Bell Rings Up 22 in Temple Women’s Basketball’s 81-60 Rout of Akron

PHILADELPHIA – Satoria Bell came off the bench to score a season-high 22 points in leading the Temple women’s basketball team in an 81-60 rout of visiting Akron (7-5). The Owls (8-6) also got 17 points from Kristen McCarthy and 13 from Qwedia Wallace.

Temple went 15-of-16 at the free throw line and hit 10-of-23 from behind the arc in the victory. Bell was 4-of-7 from three-point range and 6-of-6 at the line. She also led the Owls with seven rebounds. Temple’s 21 assists were the most in close to two years, since February of 2009.

BJ Williams led the Owls with a game-high eight assists. Joelle Connelly scored the first points of her Temple career in her second game playing for the Owls. She came off the bench to hit 2-of-3 from the field and 2-of-2 at the line, finishing with six points.

Rachel Tecca led Akron with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and Taylor Ruper finished with 14 points for the Zips including 4-of-4 from three-point land.

Temple never trailed in the game, but its largest lead in the first half was only eight. The Owls jumped ahead 10-2 but a 10-3 Akron run put the margin at just one point, 13-12 at 13:22.

The Owls' lead stayed at four or fewer points until just after the seven minute mark, but they finished the half with only a 34-31 advantage.

Temple's edge in the first half came at the line where the Owls were a perfect 10-for-10.

Four minutes into the second half Temple led by just one, 39-38, but used a 9-0 run to take its first double-digit lead. With a 12-point, 64-52 lead at the 5:44 mark of the second half, the Owls closed the game outscoring Akron 17-8.

Temple out-rebounded the Zips 34-25 overall and 21-12 in the second half. The Owls also got six blocks while Akron recorded zero blocks.

Temple will begin Atlantic 10 play on the road next week, traveling to Charlotte for the conference opener on Friday, Jan. 7 at noon.