Liacouras Center

This might not be a popular sentiment, but I'll take Best Coast over Green Day any day, even though, at the Liacouras Center on Wednesday, it's Billie Joe Armstrong's Berkeley-based punks who will headline and Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno's sun-soaked garage pop that will open the bill. "I can't compare myself to Billie Joe," says Best Coast's singer-songwriter Cosentino via e-mail. "I'm not even on that level. One of the first songs I learned on guitar was 'Time of Your Life.' Green Day was influential to me as a teenager, and later on, as a writer.

Sesame Street Live: 1-2-3 Imagine! with Elmo and Friends is in town through Sunday at the Liacouras Center. The plot of the show begins with Sam delivering the mail to Sesame Street and sharing a secret that Elmo and his friends can go on an imaginary journey to visit their pen pals if they use their imagination. Ernie becomes captain of the Good Ship Rubber Duckie, and Elmo plays drums in an African rain forest. With the power of imagination, kids will learn from Elmo and his friends that they can fulfill their dreams by using their imagination.

Several years ago, when Temple assistant women's basketball coach Ervin Monier was on a summer recruiting jaunt at a national tournament in Washington for his boss, Dawn Staley, he was attracted to the play of 6-foot-2 forward-center Candice Dupree. "Everyone was busy watching someone at the other court, but I could see she could be something special for us," Monier said yesterday. If the sophomore from Tampa, Fla., wasn't attracting a crowd that day, she certainly is now. Dupree was the most valuable player of the Atlantic Ten Conference tournament two weeks ago in leading the 21-9 Owls to their second title in three seasons and an automatic berth into the NCAA 64-team field.

The latest chapter in this doomed Temple season unfolded a little differently last night. This time, the Owls came from ahead and lost it at the end. They were nine points clear of Richmond, looking as if they would get to smile for a change. That was with 9 minutes, 42 seconds remaining in the game at the Liacouras Center. The clock might as well have said midnight. The Owls made only one more shot from the field, when Temple center Kevin Lyde picked up an air ball and banked it in. Some things had not changed.

Temple forward Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson was among 105 Owls student-athletes who graduated Thursday at the Liacouras Center. Hollis-Jefferson led Temple in blocks in his senior season and tied for first on the team in steals with guard Khalif Wyatt. He averaged 8.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 33 games for the Owls. "For now, I want to focus on playing basketball for as long as I can," the former Chester High star said. "I'm still looking at options on where to go and where to play.

Who: Temple (9-7, 1-1 Atlantic 10) vs. Saint Louis (11-6, 2-1) When: 8 o'clock Where: Liacouras Center TV/Radio: None/WPHT (1210-AM)

The women's Atlantic 10 title game will be all Philly, with Temple and Saint Joseph's both advancing in yesterday's semifinals at the Liacouras Center. Stacey Smalls made five free throws in the final 20 seconds of overtime and Lisa Jakubowicz made a key offensive rebound as the Owls beat Massachusetts, 67-61. Temple advanced to the A-10 conference title game for the first time in 13 years. In the other game, Susan Moran had 32 points and Stephanie Graff added 18 as the Hawks defeated Xavier, 90-80.

Dawn Staley's Owls used balanced scoring and Temple eased to a season-opening 83-45 victory over Central Michigan last night at the Liacouras Center. Lady Comfort scored 16 points, Ashley Morris had 15 points and freshman Lindsay Kimmel added 14 points and eight assists for Temple, which shot 55 percent from the field. Shanea Cotton led all rebounders with 12. Angel Chan had 17 points to lead CMU (1-1). Shonda Long added 10.

Temple fans can get an up-close and personal look at their seats in the Liacouras Center for the upcoming season for the men's and women's basketball teams. Temple's Select-A-Seat Open House, to be held on Tuesday Sept. 28 from 6-8:30 p.m.) is an opportunity for those interested in purchasing Temple Basketball season tickets to see - in person - what seats are available.  

   Friday's men's basketball game between Temple and Detroit, part of the Gotham Classic at the Liacouras Center, was postponed because of bad weather. The game will be rescheduled.    Conditions in the Midwest combined with wind conditions in Philadelphia prevented Detroit from being able to safely travel to Philadelphia for the game, according to Rick Giles, president of the Gazelle Group, which runs the event.

The AND1 Summer Remix Basketball Tournament will be played at the Liacouras Center Aug. 29 to Sept. 1. The 12-team street basketball tournament will offer a $100,000 prize to the winners. Tryouts will begin June 8 at New York's Dunlevy Milbank Center. TENNIS: Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina has pulled out of the French Open because of a respiratory virus. American players Brian Baker and Mardy Fish have also pulled out. Baker has not recovered from a right knee operation and Fish is unfit because of heart problems.

Temple forward Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson was among 105 Owls student-athletes who graduated Thursday at the Liacouras Center. Hollis-Jefferson led Temple in blocks in his senior season and tied for first on the team in steals with guard Khalif Wyatt. He averaged 8.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 33 games for the Owls. "For now, I want to focus on playing basketball for as long as I can," the former Chester High star said. "I'm still looking at options on where to go and where to play.

This might not be a popular sentiment, but I'll take Best Coast over Green Day any day, even though, at the Liacouras Center on Wednesday, it's Billie Joe Armstrong's Berkeley-based punks who will headline and Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno's sun-soaked garage pop that will open the bill. "I can't compare myself to Billie Joe," says Best Coast's singer-songwriter Cosentino via e-mail. "I'm not even on that level. One of the first songs I learned on guitar was 'Time of Your Life.' Green Day was influential to me as a teenager, and later on, as a writer.

DAYTON, Ohio - Relax. Head still. Swish. Swish. Just like last week. Just like Dad said. T.J. DiLeo and his father, Tony, spent an hour last week after a Temple practice at the Liacouras Center working on T.J.'s free throw tics. T.J. tenses. He wavers. He did neither Friday, and Temple advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. "I just gave him a couple of things to focus on," said Tony, a former Sixers coach and the Sixers' current general manager. T.J. DiLeo seldom takes free throws; just 10 in his seven previous games.

IT CERTAINLY WAS an emphatic closing statement. And it was probably enough to just about ensure that Temple's basketball team, one of many that were still supposedly straddling the dreaded bubble, will be part of the Madness for the sixth consecutive March. Sunday afternoon at a jammed Liacouras Center, the Owls (23-8, 11-5 Atlantic 10) finished the regular season with their seventh straight victory, 84-76 over 21st-ranked Virginia Commonwealth (24-7, 12-4). It gave them the third seed in the conference tourney, which begins Thursday in Brooklyn.

IT CERTAINLY WAS an emphatic closing statement. And it was probably enough to just about ensure that Temple's basketball team, one of many that were still supposedly straddling the dreaded bubble, will be part of the Madness for the sixth consecutive March. Sunday afternoon at a jammed Liacouras Center, the Owls (23-8, 11-5 Atlantic 10) finished the regular season with their seventh straight victory, 84-76 over 21st-ranked Virginia Commonwealth (24-7, 12-4). It gave them the third seed in the conference tourney, which begins Thursday in Brooklyn.

The outcome of Sunday's Temple-Virginia Commonwealth game at the Liacouras Center will determine where the Owls and La Salle are seeded in the conference tournament, which begins Thursday in Brooklyn. St. Joseph's, which will not be affected by the Temple-VCU result, is seeded 10th and plays seventh seed Xavier in Thursday's 6:30 p.m. first-rounder. TEMPLE If Temple beats VCU, the Owls get the third seed and a first-round bye, then face the winner of sixth seed Massachusetts and 11th seed George Washington in Friday's 9 p.m. quarterfinal.

THEY WERE supposed to meet on Dec. 28, as part of the Gotham Classic. But weather got in the way. So exactly 2 months later, Temple (19-8, 8-5 Atlantic 10) will play Detroit (19-10, 11-4 Horizon League) Thursday night at the Liacouras Center. Two weeks ago the Owls, who are trying to get to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth consecutive year, were coming off a bad home loss to Duquesne. Since then, they've won by a point at Massachusetts, beaten La Salle decisively on North Broad Street and rolled at Charlotte.

This season, Temple's I Believe Guy found his faith tested. "Oh, God, it's been a tough season," said the I Believe Guy. "But that's part of the fun of it. It's part of the season. I tell my buddies it's like blind faith. " When the I Believe Guy's faith is rewarded, he shouts to the rafters, and Temple's student section comes back at him, taking over the Liacouras Center with one of the more infectious chants in college basketball. "I believe that we have won!" Sometimes, Temple's lead seemingly safe, the students implore the I Believe Guy. Time to chant?

TEMPLE HAD played five straight one-point games, which has to be a record. Not this time. Not even close, on a city stage that was about as meaningful as it gets. La Salle was trying to claim its first outright Big 5 title in 23 years. Instead, the Explorers will have to settle for their first shared crown in 14, the last season of the half round-robin. Thursday night at the packed Liacouras Center, the Owls assumed command with an 18-1 run to close out the first half. Ahead by two touchdowns at the break, they would lead by as many as 22 with 15 1/2 minutes left.