Women's Basketball Clinches Big 5 Title Share in Dominant Performance at Villanova

Saturday, December 10

Philadelphia, Pa.

1:00 p.m.

Temple University

(5-3, 3-0B5)

Villanova

(4-5, 2-1B5)

Temple

Villanova

Photo by: Julia Martin

Women's Basketball Clinches Big 5 Title Share in Dominant Performance at Villanova

12.10.16 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

VILLANOVA, Pa. -- The Temple women's basketball team clinched at least a share of its first Philadelphia Big 5 title since 2011 with a huge 83-48 victory on the road at Villanova on Saturday afternoon. The Owls recorded their largest-ever victory over the Wildcats, to move to 5-3 overall, while Villanova falls to 4-5.

Temple, which played only five players for the bulk of the game, shot 46.8% from the field, holding Villanova to just a 31.1% shooting effort. The Owls held a considerable advantage on the glass, out-rebounding the Wildcats 50-27, while turning the ball over a season-low eight times.

Senior Ruth Sherrill had a career-best game in points (13) and rebounds (13), recording her first career double-double, while junior Donnaizha Fountain had her first double-double of the season, and fifth of her career, tallying 17 points with a career-best 16 rebounds. Junior Alliya Butts dropped a season-best 27 points with five assists, while junior Feyonda Fitzgerald had another great all-around game with 20 points and eight assists. Senior Safiya Martin rounded out the box score with season bests of six points and eight rebounds.

Temple is now 3-0 in the Big 5 and can win the title outright with a win at Penn on January 25 or a Villanova loss to Penn on January 18.

Temple's offense was hot to start the game, as the Owls shot 56.3% (9-16) in the first quarter. Villanova held a 6-5 advantage two minutes into play, but Temple closed the frame on an 18-3 run to lead 23-9.

Temple's advantage grew to 27-9 early in the second quarter, and after back-to-back Fitzgerald and Fountain buckets, it ballooned to 21, at 35-14. Villanova was able to close the gap slightly, using a 7-2 run to close the stanza, but Temple still led 37-21 at the break.

Fitzgerald led all players with 14 first-half points, while Fountain had nine points and nine rebounds.

The Owls out-scored Villanova 29-18 in the third quarter, as the advantage increased to 66-39. The Wildcats stayed alive with four threes in the frame, but Temple got to the line 12 times in the quarter, making all 12 free throws to keep a large lead.

Temple didn't stop in the fourth quarter, as the lead increased to Temple's largest of the season, a 36-point advantage at 83-47. Villanova connected on a free throw with four seconds on the clock to account for the 83-48 final score.

Villanova got to the free throw line just three times all game, as Temple committed just eight fouls the entire contest. Jannah Tucker led the Wildcats' offense with 15 points, while Adrianna Hahn had 10 points.

All 83 Temple points came from its starting five, as the Owls utilized just those five players in the first half. The Owls had five other players see limited action in the second half, but 61 of Temple's 62 total shots came from its starting five, which accounted for 94% of the teams' minutes.

The Owls are back in action on Thursday night, hosting #15 DePaul at McGonigle Hall. The game will be nationally-televised by ESPNU.

Box Score (PDF)