Temple Hosts Florida Atlantic Sunday in Owl Battle on ESPNU

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Opening Tip

After seeing its seven-game winning streak snapped by Memphis in a tight 55-53 battle on Wednesday, the Temple University men's basketball team looks to bounce back against Florida Atlantic on Sunday at noon. The battle of the Owls will be nationally broadcast on ESPNU.
Against the Tigers, Temple trailed by 13 with 12:25 remaining and came within two points of Memphis on three occasions over the final six minutes, but could not sink the game-tying shot with less than a second remaining in the 55-53 loss. The seven-game winning streak for the Owls was their longest since the 2014-15 campaign.
Despite recording its lowest 3-point field goal percentage at .110 in conference play since the 2021-22 season and committing its most turnovers this season, the Owls remained within striking distance of the defending conference champion Tigers.
Temple has won 20 of its past 23 contests at the Liacouras Center and will look to avenge one of its three home losses over the past two seasons against Florida Atlantic.
After ranking last in the conference and 314th nationally in scoring defense at 77.7 points per game allowed in 2024-25, Temple now ranks second in the league and 78th nationally by conceding just 69.4 points per game. The Owls rank among the best in the league in blocks per game with 4.5, which ranks fourth in the conference and 55th nationally.

Scouting Florida Atlantic

Florida Atlantic enters Sunday's contest with a 12-6 overall record and a 4-1 conference mark, currently sitting in first place in the league with wins over UTSA, 110-70, UAB, 76-71, Memphis, 89-78, and Wichita State, 85-67. Its lone loss in conference action came in New Orleans against Tulane, 69-66.
Three Owls average double figures in points with Devin Vanterpool at 15.5 points per game, Kanaan Carlyle at 15.4 and Isaiah Elohim at 11.9. Vanterpool paces FAU with 6.7 rebounds per game. Devin Williams ranks second nationally in blocks per game at 3.0, as FAU ranks eighth nationally in that category.
Florida Atlantic shoots early and often from long distance, ranking second in the league in 3-point attempts per game, third in 3-pointers made per game and sixth in 3-point field goal percentage. FAU's 47.4 field goal percentage ranks second in the league to only Tulsa, while Temple ranks just behind at 45.8 percent from the field.
Temple and Florida Atlantic meet for the fourth time Sunday, with FAU holding a 2-1 edge in the all-time series after earning a tight 83-81 victory at the Liacouras Center a season ago. Temple's lone victory came in the 2024 conference tournament semifinals, when the Broad Street Owls downed the Boca Raton Owls, 74-73, in Fort Worth, Texas.

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