Temple University Athletics
Thursday, February 16
Philadelphia, Pa.
7:00 P.M.
Temple University
vs
Wichita State
Photo by: Zamani Feelings
Men’s Basketball Hosts Wichita State Thursday
2.14.23 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA – Temple will look to get back to its winning ways when the Owls host the Wichita State Shockers Thursday (7 pm/ESPN+/1210 AM WPHT) at the Liacouras Center.
Temple (14-12, 8-5 AAC) is tied with Cincinnati (17-9, 8-5) for fourth place in the AAC standings with five games remaining. The top five teams earn an all-important first round bye in the conference championship. Wichita State (13-12, 6-7) sits in seventh place, a game-and-a-half behind Temple. This is a key game as it is the only meeting between the schools.
PROMOTIONS
> Meme Night
SCOUTING TEMPLE
> Khalif Battle leads the team and ranks fourth in the American Athletic Conference in scoring (18.6 ppg). He has scored 20 points in a team-best 13 games, including the last five. He also leads the league in free throw percentage (.896, 18th nationally) and ranks second in threes per game (2.96, 26th nationally).
> Damian Dunn ranks second on the team in scoring (14.3 ppg), assists (3.1) and field goal percentage (.417). He also leads the Owls (t35th in NCAA) in free throws made (117) and is third in three-point percentage (34-98, .347).
> Jamille Reynolds, who missed 10 games due to a thumb injury, ranks third on the team in scoring (10.3 ppg) while leading the team in rebounding (5.8 rpg) and field goal percentage (.611).
> Zach Hicks (9.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg), who tops the team in three-point shooting (63-175, .360), and Hysier Miller (8.3 ppg, 3.5 apg) are the only Owls to start all 26 games.
> Jahlil White (5.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg), who missed the team's last game due to a lower back pain, is averaging 6.5 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting a team-best 32-of-59 (.542) from the field in conference play.
> Nick Jourdain (6.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg), who was perfect shooting (4-4, 1-1 3pt, 1-1 FT, 10 pts) in the Owls' game at Memphis, has started the last 13 games.
> Kur Jongkuch (1.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg), who made the critical block in the final seconds of the team's win at #1 Houston, has started 14 games.
SCOUTING WICHITA STATE
> One of nine new transfers on this year's active roster, Jaykwon Walton leads the Shockers in scoring at 14.1 points per game and his 63.8% shooting percentage is second in the AAC.
> Craig Porter, Jr. is second on the team in scoring (12.4 ppg) while leading WSU in blocks (1.7 bpg, 3rd AAC), assists (4.2 apg, 6th), steals (1.3 spg) and rebounds (6.1 rpg).
> Kenny Pohto has been a force in conference play, averaging 11.5 points and 6.8 rebounds.
» The Shockers are one of the top defensive teams in the nation, holding opponents to 39.8 percent from the field (21st NCAA).
> Like Temple, Wichita State has been tough on the road. The Shockers have won three straight road games and are 5-3 this season on its opponents' floor.
SERIES HISTORY
> Temple and Wichita State are meeting for the 12th time, and ninth as conference opponents. Temple owns a 6-5 edge and have won both meetings at the Liacouras Center (2018, 2020).
> This is the first meeting between the teams since Feb. 6, 2021, at Wichita State, a 70-67 Shocker win. The teams did not compete last season due to Covid protocol issues within the Wichita State program and missed the final meeting of the 2020-21 campaign due to Covid issues within the Temple program.
> The first game between the teams as AAC rivals was on Feb. 1, 2018, with the Owls upsetting the #16/16 Shockers 81-79 in OT at the Liacouras Center. Wichita State won the rematch at home, 93-86, on Feb 15. The Owls were then knocked out of the AAC Tournament by the Shockers in the quarterfinals, losing 88-81 on March 9.
LAST GAME: @ Wichita State 70, Temple 67 (2/7/21)
> Temple fell just short to Wichita State in the final seconds, 70-67, in a tightly-contested game.
> Damian Dunn, scored a career-high 22 points and matched his career-high with seven rebounds, Jake Forrester and Jeremiah Williams added 11 points each.
> The second half saw the lead switching hands eight times over the first 11 minutes with neither team being able to gain a two-possession separation.
> The teams traded free throws before Tyson Etienne converted a three-point play to put WSU ahead 66-64.
> J.P. Moorman II was then called for an offensive foul with the Owls fouling Alterique Gilbert, who made both free throws to give WSU a 68-64 advantage.
> Dunn then drove and was fouled, converting a three-point play to cut it to 68-67.
> Etienne was then fouled and made both to make it a 70-67 lead.
> Khalif Battle's three at the buzzer to tie the game missed the mark.
Temple (14-12, 8-5 AAC) is tied with Cincinnati (17-9, 8-5) for fourth place in the AAC standings with five games remaining. The top five teams earn an all-important first round bye in the conference championship. Wichita State (13-12, 6-7) sits in seventh place, a game-and-a-half behind Temple. This is a key game as it is the only meeting between the schools.
PROMOTIONS
> Meme Night
SCOUTING TEMPLE
> Khalif Battle leads the team and ranks fourth in the American Athletic Conference in scoring (18.6 ppg). He has scored 20 points in a team-best 13 games, including the last five. He also leads the league in free throw percentage (.896, 18th nationally) and ranks second in threes per game (2.96, 26th nationally).
> Damian Dunn ranks second on the team in scoring (14.3 ppg), assists (3.1) and field goal percentage (.417). He also leads the Owls (t35th in NCAA) in free throws made (117) and is third in three-point percentage (34-98, .347).
> Jamille Reynolds, who missed 10 games due to a thumb injury, ranks third on the team in scoring (10.3 ppg) while leading the team in rebounding (5.8 rpg) and field goal percentage (.611).
> Zach Hicks (9.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg), who tops the team in three-point shooting (63-175, .360), and Hysier Miller (8.3 ppg, 3.5 apg) are the only Owls to start all 26 games.
> Jahlil White (5.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg), who missed the team's last game due to a lower back pain, is averaging 6.5 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting a team-best 32-of-59 (.542) from the field in conference play.
> Nick Jourdain (6.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg), who was perfect shooting (4-4, 1-1 3pt, 1-1 FT, 10 pts) in the Owls' game at Memphis, has started the last 13 games.
> Kur Jongkuch (1.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg), who made the critical block in the final seconds of the team's win at #1 Houston, has started 14 games.
SCOUTING WICHITA STATE
> One of nine new transfers on this year's active roster, Jaykwon Walton leads the Shockers in scoring at 14.1 points per game and his 63.8% shooting percentage is second in the AAC.
> Craig Porter, Jr. is second on the team in scoring (12.4 ppg) while leading WSU in blocks (1.7 bpg, 3rd AAC), assists (4.2 apg, 6th), steals (1.3 spg) and rebounds (6.1 rpg).
> Kenny Pohto has been a force in conference play, averaging 11.5 points and 6.8 rebounds.
» The Shockers are one of the top defensive teams in the nation, holding opponents to 39.8 percent from the field (21st NCAA).
> Like Temple, Wichita State has been tough on the road. The Shockers have won three straight road games and are 5-3 this season on its opponents' floor.
SERIES HISTORY
> Temple and Wichita State are meeting for the 12th time, and ninth as conference opponents. Temple owns a 6-5 edge and have won both meetings at the Liacouras Center (2018, 2020).
> This is the first meeting between the teams since Feb. 6, 2021, at Wichita State, a 70-67 Shocker win. The teams did not compete last season due to Covid protocol issues within the Wichita State program and missed the final meeting of the 2020-21 campaign due to Covid issues within the Temple program.
> The first game between the teams as AAC rivals was on Feb. 1, 2018, with the Owls upsetting the #16/16 Shockers 81-79 in OT at the Liacouras Center. Wichita State won the rematch at home, 93-86, on Feb 15. The Owls were then knocked out of the AAC Tournament by the Shockers in the quarterfinals, losing 88-81 on March 9.
LAST GAME: @ Wichita State 70, Temple 67 (2/7/21)
> Temple fell just short to Wichita State in the final seconds, 70-67, in a tightly-contested game.
> Damian Dunn, scored a career-high 22 points and matched his career-high with seven rebounds, Jake Forrester and Jeremiah Williams added 11 points each.
> The second half saw the lead switching hands eight times over the first 11 minutes with neither team being able to gain a two-possession separation.
> The teams traded free throws before Tyson Etienne converted a three-point play to put WSU ahead 66-64.
> J.P. Moorman II was then called for an offensive foul with the Owls fouling Alterique Gilbert, who made both free throws to give WSU a 68-64 advantage.
> Dunn then drove and was fouled, converting a three-point play to cut it to 68-67.
> Etienne was then fouled and made both to make it a 70-67 lead.
> Khalif Battle's three at the buzzer to tie the game missed the mark.
Players Mentioned
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