Owls crack AP Top 25 poll
For the first time this season, Temple was voted into the Associated Press' Top 25 poll
The 21-5 Owls are ranked 22nd, just behind UNLV and just ahead of Indiana. The Owls have won 10 consecutive games and are facing an interesting week. They play at La Salle on Wednesday and visit Saint Joseph's on Saturday. The Explorers and Hawks, both with 18 victories, know a win over a ranked opponent such as Temple will help their NCAA Tournament resume.
This is the first time the Owls have been ranked since March 7, 2011, when they were 24th in the next-to-last regular season poll.
Temple also is ranked 22nd in the USA Today/ESPN poll, right behind New Mexico and ahead of Saint Mary's.
Drexel, which has won 15 in a row and 21 of 22, was among others receiving votes. The Dragons are 30th, with 13 votes, one place behind Saint Louis and one place ahead of Harvard.
Drexel also received votes in the USA Today/ESPN poll, coming in 33rd.
In other news, Temple senior guard Juan Fernandez was named Big 5 player of the week. Fernandez averaged 18 points, five assists and three steals as the Owls went 2-0.
On the Big 5 men's honor roll are:
• La Salle sophomore guard Tyreek Duren, who scored all of his 15 points in the second half of a one-point win over UMass.
• Saint Joseph's junior guard Carl Jones, who averaged 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists as the Hawks went 2-0.
• Penn senior guard Zack Rosen, who scored 17 points down the stretch as the Quakers beat Cornell.
Temple senior guard Shea Peddy was named Big 5 women's player of the week. She scored 22 points and had a Temple-record 10 steals against Rhode Island. She also scored 15 points and had eight rebounds against George Washington. The Owls have won 11 straight games.
On the women's honor roll are:
•Saint Joseph's senior forward Kelly Cavallo, who averaged 13 points and 6.5 rebounds as the Hawks went 2-0.
• Villanova junior forward Laura Sweeney, who scored 16 points against No. 15 Georgetown and had 19 points against No. 18 Rutgers.
• Penn sophomore forward Alyssa Baron, who averaged 21.5 points in two games.