Chronicowls, '11, Post 1 (Temple-Seton Hall, Toledo)

Quirky start to the Owls hoops schedule this season. First two games at home (an unusual Friday night game, followed by a Sunday afternoon game the same weekend). Then, the Owls go on the road and don't return until nearly four weeks later, for one of the prime match-ups this season at the Liacouras Center, against the Georgetown Hoyas. To accommodate national TV, this game will have a 9pm tip-off.
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A recent issue of Sports Illustrated included its annual college basketball preview. On the cover were SI's picks for the top 20. Among the elite, for the first time in recent memory ( at least a decade) was none other than Temple. Optimism unbounded. Could this be the season of 30 wins?
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How fortuitous. A fund and friend raising gala at the Wagner Free Institute of Science brought a group of us to 17th and Montgomery (three blocks from the Liacouras Center) just hours before the home opener. The Wagner Institute is one of those lesser-known museums worth a visit, or two.
The Wagner Institute’s nineteenth century exhibit hall – a soaring three-story space – houses an extraordinary collection of natural history specimens including mounted birds and mammals, fossils, rocks and minerals, insects, shells, dinosaur bones, and the first American saber-toothed tiger, discovered on a museum-sponsored expedition to Florida in 1886. Among the exhibits is one of the larger collection of owls I've come across anywhere.  A good ten minutes admiring this collection was a fine, if not unusual, way to "get ready" for the imminent Owls hoops season. Speaking of owls, I realize they're predatory birds, but I sure preferred the Temple Owl that exuded wisdom over  the current one.
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Following a convivial time at the Wagner, we trekked the three blocks to the Liacouras Center for the home opener against  Seton Hall. A slow start  for the Owls (which we thankfully missed) but our arrival coincided with an 18-4 first-half Temple run that gave Temple a lead  they didn't relinquish. Thinking the game was well in hand (the Owls had a 10-point lead with less than a minute remaining), some of us made our way to the exit.  Only later did we learn that Seton Hall ran off twelve consecutive points and cut the deficit to four.
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A respectable crowd of more than 8300 was in attendance. I won't be surprised if that turns out to be among the three largest crowds this season (it would have been the fourth largest crowd at the Liacouras center last season). Too bad, because the Owls have shown to be an exciting (and winning) team over the past few years, and  this season should be no different.   At least the athletic department has been more aggressive this year in its promotional efforts. Perhaps that will make a difference in drawing larger crowds this season.
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Some disappointing signs from the game. The Owls had 18 turnovers.  To put this in context, Temple ranked ninth nationally last year  in fewest turnovers per game (just over 10 per game). They made only 2 of 12 three-point shots, and but 61% of  free throws.  Will need to do better (much better , actually) than that to have a 25-win season.
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A crowd half the size of Friday night's showed up Sunday to watch the Owls square off against Toledo, a 31-point underdog. In an impressive display against an unimpressive opponent, the Owls prevailed by 33.
Uncanny, how good those oddsmakers are at their jobs. Five Owls in double figures (now that's balanced scoring) and an astounding 26 assists, against only 6 turnovers. The winning margin was Temple's largest in nearly four years. Our exit rule for the game - 30 point lead with 10 minutes left in the game. We left at the 10-minute mark. Not much more to be said about this day. Temple went into the game ranked 22nd nationally, and did not hurt their ranking.
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Most likely, there won't be another Chronicowls until after the next home game - against Georgetown.
Your comments to these blog posts are invited. Let's grow this community of Temple hoops fans.