Spiders Crawl into the LC

Temple Owls vs. Richmond Spiders
(TEM): (11-8)(3-2) HOME
(UR): (11-9)(3-2) AWAY

Coming off an upsetting loss to Rhode Island this past Wednesday, the Temple Owls come back home for a game against the Richmond Spiders. With a record of 4-1 in the Liacouras Center, Owls fans hope to expect a quick turn around from the team's perfomance in Rhody.

Temple's away record speaks nightmares for a squad that has hopes of returning to the NCAA tournament. Sitting at 6-6, changes are going to have to be made in order to straighten our their resume.

As for the Richmond Spiders, the team comes off of a 10 point loss at home to Saint Joe's. The Spiders head out onto the road to take on Temple, as well as continue at Massachusetts next Wednesday.

The Owls Nest will bring you breakdown coverage of these two teams to prepare you for another good game: It's the Temple Owls vs. the Richmond Spiders.

Overall: Richmond Spiders

Currently tied for the 5th spot in the Atlantic 10, the Richmond Spiders are thinking that they can jump 2 teams potentially with a victory tomorrow night. With a record of (11-9)(3-2), this is one of many who think they can improve their record on the road. Led by junior guard David Gonzalvez (left), the Spiders hope that their scoring trio can outdo Temple. Gonzalvez, who averages 16 points per game, also is complimented by the talents of Kevin Anderson and Justin Harper. Both of these players average double figures as well.

This team matches up well height-wise, as did Rhode Island on Wednesday. They average 71 points per game, with 31 boards. As far as handling the ball, the Spiders are not a team known for turning it over regularly. They average just 13 giveaways per game.

Overall: Temple Owls

Owls fans, and coach Fran Dunphy especially, are in total shock of how this team has played this far on the road. Sitting at (11-8)(3-2), it doesn't seem as if things have ever been so questionable of the Owls post-season hopes. Head back home, though, TU wants to turn things back around and get a fresh start. Leading the team is Dionte Christmas (right), averaging just about 21 points. His help at the guard position comes from Ryan Brooks, who has played well with 10 points per game. Down low is the threat of Lavoy Allen, the 6'9" sophomore who works wonders when the ball comes his way.

Temple averages 69 points a game, along with 36 rebounds. The Owls are usually good as a team offense with 15 assists per, but on the other side also give up the ball a lot at 14 turnovers.

Teams by Comparison

Some game notes for both of the teams:

RPI

Temple- 41
Richmond- 136

SOS

Temple- 48
Richmond- 120

* With both teams tied in conference for the 5th place spot, there's no telling how intense this game could be. Both squads have the capability of jumping 1/2 a game on Xavier, and potentially tie with Duquesne (4-2).

* Temple's offensive awareness is going to have to pick up if they want this game. Wednesday's performance of ball-handling was not a great representation of their potential. 14 turnovers per game is unacceptable.

* Richmond will have to watch out, as all teams do, for Dionte Christmas. Even in their loss, Christmas still found a way to score 27 points. Along with that, Lavoy Allen will match up with Jarhon Giddings in an interesting showdown.

* Temple is currently 4-1 at home, and it isn't good to know they are just .500 on the road. The Owls will need to maintain their dominance in Philadelphia, but eventually need to take control of the last 5 or 6 road games.

* The Spiders are on the opposite end as the Owls, struggling away from Virginia. They too are at .500 on the road, and will be tested by a Temple team who has lost once in the Liacouras Center. A victory here could get the ball rolling for Richmond. if the Spiders pressure the Owls on the defensive side of the ball, the momentum should be in their hands.

* Overall, this game should be a test of both teams. Neither team is anywhere near where they want to be, and will take it one opponent at a time to prove their legitimacy.

Here's our projected starting lineups:

6'4" Semaj Inge (7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists)
6'0" Kevin Anderson (15 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists)

6'4" Ryan Brooks (11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists)
6'4" David Gonzalvez (16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists)

6'5" Dionte Christmas (21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists)
6'5" Kevin Smith (5 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists)

6'9" Lavoy Allen (10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists)
6'9" Jarhon Giddings (8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)

7'0" Sergio Olmos (8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)
6'10" Justin Harper (11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist)

Hoot to Watch For: We've repeatedly used this guy as out key player, and that is because of the impact he brings to the game. Lavoy Allen needs to touch the ball MUCH MORE if the Owls want to get him back into his groove. The Owls have a tendency to either rely on the jumpshot, or work both down low and outside. This diversity is what we think separates the potential tournament-bound Temple from the NIT bound team. Allen must be a game changing player by touching the ball more, and creating problems for the opponent.

Head to the Liacouras Center for some Temple basketball tomorrow afternoon, or on 1210 WPHT.

See you at the game.

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Stomped by Rhody

Let the nervousness begin.

Last night the Owls headed back on the road, looking to turn their away game woes around. The team had been on a two game winning streak, looking better than ever. It looked as if Temple was really going to get things going. Unfortunately, their past road-game experiences said differently. Before Wednesday night, the Owls had an away game record of 5-5. If only the momentum would have carried out of Philadelphia...

Here are some statistics and observations taken from the game:

Top Scorers

(TEM) Dionte Christmas, 27 points
(URI) Kahiem Seawright, 17 points

Top Rebounders

(TEM) Dionte Christmas, 6 rebounds
(URI) Seawright/Martell, 5 rebounds

Team Turnovers

(TEM) 15 turnovers
(URI) 11 turnovers

* The Rhode Island Rams move on to win their second straight, and improve their in conference record back to .500. Even without the services of Keith Cothran, this team found a way to get the job done and slow down a hot Temple team. The Rams protected the ball on offense, and forced numerous turnovers to build to their momentum.

* Though Jimmy Baron was held to 13 points and 4/14 shooting, his team was able to rally around his struggles to overcome the odds. Without a true presence of Lavoy Allen in this game, URI's Kashiem Seawright game up in the clutch, doing what he does best. The senior forward led all Ram scorers with 17 points and 5 rebounds. He also had 2 steals and 3 assists to compliment that.

* Defense as we keep saying was the true factor in this game. Along with this, Rhode Island played a complete team game. The Rams went +8 in assists, and +4 in turnovers, causing a lot of problems for Temple through the course of the game. With this play, there's no telling how fare this squad will head.

The Rams (14-7)(3-3) will now stay home to take on La Salle on Saturday.

* For the first time this season, both Temple's Dionte Christmas and Lavoy Allen fouled out of this game. Although these foul outs came when the game was pretty much out of hand, they should not have happened at all. It seemed as if the defensive presence the Owls had at home just disappeared, and a lack of intensity showed up. Players like Juan Fernandez and Luis Guzman were getting beat to the basket off of the dribble, giving Rhode Island easy points.

* Dionte Christmas was able to get back into the swing of the game, scoring a game high 27 points with 5 threes. Though this was a plus for the team, it also meant that guys like Lavoy Allen would not touch the ball as much. Allen shot a mere 4 shots last night, scoring 5 points in 29 minutes of play. It is crucial for a jump shot team to use any inside presence they have.

* As noted above, a crucial statistic in this game was the turnover margin. Sloppy passes, careless ball handling, and unadvised judgements led to a disaster for the Owls. A lot of these problems can be put at one position: point guard. Even with the addition of Juan Fernandez, it doesn't seem that Temple has solidified their floor general.

Temple (11-8)(3-2) will look to spin things around on Saturday when they host the Richmond Spiders back in Pennsylvania. We'll have our preview posted tomorrow afternoon.

Final Score: Rhode Island- 67, Temple-59.

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Running With The Rams

Tonight the Temple Owls will head back out onto the road to take on the Rhode Island Rams. The latest surge in production has gotten TU fans wondering what kind of team this really is.

The Owls will test their hot streak as they head out on the road after a 2-game home run. In those two games, the team absolutely dominated their opponents, and brought back the momentum that once was. Tonight will not be against an easy team, as Temple will take on one of the talented teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Though only 2-3, the Rhode Island Rams have recently become a consistent contender in the conference play. Being under .500 and at home will only make things better for the Rams.

As always, we'll breakdown both of these teams, and give you the keys to both programs winning this game:

Overall: Rhode Island Rams

Coming off an overtime win against George Washington on Wednesday, the Rhode Island Rams return home to take on the Temple Owls. Currently at a record of (13-7)(2-3), URI will look to straighten things out in conference and bring it back to a solid .500. The team's strongest win comes against a talented VCU squad, whom they beat back in November. There are also several losses on this team's schedule that are quite impressive, due to the level of talent. This includes a 3-point loss to #1 Duke, and a 2-point loss to #10 Xavier. As college basketball fans know, this season is still young, and there is plenty of room for improvement. Leading this Rams squad are a trio of scorers: Jimmy Baron (left), Keith Cothran, and Kahiem Seawright. Baron, son of head coach Jim Baron Sr., is an incredible shooter who averages a team high 17 points per game. Cothran, who suffered an injury against Fordham and isn't likely to play, averages a solid 14 also. Also behind these players is Kahiem Seawright, who averages a team high 7 boards. This is a team that likes to score the ball, averaging 82 points per game. They'll look for a high scoring game as a whole when they take on a defensively sound Temple team.

Overall: Temple Owls

The Temple Owls have become one of the hottest teams in the Atlantic 10, after two consecutive conference wins at home. Currently at a record of (11-7)(3-1), the Owls are hoping they can take this intensity on the road where they have struggled. Leading TU is Naismith Candidate Dionte Christmas, who averages 20 points per game. Christmas was limited against Charlotte after sustaining a deep cut in the team's previous game. Behind him are the talents of Ryan Brooks and Lavoy Allen. Brooks, who has proved to be a true defender and a developing shooter, is averaging 11 points of his own. Lastly, there is Lavoy Allen, who has been the star of these past two games. Allen has averaged 17 points in his last two outings, compared to the 11 he produces this season. He won't have things easy, though, when he goes up against Kahiem Seawright. As we mentioned, the Owls have played impressively in the past several games when it comes to rebounding and defense. The only thing that will matter is if Temple can bring their momentum into Rhode Island.

Teams by Comparison

Here's some notes for the game, along with some statistics:

RPI

Temple- 48th
Rhode Island- 61st

SOS

Temple- 48th
Rhode Island- 92nd

* Semaj Inge really showed his colors in the Owls' past game, scoring a game high 19 points. It will be interesting to see him perform tonight, complimenting the talents of Dionte Christmas and Lavoy Allen. If the Owls want to win this game, their momentum will have to come from the team as a whole.

Dionte Christmas is still recovering from the cut he suffered against Saint Louis, but that didn't seem to slow him down against Charlotte. In just 30 minutes, Christmas still found a way to score in double digits to support the team's victory. He will also be a key player in this game.

* Jimmy Baron and his Rams gave up last year's matchup after losing a 17 point lead at the Liacouras Center. Now in the comfort of their own home, Rhody and their team will look to take down the hot Owls and get their 2nd straight victory.

* The absence of Keith Cothran will also have a major affect on the productivity of this team. Cothran averaged 14 points per game, but should be sidelined from a knee injury prior to this game. An overall showing should help make up for the missing guard.

Here's a look at the potential starting lineups:

6'4" Semaj Inge (7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists)
6'2" Marquis Jones (6 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists)

6'4" Ryan Brooks (12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)
6'3" Jimmy Baron (17 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists)

6'5" Dionte Christmas (20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists)
6'6" Lamonte Ulmer (8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist)

6'9" Lavoy Allen (11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists)
6'8" Kahiem Seawright (14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists)

6'10" Craig Williams (6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist)
7'0" Will Martell (6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)

Hoot to Watch For: For Temple, this game is all about momentum. Owls fans do not know what to expect from this team, even though they have demolished their last two opponents. Temple has had a lot of trouble on the road this year, and it will be a great help for their post season hopes if they can start getting wins on the road. This game will be determined by whoever wants this game more.

Tonight's game can be caught on 1210 WPHT, or on ChannelSurfing.net.

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A Dislike for the Big East

As a Temple fan, I don't see many reasons to like the Big East. After looking into it, I feel like I've really hit the nail on the head.

Not to single anyone out, but numerous "experts" have 8 or 9 Big East teams potentially in the NCAA Tournament. I personally found this ridiculous, and decided to go into the world of RPI and Strength of Schedule.

Here's pretty much, through the current Out of Conference schedules, what I have found..

Some tough conference play when over half the teams have .500 or losing records.

Villanova (15-4)(3-3)
West Virginia (14-5)(3-3)
#23 Georgetown (12-6)(3-4)
Cincinnati (13-7)(3-4)
#22 Notre Dame (12-7)(3-5)
St. John's (11-8)(2-5)
South Florida (7-12)(2-5)
Seton Hall (10-9)(1-6)
Rutgers (9-11)(0-7)
DePaul (8-12)(0-7)

Once again, where do those wins come from? Out of Conference, and a few easy in-conference wins..

Big East RPI (10-13 OOC Games)

1) Louisville (12 games)= 107
2) #23 Georgetown (10 games)= 119
3) #3 Pittsburgh (11 games)= 121
4) West Virg. (12 games)= 126
5) #15 Syracuse (12 games)= 127
6) South Flo. (12 games)= 143
7) #2 Connectic. (11 games)= 149
8) #21 Villanova (13 games)= 155
9) Cincinnati (12 games)= 157
10) #8 Marquette (13 games)= 167
11) Depaul (13 games)= 170
12) Providence (12 games)= 175
13) St. John's (12 games)= 179
14) #22 Notre Dame (10 games)= 186 ****
15) Seton Hall (11 games)=208
16) Rutgers (13 games)= 220

Average Big East RPI: 157

Put that against the current standings, and see what teams really have played "talent". As I said before, the in-conference wins are constant because every team is beaten or beats everyone: it's mediocre!

Ultimately why I dislike the Big East.

Preview on the Temple-Rhode Island game tomorrow!

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A10 Weekly Wrap Up (1/25)

It's been another interesting week of play in the Atlantic 10, and several teams made their strides to find and show their true colors. In our newest addition of "A10 Weekly Wrap Up", we'll take a look back at the entire league's progression, and see where they fall in the standings.

As we take a look at these teams, we'll provide you with all the necessary links and updates to give you a good background of the current situations!

Updated from January 18th, 2009 to January 25th, 2009:

Charlotte 49ers

Overall Record: (6-12)(1-4)
Current RPI: 199th
Current SOS: 86th
Recent Games: Saint Joseph's, Massachusetts, Temple

* It is still really early for this Charlotte squad, and there's no doubt they have the talent to turn things around. The team still has one more OOC game left on their schedule against Winthrop, but also has conference opponents who they can surely give a game.

Dayton Flyers

Overal Record: (18-2)(4-1)
Current RPI: 45th
Current SOS: 203rd
Recent Games: George Washington, St. Bonaventure

* The Flyers need to straighten things out overall if they want to keep this hot streak going. If this team plays the way that they've basically performed throughout the year, they'll have no problem getting 8 or 9 more wins before post-season.

Duquesne Dukes

Overall Record: (13-6)(4-2)
Current RPI: 114th
Current SOS: 198th
Recent Games: Saint Joseph's, Fordham

* The Dukes are right in the middle of the pack- with one of the better records in the conference. This team has only one game this week against St. Bonaventure, a team which they beat on the road by 18.

Fordham Rams

Overall Record: (2-15)(0-5)
Current RPI: 300th
Current SOS: 110th
Recent Games: Rhode Island, Duquesne

* This has been another disappointing season for the Rams, and it doesn't look to bright for the rest of the schedule. Their two victories they have this year come off of OOC teams, and other than that they have had no success in conference. But hey, there's no telling what could happen in the wonderful world of college basketball.

George Washington Colonials

Overall Record: (6-11)(0-5)
Current RPI: 210th
Current SOS: 133rd
Recent Games: Dayton, Rhode Island

*George Washington's record can certainly be seen as deceiving. This is a squad that took Dayton down to the wire in Ohio, but unfortunately lost in a misunderstood substitution. They'll definitely have the shot to turn things around against the best of the Atlantic 10.

La Salle Explorers

Overall Record: (11-7)(2-2)
Current RPI: 104th
Current SOS: 98th
Recent Games: Xavier, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts

* The Explorers have held with the rest of the conference, and still have a long way to go in this young conference schedule. This team still must overcome some tests inside this diverse Atlantic 10, and will give many a run for their money.

Massachusetts Minutemen

Overall Record: (7-11)(2-3)
Current RPI: 167th
Current SOS: 43rd
Recent Games: Charlotte, La Salle

*UMass has already proven themselves a deadly force inside the conference, taking out Temple and Dayton. It should be interesting when they take on Xavier on the 31st. Until then, the Minutemen will have the week to prepare for their toughest in-conference challenge.

Rhode Island Rams

Overall Record: (13-7)(2-3)
Current RPI: 63rd
Current SOS: 80th
Recent Games: Fordham, Richmond, George Washington

*For the Rhode Island Rams, it seems that things have really gone up and down. They are one of many teams that can make a big playoff run, and give teams like Xavier and Dayton a run for their money. Don't be surprised if this team puts it into high gear, and makes some huge strides.

Richmond Spiders

Overall Record: (11-8)(3-1)
Current RPI: 144th
Current SOS: 128th
Recent Games: Rhode Island, Saint Louis

*Richmond has yet to be challenged in the Atlantic 10 so far, but still remain a potentially dangerous team. A 5 point loss to #8 Syracuse really does make things look good on your resume. They'll be up against two Big 5 opponents in Saint Joseph's and Temple during this week.

St. Bonaventure Bonnies

Overall Record: (11-8)(2-4)
Current RPI: 177th
Current SOS: 247th
Recent Games: Xavier, Dayton

* A team that has made gigantic changes over the past few years, the Bonnies have been playing some decent basketball this far. Having the most conference experience with 6 games, this team can definitely learn from their mistakes, and improve their 2-4 A10 record. Their next opponent is against 2-15 Fordham, which should give this team a boost.

St. Joseph's Hawks

Overall Record: (11-7)(4-0)
Current RPI: 74th
Current SOS: 57th
Recent Games: Charlotte, Duquesne, Pennsylvania, Richmond

* The Saint Joe's Hawks are one of two teams in the conference that are still perfect in conference. Currently on a 6 game winning streak, SJU is playing their best basketball during the New Year. They'll have one game against Richmond coming up this week.

St. Louis Billikens

Overall Record: (11-8)(2-3)
Current RPI: 169th
Current SOS: 211th
Recent Games: Temple, Richmond

* Into conference play, the Billikens have hit a small skid when playing against some of the A10 talent. Losing two straight, this team will have their hands full when they take on Dayton shortly. If things don't go the right way in that game, SLU will have the chance to bounce back on the 31st against Fordham.

Temple Owls

Overall Record: (11-7)(3-1)
Current RPI: 49th
Current SOS: 44th
Recent Games: Saint Louis, Charlotte

* Playing some hot basketball, the Temple Owls have dealt their last two A10 opponents 25+ point beatings. That being said, the Owls have yet to be tested in the conference on the road, one thing they have struggled with so far. If the Owls can play hot both home and away, they'll give teams like Dayton and Xavier a good game.

Xavier Musketeers

Overall Record: (17-2)(5-0)
Current RPI: 4th
Current SOS: 6th
Recent Games: La Salle, St. Bonaventure, LSU

* Coming home from an impressive win over LSU, the Musketeers will have their next 3 games at home. The team will look to keep their 5-0 conference record intact, as they'll take on Charlotte and Massachusetts.

Lastly, here's the current overall look at the standings at this point in the year:

1) Xavier Musketeers
2) Saint Joseph's Hawks
3) Dayton Flyers
4) Temple Owls
5) Richmond Spiders
6) Duquesne Dukes
7) La Salle Explorers
8) Rhode Island Rams
9) Saint Louis Billikens
10) Massachusetts Minutemen
11) St. Bonaventure Bonnies
12) Charlotte 49ers
13) George Washington Colonials
14) Fordham Rams

We've got plently of basketball left in this season, and the A10 Schedule is still very young. We'll have another segment of A10 Weekly Wrap Up next Sunday.

Information provided by:

ESPN.com
RealTimeRPI.com
Atlantic10.cstv.com

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Inge Leads Owls to 2nd Straight

Semaj Inge picked the perfect day to show his true talents- his 19 points made him the high scorer in Temple's 80-53 victory over Charlotte.

Not only was this game entertaining for Owls fans, but the halftime presentation for HOF inductees John Chaney and Dr. Ray Moyer made it even sweeter.

Here are some statistics and notes from the Owls' blowout victory:

High Scorers

(TEM) Semaj Inge, 19
(CHA) Phil Jones, 14

High Rebounders

(TEM) Lavoy Allen, 10
(CHA) Lamont Mack, 9

High Assists

(TEM) Juan Fernandez, 4
(CHA) DiJuan Harris, 4

* Temple's record now improves to (11-7)(3-1) with Saturday's win. This gives the team another winning streak to extend. Their next game will put them back on the road Wednesday night against Rhode Island.

Semaj Inge scored 19 points in tonight's game- this matches the season high he had against Penn State back on December 6th. He played a major factor in this game, as Dionte Christmas did not play a complete game.

Tonight's overall statistics show a team effort, something the Owls have been inconsistent in forming. 4 of the 5 starters managed to get into double digits tonight, which is very impressive for this team. Hopefully as we said this will spark Inge to have a more productive season from here on out.

* Charlotte will go on now with a record of (6-12)(1-4) overall. They will move on to take on 13th ranked Xavier on Wednesday as well. The Musketeers will come off of a victory over LSU tonight.

Ian Anderson has proven to be a legitimate and efficient scorer off the bench. It would be interesting to see him inserted into the line up, giving him the opportunity to potentially do more.

Along with Anderson, Lamont Mack and Phil Jones carried this team through the game. In their upcoming matchup against Xavier, it will be crucial to get all the support that they can get.

Final Score: Temple 80, Charlotte 53

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49ers Roll into Philly

Coming off one day of rest, the Owls return to the home floor to take on the Charlotte 49ers. In what can be considered a blowout win over the Saint Louis Billikens, Temple fans saw many glimpses of improvement, as well as that "Where has he been all year?" feeling. With that 65-40 victory, the team's record gets the Owls' wins to double digits (10-7)(2-1). Charlotte, on the other hand, snapped a 5-game losing streak this past Friday against Massachusetts (coincidence, huh?). Their record moves ahead of George Washington with their first conference win of the year (6-11)(1-3).

As always, we'll be looking at how these teams should match up in Saturday afternoon's game. Here's The Owl's Nest's breakdown of the Temple Owls-Charlotte 49ers:

Overall: Charlotte 49ers

Led by senior guard Lamont Mack (left), the Charlotte 49ers head into this game with their first win in nearly a month. The 49ers leave North Carolina after their 69-64 OT win over Massachusetts to take on the Owls. This is one of those teams whose record does not clearly represent the level of talent they have- a 1 point loss to Clemson, 5 point loss to Providence. This squad can hold strong with the best, but also have to numerous beatable opponents. As mentioned before, this team is led by Lamont Mack, who we're sure dearly misses the talents of Leemire Goldwire, who graduated this past year. Mack leads the team in averaging points, and is second in rebounds. Behind him is another talent, that being Rashad Coleman. Averaging 10 points of his own, the junior guard/forward has also caused problems for a number of teams. If we're needed to get into a discussion of true "all-around" teams, the 49ers would be one of many on my list. On this lengthy roster, seven players average 8 or more points, and 8 players average 3 or more assists. Don't be surprised if this team keeps a constant rotation through this matchup, because they have the players to do it.

Overall: Temple Owls

Not necessarily the team's best win of the season, the victory over Saint Louis yesterday was indeed a sign of improvement for the Temple Owls. It seems that the team might have finally realized their separate identity apart from Dionte Christmas, that being in sophomore big man Lavoy Allen. In this past game, Allen shot an astounding 8-10 from the floor, along with 7 rebounds. The Owls' and Atlantic 10's leading scorer Dionte Christmas had a decent showing, but left the game early in a collision with a Saint Louis player. He is expected to be ready to play tomorrow after he received stitches for the cut under one of his eyes. He finished the game with 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists in just 25 minutes. Two other players that showed impressive performances were freshmans Michael Eric and Juan Fernandez. In 15 minutes, Eric dropped 7 of his own, and also blocked 2 shots. Fernandez scored 8 points with 4 assists. With this Owls team, there is still no telling (yes, even though the season's halfway through) what kind of team we'll see show up on the court. The Owls are preferably a jump shooting team, but the presence of Allen and Eric make it seem like they can be dangerous down low too.

Teams by Comparison:

Some interesting tidbits of information we thought you should know:

RPI

Temple- 42
Saint Louis- 197

SOS

Temple- 27
Saint Louis- 90

* As we said before, don't let Charlotte's record fool you. Temple did lose to Clemson in the Charleston Classic by 4 points, but the 49ers nearly shocked the Tigers in a 1 point loss. They have proven that they can compete with quality teams- in fact, Charlotte's best win comes against Mississippi State, who has wins over Western Kentucky and Arkansas (who has a win over #3 Oklahoma). There is a lot of potential in this team, as long as they can turn things around and get the necessary wins.

Statistically, the advantage for the Charlotte 49ers is very slim (no downgrade to the team, both it's really close). Charlotte has the advantage, if you will, in points and rebounding. They average over 70 points a game, scoring 100 on Youngstown State earlier this year. Similar to UMass, Lamont Mack will be force down low that will have to be closely monitored.

* An impressive win over Tennessee has been somewhat scarred by losses to Miami (OH), Buffalo, Long Beach State, etc. Recently, Temple has found ways to distribute the ball, and are also defensively sound- as of yesterday. Hopefully players like center Sergio Olmos can break the ice, and cause even more troubles for Charlotte, and future opponents.

For Temple, the advantage might just be their dual weapons on the floor. Overall, this team has been a shooter friendly squad. Lavoy Allen (right) has really picked up his game, and has caused problems in both the Penn and Saint Louis games. Temple will need him to continue his hot streak while the team still figures out their legitimate go-to guys (besides Christmas).

Here, of course, are tomorrow night's projected starters for both teams:

6'4" Semaj Inge (7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists)
5'9" DiJuan Harris (9 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists)

6'4" Ryan Brooks (11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists)
6'5" Rashad Coleman (10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists)

6'6" Dionte Christmas (21 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists)
6'6" An'Juan Wilderness (10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists)

6'9" Lavoy Allen (10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists)
6'7" Lamont Mack (14 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist)

6'10" Craig Williams (5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist)
6'7" Charlie Coley (9 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist)

Hoot to Watch For: Now that Lavoy Allen has been able to step up his game for the better of the team, we feel that other players are going to start to see improvements. Even with the addition of Juan Fernandez, players like Luis Guzman and Semaj Inge are going to need to pick up their games.

* For those unaware of this, Ramone Moore was ruled academically ineligible for the remainder of the season. He will rejoin the Owls next year.

Tomorrow's game is at 6:00 pm, and can be caught on ESPNU. As always, there is 1210 WPHT (www.thebigtalker1210.com)

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Defense, Where Have You Been?

30% Field goal shooting, 13% free throw shooting, and 57% foul shooting. Where do these stats come from?

This was the showing that the Temple Owls defense brought home against the Saint Louis Billikens, whom they beat 65-40 yesterday night. By far, this was the best showing of the defense, along with an impressive performance from the offense. Here is a look at some of the statistics from yesterday's victory:

High Scorers

(Temple) Lavoy Allen, 16 points (8-10 FG)
(Saint Louis) Tommie Liddell, 12 points (5-16 FG, 2-3 FT)

Team Rebounds

(Temple) 38 rebounds
(Saint Louis) 22 rebounds

Team Assists

(Temple) 17 assists
(Saint Louis) 11 assists

Some interesting notes from Thursday night's game:

* After weeks of stressing the issue, the Owls seemed to have found it beneficial when Lavoy Allen touches the basketball. Allen was the team's high scorer, with the partial absence of Dionte Christmas, and shot 80% from the floor. He complimented that statistic with 7 rebounds and a blocked shot. This was a showing we're sure that Owls fans would love to see on a consistent basis.

* Dionte Christmas left the game early after just 25 minutes of play due to an injury he sustained in a collision with Kwamain Mitchell. Several reports have it that Christmas will be getting stitches under one of his eyes, and should be alright for Saturday's game against Charlotte. This will be good news for Temple as they play their 2nd straight home game.

* As a team, the perimeter shooting turned out to be an advantage in this game, and it really showed in this one. Temple shot an impressive 50% from behind the arc- none of which came from Dionte Christmas. This opened a lot of oppurtunities for this quad, and shows that the team lives and dies from the jump shot.

As for Saint Louis, a few things were noticeable in this game:

* Without the production of their main guys (Tommie Liddell, Kevin Lisch), the team can be easily dominated on both sides of the ball. Unfortunately, Lisch was unable to find his shot during the game, and could not manage to put a point on the board. This was crucial, as Lisch has been the leading scorer for the Billikens.

* Overall shooting for this team was a problem in this outing. Whether or not the Owls defense was the reason for their woes will be determined in their next game. A team 30% from the floor is very uncharacteristic of this squad, and they'll hope that this performance was just a fluke.

Temple, now (10-7)(2-1), will stay at home this Saturday where they'll take on the Charlotte 49ers. Saint Louis drops to (11-7)(2-2), and will head home to take on Richmond this Sunday.

Final Score: Temple-65, Saint Louis-40

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Owls Begin Two Game Home Stretch

After an aggravating loss to end a 5-game winning streak, the Temple Owls will begin a two game home series to take on the Saint Louis Billikens. Currently slated as 11-6, Saint Louis comes into this game with a 2-game winning streak- their last a 63-59 win over George Washington. Temple, on the other hand, comes off their 79-75 loss to Massachusetts.

We'll take a look at both teams for tomorrow's matchup, and see what both programs are going to have to do if they want to improve their conference/overall records.

Overall: Saint Louis Billikens

Led by the scoring duo of guards Kevin Lisch (left) and Tommie Liddell, the Saint Louis Billikens head into Philadelphia with the momentum on their side. After a recent victory over George Washington, Saint Louis improved their record to (11-6)(2-1), and started their 3rd winning streak of the year. Key victories for the Billikens come against Boston College and Massachusetts. Boston College, who they beat back in November, went on to upset former #1 North Carolina. Massachusetts, who was a fairly recent opponent, has a key victory over #25 Kansas. Both Lisch and Liddell average close to 14 points a game, one of them is the team's leading rebounder. As a whole, they are a fairly short squad, both have the bigger players to match up with Temple.

Overall: Temple Owls

Coming off a loss to Massachusetts, the Temple Owls will come home to the Liacouras Center to host the Saint Louis Billikens. Led by Dionte Christmas (right) and Lavoy Allen, Temple will look to put away this past week's upsetting loss and take on a talented Rick Majerus squad. The team's current record is (9-7)(1-1), along with a few solid victories and heartbreaking losses. A notable achievement is their 88-72 win over #8 Tennessee, as well as a solid 65-59 victory over Penn State. Christmas leads the team, as well as the Atlantic-10 in scoring with nearly 22 points per outing. Allen, on the other hand, has stepped out of his slump to control the Owls rebounding with 7 boards per. The Owls match up height-wise with Saint Louis.

Teams by Comparison:

Here's a breakdown of interesting statistics and notes from the game:

RPI

Temple- 39
Saint Louis- 163

SOS

Temple- 22
Saint Louis- 221

* Although the records of both squads say one thing, the quality of talent that both teams have faced says another. With the acception of a victory over Boston College, it seems as if SLU has not had the opportunity to prove themselves. Their second highest RPI win comes against a 204th ranked Liberty, and their lowest being a 318th South Carolina-Upstate.

SLU takes the advantage in the turnover category, averaging only 12 giveaways per game. This will be crucial against what can be a very aggresive Temple Owls team. Taking care of the ball will in fact be a necessity if the Billikens want to make sure of a 0% chance of TU pulling away.

* For Temple, 1/4 of their schedule so far has faced against Top 50 RPI talents. The Owls at one point had a 3-game stretch against several potentially ranked opponents. With the team's strongest victory being at home against Tennessee, there's no saying that this will be an easy victory. Even their home loss to Miamii (OH) didn't turn out so bad.

One of the Owls advantages comes from the experience they have at home. At 2-1 overall, the Billikens stand at an 0-4 when playing away from Missouri. This, along with the overall athleticism of the team, will be key in bouncing back from their loss. Changes will have to come on the defensive side of the ball if they want to make up for the embarrassment shown against UMass.

As always, here are our projected starters for tomorrow's ball game:

6'4" Semaj Inge (6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists)
5'10" Kwamain Mitchell (8 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists)

6'4" Ryan Brooks (11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists)
6'2" Kevin Lisch (14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists)

6'6" Dionte Christmas (21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists)
6'4" Tommie Liddell (14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists)

6'9" Lavoy Allen (10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists)
6'6" Brian Conklin (8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist)

6'10" Craig Williams (5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist)
6'9" Willie Reed (7 points, 4 rebounds, .1 assists)

Hoot to Watch For: As Owls fans continue to figure out who the starting five SHOULD be, there are several players who need to show what they are made of. After struggling to some extent with UMass's Anthony Gurley, hopefully Ryan Brooks can turn his defensive dominance back to previous weeks. He will as usual have to help take part of the scoring load from Dionte Christmas. Along with this, we feel that Lavoy Allen needs to get more touches down low. Hard to believe, but it might be that he has created more opportunities for the overall offense then the overall offense has.

You can catch tomorrow's game as usual on 1210 WPHT (www.thebigtalker1210.com), or on CBS College Sports @ 8:00.

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Minute by Minute

Playing some of their best basketball this season, the Temple Owls will head back into Atlantic 10 Conference play against the Massachusetts Minutemen. After a dominating 78-53 victory over Penn, Temple heads north to take on a competitive UMass squad. Today, we'll take a look at both teams, and analyze our key threats for whoever wants to win this game.

Immediately following Temple's upset of then #8 Tennessee, ESPN2 featured the Minutemen taking on a familiar face in the Kansas Jayhawks. The Atlantic 10 had impressed the Sports Nation with two upsets back to back. UMass did not have Tennessee on their schedule, but the Owls did end up playing and losing to Kansas.

This goes to show that anything can happen at any time. These are two quality teams that can take down the best, and will give one another a good game. Here's our look at these programs:

Advantages: Massachusetts Minutemen

In an young Atlantic 10 schedule, Coach Derek Kellogg and his squad will look to put their early season woes at rest. The 6-game losing streak that started against Southern Illinois and ended at Holy Cross is behind them now, and the Minutemen have gone on to win the last 5/8 outings. This past game, however, resulted in a loss to a good Saint Louis team. Key victories that this team has under their belt are wins over Kansas (12-4) and Dayton (15-2), and a win over the Owls will add more to their NCAA Tournament bid.

Leading this somewhat young basketball team is Ricky Harris, the leading scorer. The junior guard is averaging 19.4 points per game, along with 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Along with Harris are two other guards, who present a problem for the Owls. Along with Chris Lowe, Anthony Gurley, and Tony Gaffney, these 4 players account for 80% of the starting lineup averaging double digits in points per game. Check out the projected lineups below for their stats. This 3 guard offense includes a scoring trio, but also two bigger bodies down low. It's almost safe to say that UMass's scheme is basically identical to what the Owls have. 6'8" Tony Gaffney and 7'1" Luke Bonner will patrol the boards down low. Together, they average 16 rebounds, but Gaffney himself brings in 11 per game.

Disadvantages: Massachusetts Minutemen

If you look at our projected starting lineups below, you won't see too much difference in height for the most part down low. In fact, both teams have the smaller height advantage between the forward/center positions. What we'll look to be the disadvantage in this game will be the presence of rebounding for the guards. If and when Tony Gaffney is on the bench, that's 11 potential rebounds off the stat sheet. When this happens, it'll put the load on Luke Bonner, against the Owls post players AND Dionte Christmas. Christmas continues to impress with his scoring, but he is also 2nd on the team for rebounds per game. He has the advantage in size over Harris, Lowe, and Gurley, so this might present a problem- that is, if Dionte gets the job done.

Our other problems present are turnovers and FT %. Temple is a team that can force the occasional steal, jump ball, etc. Their guard size here might also present a problem for Chris Lowe and the teams other ball handlers running the floor. When the ball does get into a scoring position, we feel it wouldn't be so bad for Temple if they do go for the foul on a shot. The Minutemen as a team shoot 69% as a team from the foul line, and their main problem is at the guard/forward spot. Two players for UMass in their starting lineup average 65%, and are two of their main scorers.

Advantages: Temple Owls

Temple comes into this game with the hot hand, maintaining a 4-game winning streak. This is the best basketball we've seen from this team arguably since the win over Tennessee. Key victories this year come against the Vols (10-5), as well as one over Penn State (13-5). The main man that UMass will have to keep a close eye on is Dionte Christmas, who averages 20 points per game again this year. Not far behind is forward Lavoy Allen (right), who has picked his game up tremendously over the last several games. Recently now, we've seen different roster changes for the Owls, including the appearance of Craig Williams. New arrival Juan Fernandez also showed what he can do without scoring the ball, dishing out 5 assists and 2 steals with just 2 points against Penn. The team as a whole has been on an exciting run these past few weeks, and will look to continue to do so against the Minutemen.

Disadvantages: Temple Owls

Playing against a good overall team, the post play has a lot to handle this evening when 7'1" Luke Bonner and 6'8" Tony Gaffney welcome the Owls. As hot as Allen is, he will have to put up with his counterpart averaging 11 rebounds per game. This will be a problem for a Temple team that earlier this year was inconsistent under the boards. With Sergio Olmos in a trend of coming off the bench, this might present a problem going against the size that UMass has down low. Sergio is going to need to get off of his slump that he's been in and out of, and play some of his best basketball tonight.

Although you can't always go by basic statistics in games, you can always look at reality: UMass is made up of scorers. Game in and game out, they find ways to score. Their lowest amount of points this year is 57, and their highest is 40 points more than that. Ryan Brooks will have to contain Ricky Harris as much as he can for the Owls, and this is the matchup that intrigues The Owl's Nest most. It will be a great defender against a great scorer. Brooks is playing his best basketball of his Temple career, and now will be a great time to prove the point.

A look at our projected starting lineups (We've now included heights):

6'4" Semaj Inge (7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists)
6'0" Chris Lowe (12 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists)

6'4" Ryan Brooks (11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists)
6'2" Ricky Harris (19 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists)

6'5" Dionte Christmas (21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists)
6'3" Anthony Gurley (12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)

6'9" Lavoy Allen (10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists)
6'8" Tony Gaffney (11 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists)

7'0" Sergio Olmos (9 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)
7'1" Luke Bonner (6 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist)

Hoot to Watch For: Defense will be the key in this game for the Temple Owls as they take on 4 double digit scorers. It will be up to players like Ryan Brooks and Lavoy Allen to take out who we think are UMass's biggest impact players. If this happens, everything else on defense should fall into place, given their matchups are right.

Today's game will be at 7:00 on ESPN2 and ESPN360.com. As always, there's 1210 WPHT and www.thebigtalker1210.com

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Taking on the Quakers

The Temple Owls will head into Round 2 of their Atlantic 10 schedule, where they'll take on the Penn Quakers. This comes 3 days after taking out a similar Big 5 opponent in La Salle. A familiar face in Fran Dunphy, the Owls will look to get their Big 5 record over .500, and also improve their overall record.

As always, The Owls Nest will bring you Pre-game coverage of both teams, and will look at what both programs need to do to keep their post game dreams rolling:

Even with a mere record of 3-7, the Penn Quakers are playing their hottest basketball this year. UPenn is now on a 2-game winning streak, their recent coming as an 84-70 victory over Lafayette. Here's a look into the team's key players, as well as their advantages/disadvantages in this game:

Advantages: Penn Quakers

Coach Glen Miller and his Quakers are hosting the Owls at the Palestra, playing some of their best basketball this year. Behind him are three players that have led this team so far. Guard Tyler Bernardini (left), and forwards Jack Eggleston and Brannon
Votel are the reason that Penn has been able to start turning things around. All three players account for 1/3 of the team's scoring, along with the assists and rebounds. As a team, they average 69 points a game, which is pretty solid. Similar to La Salle, the Quakers are strong at the forward position, and will try to present a problem for Temple's big men. The team has plenty of height down low, and can cause problems from the center or forward position. Not to underestimate their guard play, but the post play is simply intimidating.

Disadvantages: Penn Quakers

The Quakers will be dealing with a very hot team- the Owls have now won 3 in a row, and along the way have made positive
improvements. Temple's Lavoy Allen (right) seems to have found his touch, and WAS the offense for the Owls this past Sunday. He has the ability to take control of games, as he demonstrated. Besides Allen, we feel that Penn might have a problem with the the team's overall athleticism.

Now here's a quick look into the Owls team, as they head into the legendary Palestra:

Advantages: Temple Owls

Behind Lavoy Allen and Dionte Christmas, the two arguably won the game for TU. As it is known around the country, Dionte Christmas will be a player that will need to be surveyed at all times. Averaging over 20 points a game, he can become a deadly weapon behind the arc. Michael Eric, the freshman from Nigeria, has also made big strides to improve his performance. Recently, he has made key contributions, and has become a presence under the boards. Along with Craig Williams and Sergio Olmos, this might be another dominating performance by the big men. With the addition of Juan Fernandez, it seems that the team has extremely improved as a whole, and the offense has worked smoothly. This has opened up a number of opportunities for different players. The Owls are matched up by the Quakers in points, averaging 68 points per outing.

Disadvantages: Temple Owls

This might be the game where we see Temple solidify how serious they are. As fans know, they have been inconsistent at different times during the season, and you never know who/when they'll be given a game. As usual, expect the forward play to be challenged by the depth, size, and athleticism that the Quakers have. Scoring will also be important (although it never isn't), seeing as statistically the Owls are outnumbered.

Here's tonight's projected lineups:

Semaj Inge (7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists)
Harrison Gaines

Ryan Brooks (11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists)
Kevin Egee (9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist)

Dionte Christmas (21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists)
Tyler Bernardini (15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists)

Lavoy Allen (10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists)
Brennan Votel (11 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist)

Sergio Olmos (9 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)
Jack Eggleston (11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists)

Tonight's game can be watched on TV via CN8. If you can't watch it, as always, there is 1210 WPHT.

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Starting off Right

This past Sunday, the Lavoy Allen/Dionte Christmas's took on the La Salle Explorers to start off their Atlantic 10 Conference Schedule. It was finally the offense that Owls fans had been waiting for, and two players who have become streaky over the course of the year picked a time to shine. Here's a look at the stats from the top performers:

Lavoy Allen (26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists)

Dionte Christmas (30 points, 5 rebounds, 0 assists)

Both of these players accounted for 51 of Temple's 75 points. This is the exact type of play that the owls are going to need through the season.

La Salle was able to get key contributions from their two top guards- here are there stats:

Rodney Green (20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists)

Ruben Guillandeaux (17 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists)

The Owls now improve their record to 8-6, and tonight play against the Penn Quakers in Game 2 of their Atlantic 10 schedule. La Salle, on the other hand, now drop to 8-6, and will try to bounce back tonight against Charlotte.

We'll have our preview of the Owls-Quakers later on this afternoon.

Owls Head into Conference Play

After finishing the season's worth of MAC opponents, the Temple Owls will now take their 2-game winning streak into Atlantic 10 Conference play. Tonight, the Owls (7-6) will come back into Philadelphia to play against Big 5 rival La Salle (8-5). As always, The Owl's Nest will bring you our preview of the game, and what both teams need to do to pull out the victory:

The La Salle Explorers, off to one of their better starts in the recent years, come into this game with a 3-game winning streak. Their last victory comes in a 15 point win over Howard. Here's a look at the team's advantages and disadvantages as they look to continue onto 9 wins.

Advantages: La Salle Explorers

The Owls' forwards will have their work cut out for them as they are taking on 9 counterparts. By this, we mean that 9/14 players that are on La Salle's roster have forward-sized players. Ranging from 6'5" to 6'9", this will present a problem under the boards. Not only is it the fact that these players match up well, the fact they have so much depth at the position causes some reason for hesitation. As a team, La Salle's statistics matchup with any other team: 73 points, 39 rebounds, and 13 assists per outing. So statistically, they are a balanced team and play their game day in and day out. The top 3 contributors for this team are Philadelphia native Rodney Green (left), Kimmani Barett, Yves, and Mekongo Mbala. Green, the team's highest scorer and assist man, will look for help from his junior partners Barett and Mkongo Mbala. The team has a 8 point loss against UConn under their belt, showing that they can challenge even the toughest of teams. In addition, both teams have one team in common that both have played: that being Villanova. The Explorers lost to Villanova by 11, giving a small idea of the talent of both teams.

Disadvantages: La Salle Explorers

Though they have 8 wins, it doesn't seem as if La Salle has really been challenged in any of their victories. Although there have been close contests, the average RPI rating in their wins is a 213. The team's strongest victory comes over a current 9-6 program, that being Rider. If La Salle plays their game, this could be a real interesting and momentum boosting beginning to an A-10 Conference season.

Here's our take now on Temple, who comes back "home" to start their Atlantic 10 Conference schedule with a 2-game winning streak:

Advantages: Temple Owls

As just mentioned, the Owls come into this game with a 2-game winning streak, and the momentum to start their conference schedule. The Owls are led by Dionte Christmas (right), who averages 20 points per game. Lavoy Allen has also shown teams that he is coming out of his slump. Tonight, coincidentally, will be a great opportunity for the sophomore to show what he's made of. Facing an arsenal of big men, both Allen and senior Sergio Olmos have their work cut out for them. It seems that the Owls have solidified the point guard position, and it looks like this has made the post play stronger. We'll look to see another great game from freshman phenom Juan Fernandez, who has shown to be the key piece the Owls missed eariler this year. With their size and talented guard play, it seems that this is where Temple will thrive in this game. La Salle is a forward oriented team, so the team will need efficient play around the perimeter as well. Not only Christmas and Fernandez, but the help of Semaj Inge and Ryan Brooks as well.

Disadvantages: Temple Owls

Even with the big men ranging from 6'9" to 7'0", there no saying that this will present an advantage for the Owls. The majority of players on La Salle average 6'5" height, and have a lot of athleticism for their size. The rebounding game has been very inconsistent as well, and the Explorers' foundation as a whole is team oriented. This will have to be a team effort, or there could easily be some problems caused for the Owls. Overall, this will be an interesting challenge for Temple.

Here's a look as usual at our projected starters:

Semaj Inge (7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists)
Ruben Guillandeaux (10 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists)

Ryan Brooks (11 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists)
Rodney Green (15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists)

Dionte Christmas (20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists)
Kimmani Barrett (13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists)

Lavoy Allen (9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists)
Yves Mkong Mbala (10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists)

Sergio Olmos (10 points, 4 rebounds 1 assist)
Vernon Goodridge (8 points, 6 rebounds, .4 assists)

Hoot to Watch For: Big games will have to come from Temple's big men. Lavoy Allen, Michael Eric, Craig Williams, and Sergio Olmos will all need to come up big in this game in order to balance out La Salle's overall game. You could even say this will have to be an overall team effort if the Owls want to win this game.

Tonight's game can be caught on 1210 WPHT: www.thebigtalker1210.com

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The Eagles Fall

No, not the Philadelphia Eagles.

In their second game in 3 days, the Temple Owls were able to hoist themselves back over a .500 record with a win over the Eastern Michigan Eagles. Though Fran Dunphy considered this game "sloppy", I myself felt that this was basketball the way that Temple has not played in a while: well.

One of the players that really found his game was Lavoy Allen, who was in an obvious slump recently. Last night, the Sophomore turned things around with a 14 point, 5 rebound, and 3 assist game. It is the first time in 2 weeks that Allen scored double digits.

Another player that has been in somewhat of a slump was Ryan Brooks, Temple's junior guard. Brooks had a better shooting night, shooting 4/7 overall, including two 3 pointers. He finished the game with 10 points. Along with that, we also saw another impressive performance from Juan Fernandez. No. 4 maintained his 8 point average with another 2/2 from behind the arc and from the line.

If you are interested in the box score, here is the ESPN link:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=290072199

As for Eastern Michigan, they were able to hold on with a 9 point deficit at halftime. Top player for the Eagles last night was Brandon Bowdry, who was the only player to score double digits, but also fouled out of the game.

The Owls next upcoming game will be on Sunday, where they'll begin their Atlantic 10 schedule against La Salle. Eastern Michigan, plays on Saturday and will kick off their MAC conference season.

Stay tuned for our preview for the Temple-La Salle game.

Temple Owls- 67, Eastern Michigan Eagles- 45

"Juan"dering Into Michigan

After a quick day of rest, the Temple Men's Basketball team will head back out onto the road to play against their final MAC team, and into the conference schedule. The Owls (6-6) will head out to Eastern Michigan (2-11) to attempt to finish their MAC season record at .500. As always, The Owls Nest will cover the Advantages and Disadvantages of both teams, along with statistics and matchups. Let's take a look at tonight's game:

The Temple Owls are coming into this game off a win against Kent State, which ended an upsetting and uncharacteristic 3 game losing streak. The team improved their record to 6-6 in the 73-58 victory, and featured newest player Juan Fernandez. Owls fans also saw an impressive game from Sophomore Craig Williams. Since their last game, they have had one day off, and are heading back on the road prior to this past home game.

The Eastern Michigan Eagles welcome the Owls to their home, where the team will try and snap their second 5-game losing streak of the year. Their last game came against Chicago State, where the Eagles fell 79-61. Though their record is a mere 2-11, the team has held strong against opponents like Georgia, and will give Temple a fight to end their misery.

Here's our look at the Eastern Michigan Eagles.

Advantages: Eastern Michigan Eagles

For one of the only times this season, I think it's safe to say that this team has the overall advantage at
the forward position. Forwards Brandon Bowdry (left) and Justin Dobbins lead the team in points and rebounds. Both players present threats inside the paint, shooting over 50% combined. Bowdry averages a solid 16 points, along with roughly 7 rebounds per game. Dobbins is next highest at 11 points, going with 5 boards per game. If both of these players are able to produce, we believe this might be the biggest problem Temple will face tonight. Both players have good size at 6'6" and 6'8", and easily matchup with some the Owls' backcourt and post players. Look for these two to become key elements in the production for EMU.

Disadvantages: Eastern Michigan Eagles

For one, the Eagles have had a lot of trouble as a whole during the course of the season. For many teams, 2-11 does not seem intimidating, on top of that two 5+ losing streaks already this year. A big factor that has haunted the Owls this year will be consistency. Eastern Michigan has given a game to a fair share of their opponents. Will the team that lost to Illinois by 9 show up, or will the team that lost to Michigan by 30 show? This will be a major factor if the team wants to knock off the Owls. In addition, the game plan for not just EMU will change, but for other teams who play Temple. Juan Fernandez adds parts of the game that didn't appear in the previous 11 games, and will not be easy to adapt to.

Now we take a look at Temple, who as mentioned comes off a victory against Kent State this past Monday. This will be the 4th matchup against a MAC opponent this year, and the Owls have not had the most success, sitting at 1-2. Tonight, they'll take their 10th game on the road and try and hand EMU their 12th loss. Here's a look at the team:

Advantages: Temple Owls

We've now gotten a taste of two "newer" players, those being Juan Fernandez and Craig Williams. This only extends the depth that TU already has, and will create major mismatches in the future. The more playing time these guys get, the more it will benefit them as well as other players. The turnover decrease with Juan Fernandez gives players like Ryan Brooks, Lavoy Allen, and Sergio Olmos more touches that they need. Having the 6'10" shooter in Craig Williams will cause problems inside and outside the arc. Lavoy Allen, the 6'10" Sophomore, is taking strides to the game that Owls fans know. If he can produce, with the assistance of 6'11" Michael Eric and 7'0" Sergio Olmos, there's no telling how dangerous the post play could be.

Temple is looking to get things back on track, getting a 2nd win in a row and back over .500. Here's our projected starting lineups for afternoon's game:

Semaj Inge (8 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists)
L.J Frazier (7 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists)

Ryan Brooks (11 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)
Solomon Farris (8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists)

Dionte Christmas (21 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists)
Brandon Bowdry (16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists)

Lavoy Allen (9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists)
Justin Dobbins (12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist)

Sergio Olmos (11 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)
Branden Harrison (4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist)

Hoot to Watch For: As we stated earlier, Lavoy Allen (right) looked a little more like himself on Monday, but could easily be a lot more effective in the game. The Sophomore is up against two talented forwards, and will be in for a competitive game at his position. We'd like to see Lavoy do some damage when he gets his touches.

That's our pregame review of both teams, as always, we're looking forward to an entertaining game.

You can catch the game on 1210 WPHT at 7:00.

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New Years Bang

On Monday, the Owls were able to get things rolling in 2009 with a victory over Kent State. With higher expectations coming around as we near conference play, several players decided to bring some style to the new year. We saw our highly anticipated debut of Juan Fernandez, who looked great, as well as some interesting play from Craig Williams (left). We'll take a look at how the Owls faired against Kent State in their 73-58 win on January 5th:

It wasn't expected that the Argentinean sensation would start, but many came to this game figuring the kid would finally play. Surprisingly, coach Fran Dunphy got more than expected, as Juan Fernandez gave us a taste of what we'll have for the next 3 1/2 years. Tonight's stats for Fernandez:

8 points, 4 assists, 3 turnovers, 1 steal (2/2 Free Throws) in 21 minutes.

Along with this, we also got a further glimpse at what Craig Williams would be. Owls fans were somewhat confused when Sergio Olmos did not start in this game, rather Williams take his spot. Amazingly, the 6'10" Sophomore scored the first 8 points of the ball game, 2 of which were 3 pointers. Williams finished the game with 16 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block in 22 minutes.

This win over Kent State gives the Owls a boost back to .500, where they'll take on Eastern Michigan Wednesday night. We'll have our preview out sometime tomorrow.

As for the Golden Flashes, they now drop to 7-7. Leading performer for the team was Tyree Evans, who managed to score 17 in the loss. They'll move on now to take on their MAC schedule in Ohio.

Check below's link for the rest of the box score:

Temple Owls-Kent State Golden Flashes Box Score

Stay tuned for tomorrows Eastern Michigan preview.

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Bienvenido, Juan Fernandez!

After a long week of holiday festivities and celebration, the Temple Owls return tonight in front of a home crowd to try and end this 3 game skid. The latest loss, of course, coming against Big 5 rival Villanova by a score of 62-45.

On December 29th, many Owls fans anticipated some playing time for the Argentinian phenom known as Juan Fernandez, but it turns out that instead we will be seeing him tonight. The 6'4" point guard will look to make his debut against the Kent State Golden Flashes.

Our post will take a look at how both team's compare with advantages, matchups, and statistics.

The Temple Owls will return home for only the 3rd time this year against MAC opponent Kent State. The Golden Flashes, currently sitting at 7-6, will look to continue a winning streak of their own. They come off a victory over Hampton this past Saturday. Here's a look at the team from Kent, Ohio:

Advantages: Kent State Golden Flashes

As did Villanova and Tennessee, it seems that Kent State uses the majority of their roster. The Golden Flashes have at least 11 of their 14 players consistently earning playing time, and this could once again cause a problem for Temple. It seems that
Tyree Evans (left), a highly touted player from Virginia, has been getting 28 minutes or so as well in just four games. He leads the team in points per game, averaging nearly 16 points per outing. Behind him are Al Fisher and Chris Singletary, who also account for 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists combined. Another smaller advantage that is found here is the momentum that both teams bring into this game. This team comes to the Liacouras Center with 2 recent wins against Shawnee State and Hampton. In addition, KSU held strong on a neutral court in an overtime loss to Illinois.

Disadvantages: Kent State Golden Flashes

Though they have the presence of 6'8" and 6'10" players, we still feel the Owls have the advantage under the boards. If Lavoy Allen is able to pick his game up tonight, he can cause a major problem for this team. A hopeful showing of Juan Fernandez might also present a struggle, as he is known to be a very talented player. Temple will come into this game in front of a home crowd, wanting to avenge their 3 game losing streak. Temple has a strong victory over previously 8th ranked Tennessee, but there is no telling if that success has paid off yet. Our other concern that Kent State might have is turnovers. In their last game, the Golden Flashes had 22 turnovers, giving many chances for Hampton to make it a closer game. Both Fisher and Singletary average over 3 turnovers per game, and will need to keep them down against a somewhat sound Temple defense.

There's our input on the visiting team tonight, and now here's our outlook on Temple's pros and cons for this matchup:

Advantages: Temple Owls

Dionte Christmas and company will look to turn things around during the New Year as they make their way towards conference play. Christmas, a candidate for the Naismith Award, leads the Owls with 21 points per game. His Villanova showing was not representative of his overall skill, but hopefully will not hold him back for what lies ahead. The Owls once again have some what of an advantage in height in more of the guard area this time, and will hopefully utilize that along with Juan Fernandez. If Temple wants to win this game, players like Ryan Brooks, Michael Eric, and Lavoy Allen are going to have to take some of the load off of Christmas. Temple fans saw last week the problems that are potential when Dionte goes cold.

Disadvantages: Temple Owls

The team is currently on a 3 game skid, 2 of which were definitely winnable games. Only at home for the 3rd time this year, the Owls will hopefully end a run that has haunted them now for weeks. The major problem that the Owls might face is the ability to run the floor and produce consistently for 40 straight minutes. We've seen in numerous games now that Temple has struggled at points in the second half, where opponents are able to create long productive runs. This will be the main problem the Golden Flashes will be able to force.

Here is what we think will be the projected starters for this matchup:

Luis Guzman (3 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists)
Al Fisher (15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists)

Semaj Inge (8 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists)
Chris Singletary (15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists)

Dionte Christmas (21 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists)
Tyree Evans (17 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists)

Lavoy Allen (9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists)
Julian Sullinger (7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)

Sergio Olmos (11 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)
Brandon Parks (9 points, 6 rebounds 0 assists)

Tonight should be an interesting game, where both teams are on the opposite end of the hill. Kent State stands at the top, looking only to improve their success so
far. Temple, on the other hand, has found themselves working upward in order to hopefully improve back to the 'Tennessee' Days.

Hoot to Watch For: As mentioned previously, it will be interesting to see the impact that Juan Fernandez (right) can bring to the table. If we can get some solid minutes out of this kid, and he is at least able to produce on both ends somewhat, we might be in for something special. We are looking forward to his progression during his 3 and a half years as a Temple Owl.

Tonight is a home game for the Owls, and can also be found on 1210 WPHT, or Channelsurfing.net.

Go Owls!

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