter. Temple made several comeback attempts, including cutting the lead to as little as two points in the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats held on to snap Temple's three-game winning streak.
> Rayne Tucker had her best game of the season, setting new season highs in points (19), rebounds (13), and assists (5). Her five assists are also a new career high. Tiarra East led the team in scoring with 20 and set a season-high in rebounds (7).
> Temple grabbed 27 offensive rebounds, its most in a game since 2014.
THE OWLS
> Temple has dominated the offensive glass, currently ranking 4th in the nation in rebounding on that end of the court (17.9 orpg). The Owls have also controlled possession, clocking in at 13th in the land in turnover margin (+7.75). The team leads in the American in turnovers per game (13.2) and assist to turnover ratio (+1.19).
> Aleah Nelson ranks second in the AAC in assists per game (5.0). She is scoring 11.2 points per contest, good for second on the team. The point guard has now passed for at least five assists in seven straight games. Nelson ranks 11th in Division I among active players in assists with 515, eight behind George Amoore of Virginia Tech. She is one of only six players in Division I with at least 500 assists and 1400 points.
> East paces Temple in scoring with 12.0 ppg. The wing has now scored in double figures in each of the last six games. She is one of only 12 players in the American who has had multiple 20-point performances.
> Tucker has recorded a double-double in two of the last three games. Her 7.2 rebounds per game check in at 9th in the American. The forward is third on the team in scoring.
SCOUTING UTSA
> UTSA spent last season in Conference USA where the team earned a 13-19 overall, and 9-11 in conference record.
> The Roadrunners concluded non-conference play with a 6-5 record. Of their five losses, four came against high-profile opponents, including Arizona State, Texas Tech, Houston, and Oregon.
> A trio of Roadrunners are averaging double-figures in Sidney Love (12.2 ppg), Kyra White (10.6 ppg), and Elyssa Coleman (10.3 ppg). Coleman also leads the team in rebounds with 7.4 per contest. Love, Aysia Proctor, and White have been recognized on the AAC Honor Roll this season. Idara Udo was named AAC Rookie of the Week on Tuesday following a 15 point, nine-rebound performance.
> Karen Aston is in her 16th season as a Division I women's basketball coach and her 3rd at UTSA. She has made stops at current AAC rivals Charlotte and North Texas before landing at Texas, where she coached for eight years. She is 311-193 in her career and 26-47 at UTSA.
SERIES HISTORY
> This is the first time Temple and UTSA have met on the court. This is the Roadrunners' first game in the American.
> This will be the 40th matchup the Owls have had against schools from the state of Texas. UTSA is the seventh Texas school Temple has faced, the Owls are 21-18 in those games.
UP NEXT
> Temple will face its second AAC newcomer from Texas in a row as the Cherry & White face off against North Texas on Tuesday, January 2nd at 7 p.m.(ESPN+/Varsity Network App). Tickets are available to purchase at Owlstix.com.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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Ep. 7: Temple Field Hockey Alumna Cherifa Howarth
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