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kyxu
01-20-2010, 09:35 PM
Hot-shooting Owls buzz Musketeers, 77-72
by Mike Damone

Historically a bane of Xavier’s A-10 existence, the Temple Owls have frustrated the Musketeers throughout the past decade of conference play with big guards and a tough match-up zone that has typically stifled previously solid Xavier teams.

The #16 Owls (16-3, 4-0) came into Wednesday night’s contest in Philadelphia with a stingy defense, but instead rode a balmy 60 percent shooting, including 68 percent in the second half, to drop the Musketeers, 77-72, in a match-up that paired the only two remaining Atlantic 10 teams with unblemished conference records.

The Musketeers (12-6, 4-1) twice claimed the lead against the Owls, but each time would prove fleeting. In the latest instance, the Musketeers overcame a six-point deficit early in the second half to claim a 48-47 lead with just under 15 minutes to go. Terrell Holloway (13 pts, 4 ast) got the 7-0 run started with a jumper before Jordan Crawford (18 pts, 3 reb) scored a lay-up and nailed a three to give Xavier the advantage.

After a Xavier turnover, Juan Fernandez (15 pts, 7 ast) promptly gave the lead right back to the Owls with a triple, and the Musketeers never got closer than three the rest of the way. The Owls started the second half shooting an inhuman 80 percent over the half’s first 10 minutes, and established as much as a nine-point lead, 62-53, with 7:23 left off a pair of free throws from Fernandez.

Xavier had tremendous difficulty keeping the Owls off the scoreboard, as Temple scored with ease on a string of possessions in the second half, putting added pressure on Xavier’s offense to answer and keep the game close.

A three from Brad Redford (9 points) cut Xavier’s deficit to three, 68-65, with just under a minute left, but Fernandez the Musketeers on their heels when he drilled a mid-range jumper to make it a two-possession with just 43 seconds to go. Xavier cut the deficit to three again on two more occasions, but the Owls were just as hot from the free-throw line as they were from the field as Ryan Brooks (22 pts, 7 reb) went a perfect 6-for-6 from the line in the game’s final 30 seconds to seal the victory.

The Owls started the game connecting on eight of their first 12 shots, but the Musketeers stayed close. Xavier took its first lead on a short jumper from Jason Love (16 pts, 7 reb) 9-8 with 16:48 to go in the first half, and then extended Xavier’s lead, 13-10, with another jumper.

But just seconds later, Craig Williams (7 points) drained a three to knot the game and steal momentum away from the Musketeers. With the Owls leading 20-13, Dante Jackson (3 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast) and Redford each knocked down a three to bring the Musketeers to within one with under 10 minutes left in the first half.

Jackson was about to take off with the steal and a chance to give Xavier the lead, but Luis Guzman (10 pts, 4 ast) stole the ball back and Brooks quickly scored to put the Owls up three. Guzman then wrestled away the ensuring inbounds pass and scored again to put the Owls back up five, 24-19, with under nine minutes left.

A hoop and foul from Brooks put the Owls up eight, 37-29, but Love answered with a bucket inside and Crawford got a bucket to go while being fouled to bring Xavier to within three before Guzman drove and scored to put the Owls up five at the break, 39-34.

With Temple not known as an offensive power, the Musketeers anticipated being able to steal a win in Philadelphia by rebounding the ball and shooting nearly 60 percent from the field and 50 percent from three. Xavier won the battle of the boards, 31-27, but Temple didn’t need offensive put-backs to score, getting their offense off dribble penetration and ball reversal.

Brooks led four Owls in double-figures with 22, followed by 16 from Lavoy Allen (16 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast), 15 from Fernandez and 10 from Guzman. Crawford scored a team-high of 18 points, followed by 16 from Love and 13 from Holloway.

Temple appears to have pole position for the Atlantic 10 regular season title just four games into their conference slate, having already defeated the two teams that immediately trail it in the conference standings (Xavier and Rhode Island) and playing the fourth (Dayton) in Philadelphia in late February.

Xavier will return home to the Cintas Center to take on the Rhode Island Rams at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Rams are right on the Musketeers’ heels in the conference standings as they come off a 75-67 win over the Duquesne Dukes. The Musketeers edged the Rams, 67-65, in last season’s match-up in Kingston.