Temple Can’t Overcome Cold Shooting in Battle of the Owls

PHILADELPHIA— Temple Men’s Basketball couldn’t overcome poor shooting on Sunday, Jan. 18, falling 79-73 to Florida Atlantic University at the Liacouras Center in a game in which they had a chance to take the conference lead.

The Cherry and White made just 36.8 percent of their shots (six-of-22 from three); FAU started off slow, making 35.3 percent of their shots in the first half, but a 49-point explosion out of the break pushed them to victory. Both teams racked up 25 fouls, foul trouble and stoppages impacting their ability to find a rhythm.

Temple (11-7, 4-2 American) scored ten straight midway through the first half to take a 26-17 lead, threes from Derrian Ford (22 points) and Gavin Griffiths (14 points) bookending the run. Their shooting struggles meant they couldn’t build the lead any further, as a close to six minute stretch without any makes from the field allowed FAU to whittle their lead down to two points.

FAU Turns Things Around

Temple’s streaky play continued in the second half, including a stretch where they committed five turnovers in a span of three minutes, allowing FAU to pull ahead 40-38. Ford sank a three and a layup on consecutive possessions, sparking a 7-0 run that put Temple back in front, but they went cold immediately after that, making just one shot in the next four minutes and 50 seconds.

A Griffiths three made it 54-52, beginning a period where he scored eight straight points for the Owls, desperately trying to keep pace with an FAU team that smelled blood in the water, making seven of their next eight shots and rectifying the lone miss with a tip-in.

Aiden Tobiason (23 points) drew fouls on consecutive plays, making three of four free throws to cut the lead to 62-61, but FAU responded with 6-0 and 5-0 runs both times Temple closed within a possession.

Temple will travel to Rice next, with that game set to tip off at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21.