Men's Basketball Falls 56-50 to #23/23 Cincinnati in American Conference Opener

Wednesday, December 28

Liacouras Center

9:00 p.m.

Temple University

9-5, 0-1

Cincinnati

11-2, 1-0

Cincinnati

Temple

Photo by: Zamani Feelings

Men's Basketball Falls 56-50 to #23/23 Cincinnati in American Conference Opener

12.28.16 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Players Press Conference Fran Dunphy Press Conference

PHILADELPHIA - In a scrappy and close game throughout, No. 23/23 Cincinnati (11-2, 1-0) got the best of Temple men's basketball in the end, winning 56-50 in the American Athletic Conference opener for both teams. Eight ties and four lead changes marked a contest that saw low shooting numbers and high turnover numbers for both teams, with neither ever leading by double digits.

The Owls (9-5, 0-1) got a game-high 15 points from senior Daniel Dingle along with 10 points apiece from Alani Moore II and Shizz Alston, Jr. Two Temple players reached double figures in rebounding, with Ernest Aflakpui tying his career-high with a game-high 11 boards, and Obi Enechionyia grabbing 10 rebounds to go with seven points.

Gary Clark and Jacob Evans led Cincinnati with 11 points apiece. The Bearcats previously averaged almost 50 percent shooting from the field, but shot a season-low 33 percent against the Owls, who fared even worse at a season-low 27 percent. The Bearcats' 15 turnovers were their most of the season, while the Owls turned the ball over 16 times.

Temple committed four early turnovers as Cincinnati jumped out to a 9-0 lead at 15:27. Dingle followed a free throw with the Owls' first field goal, a three-pointer at 14:04 thanks to an Aflakpui offensive rebound, and the four points began a 9-0 run that tied the game for the first time at 8:49.

The Bearcats missed six straight shots during the Owls' run, which was closed out by Aflakpui who then added another bucket to make it 11-11 with 8:29 left in the half. Cincinnati led by as many as five in the final minutes of the half before Temple came back to tie the game for a third time and then briefly take the lead.

Alston made a layup in between two Moore three-pointers, the second of which put Temple up 26-23 with a minute remaining in the half. Cincinnati's Tre Scott converted on a three-point play with 29 seconds left, and the Owls missed their final two attempts from the field to keep the halftime score tied at 26-26.

Dingle followed a layup with a free throw at 16:24 of the second half, giving Temple its largest lead of the game at 33-29. After three ties at 33, 35 and 37, the Owls took a two-point lead before Cincinnati used a 10-0 run for a 47-39 lead at 7:29.

After five and a half minutes without a field goal, Moore ended Temple's drought with a trey at the seven-minute mark to bring the Owls back within five, 47-42. That three-pointer marked the start of a 9-4 run that made it a three-point game with three minutes left. Dingle made a layup at 1:31 to bring Temple within two, and an attempt at the shot clock buzzer by Caupain at the other end was ruled to be too late.

The Bearcats blocked a Dingle trey, forcing him to foul Gary Clark who missed both free throw shots with 31 seconds left, but again the Owls were unable to take advantage and instead turned the ball over for the 16th time at the other end.

It was Clark at the line once again for the Bearcats on the Owls' ensuing foul, but this time he made both shots for a four-point lead. After another Temple miss from long range, Cincinnati's Kevin Johnson sank two more from the line for the final tally of 56-50.

Next up is the first conference road game for Temple, as the Owls travel to UCF for a 4 p.m. contest on Saturday, Dec. 31 (ESPNU / 1210 AM WPHT).

Box Score (PDF) | Players Press Conference | Coach Dunphy Press Conference