Temple University Athletics
Friday, November 11
Liacouras Center
7:00 p.m.
Temple University
1-0, 1-0Big 5
97
vs
92
La Salle
0-1, 0-1Big 5
1
2
OT 1
F
La Salle
39
42
11
92
Temple
42
39
16
97
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Six Score in Double Figures as Men's Basketball Edges La Salle in Overtime Thriller
11.11.16 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - Six players scored in double figures to lead Temple men's basketball to a 97-92 overtime win against Philadelphia Big 5 rival La Salle (0-1) in the season opener for both teams on Friday night. The Owls (1-0) got seven points from Shizz Alston, Jr. in the extra period, double-doubles from Obi Enechionyia and Ernest Aflakpui as well as career and team-high 21 points from Daniel Dingle.
Temple led by 10 with less than six minutes remaining in regulation, but the Explorers made a late push and ultimately tied the game for the first time in the second half with five seconds remaining. In overtime, the Owls hit 8-of-12 at the free throw line including 4-of-4 in the final five seconds to seal the win.
Enechionyia added a career and game-high 14 rebounds to 20 points and four blocks, while Aflakpui scored a career-high 12 points while tying his career-high with 10 boards.
Freshman Quinton Rose came off the bench to hit 5-of-8 from the field for 12 points in his debut with the Owls, while fellow freshman Alani Moore scored eight points. Alston, Jr. finished with a career-high 14 points along with career highs of six assists and three steals, and Mark Williams rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points.
Dingle's career-high 21-point effort came on 7-of-11 shooting including 3-of-4 from long range. Dingle also recorded a career-high three steals while tying his career best with five assists.
La Salle's B.J. Johnson led all scorers in the game with 23 points, while Jordan Price added 22 for the Explorers.
An early 9-0 run gave the Owls their largest lead of the first half, an eight-point, 13-5 advantage at 15:49. Moore and Aflakpui combined for all nine points in the run as Temple hit six of its first 10 shots from the field.
La Salle's three-point shooting quickly got the Explorers back in the game, as they hit 4-of-7 from long distance early and cut the margin to three, 17-14 at 13:31. The game saw its first tie at 24-24 just past the midway point of the first half which was followed by seven lead changes down the stretch.
With six straight points from Dingle followed by an Enechionyia dunk near the final minute, the Owls led by seven before the Explorers scored the final four points of the half. Temple took a 42-39 lead into the break behind 13 first-half points from Enechionyia and 11 from Dingle.
Temple matched its largest lead of eight after scoring the first five points of the second half, but La Salle cut it back down to three near the 17-minute mark. The Owls remained in the lead throughout the entire half until the tie in the final seconds, but La Salle was within easy striking distance most of the way.
Behind three-pointers from Dingle and Williams in an 8-0 run, the Owls took their first double-digit lead of the contest with 7:38 remaining, 67-57. After a couple scoreless minutes for Temple, the Owls still led by five.
Rose gave the Owls some cushion with back-to-back buckets for a nine-point, 77-68 lead with 2:23 remaining, but the Explorers came back yet again. Hitting 8-of-8 at the free throw line in the final two minutes, La Salle came within one point with 15 seconds remaining.
Alston, Jr. hit a pair of free throws at at the other end, but La Salle's Price tied the game from behind the arc with just five seconds left in regulation.
Temple used an 8-1 run to break an early tie in overtime, building a seven-point, 92-85 lead with 1:33 left. From there, the Owls held off La Salle at the free throw line.
The Owls will be back at home for their next game, a 7 p.m. contest against New Hampshire on Monday, Nov. 14 (ESPN3 / 1210 AM WPHT).
Box Score (PDF) l Photo Gallery | Video Highlights | Dunphy Press Conference | Enechionyia and Dingle Press Conference
Temple led by 10 with less than six minutes remaining in regulation, but the Explorers made a late push and ultimately tied the game for the first time in the second half with five seconds remaining. In overtime, the Owls hit 8-of-12 at the free throw line including 4-of-4 in the final five seconds to seal the win.
Enechionyia added a career and game-high 14 rebounds to 20 points and four blocks, while Aflakpui scored a career-high 12 points while tying his career-high with 10 boards.
Freshman Quinton Rose came off the bench to hit 5-of-8 from the field for 12 points in his debut with the Owls, while fellow freshman Alani Moore scored eight points. Alston, Jr. finished with a career-high 14 points along with career highs of six assists and three steals, and Mark Williams rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points.
Dingle's career-high 21-point effort came on 7-of-11 shooting including 3-of-4 from long range. Dingle also recorded a career-high three steals while tying his career best with five assists.
La Salle's B.J. Johnson led all scorers in the game with 23 points, while Jordan Price added 22 for the Explorers.
An early 9-0 run gave the Owls their largest lead of the first half, an eight-point, 13-5 advantage at 15:49. Moore and Aflakpui combined for all nine points in the run as Temple hit six of its first 10 shots from the field.
La Salle's three-point shooting quickly got the Explorers back in the game, as they hit 4-of-7 from long distance early and cut the margin to three, 17-14 at 13:31. The game saw its first tie at 24-24 just past the midway point of the first half which was followed by seven lead changes down the stretch.
With six straight points from Dingle followed by an Enechionyia dunk near the final minute, the Owls led by seven before the Explorers scored the final four points of the half. Temple took a 42-39 lead into the break behind 13 first-half points from Enechionyia and 11 from Dingle.
Temple matched its largest lead of eight after scoring the first five points of the second half, but La Salle cut it back down to three near the 17-minute mark. The Owls remained in the lead throughout the entire half until the tie in the final seconds, but La Salle was within easy striking distance most of the way.
Behind three-pointers from Dingle and Williams in an 8-0 run, the Owls took their first double-digit lead of the contest with 7:38 remaining, 67-57. After a couple scoreless minutes for Temple, the Owls still led by five.
Rose gave the Owls some cushion with back-to-back buckets for a nine-point, 77-68 lead with 2:23 remaining, but the Explorers came back yet again. Hitting 8-of-8 at the free throw line in the final two minutes, La Salle came within one point with 15 seconds remaining.
Alston, Jr. hit a pair of free throws at at the other end, but La Salle's Price tied the game from behind the arc with just five seconds left in regulation.
Temple used an 8-1 run to break an early tie in overtime, building a seven-point, 92-85 lead with 1:33 left. From there, the Owls held off La Salle at the free throw line.
The Owls will be back at home for their next game, a 7 p.m. contest against New Hampshire on Monday, Nov. 14 (ESPN3 / 1210 AM WPHT).
Box Score (PDF) l Photo Gallery | Video Highlights | Dunphy Press Conference | Enechionyia and Dingle Press Conference
Team Stats
LAS
TU
FG%
.423
.493
3FG%
.321
.375
FT%
.852
.645
RB
35
47
TO
9
11
STL
5
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
20
FGM
8
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG/F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
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