Temple Builds Big Lead, Hangs On To Top DePaul, 74-65
MIAMI (AP) — Obi Enechionyia and Shizz Alston Jr. each scored 15 points, and Temple ran out to a 25-point lead before hanging on to beat DePaul, 74-65, on Saturday in the Hoophall Miami Invitational.
Quinton Rose scored 12 and Josh Brown had 11 for the Owls (7-3), who have won six of their last seven games.
Eli Cain scored 17 points for DePaul (5-3), which got 15 from Billy Garrett Jr. The Blue Demons came in shooting only 29 percent from 3-point range and struggled again, making just 1 of 15 tries on Saturday.
Temple was 9 for 20 from 3-point range, translating to a 27-3 edge in points.
DePaul was down 63-38 with 9 minutes left, before a 3-pointer by Cain seemed to give the Blue Demons some life. DePaul went on a 14-0 run in the final 4:50, getting 10 of those points from the line — including four free throws in one sequence after Alston was called for a foul and a technical on the same play.
But Alston made a pair with 42.3 seconds left to give Temple a three-possession lead again, and the Owls escaped despite not having a single field goal in the final 8:18.
BIG PICTURE
Temple: This was the first of two trips to Florida this month for the Owls, and the first of three this season. Temple plays at Central Florida on Dec. 31 and at South Florida on March 5. ... The Owls are now 4-2 all-time against DePaul, and Saturday was the first meeting between the clubs since 2001.
DePaul: The game was the 2,400th in program history (1,433-967). ... Garrett got to double figures for the 70th consecutive game, moved past Joe Ponsetto for 25th on the school's all-time scoring list and shot 11 for 12 from the line to get to No. 5 on DePaul's all-time free throw list as well.
UP NEXT
Temple: The Owls play at Villanova on Tuesday. It'll be the third AP Top 25 opponent for Temple already this season.
DePaul: The Blue Demons host UIC on Wednesday. DePaul bounced back from its first two losses this season with double-digit wins.
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