Men's Basketball Holds "White Out" Game Against #3 Houston Sunday

PHILADELPHIA - It will be a "White Out" environment in the Liacouras Center Sunday evening as Temple will look to sweep a Top 10 team for the first time in school history when the Owls host #3 Houston (6 pm/ESPN2/1210 AM WPHT). The game is presented by Temple University Army ROTC.

It will also be a battle between the American Athletic Conference's top two teams as Temple (14-9, 8-2 AAC) currently is one game behind Houston (21-2, 9-1).

The Owls defeated then #1 Cougars, 56-55, in Houston on Jan. 22. Damian Dunn led the way with 16 points as Temple defeated the nation's top team for just the third time in school history and the first since a 77-69 win at #1 Cincinnati on Feb. 20, 2000.

PROMOTIONS/GAME INFORMATION
> Doors open at 4:30 p.m. for this special White Out Game!
> To guarantee parking in the Liacouras Center Garage, fans should purchase their parking pass in advance by clicking here.
> Join fellow Temple fans for a special TUAA reception prior to the game from 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. on the Liacouras Center concourse.  Registration includes: Two drink tickets valid for domestic beer and house red and white wine, soft drinks and snacks, and an exclusive event giveaway. Click here to register.
> Before and during the game, fans will have the opportunity to bid on great sports memorabilia, Temple experiences, and more during the Owl Club Auction on the concourse behind Section 108. The auction will close at the end of halftime.

SCOUTING TEMPLE
> Khalif Battle, who is the reigning co-AAC Player of the Week and Big 5 Player of the Week, leads the team and ranks fourth in the American Athletic Conference in scoring (17.7 ppg). He has scored 20 points in a team-best 10 games and ranks third in the AAC in threes per game (2.78) and tied for 34th nationally.
> Damian Dunn ranks second on the team in scoring (14.9 ppg), assists (2.8) and field goal percentage (.431). He tallied a career-high 38 points, the most points by an Owl since 2004, against Vanderbilt. He leads the Owls (12th in NCAA) in free throws made (113) and is second in three-point percentage (29-83, .349).
> Jamille Reynolds, who missed the Owls' upset over #1 Houston, is back. The 6-11 center ranks third on the team in scoring (10.8 ppg) while leading the team in rebounding (5.9 rpg).
> Zach Hicks (8.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg), who leads the team in three-point shooting (54-151, .358), and Hysier Miller (8.4 ppg, 3.4 apg) are the only two Owls to start all 23 games.
> Jahlil White (5.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg), the team's top perimeter defender, is averaging 7.3 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting a team-best 30-of-53 (.566) from the field in conference play.
> Nick Jourdain (6.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.3 bpg), who posted his first double-double of the season (16 pts, 10 rebs) against Memphis, has started the last 10 games.
> Kur Jongkuch (1.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg), who made the critical block in the final seconds of the Houston win, has started 11 games.

SCOUTING HOUSTON
> Houston leads the nation in scoring margin (+20.5), while ranking second in field-goal percentage defense (35.2), third in scoring defense (54.9 ppg), and fourth in winning percentage (90.9) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (26.8).
> The Cougars may be third in both national polls, but they lead the nation in the NCAA Net rankings.
> Since 2017-18, Houston ranks as the second-winningest team with a 163-32 record.
> Senior guard Marcus Sasser leads the Cougars and ranks eighth in the AAC in scoring (16.2 ppg). He is also tied for 12th in assists (3.2 apg) and sixth in steals (1.8 spg).
> Jarace Walker (11.1 ppg) also tops double figures for head coach Kelvin Sampson's squad with J'Wan Roberts (9.9 ppg), Tramon Mark (9.7 ppg) and Jamal Shead (9.1 ppg) right behind in the Cougars balanced attack. Roberts tips the team in rebounds (7.0 rpg) while Shead leads in assists (5.2 apg).

SERIES HISTORY
> Houston holds a 12-4 series advantage over the Owls, but Temple snapped a six-game losing streak against the Cougars in their earlier meeting this year.
> Prior to Temple's win this season, the Owls last defeated Houston on Jan. 9, 2019, a 73-69 decision over the #17 Cougars at the Liacouras Center.
> Temple is 2-6 against Houston at the Liacouras Center, with its last home win coming on Jan. 9, 2019 (73-69).

LAST GAME: TEMPLE 56, @#1 HOUSTON 55 (Jan. 22)
> For the first time since Feb. 20, 2000, Temple upset the AP No. 1 team as the Owls topped Houston, 56-55, Sunday afternoon at the Fertitta Center.
> Damian Dunn led both teams with 16 points, while Zach Hicks added 12. Jamal Shead's 13 points led Houston's offensive effort.
>Temple led throughout most of the contest but was unable to garner separation until an 8-2 run, with five points by Nick Jourdain, put the Owls ahead 55-48 with 6:37 to play.
> The Cougars rattled off seven unanswered points to tie the game at 55 on a three-point play by J'wan Roberts with 1:30 to play.
> Dunn then made one of two free throws with 1:06 to play and the Owls held on with Kur Jongkuch and Jourdain making key blocks in the final seconds before Houston's Tramon Mark missed a potential game-winner under the basket at the buzzer.
Temple vs. Top 10 at Liacouras Center:
> Temple is 6-5 all-time against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 10.
> The Owls have wins over #8 SMU (89-80, 1/24/16); #9 Georgetown (68-65, 12/9/10); #3 Villanova (76-65, 12/13/2009); #8 Tennessee (88-72, 12/13/08); #10 Indiana (71-64, 12/28/02) and #5 Michigan State (60-59, 12/20/98).
> Temple's losses are to #8 Houston (68-51, 1/23/20); #1 Villanova (87-67, 12/13/17); #1 Villanova (83-67, 2/17/2015); #5 Wake Forest (67-64, 12/13/04) and #3 Saint Joseph's (83-71, 1/31/04).

Men's Basketball Holds "White Out" Game Against #3 Houston Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Khalif Battle

Damian Dunn

Zach Hicks

Kur Jongkuch

Nick Jourdain

Hysier Miller

Jamille Reynolds

Jahlil White

Temple University Athletics