Temple University Athletics
Sunday, January 29
McGonigle Hall
12:00 p.m.
Temple University
16-4,6-1American
51
vs
55
USF
17-3,6-1American
1
2
3
4
F
USF
16
13
14
12
55
Temple
10
8
11
22
51
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Comeback Bid Falls Short as #23 USF Tops Women's Basketball
1.29.17 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple women's basketball team saw its furious fourth quarter comeback bid fall just short, as the Owls' 12-game win streak was snapped by #23 USF on Sunday, 55-51. Temple's record moves to 16-4 overall with a 6-1 mark in The American, while the Bulls improve to 17-3 overall, 6-1 in conference play.
Trailing by 16 early in the fourth, the Owls used an 18-4 run, sparked by eight-straight points from junior Khadijah Berger to get the USF lead down to two (51-49) with 1:45 on the clock. The teams then traded buckets to make it 53-51 and the Owls forced a USF turnover, but missed a go-ahead three on the ensuing possession. USF made it a three-point game (54-51) on a free throw with 19 seconds remaining, but Temple had a chance to tie in the final seconds. Two offensive boards gave the Owls three attempts at the game-tying three, but each of the final shots missed, and USF added a free throw in the final seconds to set the final to 55-51.
Temple was led by senior Feyonda Fitzgerald who tallied 14 points and eight assists, accounting for every Temple assist during the contest. Butts finished with 12 points and five steals, while Berger ended her afternoon with 11 points, all coming during Temple's fourth-quarter rally. Junior Tanaya Atkinson led the Owls on the glass with a game-high 11 rebounds, while classmate Donnaizha Fountain finished with seven points, five rebounds, and three steals.
Temple shot a season-low 25.8% (16-62) from the field, and just 18.5% (5-27) from long-range, while USF finished with a 47-36 advantage on the glass.
The Bulls led 14-5 early in the first quarter, before Temple used a 5-2 surge to close the gap to 16-10. Temple's defense locked down in the second quarter, but the offense stalled, as the Owls shot just 9.1% (1-11) in the frame. Despite the Temple shooting woes in the second, the Bulls led by only 11 at the break, 29-18.
Fitzgerald had eight first-half points, while Fountain added five. USF held a 26-14 rebounding advantage in the first 20 minutes, as Tamara Henshaw and Maria Jespersen combined for 16 points and 11 rebounds.
After a Ruth Sherrill lay-up got the USF advantage down to nine to open the third quarter, USF used two separate long runs to increase the lead to 14 points. The Bulls were sparked by eight points from Kitija Laksa, as the visitors led 43-29 after three.
Temple shot 46.7% (7-15) in the fourth quarter, holding the Bulls to 31.3% (5-16), including 0-for-3 from long-range. Berger's hot hand broke Temple's 1-for-16 start from three-point range, but the Owls finished the frame 36.4% (4-11) with three of the 11 misses coming in the final 20 seconds of play.
Box Score (PDF) | Post-Game Press Conference
Trailing by 16 early in the fourth, the Owls used an 18-4 run, sparked by eight-straight points from junior Khadijah Berger to get the USF lead down to two (51-49) with 1:45 on the clock. The teams then traded buckets to make it 53-51 and the Owls forced a USF turnover, but missed a go-ahead three on the ensuing possession. USF made it a three-point game (54-51) on a free throw with 19 seconds remaining, but Temple had a chance to tie in the final seconds. Two offensive boards gave the Owls three attempts at the game-tying three, but each of the final shots missed, and USF added a free throw in the final seconds to set the final to 55-51.
Temple was led by senior Feyonda Fitzgerald who tallied 14 points and eight assists, accounting for every Temple assist during the contest. Butts finished with 12 points and five steals, while Berger ended her afternoon with 11 points, all coming during Temple's fourth-quarter rally. Junior Tanaya Atkinson led the Owls on the glass with a game-high 11 rebounds, while classmate Donnaizha Fountain finished with seven points, five rebounds, and three steals.
Temple shot a season-low 25.8% (16-62) from the field, and just 18.5% (5-27) from long-range, while USF finished with a 47-36 advantage on the glass.
The Bulls led 14-5 early in the first quarter, before Temple used a 5-2 surge to close the gap to 16-10. Temple's defense locked down in the second quarter, but the offense stalled, as the Owls shot just 9.1% (1-11) in the frame. Despite the Temple shooting woes in the second, the Bulls led by only 11 at the break, 29-18.
Fitzgerald had eight first-half points, while Fountain added five. USF held a 26-14 rebounding advantage in the first 20 minutes, as Tamara Henshaw and Maria Jespersen combined for 16 points and 11 rebounds.
After a Ruth Sherrill lay-up got the USF advantage down to nine to open the third quarter, USF used two separate long runs to increase the lead to 14 points. The Bulls were sparked by eight points from Kitija Laksa, as the visitors led 43-29 after three.
Temple shot 46.7% (7-15) in the fourth quarter, holding the Bulls to 31.3% (5-16), including 0-for-3 from long-range. Berger's hot hand broke Temple's 1-for-16 start from three-point range, but the Owls finished the frame 36.4% (4-11) with three of the 11 misses coming in the final 20 seconds of play.
Box Score (PDF) | Post-Game Press Conference
Team Stats
USF
TEMPLE
FG%
.400
.258
3FG%
.333
.185
FT%
.545
.778
RB
47
36
TO
20
12
STL
3
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
14
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
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