(PHOTO RECEIVED FROM ZAMANI FEELINGS/OWLSPORTS)
(PHILADELPHIA, PA) Temple started the game red hot from the field, going on a 12-2 run throughout the first five minutes. Cincinnati tried to make runs, but Temple would slow the pace down and find a good shot to end any Bearcat momentum. Cincinnati cut the lead to just seven after a David DeJulius layup with three minutes remaining in half. Temple locked up to end the half, going on a 7-0 run heading into halftime. Behind freshman Zach Hick’s 12 point first half, Temple went into the locker room up 47-33.
Zach was 4-5 from 3pt and led us in scoring with 16🔥
𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗜𝗡! @zhicks1231 pic.twitter.com/SNO0L9iTOS
— Temple Men's Basketball (@TUMBBHoops) February 21, 2022
Guard Hysier Miller, filling in for Jeremiah Williams (Shoulder), had an excellent performance, scoring eight of his 13 points in the first half. Being a lethal three-point shooter, he shot 3-5 from downtown, along with adding three assists and five rebounds to his stat line. Hysier did a great job facilitating the offense playing next to ball-dominant guards Damian Dunn and Tai Strickland.
Temple kept up their offensive production to start the half, finding themselves up 16 after a beautiful post-fade from Nick Jourdain. The Bearcats committed to a full-court press shortly after, completely throwing off the Owl’s offensive rhythm.
Nice turnaround jumper from Nick. At the media timeout, Owls are still up, 62 – 49, 7:50 left in the 2nd half.@Swiish_Alert pic.twitter.com/ifJZiawYEt
— Temple Men's Basketball (@TUMBBHoops) February 20, 2022
Led by guard Jeremiah Davenport, Cincinnati fought back through three-point shooting and pressure defense. The Owls continually found themselves rushing to get a shot off late in the shot clock, leading to quick transition shots for Cincinnati. Davenport scored nine of the team’s following 11 points, cutting the Temple lead to eight, swinging the momentum.
Freshman guard Tai Strickland nearly cost the Owls the game, as he found himself bringing the ball up the court with 1:15 left. Strickland crossed half-court, picked up the ball, and tossed it cross-court to Damian Dunn. The ball flew right over Dunn’s head, fell out of bounds, and changed possession. The clever play up by two possessions would be to sit in the post, not force anything and make Cincinnati foul him.
Luckily for the Owls, John Newman III missed a contested three on the other end, leading to the free-throw game. Temple shot 8-10 from the charity stripe in the last 40 seconds, securing their second conference win in a row.
After a two-game absence, Damian Dunn came in off the bench and immediately impacted the offense. Although not converting any of his threes, he finished with 15 points on 7-10 from the free-throw line. Dunn started the game off the bench, allowing himself to view how the defense was being played before checking in five minutes into the half.
15 points in 28 minutes after missing two games 😤⌚️
𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗜𝗡! @Dam1anKD pic.twitter.com/z2PaQkLWn0
— Temple Men's Basketball (@TUMBBHoops) February 21, 2022
Dunn talked about coming off the bench for the first time in his young collegiate career by saying, “Not only today but the last two games that I’ve been out and just watching. I tell myself when I go in; I just have to match the intensity with the rest of the guys.” Dunn isn’t accustomed to sitting on the bench, but being out gave him a great perspective on how he can impact the game on both ends of the court.
Bouncing back from his 27 point game, Tai Strickland merged into the starting lineup well, putting up 11 points, five rebounds, and two steals in the win. Being named AAC Player of the Week, Tai has shown great potential as a spark-plug off the bench, along with playing petty defense.
Temple continued their streak of playing excellent perimeter defense, limiting the Bearcats to shoot a horrendous 8-32 from three. Jalen Davenport and Mika Adams-Woods shot a combined 5-18 from three. Even without Jeremiah Williams, lengthy guard Jahlil White kept up the defensive intensity, having one steal and one block.
Although only shooting 64.7% from the free-throw line, Temple made every Bearcat that touched the floor on Sunday gain at least one foul. Cincinnati committed 26 total fouls, which was the deciding factor in the win. The Owls have to be better from the line, as missing 12 attempts in a must-win game is unacceptable.
NEXT UP
Temple heads to Tennessee to take on the 9-5 Memphis Tigers Thursday, February 24th at 7:00 ET on ESPN2. Memphis is currently third in the AAC, as the Owls sit fifth in the conference. Memphis will be without the highly-talented Emoni Bates, as he still has a back injury. Center Jalen Duran is Temple’s main priority, averaging 11.4 points and 7.5 rebounds.
The Owls are hopeful that Jeremiah Williams can come back after suffering a shoulder injury against South Florida. There is still no update on junior forward Jake Forrester, who has been out for seven consecutive games with an illness.
