Temple University Athletics
Friday, March 10
Fort Worth, Texas
3:00 P.M.
Temple University
vs
No. 4 Cincinnati
Temple Takes on Cincinnati Friday in AAC Men’s Basketball Championship Quarterfinals
3.8.23 | Men's Basketball
FORT WORTH, Texas – Temple (16-15, 10-8), the fifth seed, will take on fourth-seeded Cincinnati (20-11, 11-7) on Friday (3 pm/ESPN2/1210 AM WPHT) in the 2023 American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship held at Dickies Arena.
The Owls were picked to finish fifth in the preseason coaches' poll while the Bearcats were selected to place third in the league.
The teams split the season series with each winning on their own court. The Owls defeated the Bearcats, 70-61, on New Year's Day at the Liacouras Center with Cincinnati defeating Temple, 88-83 in overtime, on Feb. 22 at Fifth Third Arena.
SCOUTING TEMPLE
> Khalif Battle, who has missed the last four games, leads the Owls and ranks fourth in the American Athletic Conference in scoring (17.9 ppg). He tops the league in free throw percentage (.898, 10th nationally) and is second in threes per game (2.85, t36th nationally).
> Damian Dunn, who was named to Third Team All-Conference, ranks second on the team in scoring (15.4 ppg) and assists (3.1). He also leads the Owls (t33rd in NCAA) in free throws made (146) and three-point percentage (47-130, .362, 9th AAC).
> Jamille Reynolds, who missed 10 games due to a thumb injury, ranks third on the team in scoring (10.0 ppg) while leading the team in rebounding (5.4 rpg) and field goal percentage (.592) and ranking second with 23 blocked shots.
> Zach Hicks (9.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg), who is second on the team in three-point shooting (76-217, .350), and Hysier Miller (8.7 ppg, 3.7 apg) are the only Owls to start all 31 games.
> Jahlil White (5.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg), who is the team's top perimeter defender, is averaging 6.9 points and a team-best 5.6 rebounds while shooting 44-of-81 (.543) from the field in conference play.
> Nick Jourdain (6.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.1 bpg), who is shooting 51.4 percent from the field (74-144), has started all 18 conference games.
> Kur Jongkuch (2.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg), who made the critical block in the final seconds of the team's win at #1 Houston, has started 19 games.
SCOUTING CINCINNATI
> Landers Nolley II (16.5 ppg), who was selected to the all-AAC First Team, leads a balanced Cincinnati scoring attack that features three double-figure scorers and two other Bearcats averaging above 9.0 ppg.
> Nolley also tops the AAC in three-point percentage (82-194, .423) while ranking fifth in threes per game (2.65 pg).
> David DeJulius, who garnered all-AAC Third Team honors, ranks second on the Bearcats in scoring (15.1 ppg) while leading the team in assists (5.3, 3rd AAC).
> Viktor Lakhin (12.1 ppg) also averages double figures for the Bearcats while topping the team and ranking seventh in the conference in rebounding (7.1 rpg).
> Ody Oguama (5.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg) has picked up his game in the absence of Lahkin. He has made 18-of-19 from the field over the last three games for the Bearcats.
> Mika Adams-Woods (9.1 ppg, 102 assists) has started every game while Jeremiah Davenport (9.9 ppg) provides the team an offensive spark off the bench.
> Cincinnati is one of the top offensive teams in the AAC and leads the conference in three-pointers per game (9.06, t28th NCAA) and is second in the conference and 34th nationally in turnovers per game (10.8).
SERIES HISTORY
> Temple and Cincinnati are meeting for the 39th time with UC holding a 26-12 lead.
> The Owls snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Bearcats with a series sweep last year, Temple's first sweep in the series since the 2015-16 campaign. Temple made it three in a row with a New Year's Day win this season.
> Cincinnati snapped that streak with an 88-83 overtime home win on Feb. 22.
> This will be the first meeting between the schools in the AAC Tournament.
> Before being members of The American, the teams last met on Dec. 9, 2006 at the Atlantic City Lenape Trail Classic at Boardwalk Hall. Cincinnati won that game, 80-71.
> Temple won three contests in a row before 2006, each time upsetting Cincinnati as the Bearcats were ranked #11, 4 and 1.
> On Feb. 20, 2000, the 15th-ranked Owls upset #1 Cincinnati 77-69 on the Bearcats' home court. It is one of only three wins by Temple over the #1 team in the nation.
> Temple advanced to the Sweet Sixteen on March 14, 1999, after unranked TU topped #11 Cincinnati, 77-69 in the NCAA 2nd Round.
LAST MEETING: @CINCINNATI 88, TEMPLE 83 (OT) (Feb. 22)
> Damian Dunn scored a game-high 34 points, including the 1000th point of his Temple career, but it was not enough as the Owls dropped a battle for fourth place in the American Athletic Conference to Cincinnati, 88-83, in overtime
> Dunn was joined by teammates Hysier Miller (13 pts, 7 rebs, 7ats), Zach Hicks (11 pts, 7 rebs) and Jamille Reynolds (11 pts) in double figure scoring with Hicks' three at 20 seconds forcing the overtime.
> Landers Nolley II and David DeJulius led five Bearcat double figure scorers with 20 points.
> Nolley and Dunn went back and forth, each making two baskets, before the Bearcats got a stop and went ahead 83- 79 with 1:47 to play.
> Temple would cut the deficit to a basket, 85-83, after a Dunn made two free throws following a hard foul with 34 seconds to play.
> The Owls were able to get no closer as the Bearcats made three of four free throws to close out the game.
> Jahlil White injured his ankle and missed the final 14 minutes of the second half.
> Dunn became the 55th Temple player to reach the 1,000-point mark.
> Miller, who made all three of his 3-point attempts, tied his career high with seven rebounds.
TOURNAMENT TIDBITS
> The Owls are playing in their eighth American Athletic Conference Tournament after 30 years of Atlantic 10 Tournaments.
> Temple's overall record in the American Tournament is 3-7. The Owls have lost three straight AAC Tournament games, and have not won a quarterfinal game since 2016.
> In 2022, the fourth-seeded Owls lost to fifth-seeded Tulane, 69-60, in the quarterfinals.
> In 2021, the ninth-seeded Owls lost to eighth-seeded South Florida, 73-71, in the first round.
> In 2020, the #10-seed Owls were preparing to take on #7-seed SMU when the AAC canceled the tournament the day of the first round due to Covid.
> In 2019, the third-seeded Owls fell to sixth-seeded Wichita State, 80-74, in the quarterfinals at the FedEx Forum.
> In 2018, the seventh-seeded Owls beat 10th-seeded Tulane, 82-77, in the first round before falling to #14/11 and second-seeded Wichita State by a score of 89-81 in the
quarterfinals.
> In 2017, the eighth-seeded Owls lost 80-69 to ninth-seeded ECU in the first round.
> In 2016, the top-seeded Owls rolled past South Florida in the quarterfinals, 79-62, but lost 77-62 to fifth-seeded UConn in the semifinals.
> In 2015, fourth-seeded Temple beat fifth-seeded Memphis, 80-75 in quarterfinals before falling 69-56 to top-seeded SMU in the semifinals.
> In 2014, eighth-seeded Temple fell 74-70 in double overtime to ninth-seeded UCF in the first round.
> Temple had more success in Atlantic 10 Championship play than any other conference member. The Owls won more games (53), played in more semifinals (26) and championships (16) than any member of the league, past or present.
> Temple won a record nine Atlantic 10 Championships (2010, 2009, 2008, 2001, 2000, 1990, 1988, 1987 and 1985).
The Owls were picked to finish fifth in the preseason coaches' poll while the Bearcats were selected to place third in the league.
The teams split the season series with each winning on their own court. The Owls defeated the Bearcats, 70-61, on New Year's Day at the Liacouras Center with Cincinnati defeating Temple, 88-83 in overtime, on Feb. 22 at Fifth Third Arena.
SCOUTING TEMPLE
> Khalif Battle, who has missed the last four games, leads the Owls and ranks fourth in the American Athletic Conference in scoring (17.9 ppg). He tops the league in free throw percentage (.898, 10th nationally) and is second in threes per game (2.85, t36th nationally).
> Damian Dunn, who was named to Third Team All-Conference, ranks second on the team in scoring (15.4 ppg) and assists (3.1). He also leads the Owls (t33rd in NCAA) in free throws made (146) and three-point percentage (47-130, .362, 9th AAC).
> Jamille Reynolds, who missed 10 games due to a thumb injury, ranks third on the team in scoring (10.0 ppg) while leading the team in rebounding (5.4 rpg) and field goal percentage (.592) and ranking second with 23 blocked shots.
> Zach Hicks (9.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg), who is second on the team in three-point shooting (76-217, .350), and Hysier Miller (8.7 ppg, 3.7 apg) are the only Owls to start all 31 games.
> Jahlil White (5.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg), who is the team's top perimeter defender, is averaging 6.9 points and a team-best 5.6 rebounds while shooting 44-of-81 (.543) from the field in conference play.
> Nick Jourdain (6.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.1 bpg), who is shooting 51.4 percent from the field (74-144), has started all 18 conference games.
> Kur Jongkuch (2.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg), who made the critical block in the final seconds of the team's win at #1 Houston, has started 19 games.
SCOUTING CINCINNATI
> Landers Nolley II (16.5 ppg), who was selected to the all-AAC First Team, leads a balanced Cincinnati scoring attack that features three double-figure scorers and two other Bearcats averaging above 9.0 ppg.
> Nolley also tops the AAC in three-point percentage (82-194, .423) while ranking fifth in threes per game (2.65 pg).
> David DeJulius, who garnered all-AAC Third Team honors, ranks second on the Bearcats in scoring (15.1 ppg) while leading the team in assists (5.3, 3rd AAC).
> Viktor Lakhin (12.1 ppg) also averages double figures for the Bearcats while topping the team and ranking seventh in the conference in rebounding (7.1 rpg).
> Ody Oguama (5.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg) has picked up his game in the absence of Lahkin. He has made 18-of-19 from the field over the last three games for the Bearcats.
> Mika Adams-Woods (9.1 ppg, 102 assists) has started every game while Jeremiah Davenport (9.9 ppg) provides the team an offensive spark off the bench.
> Cincinnati is one of the top offensive teams in the AAC and leads the conference in three-pointers per game (9.06, t28th NCAA) and is second in the conference and 34th nationally in turnovers per game (10.8).
SERIES HISTORY
> Temple and Cincinnati are meeting for the 39th time with UC holding a 26-12 lead.
> The Owls snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Bearcats with a series sweep last year, Temple's first sweep in the series since the 2015-16 campaign. Temple made it three in a row with a New Year's Day win this season.
> Cincinnati snapped that streak with an 88-83 overtime home win on Feb. 22.
> This will be the first meeting between the schools in the AAC Tournament.
> Before being members of The American, the teams last met on Dec. 9, 2006 at the Atlantic City Lenape Trail Classic at Boardwalk Hall. Cincinnati won that game, 80-71.
> Temple won three contests in a row before 2006, each time upsetting Cincinnati as the Bearcats were ranked #11, 4 and 1.
> On Feb. 20, 2000, the 15th-ranked Owls upset #1 Cincinnati 77-69 on the Bearcats' home court. It is one of only three wins by Temple over the #1 team in the nation.
> Temple advanced to the Sweet Sixteen on March 14, 1999, after unranked TU topped #11 Cincinnati, 77-69 in the NCAA 2nd Round.
LAST MEETING: @CINCINNATI 88, TEMPLE 83 (OT) (Feb. 22)
> Damian Dunn scored a game-high 34 points, including the 1000th point of his Temple career, but it was not enough as the Owls dropped a battle for fourth place in the American Athletic Conference to Cincinnati, 88-83, in overtime
> Dunn was joined by teammates Hysier Miller (13 pts, 7 rebs, 7ats), Zach Hicks (11 pts, 7 rebs) and Jamille Reynolds (11 pts) in double figure scoring with Hicks' three at 20 seconds forcing the overtime.
> Landers Nolley II and David DeJulius led five Bearcat double figure scorers with 20 points.
> Nolley and Dunn went back and forth, each making two baskets, before the Bearcats got a stop and went ahead 83- 79 with 1:47 to play.
> Temple would cut the deficit to a basket, 85-83, after a Dunn made two free throws following a hard foul with 34 seconds to play.
> The Owls were able to get no closer as the Bearcats made three of four free throws to close out the game.
> Jahlil White injured his ankle and missed the final 14 minutes of the second half.
> Dunn became the 55th Temple player to reach the 1,000-point mark.
> Miller, who made all three of his 3-point attempts, tied his career high with seven rebounds.
TOURNAMENT TIDBITS
> The Owls are playing in their eighth American Athletic Conference Tournament after 30 years of Atlantic 10 Tournaments.
> Temple's overall record in the American Tournament is 3-7. The Owls have lost three straight AAC Tournament games, and have not won a quarterfinal game since 2016.
> In 2022, the fourth-seeded Owls lost to fifth-seeded Tulane, 69-60, in the quarterfinals.
> In 2021, the ninth-seeded Owls lost to eighth-seeded South Florida, 73-71, in the first round.
> In 2020, the #10-seed Owls were preparing to take on #7-seed SMU when the AAC canceled the tournament the day of the first round due to Covid.
> In 2019, the third-seeded Owls fell to sixth-seeded Wichita State, 80-74, in the quarterfinals at the FedEx Forum.
> In 2018, the seventh-seeded Owls beat 10th-seeded Tulane, 82-77, in the first round before falling to #14/11 and second-seeded Wichita State by a score of 89-81 in the
quarterfinals.
> In 2017, the eighth-seeded Owls lost 80-69 to ninth-seeded ECU in the first round.
> In 2016, the top-seeded Owls rolled past South Florida in the quarterfinals, 79-62, but lost 77-62 to fifth-seeded UConn in the semifinals.
> In 2015, fourth-seeded Temple beat fifth-seeded Memphis, 80-75 in quarterfinals before falling 69-56 to top-seeded SMU in the semifinals.
> In 2014, eighth-seeded Temple fell 74-70 in double overtime to ninth-seeded UCF in the first round.
> Temple had more success in Atlantic 10 Championship play than any other conference member. The Owls won more games (53), played in more semifinals (26) and championships (16) than any member of the league, past or present.
> Temple won a record nine Atlantic 10 Championships (2010, 2009, 2008, 2001, 2000, 1990, 1988, 1987 and 1985).
Players Mentioned
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