Temple University Athletics
Temple University
East Carolina
Temple Travels to East Carolina for Final Road Game of the Regular Season
3.2.24 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA – The Temple Women's Basketball team (17-11, 11-5 AAC) will travel to Greenville on Sunday, March 3, at 2 p.m. to take on the Pirates (15-12, 8-8 AAC). This will be the first meeting of the season between the two longtime AAC schools. The game will stream on ESPN+ and The Varsity Network App.
LAST TIME OUT: Tulsa 76, Temple 67
> Temple lost to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (21-8, 11-5 AAC), 76-67, in front of its largest stand-alone home crowd of the season at the Liacouras Center ending its five-game winning streak.
>Three Owls led the offensive load, scoring in double figures: Tiarra East (16), Aleah Nelson (16), and Demi Washington (15). The loss moves Temple into a three-way tie for first place in the American Athletic Conference.
> Despite the loss, at 5-2, this was Temple's best February since a 7-2 month in 2017.
THE OWLS
> Temple's loss to Tulsa snapped the team's five-game winning streak, which was the Owls' longest since December of the 2019-20 season. It was also the longest win streak the Owls have had in conference since 2016-17.
> The Owls stand in a three-way tie for first place in the AAC. The last time Temple led its conference standings this late in the season was during the 2011-12 season, when the Cherry & White led the Atlantic 10.
> Temple reached the 17-win plateau for the first time since 2015-16 when they finished the season with 23 victories.
> Following an 11-win season a year ago, Temple needs to win three more games to set a new program record from best turnaround. The bench-mark is nine set in 2020-21 when 19 wins followed a ten win season.
> Temple currently ranks 6th in the NCAA in offensive rebounds per game (16.4) and 20th in turnover margin (+4.93). The Owls also rank first in the AAC in turnover margin.
> Aleah Nelson (12.4 pgg) and Tiarra East (12.4 ppg) have reached double-digits in 20 and 19 games, respectively. In fact, nine Temple players have combined for 96 double-digit scoring outputs this season. Six players, including all five starters, are averaging over 7.5 points per game.
SCOUTING EAST CAROLINA
> East Carolina (15-10, 8-8 AAC) has won 10 games at home. They are coming off a 4OT game at first-place North Texas on Tuesday night, where the Pirates fell 93-91.
> The Pirates are led by Danae McNeal 20.9 ppg) and Amiya Joyner (12.6 ppg, 9.4 rpg). They also employ twins Tatiyana and Taliyah Wyche who combine for nearly 10 points and 10 rebounds per game.
> Kim McNeill's is the reigning AAC Coach of the Year. Last season, she led the Pirates to a 23-10 record and a third-place finish in the conference in the regular season. The team then made a run, winning three games in three days to claim the 2023 AAC Tournament Championship and the third NCAA Tournament bid in program history where the Pirates earned a 13-seed.
SERIES HISTORY
> The Owls hold an 11-4 record all-time over the Pirates, including losses in the last two meetings.
> The last time the two teams played, Temple (10-13, 5-6 AAC) fell to East Carolina (16-8, 7-4 AAC) for the second time in a month, 67-52. The Owls held the lead through three quarters of the play, but a massive fourth quarter by the Pirates gave ECU the victory.
> Brittany Garner impressed for the Owls. The forward scored eight points and grabbed a season-high nine rebounds. ECU's Amiya Joyner led all scorers in both points and rebounds, with 23 and 13, respectively.
UP NEXT > Temple returns home for Senior Day in the regular season finale against FAU. The Wednesday matchup will tip at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ and the Varsity Network App. Tickets are available at Owlstix.com.
