Temple University Athletics
Thursday, March 9
Hartford, Conn.
3:30 p.m.
Temple University
vs
East Carolina (American First Round)
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Temple to Face ECU in The American Tournament First Round
3.6.17 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - Eighth-seeded Temple men's basketball will face ninth-seeded East Carolina in the Frontier Communications American Athletic Conference Championships on Thursday, March 9 at 3:30 p.m. (ESPNU / 1210 AM WPHT). The teams are meeting in the first game of the first round at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn.
Single session tickets are now available for the tournament. Session 1 tickets are just $25 and seating is general admission. Purchase your tickets HERE.Â
The winner of Temple-ECU will move on to play top-seeded SMU in the quarterfinals on Friday, March 10 at noon on ESPN2.
In each of the last two seasons, Temple had a first-round bye in the American Tournament and won its quarterfinal game to advance to the semifinals. Overall, the Owls are 2-3 in American Athletic Conference Championship play.
The Owls are coming off a 72-60 win at USF on March 5, completing the season sweep of the Bulls behind 17 points from senior Daniel Dingle, who led four players in double figures. Temple swiped a season-high 16 steals in the USF win, the most for the program since a 19-steal effort in a win vs. UMass at home on Feb. 26, 2003.
The USF win was the second in a row for the Owls, who earned an 86-76 double-OT win vs. Tulane to close out their home slate on Feb. 25. Sophomore Shizz Alston, Jr. tied his career high with 25 points, hitting 10-of-10 free throws, while senior Mark Williams added a season-high 20 points. Alston has made 28 straight free throws dating back to the league opener vs. Cincinnati on Dec. 28.
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Alston is the team's leader in scoring this season with 14.0 points per game, which ranks 10th in the league. He is the conference leader in free-throw percentage (.868), ranks second in assist/turnover ratio (2.7), third in steals per game (1.6), eighth in assists per game (4.1) and tied for eighth in three-pointers made per game (2.1). Alston is on pace to become the first sophomore to lead the program in scoring, assists and steals since Mark Macon in 1998-99.
East Carolina lost six in a row during the stretch when the Owls won at home in early January, but the Pirates have since won five of their last 11 including a 78-64 win against the Owls on Feb. 15. To close out the regular season, ECU lost 73-51 at Houston.
Two players average in double figures for ECU, led by sophomore guard Kentrell Barkley with 12.4 ppg to go with a team-best 7.5 rpg.Â
Temple and East Carolina are meeting for the seventh time after beginning the all-time series in 2014-15. The teams split meetings in the regular season as the Owls won 81-62 for their first conference victory back on Jan. 7, but the Pirates won 78-64 on their home floor in mid-February.
Video Preview
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Single session tickets are now available for the tournament. Session 1 tickets are just $25 and seating is general admission. Purchase your tickets HERE.Â
The winner of Temple-ECU will move on to play top-seeded SMU in the quarterfinals on Friday, March 10 at noon on ESPN2.
In each of the last two seasons, Temple had a first-round bye in the American Tournament and won its quarterfinal game to advance to the semifinals. Overall, the Owls are 2-3 in American Athletic Conference Championship play.
The Owls are coming off a 72-60 win at USF on March 5, completing the season sweep of the Bulls behind 17 points from senior Daniel Dingle, who led four players in double figures. Temple swiped a season-high 16 steals in the USF win, the most for the program since a 19-steal effort in a win vs. UMass at home on Feb. 26, 2003.
The USF win was the second in a row for the Owls, who earned an 86-76 double-OT win vs. Tulane to close out their home slate on Feb. 25. Sophomore Shizz Alston, Jr. tied his career high with 25 points, hitting 10-of-10 free throws, while senior Mark Williams added a season-high 20 points. Alston has made 28 straight free throws dating back to the league opener vs. Cincinnati on Dec. 28.
.
Alston is the team's leader in scoring this season with 14.0 points per game, which ranks 10th in the league. He is the conference leader in free-throw percentage (.868), ranks second in assist/turnover ratio (2.7), third in steals per game (1.6), eighth in assists per game (4.1) and tied for eighth in three-pointers made per game (2.1). Alston is on pace to become the first sophomore to lead the program in scoring, assists and steals since Mark Macon in 1998-99.
East Carolina lost six in a row during the stretch when the Owls won at home in early January, but the Pirates have since won five of their last 11 including a 78-64 win against the Owls on Feb. 15. To close out the regular season, ECU lost 73-51 at Houston.
Two players average in double figures for ECU, led by sophomore guard Kentrell Barkley with 12.4 ppg to go with a team-best 7.5 rpg.Â
Temple and East Carolina are meeting for the seventh time after beginning the all-time series in 2014-15. The teams split meetings in the regular season as the Owls won 81-62 for their first conference victory back on Jan. 7, but the Pirates won 78-64 on their home floor in mid-February.
Video Preview
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