First Meeting

Temple and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) have not played each other before.

Could there be a better time for their first meeting? Final home game of the regular season for the Owls. VCU ranked in the top 25. The Cherry and White in search of a victory to bolster their claim to a spot in the NCAA tournament. Four seniors playing in their final game at the Liacouras Center. Game on national TV (this will be the first time that CBS will be broadcasting a game from the Liacouras Center). 
-------------------
I would expect a sellout, but considering how disappointing the crowds have been this year, I won't predict one. I'll set the over/under at 9600.
-------------------
Virginia is a commonwealth. So is Pennsylvania. So why isn't Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) named Pennsylvania Commonwealth University (or PCU)?
------------------
Several interesting subplots to watch for during the game.
Temple is ranked 11th in the nation in fewest turnovers per game (10.9). VCU plays an aggressive, full-court defense which has helped them to #1 in the nation in total steals and turnovers forced per game (20.1). Yet this same defense allows many easy baskets,  so VCU allows its opponents to make nearly 45% of their shots. Temple has won 18 of the 20 games this year when they've shot better than 40%.
Khalif Wyatt leads the Atlantic 10 conference in scoring. VCU leads the conference in team scoring average per game (nearly 80 points per game).
Both sides enter the game averaging an identical number of rebounds (35) and assists (14.9) per game.
------------------------------------
2013 marks the 25th anniversary of arguably the finest team in Cherry and White basketball history, the 1987-1988 team that finished the season ranked #1 in the Associated Press poll. That team will be honored at halftime this Sunday.
----------------------
Temple is presently ranked #43 in the RPIRPI rankings, an indication of how strong the A10 has been this year. A loss to VCU could drop the Owls out of the top 50,  thus making the Owls' performance in the A10 tournament the final determinant in whether they receive an NCAA invitation. The conference tournament in NYC (at the Barclay Center, not Madison Square Garden) next week will Temple's final one, as the Cherry and White will move to a yet-to-be-named conference. So, it's now official, the Owls will NEVER play a Big East Conference basketball game. If leaked reports play out, the Owls will be playing in the America 12 Conference. Huh?
---------------------
Owls are everywhere!  This one, at the PHS Flower Show, is ready for tomorrow's Whiteout!

Chronicowl Musings - March (not quite madness yet) 2013

Another game down to the final seconds, and another victory for the Owls.

Below, from the Twittersphere, is a snapshot of the game, and main contributors to the win.

Jake O'Buckets, as he's affectionately referred to by the Cherry Crusade for his shooting prowess, had his first double-double wearing Cherry and White. He had quite a few while playing at Boston University.  And, once again, Khalif Wyatt led the Owls in scoring, including clutch foul shooting in the final five minutes.
Cummings' three-pointer just 20 seconds into the game had the Owls faithful off their feet and into their seats, and handed the Owls their only lead of the half. The Owls did not regain the lead until  the 15-minute mark of the second half, and sttretched that lead into a comfortable 11(or so we thought) with nearly 10 minutes remaining in the contest. The URI Rams quickly tied the game, making the final eight minutes  very tense.  Why were we surprised?
The I Believe chant erupted with just a few seconds remaining. Nice story in the Inky this week about the I Believe Guy.

 For those unfamiliar, here's background on this feel-good story.
--------------------------------

At least 2000 fans brought their empty seat disguises yesterday. Along with several thousand youngsters at the Liacouras Center to celebrate Hooter's birthday ( the birthday celebration was a fresh idea several years ago but has now gone stale), the announced attendance topped 9000 (second-largest of the season).
----------------------------------
A rare out-of-conference game, a make-up of a game in December rescheduled due to particularly nasty weather, produced Temple's 20th win of the season, and the top of the Inky front page header, as shown below.  And while it may not have been the burst of spring, it surely was a burst of Wyatt, as in Khalif. 
Khalif Wyatt had a most ordinary 38 minutes of game, and a most extraordinary final two minutes of game. He tallied 12 points in those final 120 seconds, to turn a 5 point deficit into a five point win, over a stunned Detriot squad, and an equally stunned but ever more gleeful Temple crowd (only
4000-plus of them by the way, yet another crowd that filled fewer than half of the seats in the 10,206 seat arena).    This game was also the final game of the Gotham Classic, a December tournament in which Temple emerged the winner by virtue of their wins against Syracuse and Detroit.

---------------------------------

Yesterday, in the city of Brotherly Love, was a day for college basketball junkies. Starting with the Temple game at 2pm,  a fan could have watched the Owls victory, stopped after the game to have a bite to eat (at any of the spots mentioned in the Places to Visit Before or After the Game on the far right column of this blog), continued on the Palestra for a 6pm tipoff between Penn and Harvard, left at halftime, walked a few blocks to the Daskalakis Center for the tipoff of Drexel-UNC Wilmington, stayed for the first half, and then headed out to City Line to watch the second half of St. Joe's -Fordham. And, oh yeah, this itinerary did not include LaSalle, which was hosting Duquesne at the same time the Cherry and White were on the floor.  Don't know how many Philadelphians took in more than one game, but I do know that more than 23,000 fans were in attendance for those games.
--------------------------------
City Series games, like the Temple-LaSalle contest at Liacouras Center just last week, bring out the best (and worst) of rollouts. LaSalle fans brought out the best banner (IMO) of the season during that game: Duquesne Wins are Temple Made (Duquesne has one win in the Atlantic Ten this season).

--------------------------------

A whiteout (like the one above, against Xavier last year, in a nationally televised game) is planned for next Sunday's final home against VCU's Rams (go figure, the opponents in Temple's final two home games this season have a ram as their nickname). Disclosure: my first, and only football helmet, as a youngster had the Los Angeles (now St. Louis) Ram as its insignia.  Anyway, VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) is in the top #25, and should draw a sellout crowd. Wouldn't you expect that the fans attending the game yesterday would be reminded (informed) by the PA announcer of next Sunday's home and regular season finale, with an enjoinder to buy seats right after this game, at the ticket windows , open for your convenience, in the lobby.  Alas, all ticket windows were closed.
-----------------------------
The athletic department should cease promoting, immediately, Temple's entry into the Big East. It now appears very likely that Temple may never play a Big East basketball game.  And what's with the Big East member school banners flying prominently in the concourse of Liacouras Center. A bit premature, I'd offer.
------------------------------
Five consecutive one-point games. We'll never see that again in our lifetimes. That's more one-point games than the Owls have had the previous FOUR YEARS. Surely, lots of drama and tension this year.
-------------------------------
South Florida, Southern Methodist University, Houston, East Carolina, and Central Florida are among the schools Temple will play next season in the to-be-named-later Conference. Other than South Florida (and I've trying to forget that game in the second round of last year's NCAA tournament) the Owls have not faced any of these schools in the last decade. Not exactly rivals, one might say. Makes you want to run right out to get season tickets for next year's campaign, right?

Chronicowls '13 Temple-Dayton

From the  recent Chronicowls post following the one-point win over Charlotte: "here’s hoping that all their remaining contests have fairy tale endings."
From a Chronicowls reader, after today's match-up with Dayton: "Temple won, barely, against Dayton, fairy tales prevail!!"

I 'Can't' Believe that We Have Won.
More to follow.

Chronicowls '13 Temple-Charlotte

Temple 89-Charlotte 88

Want a villain in the nearly disastrous Charlotte game? Start with the carefree lad who missed the half court shot, for a cool 10 grand, by a country mile. Or the sea of no-shows (capacity minus an announced 4,785) who no-showed to not cheer these Owls on (despite those expensive Expressway billboards). How ’bout the “Our defense needs a lot of work at this point” (quoth Dunphy) non-defense? Or was it Scootie Randall singlehandedly, who, in 36 agonizing minutes, amassed 0 field goals, 2 free throws, 3 offensive out of 5 rebounds, and 2 assists but 4 turnovers—to total 2 points.

That’s one point every 18 minutes, while surprising Dalton Pepper bagged 11 points in his 18 minutes. In fact, he and Jake O’Brien, with a most impressive 22 including a sparkling, game-high 4 of 5 from out there, both scored season highs. Khalif Wyatt chipped in a game-high 25 while Rahlir H-J with 11 was the fourth Owl in double figures. Not to mention his career-high 5 steals.

Somebody say steals? The Owls had 10 vs. the slow-starting 49ers’ 8. Turnovers? Sloppiness ruled this contest as Temple committed “only” 13—five of them in the final 2:09 to trigger a frenetic photo finish—vs. a whopping 19 by Charlotte. That’s 32 damaging “here y’ares” in a 40-minute game between two perfectly presentable teams with an aggregate 32-12 won-loss record. Poor passing, poor catching, poor luck.

Because of the turnovers…because Temple blew an early 13-point lead (among others)…because Dunphy stayed with Randall far too long…because the Owls prevailed by one fragile point (48-47) in the second half…because Charlotte shot a glittery 60.4 percent from the floor, without its suspended leading scorer (DeMario Mayfield)…because Charlotte racked up treys twice as effectively (7-10 to 7-19) as the Owls…and because skid happens, the game went down to the wire.

The proverbial and absolute wire, that is. It took Wyatt’s final (of 10-13 on the night) foul shot with 8.3 seconds remaining to stave off the 49ers’ Pierria Henry’s barely-buzzer-beating three. No way it should’ve been this close. Not when Temple needed to show major moxie after the 1-point loss to St. Joe’s just four days back. Not when they’re heading to loud and sold-out Dayton, the conference’s 38.7 percent 3-point shooting juggernaut, for Saturday brunch. Not when Charlotte had been annihilated by 20 and 28 points their last two road games. And not when the Big Dance, from this vantage point, is viewed through cataracts.

But the fans won tacos, the Owls won the game and here’s hoping that all their remaining contests have fairy tale endings. Speaking of which, our group next headed to the redoubtable Jack’s Firehouse, guarding the prison on Fairmount, for a spot of libation liberation. And we witnessed true magic—3-Card Monte with 3 stainless steel mixers and 3 maraschino cherries, till, WHOOPS, where’d the fourth cherry, then, WOW, a lime, and, WHA’ZIS, now that lemon, all come from? Ask Matt behind the bar there to blow your mind as he did ours. And if you’re a self-respecting bourbon fan, the vast selection is to drink for. 

--Post by Chronicowls contributor Tall Phil

 

Chronicowls '13 Temple @ St. Joe's

Post by blog contributor Scott Matlack

St Joes 70 - Temple 69

With 5:39 remaining Temple had a 9 point lead after another three-point basket by Khalif Wyatt. But you have to take the good with the bad with Wyatt, and he was late getting back to cover Carl Jones who nailed his own 3 to spark a 12-3 run to tie the game at 64 a few minutes later. 4,200 raucous fans cheered on St Joe's at Hagan Arena Saturday night in a very exciting Big Five game that unfortunately had the Owls losing.

 

Wyatt made a three-point shot from about 40 feet with 10.4 seconds remaining to trail by one. Temple fouled Jones who missed the front end of a one-and-one. Wyatt then drove the length of the court with time running out but his shot was blocked by Kanacevic. With .7 seconds left Wyatt received the inbound pass open enough to set before shooting but he rushed it and the shot fell well short. And that was the game.
----------------------------------
Inside vs. outside - The Hawks pounded the ball down low and Temple seemed unable to stop Ron Roberts (18 pts), CJ Aiken (16 pts), and Halil Kanacevic (12 pts). Meanwhile, Temple shot 11-31 from beyond the arc.

Wyatt scored a career-high 34 points to lead all scorers but had plenty of opportunities to pass the ball to wide open teammates when everyone in a St. Joe's uniform collapsed on him. That, to me, is the problem with the Owls offense. No balance at all. Cummings was the only other Owl who scored in double figures.
----------------------------------
Temple is now 3-4 in the A-10 and may need to win the conference tournament to get in the NCAA tournament. I thought Temple had talent and depth but I now don't know what to make of this team.
----------------------------------
With 7 minutes remaining Dunphy pulled Randall after a stupid turnover. I never witnessed Dunphy so angry.
----------------------------------
Banners rolled out by the Hawk faithful:

Temple made : The Big East dissolve

Khalif - for a good time call 510-233-9876

Wyatt - that isn't the kind of penetration Dunphy was looking for.

----------------------------------

Timeout break entertainment I enjoyed -

Putting contest from the baseline. Both gents got the ball in the half court circle. Looked pretty tough.

A couple of fit gals did jump rope, ran through a serpentine, jumping jacks, push-ups, then made a lay up. My achilles was hurting just watching it.
-----------------------------------

We had a beer at the Landmark Americana before the game where there was a Temple following with some free food, then went to McShea's in Narberth afterwards.

Hagan Arena is intimate, but it doesn't have the charm of the Palestra. We couldn't see the scoreboard because of obstructions. What idiot designed the place? Don't ever hire an architect from St Joes.
I was wishing I was at the Liacouras Center, in a comfortable seat, with a cold beer.

Chronicowls "13 Temple-Richmond

Guest post by blog contributor Scott Matlack

Temple 71, Richmond 64

Temple squandered a 13 point lead  in the first half but kept the Spiders scoreless for more than six minutes late in the second half to take the win.  It was the first game in some time where someone other than Wyatt (Randall 21 points) led Temple in scoring.  This was one of the most balanced offensive games of the year for the Owls with four players in double figures:  

Hollis Jefferson    11
Randall                 21
Wyatt                   19
Lee                       12

It was good to see Scootie Randall come out of his shooting slump (8 - 13 from the field) but most impressive, I thought, was the play at both ends by Anthony Lee who contributed a double-double (12 points, 13 rebounds).  The Owls will have to get better at taking care of the ball if they are to continue to win.  With guard T.J. DiLeo nursing a high ankle sprain the Owls had 15 turnovers against only 12 assists.

Temple great Hal Lear  had his jersey retired at halftime.

Chronicowls '13 Temple-Penn

For Philadelphia college hoops fans, it's been an extraordinary week. Four wins over top 25 teams by local schools. Don't recall such a week in my lifetime. Are we witnessing the resurgence of Philly college hoops?
--------------------------
More than 40,000 fans entered through the turnstiles of basketball arenas, college and pro, in Philadelphia yesterday. Almost half of that number, including Chronicowls reader Mike P.,  were part of a sold-out Wells Fargo Center to see one of the finest singular performances we're likely to see in many a year (think Holiday). The Hagan Center on St. Joe's campus was similarly standing room only. Those fortunate to hold tickets saw the Hawks outscore Xavier. And 7700 fans were in attendance at Verizon Wireless Arena  in Richmond to see LaSalle top VCU and claim its second consecutive win over top 25 opponent (first time in 60 years, I read). The Owls meanwhile travelled to Indianapolis for a first-ever matchup with Butler, where a sold-out arena of 10,000 awaited the intrepid Owls. 1 for 12 shooting from Jake O'Brien and Dalton Pepper, an early injury which sidelined T.J. Di Leo for the rest of the game, and a porous defense, anchored by Khalif Wyatt, proved the Owls' undoing against the 9th ranked home side.
-------------------------
The Cherry and White were home this past Wednesday evening for their second Big Five contest of the campaign, against the Quakers of Pennsylvania.  Penn hardly looked the part of a squad that had lost 14 of their first 17 games. And Temple hardly looked like a side that had won 12 of its first 17.
School had returned to session, so the Cherry Crusade were out in full force. And the Diamond Gems had returned from the national dance competition in Orlando. And their vocal support lifted a sluggish Owl team to an expected victory.
------------------------
Second largest crowd (6700) of the season, most of whom it seemed parked in the garage,  were at the Liacouras Center for the Temple-Penn matchup. Must have been the sub-20 degree temperature that drove fans to indoor parking.   The Owls most attractive home game this season is shaping up to be the one where the Explorers from LaSalle will be heading south on Broad to the Liacouras Center.
The victor of that game will likely be this season's winner of the Big Five. That game has to be a sellout, doesn't it?
-----------------------
Before the loss to Butler, Temple had fallen out of the top 50 in the RPI rankings. There are now 4 schools in the Atlantic 10 ahead of the Owls, including LaSalle. Temple has losses to canisius (ranked 117) and St. bonaventure (sitting at 130). An at-large NCAA berth isn't looking probable right about now. But no doubt the rest of the season promises to be interesting. Make your plans to become part of the Temple hoops fan experience. And share your thoughts by posting your comments here on Chronicowls (look for the Post Your Comments link below).

Chronicowls'13 - Temple - St. Bonnie's

In winning for the first time at Liacouras Center, St. Bonaventure played like a top 25 team.

60% plus accuracy from beyond the three-point arc, 85% shooting from the free-throw line, and an assist-turnover ratio of better than 2:1 (21 assists,10turnovers). And all five starters scored in double figures.  Meanwhile, the Owls took more than half of their shots outside the three-point mark (why, some would ask), and made just about one-third of them.

The better team surely won yesterday afternoon.

Jake O’Brien had 16 points with more than three minutes remaining in the FIRST half. He had scored more than half of Temple’s points, and had brought the Owls back into the lead after another slow start.

When O’Brien committed his second foul with two minutes remaining in the half, Coach Dunphy substituted for him.  The Bonnies then outscored the Owls 11-2 during the reaminder of the half, and went to intermission holding a four-point lead. And O’Brien didn’t score the rest of the game. And Temple never regained the lead.

_________________________________________________________________________________

School is not back in session, so the Cherry Crusade (student section) was small in number. And the Diamond Gems were absent, as the squad was competing once again at the national championships for dance teams. No word yet on the outcome.  For those who missed the Gems, see photo below.

The Pep Band was present, bolstered by no less than four tubas, and provided plenty of spirit. And the crowd, one of the largest of the season, was enthusiastic, particularly as the Owls mounted a comeback that cut a 12-point deficit to two. That, as it turned out, was as close as the Owls would get in the second half.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Perhaps one of the finer performances of the afternoon was turned in by the Temple student chosen to “bowl” during one of the timeouts. A hefty prize awaits the student who rolls a bowling ball the length of the court and scores a strike. On most attempts over the course of the season, a “gutter” ball is rolled.  This student knocked down seven of the pins.

And it’s refreshing to see some of the inane games that have passed for entertainment during time-outs replaced by noteworthy recognitions, like the one of a Temple professor with a lengthy list of accomplishments. Too bad someone decided it would be a good time to play loud background music while the PA announcer was reciting the professor’s accomplishments.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Tough loss, but as one nearby fan commented at game’s end, “That’s the crucible that is the A10”.