Loss puts Temple in tough spot
Temple could have made a definitive NCAA statement, but instead the Owls are left having to rebound for the second straight year after a difficult loss at Tulsa.
Temple could have made a definitive NCAA statement, but instead the Owls are left having to rebound for the second straight year after a difficult loss at Tulsa.
The Owls fell to 17-10 overall and 11-4 in the American Athletic Conference with Tuesday's 74-55 loss at Tulsa. A year ago, Temple also lost, 55-39, late in the season at Tulsa's Reynolds Center. It was the Owls' lowest scoring output of that season.
Even though the Owls entered Wednesday still in first place in the AAC, they could have put a stranglehold on the position with a win.
Now, the Golden Hurricane (19-9, 11-5) remain clearly in the NCAA picture after earning a split this season with Temple. Cincinnati and Connecticut, two teams that Temple has beaten twice, are among other AAC contenders for an NCAA berth. Houston, which has split with Temple, could be another contender.
Temple led Tulsa by as many as 12 points in the first half but trailed, 31-29, at halftime and then self-destructed with eight second-half turnovers (among 12 for the game).
The Owls also seemed to be playing more one-on-one with less ball movement.
"There was some of that," coach Fran Dunphy said in a phone interview. "But we counted five opportunities to the rim in the last eight minutes, and we didn't convert any of them."
The Owls, who opened the two-game road trip with a 69-66 win on Sunday at Houston, are hoping leading scorer Quenton DeCosey can shake out of a slump.
DeCosey, who averages a team-high 15.9 points per game, shot 3 for 12 and scored 11 points against Tulsa. In his last three games, he averaged 9.6 points and shot 8 for 34 from the field.
"He has been terrific this year, but it is a long season, and sometimes you might go through a rough spell," Dunphy said. "He will [rebound]."
Temple has three games left. On Saturday, the Owls will host Central Florida, which was 11-14, 5-9 before Wednesday's home game against Houston.
Temple will host Memphis next Thursday before finishing March 6 at Tulane.
Then it's on to the AAC tournament in Orlando. The Owls would earn the top seed by winning their final three regular-season games.
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