'Best' and 'Worst' awards from Temple vs. George Washington game

My look at some of the best and worst performances and observations from Temple’s 79-72 victory over George Washington Wednesday night at the Liacouras Center:

Player of the game:  Temple’s Khalif Wyatt had the best performance of the game. The junior guard scored 22 points in a reserve role. Fourteen of his points came during the Owls' game-ending 22-5 run. The Norristown High graduate was unstoppable when the Owls needed him down the stretch.

Worst of the worst: This has to go to Temple’s fans for not showing up. There was a listed crowd of 4,076. However, it can be argued that there were fewer fans at the 10,206-seat multiple-purpose venue. Even the Owls’ student section was half empty. At times, sitting in the Liacouras Center felt like being in a library instead of at a basketball game.

Best sidekick: On any other night, Ramone Moore would garner player-of-the-game honors. But the Temple guard has to settle for being the Robin to Wyatt’s Batman. And that’s only because Wyatt took over down the stretch. Before that happened, Moore was the most impressive player. The senior guard finished with a game-high 25 points, four assists and two steals.

Best bounce back game: George Washington guard Lasan Kromah finished with a team-high 22 points on 8 for 12 shooting. Looking to shake things up, the Colonials had the normal starter come off the bench. And it wasn’t a bad move, considering he bounced back from scoring just seven points in Saturday’s loss to Massachusetts.

Worst defensive effort: The Owls as a whole get this award for their dismal effort in the first half. George Washington held a 41-29 halftime cushion after shooting 56.7 percent during the first 20 minutes. The Colonials finished the game with 40 points in the paint and outscored the Owls 11-4 in fast break points.

Best stat by a winning team:  The Owls scored 22 points off of turnovers. That made up for their lackluster first-half defensive effort.