Temple Owls

It may not have been Temple's biggest win ever. But the Owls' upset over Duke on Wednesday is certainly the one people are talking about. Locals sports-talk radio stations, whose airwaves are usually dominated by Eagles talk, were bombarded Thursday with calls about Temple's 78-73 victory over the fifth-ranked Blue Devils at the Wells Fargo Center. Over at How Ya Wannit?, a barber shop in Frankford, folks were conversing about how the Owls "shocked the basketball universe.

Satisfied? The Temple football team? Just because the Owls (9-2, 7-0 Mid-American Conference) are taking a nine-game winning streak to Ohio University (8-3, 6-1) on Friday morning (ESPNU, 11) to see who will win the conference's East Division and play in next week's title game? "I'm unsatisfied," said coach Al Golden, who inherited a winless team 4 years ago that had just been asked to leave the Big East for a non-BCS affiliate and has taken it from one victory to four, five and now this.

TEMPLE COACH Fran Dunphy had never been a head coach in a conference tournament until he got to Temple 3 years ago. He has gotten the hang of it rather quickly. After beating Duquesne, 69-64, for the Atlantic 10 championship Saturday night in Atlantic City, Dunphy's Owls have won six consecutive A-10 Tournament games and two consecutive championships. The Owls had about 22 hours to digest it all before they gathered at the Liacouras Center to watch the Selection Show last evening.

The changes will be identifiable. John Chaney's trademark matchup zone is now mostly a helping man-to-man. A set offense is gone, replaced by motion and screens and shouts of "Stagger away!" There will be more running this season at Temple, a transition game in every sense of the word. But all that may be the easiest part of Fran Dunphy's job. He is taking over for the voice and sound and symbol of a school. Over 24 years, on his best days and worst, John Chaney had become Temple.

Want to climb aboard a student bus convoy to the Meadowlands tonight to watch the Temple Owls crush those Richmond Spiders in NCAA Eastern Regional semifinal action? Sorry. The trip's been canceled due to lack of interest. Really. "I think most people are doing their own travel arrangements," said a diplomatic Susan Storb, coordinator of special services for Rosenbluth Travel. Last week, Storb arranged a package trip to Hartford, Conn., where Temple bounced Lehigh out of the tournament, 87-73.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Perhaps looking to intimidate Temple, Maryland players refused to give the Owls their half of the field to warm up. "We really took that to heart," said Temple quarterback Chester Stewart , whose team won, 38-7, on Saturday at Byrd Stadium. "I think that was the biggest motivator for us. " Stewart said another motivator was hearing boos from the Terrapins and their crowd while warming up. "It was boos everywhere," he said. Temple tailback Bernard Pierce enjoyed the environment.

Illinois coach Bruce Weber wasn't satisfied with what he had just seen on the Palestra court yesterday against Temple's matchup zone. "It was a 1-2-2 zone that time!" Weber yelled to one of his Illini players about Temple's constantly changing defensive alignments. "You pass to the middle. " Another big-time team done in by Temple's fabled defense? Hardly. That time, Illinois had simply made a different pass, to find another cutting player, for yet another layup. Yesterday, 12th-ranked Illinois tore into Temple's zone and chewed away for a 75-60 victory.

Quincy Wadley, a guard from Harrisburg, and Lamont Barnes, a forward from Hopkinsville, Ky., signed letters of intent yesterday with the Temple Owls for the 1996-97 basketball season, the university announced. "Quincy and Lamont are exceptional basketball talents who possess terrific all-around skills and who will make an immediate impact at Temple," Owls coach John Chaney said in a statement. "They are outstanding individuals who will be leaders on and off the court for Temple University.

Fernandez needs to pick it up OwlsInq: www.philly.com/owlsinq Anyone who knows anything about Temple Owls basketball knows Juan Fernandez is in a terrible slump. The senior point guard shot a combined 2 for 19 from the field in his last two games, against St. Louis and Richmond. What's more, Fernandez finished with just two points in each game. But the preseason all-Atlantic Ten selection's struggles aren't limited to those games. Fernandez has shot just 27 percent (12 for 44)

The college basketball post-season tournament is upon us, and the Temple Owls continue to look good with a chain of impressive wins. There were two fine articles in the Daily News and the Philadelphia Inquirer about the brain behind the success of this team - coach John Chaney. We read how he handles his players on and off the court, and most importantly, his concern over academic achievements. Although I am not a basketball player, I had a close encounter with this man before.

NASHVILLE - A basketball never sounds more hollow than when it stops bouncing, and it was that sudden silence that found the Temple Owls after their opening game of the NCAA tournament late Friday night. Across the street from the Country Music Hall of Fame, the 58-44 loss to the University of South Florida told a sad story of heartbreak and betrayal. The rim was a liar, the ball was cheating and the stat sheet was drunk. Maybe someone would even get shot, but if it was by either of these teams, it would probably be a miss.

Fernandez needs to pick it up OwlsInq: www.philly.com/owlsinq Anyone who knows anything about Temple Owls basketball knows Juan Fernandez is in a terrible slump. The senior point guard shot a combined 2 for 19 from the field in his last two games, against St. Louis and Richmond. What's more, Fernandez finished with just two points in each game. But the preseason all-Atlantic Ten selection's struggles aren't limited to those games. Fernandez has shot just 27 percent (12 for 44)

It may not have been Temple's biggest win ever. But the Owls' upset over Duke on Wednesday is certainly the one people are talking about. Locals sports-talk radio stations, whose airwaves are usually dominated by Eagles talk, were bombarded Thursday with calls about Temple's 78-73 victory over the fifth-ranked Blue Devils at the Wells Fargo Center. Over at How Ya Wannit?, a barber shop in Frankford, folks were conversing about how the Owls "shocked the basketball universe.

THE STREAK continues for the Temple Owls. But if last night's 87-85, overtime squeaker over the Buffalo Bulls in the Liacouras Center proves anything, it is that Micheal Eric had better demonstrate that he's a quick healer. Redshirt freshman Anthony Lee's layup as time expired enabled Temple (8-3) to extend its home winning streak to 25 games. But as exhilarating as the victory was, it couldn't camouflage the fact that there is only so much that can be done with a small lineup that needs to drain a lot of three-pointers to defeat teams with bigger, stronger post players.

The 2011 Temple Owls were clearly one of the most exciting football teams in school history. In his first year, coach Steve Addazio has changed the culture by bringing "Temple Toughness" and "Philly Pride" to the North Broad campus. In the process, the former Florida assistant head coach/offensive coordinator led Temple to a milestone. The Owls concluded the season with a 37-15 New Mexico Bowl victory over Wyoming, marking their first bowl win in 32 seasons. Temple (9-4)

HOUSTON - The stories about everything from Pecos Bill to LBJ to Lee Harvey Oswald were wonderful, but the primary reason the Temple Owls came to Texas was to win basketball games. They did that last night with a 77-70 decision over Rice at Tudor Fieldhouse. Rice (7-4) went on a 5-0 run to start the second half and take a 37-36 lead and Temple, which coasted early on, suddenly found itself in an alley fight. But after two lead changes, Temple started pulling away again. Juan Fernandez drove the lane, zipped a sharp pass to Anthony Lee down low, and Lee's two-handed dunk gave Temple a 53-47 lead with 13 minutes, 31 seconds remaining.

TOLEDO, Ohio - Go small ball or go home. Maybe that will become the mantra for the Temple Owls. That's because the Owls are starting to find their groove without 6-foot-11 center Micheal Eric, who has a right kneecap injury. Playing long stretches with four-guard lineups, Temple posted its second consecutive blowout victory. This time, the Owls defeated the Toledo Rockets, 77-58, Wednesday night at Savage Arena. Temple improved to 5-2 with the 14th victory in its last 15 games against Mid-American Conference teams.

Temple's game plan is simple: contain Army's triple-option rushing attack. Rarely deviating from their routine, the Black Knights have run the ball on 630 of their 709 offensive plays. In the process, Army (3-7) heads into Saturday's game at Lincoln Financial Field with the Football Bowl Subdivision's top rushing offense with an average of 352 rushing yards per game. "I don't like preparing against the triple option," said Temple coach Steve Addazio, whose squad is 6-4. However, the Owls first-year coach is familiar with the offense.

IT'S THIS BASIC: If Temple (5-3, 3-2) wins its final three MAC games it will win the league's East title for the first time. If the Owls don't, well, who knows? But at the very least they'd need help, maybe a lot. They've been here before. In 2009 they took a nine-game winning streak into the regular-season finale at Ohio. Playing without running back Bernard Pierce and his injured shoulder they lost, 35-17, even though fellow-freshman Matt Brown rushed for 172 yards.