Temple Outclassed Against Richmond at the Palestra

PHILADELPHIA — Playing at the Palestra as part of the historic arena’s centennial celebrations, Temple Men’s Basketball suffered their first loss of the 2026-27 season in blowout fashion on Sunday, Nov. 8.

Slow starts to both halves killed the Owls (1-1) on the way to a 79-53 final. Richmond opened the game on a 14-0 run that forced Temple head coach Adam Fisher to burn his first timeout after just 112 seconds. The Owls missed their first eight shots from the field, including five from beyond the arc to begin the game: they fared better from two-point range, making five of 11 attempts in the period, but the Spiders managed to keep them at arm’s length as their shooting improved.

Senior and returning all-conference guard Derrian Ford came off the bench for the second game in a row after dealing with an injury in the preseason. Ford led Temple in minutes played (27) and finished second in points (11) despite a shaky shooting night. 6-foot-6 junior forward Baboucarr Njie similarly played a lead role in reserve, finishing third in minutes and providing a spark on both ends with seven points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Point guard Dallis Dillard, who transferred in from Division II – IUP, played 25 minutes off the bench and posted four assists, three steals and three turnovers in a solid two-way performance. Five straight points from Cam Scott early in the second half cut the deficit to 39-28, giving the Owls a glimmer of hope, but Richmond promptly reeled off a 12-0 run that quashed Temple’s chances. Scott led Temple in scoring with 13 points, making three of four triples on the night.

Up next, Temple will host Charleston at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11.