(PHOTO COURTESY OF NOEL CHACKO / THE TEMPLE NEWS)
(PHILADELPHIA, PA) The Owls could not find a rhythm offensively all night with core scores Damian Dunn and Nick Jourdain struggling from the field. It didn’t help that lead guard Jeremiah Williams went down with a shoulder injury with seven minutes remaining in the first half. Temple finished the game with 18 turnovers and ten assists, representing just how bad the team’s chemistry and ball movement was.
Coach McKie talked after the game about how the Owls never found their groove by saying, “We just were out of sync from the beginning of the game. It was just one of those games. I thought we did some good things defensively. I didn’t like that those guys got 30 points in the paint. We talked about how that’s where the game is going to be won because that’s what this team does.”
Even with how poor the team was playing, USF could never fully take advantage of the Owls rough outing. With Temple up by two with just over twenty seconds left, the ball got tipped into the air due to a deflection by freshman Hysier Miller. The ball bounced into the right-wing got picked up by Javon Greene, who chucked up a 25-foot contested three and nailed it. Before that shot, USF was 0-11 from beyond the arc.
WWHHAATT!!!!
📺(ESPN+) https://t.co/Dma9tgVjdS #AllInAllOut 🤘 | @javongreene_1 pic.twitter.com/zLaM9abPqp
— USF Men's Basketball (@USFMBB) February 8, 2022
With 2:14 left in the game and up by four, Damian Dunn went up to contest a three-point attempt by Jamir Chaplin. Damian came down wrong, injuring his left leg, and fouled Chaplin. A trainer took Dunn off the court, limping his way to the bench.
Temple found themselves inbounding the ball on the low block down by one with ten seconds left. Damian Dunn, although injured, got input back into the game. Jahlil White found Dunn in the short right corner with Jamir Chaplin guarding him.
Dunn took one quick dribble and looked to go into the post. Initiating upper body contact, Chaplin got sent to the floor, and the officials made a charging call.
After two made free throws, USF sealed the win, giving the Bulls their second conference win of the season.
Coach McKie regretted putting Damian back in the game with his injury; as post-game, he stated, “Once I saw him moving again, he came up to me and said, Coach, I’m good. We put him back out there and, I guess I shouldn’t have put him back out there, but he said he was okay.”
Zach Hicks played a very effective 20 minutes off the bench, producing eight points and a team-high nine rebounds on 50% shooting. Being a taller shot-creator, Hicks recently makes a solid case to be implemented into the starting lineup.
Same spot? Back to Back corner 3's from Zach give the Owls the lead, 41 – 38 at the media timeout. 7:58 left in the half@zhicks1231 pic.twitter.com/UuINghXUDS
— Temple Men's Basketball (@TUMBBHoops) February 8, 2022
With Williams going down after just 12 minutes on the court, Tai Strickland ran the offense. Strickland struggled in this more extensive role, finishing with three points and two assists on 1-8 from the field.
Jahlil White continues his recent offensive struggles, shooting just 1-6 from the field along with four turnovers. Known for his defense, he picked up eight rebounds on the night but needs to be better with the ball in his hands moving forward.
Falling to a 6-4 conference record, Temple sits fourth in the AAC, sitting behind undefeated Houston, 7-2 SMU, and their next opponents, the 7-4 Tulane Green Wave. The Owls face off in New Orleans Saturday, 2/12 at 2:00 PM ET on ESPN+.
