Temple articles pre Mass win then post Mass win

Yes, the Owls are coming off a loss (at St Joes right before this article). Yes, other teams are ranked higher. But winning 10 of your last 11 (and now 12 of your last 13) does say you’re playing some of your better basketball right about now. The Owls have a terrific backcourt attack with Ramone Moore, Khalif Wyatt, and Juan Fernandez. While there’s a little concern that Temple’s frontcourt packs a much smaller punch, teams that go deep in the tournament always have loaded backcourts, and Temple’s can match up with most any team in the country.

Khalif Wyatt scored 26 points, including the winning layup in the final seconds of overtime, to help No. 23 Temple beat Massachusetts 90-88 on Wednesday night and clinch the top seed in next week’s Atlantic 10 tournament.  The Owls (23-6, 12-3) also clinched a tie for the regular-season conference title, though they hold the tiebreaker over Saint Louis. Micheal Eric had 19 points and 15 rebounds, and Juan Fernandez scored 18 points for Temple.

The Owls blew a 10-point lead over the final 2 1/2 minutes of regulation and saw UMass score the first six points of overtime.

Temple had enough to rally thanks to Wyatt and a huge edge at the free throw line. The Owls made 30 of 40 attempts while UMass was 6 of 10. But Temple started misfiring from the line in the final minutes of regulation and overtime.

Wyatt bailed out the Owls, scoring the last seven points of overtime.

“I hope that we’re a team that finds a way,” coach Fran Dunphy said. “You do get a little crazed when you’re sitting there saying, `How are we going to figure this one out?”’

UMass finished 12 of 24 from 3-point range while the Owls went 6 of 21.

After UMass scored the first six points of overtime, Temple pulled within one and had a chance to take the lead. But Eric missed two free throws with 1:39 left.

Wyatt, who had only four field goals, made up for it when he was fouled on a hard layup and made the tying free throw with 58 seconds left. He delivered the winner on a fastbreak layup that had the crowd in a frenzy and allowed the Owls to escape in their home finale.

Temple had the game in control until Freddie Riley hit two 3s in the final 70 seconds of regulation to slice the lead to 79-78 with 40 seconds left. Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson missed two free throws for Temple, though the Owls snagged the loose ball rebound. Wyatt, who made his first 13 free throws, made one of two from the line with 35 seconds left.

Putney’s layup tied the game at 80-all with just less than 30 seconds left. UMass shot 52 percent from the field in the second half.  Fernandez and Ramone Moore, who scored 13 points, both got blocked on the final possession to send the game to overtime. 

“I can’t say we were really tough and nasty down the stretch,” Dunphy said. “We made some really bonehead plays. We just kind of got lucky.”

The Owls have won 12 of 13, though they haven’t been playing their best lately. They’ve allowed more than 70 points in three straight games for the first time all season, letting opponents make 43.7 percent from 3-point range. They needed overtime to beat La Salle 80-79 on Feb. 22, then lost 82-72 at St. Joseph’s on Saturday.

16-13 against the spread  16 over 11 under 2 push on the total.

Temple

I saw them play Texas without Scootie Randall and Micheal Eric – their two primary bigs. They STILL looked fine verse Texas. Their guards are really really solid and big. Averaging 6’5.  I think anyone with smaller guards may struggle a bit with their guard length. I also think that they will dominate the glass in most games. Iwant to double check this, but they have good athleticism all over and rebound well. Once they do rebound, they like to run and they run very intelligently. This team will not be turning the ball over a lot so if a team feasts on TO’s they will starve verse Temple. Inside, they were fine … not overwhelmed at all.

Vs Duke.. announcer said that to do damage against them, you have to drive. Said they are not quick side to side.. interesting.. Also, in this game Myles Plumlee had a great game. I think that could be true if Temple plays a really good big. Their bigs are serviceable, but they aren’t dominant (and both their hurt bigs did NOT play in this game). Side note on the bigs, they clearly outrebounded the bigger duke team.

I dont want to forget last year in the tourney where this team gutted out a win verse Penn State and then lost in double overtime to SDST. That team lost their starting center a month before the end of the season. This team, which is better, gets one BACK with a month left in the season.

Mid-field upset possibilities? Part 1 TEMPLE

Temple Owls

Last year, Fran Dunphy got the short end of the stick when drawing Ivy League champ and Sweet 16 participant Cornell. So far, Juan Fernandez, Lavoy Allen, and company have been going near the pace of last year. They’ve defeated Georgetown, Maryland, and Georgia, while losing close against Texas A&M and Villanova.

However, the tournament projection puts the Owls a lower seed than the 5 they had last year. It actually may be to their benefit. Instead of taking on that dreaded 5-12 matchup, they may get a 10th seed in the first round. With their defense, athleticism, and discipline, they’re the type of squad that could take out a 2-seed during the first weekend of the tourney.

Upset potential: Elite 8

Temple

2010 Tournament Summary – Stats had them as favorites against a better team in Cornell. They were right.  I actually had notes that they were better than ears before when I thought they were a tourney fraud. They had steady senior guard play and Lavoy Allen is the real deal. My notes say they made their money on D but every offensive shot looked contested. Bottom line for this tournement was they ran into a scoring machine in Cornell and couldnt keep up.

2011 Outlook:  Another crushing out of conference schedule for a team that returns several key players. This seasons success will hinge on the ability of Lavoy to score more and their ability to put guards on the floor who can help Juan Fernandez not be iso’d the entire game. 

My Notes: Typical Temple team. I just shake my head year after year at the pub this team gets. Last year a 5 seed and beat by Cornell. Expect the same this year. This team may not even be as good as last years because of the loss of two guards I thought were very servicable. Granted, they have run into some tough teams the last few years in Cornell, Arizona State with James Harden and Michigan State, but they ALWAYS will with their seed. And when matched up with a second tier high profile conference they are at best an equal match.

Gottlieb: Juan Fernandez did not appear that comfortable shooting the ball, and Temple struggled to score. Lavoy Allen is a solid-but-not-great player. Temple, like this entire tournament, guards well but cannot shoot and struggles to score.

Vs Georgetown: I am not in love with Georgetown at all, but Temple beat them all game. Ramon Moore ate Georgetown alive off the dribble, Fernandez is just a baller, and Allen and other big are really really solid front court. They do only run out 7 so they could be run into fatigue. Overall, I was more impressed with them than normal. This might be my favorite Temple team ever.. although.. that still puts them only in the lower top tier.

Vs Xavier: Great game. This team is well coached. Some notes from me – First off, Fernandez runs a solid show on the floor for this team. He has a feel for the game and can control Temple. They move the ball well and they really know how to move, drive, and make cuts to get the ball in the key for good shots. I can not think of many possessions where they did not have a very good look at the rim. The ermergence of Wyatt’s 3 point shooting was new to me watching this team. In the past, I thought they could not hit the 3.. today Wyatt and Randall did. These 2 are new to the core of scorers for Temple and it gives them a ton of options. If they continue to score, this team runs out 6 players averaging over 7 points a game. They play solid defense. Now the negatives – (1) I am still not in love with their post players as primary scoring options or as a dominant front court. Center Eric had a ton of bunnies and missed them and recently Dunphy was emphasizing this, so clearly this is an issue. In terms of dominate front court – Im not buying. Eric and Allen are solid, but Allen is a really dumb defender reaching and getting into foul trouble. He cant stay on the floor. And Eric, while solid and a really good shot blocker, looks like he would be owned by an athletic center (which X does not have).  X also really scored a ton in transition. They pushed and pushed and always seemed to get shots. Vegas notes: They are able to play at multiple paces offensively. In this game, they just couldnt stop a balanced and aggressive X team on D (they scored 10 more than Temple has given up ALL year in any one game) BUT Temple was able to score with them. In a game where they cant stop the other team, look for them to score more than normal. They DID NOT set the pace in this game… X did. Also, late in the game with the score close.. I didnt feel they had  a go to guy. They fell in love with the jumper (mostly 3′s which was odd for them) and no one hit.

Rivals com top 25 preseason

Preseason top 25
1. DUKE
Why they’re here: Duke has perhaps the nation’s top returning player in F Kyle Singler, the Most Outstanding Player of last season’s Final Four. The arrivals of Liberty transfer Seth Curry and highly touted freshman Kyrie Irving should make up for the loss of All-America G Jon Scheyer in the backcourt. Duke also boasts arguably the nation’s best coach in Mike Krzyzewski. The key player: Irving arrives on campus as the No. 4 prospect in the 2010 recruiting class, and the Blue Devils need him to live up to his billing. Irving, Curry and All-America candidate Nolan Smith all have the ability to play either guard position, but Irving is the most natural point guard of the trio. Duke will need this freshman to play with the poise of an upperclassman by the time March rolls around.
2. MICHIGAN STATE
Why they’re here: The Spartans could be better than the team that reached its second consecutive Final Four last season. Michigan State made its tournament run with G Kalin Lucas on crutches and F Delvon Roe hobbled by injuries. F Draymond Green is Evan Turner-like in his versatility, and G Durrell Summers was the team MVP in March. The key player: Lucas had an up-and-down season because of injuries; he missed the Final Four run with a torn Achilles tendon. When healthy, he’s one of the best point guards in the country, but he missed the entire offseason rehabbing his injury.
3. KANSAS
Why they’re here: With freshman G Josh Selby, Kansas would be the favorite to win the Big 12. Selby is a do-it-all point guard, with tremendous athleticism. Team him with underrated PF Marcus Morris, and KU would have one of the best inside-outside duos in the nation. But while coach Bill Self has said he thinks Selby will play this season, the NCAA hasn’t officially ruled on his eligibility yet. Without Selby, KU is good – but it wouldn’t be this good. The key player: Obviously, it’s Selby. But even if Selby is eligible, G Tyshawn Taylor can’t be overlooked. He is a solid all-around player, and his defense and passing were strong last season. He seemingly can get to the rim against anybody, but Taylor must improve his outside stroke. If he becomes an adequate 3-point shooter, KU would become exceedingly tough to beat.
4. PITTSBURGH
Why they’re here: If there were any lingering doubts about coach Jamie Dixon‘s abilities, they ended last season. This has become a big-time program, one that re-loads and not rebuilds. G Ashton Gibbs is a big-timer, and Brad Wanamaker and Travon Woodall complete one of the better guard triumvirates in the nation. There also are a lot of big bodies up front that will help the Panthers play their aggressive and physical brand of defense. The key player: While the backcourt gets most of the attention, don’t sleep on the frontcourt. Keep an especially close eye on senior C Gary McGhee. He has the size and skill set to be a low-post enforcer on defense and a productive garbage man on offense. If he can push his scoring average to around 10 points – a jump of 3.1 from last season – coach Jamie Dixon would be happy.
5. OHIO STATE
Why they’re here: Do-everything swingman Evan Turner is gone, but the Buckeyes still have enough talent returning and arriving to make another run in the Big Ten. Freshman Jared Sullinger will step in and make an instant impact in the frontcourt. William Buford was perhaps underrated in Turner’s shadow; that won’t be the case anymore. The key player: The Buckeyes have plenty of guards (Buford, Jon Diebler), but no true point guard. Senior David Lighty, who played on a Final Four team as a freshman, could claim Turner’s role as the do-everything swingman.
6. KANSAS STATE
Why they’re here: Kansas will be a hot place to be this basketball season, what with the Jayhawks, Missouri Valley favorite Wichita State and these guys. The Wildcats fell to Butler in the Elite Eight last season, and the bulk of the key players are back, including potential All-America G Jacob Pullen. There also are some solid newcomers who will help K-State challenge Kansas for supremacy in the state and in the Big 12. The key player: F Wally Judge was the crown jewel of last season’s freshman class, but Judge never really seemed to adapt to the trappings of major-college ball. He certainly has all the physical tools. If he lives up to his high school hype, the Wildcats will have one of the best frontcourts in the nation, as he and fellow holdovers Curtis Kelly and Jamar Samuels will be joined by transfer Freddy Asprilla and freshman Nino Williams.
7. VILLANOVA
Why they’re here: Scottie Reynolds – a backcourt fixture for the Wildcats for, what, about 12 or 13 seasons? – is gone, but coach jay Wright still has one of the best backcourts around. Look for senior G Corey Fisher to become a star, and Dominic Cheek, Corey Stokes and Maalik Wayns lend ample backcourt support. Senior F Antonio Pena willingly does all the little things. The key player: Sophomore C Mouphtaou Yarou was sidelined by hepatitis B early last season and struggled to gain his footing once he was healthy. But he has the athleticism and skill level to be a defensive force, and he should be able to provide 10 or so points per game as well. Plus, with Yarou in the lineup, Pena can play power forward, his natural position.
8. SYRACUSE
Why they’re here: Wesley Johnson, Arinze Onuaku and Andy Rautins – all gone. But weep not for coach Jim Boeheim, who once again will be busy in March. Look for junior K Kris Joseph to make the jump from important reserve to go-to guy. Rich Jackson is a physical presence up front, and Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche are solid combo guards. The key player: Freshman C Fab Melo arrives with a load of hype, and the 7-footer should be able to live up to most of it. His name is a perfect fit for Syracuse (come on – anyone named “Melo” has to play for the Orange), and his skills in the low post fit should fit perfectly with what this team needs.
9. BAYLOR
Why they’re here: The Bears were in the Elite Eight last season, and while they lost some key players from that team, there’s still some talent on hand. Most notably, G LaceDarius Dunn is back for his senior season. Dunn is one of the best offensive players in the nation. Big things are expected from true freshman F Perry Jones, an athletic big man who will score, rebound and block shots. The key player: Sophomore A.J. Walton will try to fill the shoes of departed PG Tweety Carter. Walton has good range and while he’s not likely to score as much as Carter (who averaged 15.0 points last season), he has the potential to be a double-figure scorer and a guy who gets four or five assists a night.
10. NORTH CAROLINA
Why they’re here: This ranking admittedly is a leap of faith, considering North Carolina failed to reach the NCAA tournament last season. But we’re betting freshman F Harrison Barnes immediately establishes himself as one of the nation’s top players, and that five-star prospect Reggie Bullock shores up the backcourt. We’re also counting on sophomore F John Henson to make major strides and C Tyler Zeller to stay healthy. The key player: The easy answer is to go with Barnes, but we’re betting he’s the real deal. We also could focus on the continued development of Henson and PG Larry Drew III. But it would really help the Tar Heels if Zeller could stay healthy for an entire season after being injured for large chunks of the past two. If he can play a full season, this highly skilled 7-footer could shore up a frontcourt that has plenty of star power but serious depth concerns.
11. GONZAGA
Why they’re here: Gonzaga returns four starters from a team that went 27-7 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament last season. The Zags have a potential first-round draft pick in sophomore F Elias Harris, a legitimate 7-footer in Robert Sacre and a proven perimeter scorer in G Steven Gray. The key player: The Zags need more production from PG Demetri Goodson. Although Goodson technically was Gonzaga’s starting point guard last season, he had less than half as many assists as SG Matt Bouldin. Now that Bouldin has completed his college career, Goodson needs to emerge as more of a playmaker.
12. KENTUCKY
Why they’re here: The Wildcats are ranked this highly because, with freshman big man Enes Kanter, they will have excellent inside-outside balance and should win the SEC. One problem: Kanter’s eligibility is an issue, and he hasn’t even practiced with the team. He is the centerpiece of yet another fantastic recruiting class put together by John Calipari. The key player: If Kanter is eligible, it’ll be him, as he basically will be asked to be this season’s version of DeMarcus Cousins. If he isn’t eligible, freshman PG Brandon Knight – a big-time talent in his own right – will have more of the scoring responsibility. He and fellow freshman Doron Lamb should form a productive backcourt; how productive it will have to be depends on Kanter’s status.
13. FLORIDA
Why they’re here: All five starters are back from a team that lost in the first round of the NCAA tourney. Plus, there’s a solid group of freshman, headed by physical big man Patric Young. Senior F Chandler Parsons made huge strides last season, and his versatility at 6 feet 9 – he can hit the 3-pointer, as well as put the ball on the floor and get to the rim – is a key part of Florida’s offense. Backcourt depth potentially is a huge problem again, and some freshmen must come through on the perimeter. The key player: G Kenny Boynton struggled with his shot last season as a true freshman and didn’t live up to his offensive hype out of high school. But his defense was surprisingly good, and if he can get his 3-point percentage into at least the high 30s – it was a dreadful 29.4 percent last season – Florida’s offense will be quite potent.
14. ILLINOIS
Why they’re here: Last season was a disappointment that ended in the NIT, but Illinois’ core of G Demetri McCamey, C Mike Tisdale and F Mike Davis returns, and each is a senior. Tisdale and Davis, an imposing frontcourt duo, are a rarity in college basketball as senior big men. Beyond those key seniors, Illinois is looking for sophomore Gs D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul to build on solid freshman seasons. The key player: The relationship between McCamey and coach Bruce Weber bears watching. When McCamey is on his game, he’s one of the best in the country. But he wasn’t consistent, as evidenced by 123 turnovers.
15. MISSOURI
Why they’re here: The Tigers are well-versed in coach Mike Anderson’s version of the “40 minutes of hell” defense, and they’ll again make life difficult for Big 12 foes. Mizzou forced a nation’s-high 659 turnovers last season, though some key defenders moved on. But the top three scorers are back, and G Kim English should get more national notice this season. The key player: Sophomore Michael Dixon should move into departed J.T. Tiller’s role as the Tigers’ point guard. Dixon did a nice job offensively last season and has the potential to be a solid 3-point shooter. But he needs to turn up the defensive intensity. He has the athleticism to do so.
16. BUTLER
Why they’re here: Butler lost star F Gordon Hayward to the NBA, but most of the other key players from last season’s NCAA runner-up return. G Shelvin Mack should develop into an All-America candidate in his junior season. If Butler keeps playing the type of defense it displayed in last season’s NCAA tournament, the Bulldogs should win the Horizon League and make a deep postseason run again. The key player: Senior F/C Matt Howard was the Horizon League player of the year two seasons ago, but his numbers dipped last season as he struggled with foul trouble. Now that Hayward is gone, Howard needs to recapture his 2008-09 production. If he can avoid fouls, Howard should team with Mack to give Butler one of the nation’s best inside-outside duos.
17. PURDUE
Why they’re here: The season-ending injury to F Robbie Hummel is not the end of the Boilermakers. F JaJuan Johnson and G E’Twaun Moore could be the best inside-outside duo in the Big Ten. Just as critical for the Boilers’ success are Lewis Jackson and Kelsey Barlow, who look to share the point guard spot. The key player: The replacement for Hummel will be a work-in-progress sophomore (Patrick Bade), a redshirt freshman (Sandi Marcus) and/or a true freshman (Travis Carroll). Junior G Ryne Smith might be just as important filling in for departed role players Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant. Smith will be a defensive specialist off the bench who also can shoot the 3-pointer.
18. MEMPHIS
Why they’re here: Last season, a depth-shy (and, frankly, talent-shy) Tigers team missed out on the NCAA tourney. That shouldn’t happen this season. Coach Josh Pastner brought in an ultra-talented freshman class, and if the newcomers mesh well with holdovers such as F Wesley Witherspoon, the Tigers can make a nice run in March. The key player: Freshman G Joe Jackson signed with the hometown Tigers out of high school, and it’ll be his job to make sure everyone stays on the same page. Jackson was a prolific scorer in high school, but he’ll have to worry more about getting his teammates shots than getting his points. He’ll still get his points, and we’re betting he does a nice job distributing the ball, too.
19. VIRGINIA TECH
Why they’re here: Virginia Tech returns nine of the top 10 scorers from a team that matched a school record with 25 wins last season. G Malcolm Delaney led the ACC in scoring last year, while F Jeff Allen is the ACC’s active career leader in rebounds, steals and blocks. Virginia Tech’s recent history of Selection Sunday disappointment should end this season. The key player: Perhaps no player in the ACC is more indispensible than Delaney. Not only did he lead the conference in scoring last season, he also ranked sixth in assists, third in free-throw percentage and fourth in minutes. He has the talent to lead Virginia Tech to an NCAA bid much in the same way Greivis Vasquez carried Maryland on his back last season.
20. TEMPLE
Why they’re here: Fran Dunphy has returned the Owls to the top of the Atlantic 10; last season, he guided the Owls to their best regular season (29-6) since 1987-88. The NCAA tournament is a different story, with three consecutive first-round losses. With the inside-outside duo of F Lavoy Allen (who averaged a double-double last season) and G Juan Fernandez, the Owls have what it takes to extend regular-season success into the NCAA tournament. The key player: G Ramone Moore averaged 16.1 points over a seven-game stretch in January and February. As unexpected and sudden as the hot streak started, it ended in the last month of the season. With Ryan Brooks gone, Moore will need to play at a high level over the course of the entire season to take some pressure off Fernandez.
21. WASHINGTON
Why they’re here: The Huskies helped the Pac-10 save face last season with a trip to the Sweet 16, and they look poised to be the class of the conference again. Undersized but high-scoring G Isaiah Thomas leads one of the best and deepest backcourts in the nation. The key player: F Matthew Bryan-Amaning emerged late last season, becoming one of Washington’s best players in the NCAA tournament. He’ll need to sustain that level of play through this season. He’s by far the Huskies’ best option in the frontcourt now that Quincy Pondexter is gone.
22. SAN DIEGO STATE
Why they’re here: The Aztecs return all five starters from a team that went 25-9 and won the Mountain West Conference tournament last season. Kawhi Leonard, Billy White and Malcolm Thomas give San Diego State one of the nation’s top frontcourts. In seasons when San Diego State coach Steve Fisher has returned at least four starters, his teams have won 72.6 percent of their games. The key player: Leonard earned first-team All-MWC honors as a freshman and could mature into an All-America candidate as a sophomore. He recorded 17 double-doubles last season and was the MVP of the MWC tournament. He was the only freshman from an NCAA tournament squad last year to lead his team in points and rebounds.
23. WEST VIRGINIA
Why they’re here: Bob Huggins‘ Mountaineers made a Final Four run last season, but they lost so much talent that another Final Four appearance is too much to ask. Still, WVU should be in the thick of the race in the Big East. Look for underrated F Kevin Jones to become the go-to guy; he’s a physical presence with a nice outside stroke. The key player: G Joe Mazzulla battled injuries last season, but he is a gritty floor leader who knows what Huggins wants done on both ends of the court. He is the epitome of a “glue guy,” and has the potential to average around 10 points and four assists.
24. WISCONSIN
Why they’re here: The NCAA tournament was a letdown, with the Badgers losing in the second round to Cornell, but Wisconsin has been remarkably consistent in the regular season under coach Bo Ryan. Wisconsin has won at least 10 Big Ten games in eight of the past nine seasons and reached the tournament in each of the past 12. The Badgers are an experienced group, led by versatile F Jon Leuer and PG Jordan Taylor. The key player: The departures of Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon mean freshmen will need to contribute at guard. Ben Brust can play either guard spot and shoot the “3.” Hughes and Bohannon combined to make 142 3-pointers last season. Taylor made 35.
25. TENNESSEE
Why they’re here: Freshman Tobias Harris arrives with copious press clippings, and he should provide an immediate offensive presence in the paint. His arrival means the Vols have enough talent to challenge for the SEC East title, but an ongoing NCAA investigation could take its toll. The key player: Junior G Scotty Hopson has shown flashes of stardom, but he has lacked consistency. This needs to be the season he breaks through. He is a silky-smooth player with big-time range, and his size (6-7) helps him overpower smaller defenders.