Dec. 10 vs. No. 15 Alabama: The Owls almost upset the Crimson Tide on the road last season. This rematch is the Owls’ first of five games against preseason ranked opponents.
Dec. 31 vs. No. 5 Villanova, Palestra: Last season’s stunning, hold-onto-your-seat Temple win over the Wildcats at the Palestra featured nine ties and 12 lead changes. But that was before ‘Nova took off on a run that ultimately ended with a one-point loss to North Carolina in the Sweet 16.
Jan. 4 vs. No. 21 George Washington: The Owls open their Atlantic Ten Conference schedule against one of the league’s premier teams. The preseason No. 21 Colonials beat the Owls twice last season, including a 77-58 victory in the A-10 tournament that wiped out the Owls’ NCAA Tournament hopes. A win by the Owls would make a statement to the rest of the conference.
Jan. 8 at Saint Joseph’s: This game marks the first time these two city rivals will meet since last season’s infamous “goon” incident. Fan reaction to Chaney, which will follow the team on the road all season, should be particularly intense. The Hawks have won nine of the last 11 meetings between the teams.
Feb. 25 vs. No. 1 Duke, the Wachovia Center: Coaches John Chaney and Mike Krzyzewski, both owning 700-plus wins, face each other for the ninth time in their storied careers. Chaney’s Owls have only beaten Kryzewski’s Blue Devils once in those eight previous games. Last season’s meeting resulted in a 82-74 loss. With the NCAA Tournament looming just a few weeks after this matchup, a victory would be a huge boost for the Owls’ Tournament bid.
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