Temple University Athletics
Friday, November 12
Liacouras Center
7:30 p.m.
Temple University
vs
Seton Hall
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
#22/22 Temple Basketball Hosts Seton Hall Friday in Season Opener
11.9.10 | Men's Basketball
Women's team hosts #7/7 Ohio State at 5:00 p.m.
Game Notes | Parking Advisory
PHILADELPHIA - For the first time in nearly a decade the Temple men's basketball team will open a season ranked among the nation's Top 25. The #22/22 Owls will host Seton Hall of the Big East Conference at 7:30 p.m. on Friday evening in the second half of a doubleheader with the Temple women's team, receiving votes in both preseason polls, taking on #7/7 Ohio State at 5:00 p.m.
The three-time defending Atlantic 10 Champion Owls return three starters from last year's team that compiled a 29-6 overall mark and a #12 final ranking in the Associated Press poll. With the return of first team all-conference performer, 6-9 senior forward Lavoy Allen, 2010 A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Performer, 6-4 junior guard Juan Fernandez, and A-10 Sixth Man of the Year, 6-4 junior guard Ramone Moore, it is no wonder why the Owls are back in the national polls to start a season since the 2001-02 campaign when they entered the season #16 in the Associated Press poll.
A-10 Coach of the Year Fran Dunphy, in his fifth year at the helm, is hoping this year's Temple team fares better than that one, which ended its season as an NIT team with a 19-15 mark.
"There's a responsibility that comes with all this (rankings)," Dunphy said at the team's media day Monday. "I appreciate the respect. But it doesn't ensure any level of success. That's kind of where we are. People are talking nicely about us. We can't hang our hat on any of that."
Allen (11.5 ppg./10.7 rpg.), who became the first Temple player to average a double-double since 1971, needs just 136 rebounds to become the fifth Owl to grab 1000 rebounds for a career. He also enters the season as the top field goal percentage leader in Temple history (438-788, .556).
Fernandez, the Owls leading returning scorer at 12.6 ppg., moves to his more natural position, point guard with the graduation of Luis Guzman. The preseason second team all-conference pick topped the A-10 in three-pointers (73) and the team in assists (122).
Moore, who moves into the starting two guard slot, proved he is ready for that role last year. In five starts, he averaged 16.8 points per game, leading the Owls in scoring in all but one of those contests.
The Owls third returning starter is 6-11 junior forward Micheal Eric. A native of Lagos, Nigeria, Eric improved in every category from his rookie debut, averaging 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
Junior forward Scootie Randall (1.9 ppg.) will open the season as the starting small forward with sophomores Rahlir Jefferson (3.9 ppg.), T.J. DiLeo (1.1 ppg.) and Khalif Wyatt (0.5 ppg.) rotating in off the bench.
Seton Hall, under the direction of first year coach Kevin Willard, returns four starters from last year's NIT team that posted a 19-13 mark. senior guard Jeremy Hazell (20.4 ppg.) leads the Pirates high-octane offense that ranked eighth in scoring last season at 80.1 ppg. Senior forward Jeff Robinson (12.2 ppg./5.8 rpg.) and junior forward Herb Pope (11.5 ppg,/10.7 rpg.) also averaged double figures for SHU.
Temple defeated Seton Hall, 71-65, at the Prudential Center last season with the Owls recovering from a 13-point second half deficit on the help of three treys by Randall. It was the first meeting between the schools since the 1971-72 season.
PHILADELPHIA - For the first time in nearly a decade the Temple men's basketball team will open a season ranked among the nation's Top 25. The #22/22 Owls will host Seton Hall of the Big East Conference at 7:30 p.m. on Friday evening in the second half of a doubleheader with the Temple women's team, receiving votes in both preseason polls, taking on #7/7 Ohio State at 5:00 p.m.
The three-time defending Atlantic 10 Champion Owls return three starters from last year's team that compiled a 29-6 overall mark and a #12 final ranking in the Associated Press poll. With the return of first team all-conference performer, 6-9 senior forward Lavoy Allen, 2010 A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Performer, 6-4 junior guard Juan Fernandez, and A-10 Sixth Man of the Year, 6-4 junior guard Ramone Moore, it is no wonder why the Owls are back in the national polls to start a season since the 2001-02 campaign when they entered the season #16 in the Associated Press poll.
A-10 Coach of the Year Fran Dunphy, in his fifth year at the helm, is hoping this year's Temple team fares better than that one, which ended its season as an NIT team with a 19-15 mark.
"There's a responsibility that comes with all this (rankings)," Dunphy said at the team's media day Monday. "I appreciate the respect. But it doesn't ensure any level of success. That's kind of where we are. People are talking nicely about us. We can't hang our hat on any of that."
Allen (11.5 ppg./10.7 rpg.), who became the first Temple player to average a double-double since 1971, needs just 136 rebounds to become the fifth Owl to grab 1000 rebounds for a career. He also enters the season as the top field goal percentage leader in Temple history (438-788, .556).
Fernandez, the Owls leading returning scorer at 12.6 ppg., moves to his more natural position, point guard with the graduation of Luis Guzman. The preseason second team all-conference pick topped the A-10 in three-pointers (73) and the team in assists (122).
Moore, who moves into the starting two guard slot, proved he is ready for that role last year. In five starts, he averaged 16.8 points per game, leading the Owls in scoring in all but one of those contests.
The Owls third returning starter is 6-11 junior forward Micheal Eric. A native of Lagos, Nigeria, Eric improved in every category from his rookie debut, averaging 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
Junior forward Scootie Randall (1.9 ppg.) will open the season as the starting small forward with sophomores Rahlir Jefferson (3.9 ppg.), T.J. DiLeo (1.1 ppg.) and Khalif Wyatt (0.5 ppg.) rotating in off the bench.
Seton Hall, under the direction of first year coach Kevin Willard, returns four starters from last year's NIT team that posted a 19-13 mark. senior guard Jeremy Hazell (20.4 ppg.) leads the Pirates high-octane offense that ranked eighth in scoring last season at 80.1 ppg. Senior forward Jeff Robinson (12.2 ppg./5.8 rpg.) and junior forward Herb Pope (11.5 ppg,/10.7 rpg.) also averaged double figures for SHU.
Temple defeated Seton Hall, 71-65, at the Prudential Center last season with the Owls recovering from a 13-point second half deficit on the help of three treys by Randall. It was the first meeting between the schools since the 1971-72 season.
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