Temple Owls surrendered a 17-point second-half lead to Wichita State before closing with a 9-2 run to win. They also faced ECU and led for much of the first half but ultimately lost 73-62. ECU shot 57.7% in the second half and 54% on the night. Temple lost for the first time at The Liacouras Center to ECU. The game ended in a controversial manner. In another game against North Texas, Temple struggled with their shooting, making 4 out of 19 two-pointers and 4 out of 11 three-pointers in the first half.
Temple 4 for 19 on twos and 4 for 11 on threes in the first half at North Texas.
Made the third. Owls win by one. Weird/tough/controversial way for a game to end for sure. Don't think it was a good call but it was close.
Temple loses for the first time ever at The Liacouras Center to ECU. Smallest non-COVID crowd I’ve ever seen for a Temple home game in my 35 years here. https://t.co/oi2fqnIYHq
Final score from the Liacouras Center: ECU 73, Temple 62. The Owls fall to 8-8 overall and 1-2 in the American. ECU shot 57.7% in the second half and 54% on the night.
It just isn't Temple's night. Brandon Johnson shot faked, Riley flew by him, and he calmly hit a 3 to put ECU up by 13 at 69-56 with 4:03 to go.
Hysier Miller didn't close out on Cam Hayes, who hit a 3 to push ECU's lead back to 11. Again, the Owls have too often been a step slow defensively tonight and not sharp.
Temple has gotten within 7 on 3 different occasions after ECU opened up its 12-point lead but no closer than that. The Pirates have a 57-46 lead on the Owls with 8:14 to go. Felton (16 points) Ausar (14 points, 6 rebounds) and Brandon Johnson (10 points) have paced ECU.
ECU leads 57-46 with 8:14 remaining. You might notice foul differential is 6-0. Yes, Temple hasn’t been called for any fouls in second half. ECU ain’t complaining, though. That’s what happens when you don’t play defense. https://t.co/E4ZLKah6OB
Temple has been a step slow defensively for much of the night. Rotating too late, now some bad takes on offense. ECU started the second half on a 14-4 run to take a 47-35 lead. Two 3s apiece by Brandon Johnson and RJ Felton prompted Adam Fisher to call a timeout with 15:21 left.
Temple survives playing more than five minutes without Hysier Miller and Jordan Riley (two fouls apiece) and trails ECU, 33-31, at halftime. Pirates play the smallest lineup that the Owls have faced this season and it shows. ECU has zero offensive boards at the half. https://t.co/2axZjQhdS6
Temple led for more than 17 minutes in the first half, but ECU used a 7-1 run to take a 33-31 lead into the locker room. Riley has a game-high 12 points on 4 of 6 shooting. ECU's Ezra Ausar has been able to score with relative ease and has 10 points and 4 rebounds.
Temple 19, ECU 13 with 11:15 left in the first half. Riley has 7, Dezonie 6, Miller 4 and Jahlil White has 2 on a steal and dunk. The Owls are shooting 53.8% (7 of 13) from the floor so far.
Temple has an 11-9 lead on ECU at the 14:30 mark of the first quarter. Dezonie (6) and Riley (5) have accounted for the Owls' points.
Facing an early deficit to Wichita State, Temple responded in a big way and earned its first conference win of the season. @OwlScoop_com has the recap: https://t.co/zOxuWYx0cX
Temple surrenders a 17-point second half lead as Wichita State ties it late before the Owls close with a 9-2 run to beat the Shockers here at The Liacouras Center. https://t.co/prV8bi8gPC