Richardson Notches 100th Career Victory as Women’s Basketball Steamrolls Wichita State, 72-49

Tuesday, January 9

Wichita, Kansas

7:00 PM EST

Temple University

9-7,3-1AAC

Wichita State

5-11,1-3AAC

Temple

Wichita St.

Photo by: Tim McCall

Richardson Notches 100th Career Victory as Women’s Basketball Steamrolls Wichita State, 72-49

1.9.24 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

WICHITA, Ks. – The Temple women's basketball team (9-7, 3-1 AAC) hammered the Wichita State Shockers (5-11, 1-3 AAC), 72-49. This was the 100th NCAA career victory for Temple head coach Diane Richardson.

Temple's defensive effort was a key element of the victory, limiting Wichita State to 18-64 (28.1%) from the field, its lowest field goal percentage allowed of the season. It is the second straight game Temple has held an opponent under 50 points. Demi Washington had a career night, setting a new milestone for points in a game with 20.

First Quarter: Temple 15, Wichita State 5
> Tarriyonna Gary scored the only basket of the first two minutes. Temple began the game on a 7-0 run and forced a Shocker timeout with 7:09 remaining.
> Wichita State hit a pair of free throws to snap a two minute scoreless stretch for both teams (7-2, TU).
> A three-pointer by Gary with 3:34 remaining in the quarter stretched Temple's lead to 10-3.
> The Shockers hit their first basket with just over a minute remaining, but the Owls bounced back with a jumper by Jaleesa Molina on the ensuing drive to stretch the lead to 15-5.
> Temple's defense stifled Wichita State in the first quarter, as the Shockers shot 1-14 (7.1%) and converted just one field goal. Five points is the least Temple has allowed in a single quarter since the same number was scored on 1/11/20 vs SMU.

Second Quarter: Temple 32, Wichita State 15
> After Wichita State started off the second quarter on a 4-0 run, Tristen Taylor and Demi Washington converted back-to-back threes to push Temple's advantage to 12 with 6:24 remaining in the half (21-9, TU).
> The Owls tallied assists on nine of their first 10 baskets to start the quarter as Temple continued to roll, going on a 13-2 run (28-11, TU)
> Both teams exchanged baskets at the end of the half, as the Owls took a 32-15 lead into the half.
> Washington and Aleah Nelson led the Owls with seven points each.
> Temple saw a balanced scoring effort in the first half, with seven Owls scoring points. The Cherry & White shot 13-28 (46%) from the field and out rebounded the Shockers 24-15 in the first half.
> The Owls severely limited the Shockers' offensive efforts, holding Wichita State to just 15 points off 6-30 (20%) shooting from the field and 0-10 from three. This marks the lowest points allowed in a half by the Owls since 2/2/2019 when Temple allowed only 10, also to Wichita State.

Third Quarter: Temple 55, Wichita State 28
> The Owls stayed in a rhythm to start the second half, scoring two baskets within the first minute to stretch the lead to 21 (36-15, TU).
> Both teams combined for 12 points within the first three minutes of the second half (38-21, TU). Temple added four straight points going into the media timeout.
> The scoring picked up as both teams found a rhythm. A Washington layup put Temple up 50-28 for its largest lead of the game. The Cherry & White closed out the quarter on a 9-0 run to extend a 55-28 lead.
> Washington scored 8 points in the third quarter off 4-4 shooting. The Owls outrebounded the Shockers 12-4 in the frame.

Fourth Quarter: Temple 72, Wichita State 49
> A flurry of back-and-forth baskets early in the fourth quarter kept Temple with a steady lead.
> Temple extended its lead to over 30 points when Gary converted a three-pointer with 6:35 remaining in regulation (63-32, TU).
> The Shockers hit a brief 6-0 run to cut the lead down to 24. Temple quickly responded and rebuilt the lead to 28.
> Temple limited Wichita State to 7-21 from the field in the fourth quarter and held off any late comeback efforts, winning 72-49
> Washington and Gary led the Owls with five points each in the fourth quarter.

Game Notes
> This is the fourth time Temple and Wichita State have played within the last calendar year. The two are tied at 2-2 in those games. The Owls are 9-5 all-time against the Shockers.
> Aleah Nelson has now scored 1,476 career points, only 24 away from 1500.
> Nelson has scored in double figures 81 times in her career, including 35 times in Cherry & White. She has scored in double figures in six out of her last seven games.

Statistically Speaking
> Demi Washington's 20 points against the Shockers is a new career high. Her previous career mark of 17 points was set during the 2020 season against Auburn.
> Tarriyonna Gary set a new career-best in rebounds with 11, besting the mark of nine she set at UCF last year. Her 10 points and 11 rebounds marks the first double-double of her career.
> Temple dominated in the paint, holding a 33-18 advantage in defensive rebounding and a 46-33 edge in total rebounding.
> The Owls held the Shockers to 28.1% from the field, the lowest shooting percentage by an opponent this season.

Up Next
> Temple returns to The Liacouras Center on Sunday to face the Memphis Tigers at 2 p.m. (ESPN+/Varsity Network App). It is alumnae day, as well as parent-child layup day. Tickets are available at Owlstix.com.