Owls fall to North Texas in clutch
RECAP BY BRENNAN SCUTT
PHOTO BY CHARLIE HALIKMAN
With sixteen seconds left in the game, Temple fouled North Texas guard David Terrell Jr. in hopes that the 69 percent free-throw shooter would miss again, like he did the previous possession.
Terell Jr. was cool as ice at the line and extended the North Texas lead to three. The Owls went to sharpshooter Gavin Griffiths to try to tie the game, but his shot bounced off the rim and North Texas held on for the 65-62 win at the Liacouras Center Sunday afternoon.
With the loss, the Owls have now dropped back-to-back games and sit fourth in the American conference standings.
Early in the contest the Owls seemed to be heading in the right direction. Temple guard Aiden Tobiason quickly shook off his rough 1/12 performance from the field last game and had six quick points for the Owls.
North Texas forward, Dylan Arnett started off strong for the Mean Green chipping in with six points of his own.
Later in the half, Temple guard Masiyah Gilyard got hot, draining back-to-back triples on consecutive trips down the court. After a Tobiason triple, the Owls jumped out to a 24-15 lead capping off an 11-0 run with a little over three minutes left in the first half.
In what seemed like a nightmare first half for the Mean Green, they went into the locker room down only six while shooting an abysmal 28 percent from the floor. The Owls’ eight first half turnovers prevented them from truly pulling away.
Tobiason and fellow guard Derrian Ford led the Owls in scoring with nine, and for North Texas, Arnett led them with six.
When the second half got underway. Gilyard continued his hot shooting from the first half. He drilled two corner three-pointers on back-to-back possessions to give the Owls their largest lead of the game of 11.
A North Texas 10-0 run cut right back into the Owls’ lead. Temple saw its advantage shrink to two points when Head Coach Adam Fisher called a timeout. Over an eight-minute stretch, the Mean Green went on a 21-7 run to eventually take a 49-47 lead on the Owls.
The Owls’ first half turnover woes continued as they could not find an answer for the relentless North Texas defensive pressure.
“It’s a great credit to North Texas. They are tough, they are physical. Every catch is a collision,” said Temple head coach Adam Fisher.
The game remained close throughout the rest of the half with neither team giving into the other.
North Texas finally had a chance to deliver a knockout blow to the Owls. With the Mean Green up 62-59, guard Cole Franklin drew contact after a drive to the basket but missed both foul shots to keep it a one possession game.
North Texas decided to play the foul game and put Derrian Ford on the line, where he made two free throws. North Texas once again left the door open for Temple when they split up a pair of free throws on the other end.
A quick Temple basket had them only down one with 15 seconds left to play.
After a Temple foul, guard David Terell Jr. calmly made both free throws to give North Texas a three-point lead. Temple went to Gavin Griffiths in an attempt to tie up the game, but his three-point shot went off the mark.
Aiden Tobiason was held to one shot in the second half after ending the first half with nine points. “They did a good job of denying to get the ball out of his hands,” Fisher commented. “But he’s got to be aggressive, it’s something we’ve talked about, ‘and we expect him to take shots.”
Foul shooting was an issue for the Owls all day and hurt them in the end when it was all said and done. They shot 9/17 from the free throw line, good for 53 percent.
Derrian Ford led the Owls with 20 points, and Dylan Arnett paved the way for the Mean Green with 14 points.
Temple falls to 15-10 overall, 7-5 in the American. North Texas moves to 15-11 overall, 6-7 in the American.
When it comes to the conference tournament, Fisher doesn’t care about what seed his squad gets. “Don’t give a crap. We’re just trying to get better.”
Temple is back in action Wednesday night at home vs UAB with hopes of getting back on track.
