Survive and advance. That’s been the mantra of college basketball in March since legendary North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano coined the term in 1983. The idea is simple: any team that finds ways to win has a chance at earning a championship.
No one in the American Athletic Conference has embodied that term better than Temple Men’s Basketball.
The Owls stayed at the bottom of the standings all season, enduring historic losing streaks and consistent injuries along the way. Then, they got hot at the end of their regular season slate and started to build momentum at the right time.
Temple is now two games away from its first AAC Championship. To get there, Temple will face Florida Atlantic in the semifinals, and the road to Sunday’s championship game has gotten a little tougher. Here’s everything to know before Temple and FAU tip off tonight.
IMPROBABLE
Temple put up back-to-back solid offensive performances to start the tournament against UTSA on March 13 and SMU on March 14. However, the Owls initially didn’t have their previous offensive success against Charlotte on March 15.
The Owls opened their quarterfinal matchup against Charlotte with one of their worst offensive halves of the season. Temple shot a dreadful 19 percent from the field in the first half and scored their lowest point total in a half with only 18 points.
Then, the Owls made a complete 180 in the second half. They scored 40 points in the final half, shooting 50 percent from the field en route to their quarterfinal win.
Temple got great showings from guard Jordan Riley and forward Steve Settle III who finished with 11 and 14 points, respectively. Riley scored all 11 of his points in the second half after getting challenged by Fisher and the rest of his staff at the half.
“[Riley] was awesome,” said Temple head coach Adam Fisher. “It was his rebounding, his toughness and the way he responded. All our coaches talked to him at halftime, and gave him that ‘Hey we need you.’ And man he stepped up right from the start. He delivered and that’s what big-time players do.”
Settle III has been key in Temple’s magical postseason run, averaging just less than 11 points in the Owls’ three tournament games. He has also been crucial on the defensive end, racking up five blocks and four steals as well.
Even when they aren’t firing on all cylinders, the Owls have continued to find ways to stay in games and win them. They’ve done so with their confidence in one another and ‘Temple TUFF’ mindset, they will need to do so to continue their improbable run.
“Temple TUFF,” Fisher said. “You’d hear about the great Coach Chaney teams, Coach Dunphy, Coach McKie teams. They’d always talk about [Temple TUFF]. It’s something that we needed to establish as our identity. Temple TUFF is when you score 18 points, but you guard and only allow 22. You’re rebounding, being physical, guarding without fouling and you’re the first team on the floor. That’s TUFF. And that’s the element we’re trying to bring.”
ON FAU
FAU has built up an impressive program in recent years. The team had an incredible run of its own last season, winning the Conference USA Championship in its final season as a member and qualifying for the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.
FAU has continued to dominate this year, ending the year with a 25-7 record and a 14-4 finish in its first AAC schedule. They were nationally ranked at points in the year and have flirted with the top 25 ever since.
FAU’s biggest strength is scoring points and doing it efficiently. They’ve outscored opponents 83-73 on average and rank as both the highest-scoring offense and the best field goal percentage in the AAC. They also have the third-best three-point percentage in the league.
Guard Johnell Davis has led FAU this season, sitting at fourth in the conference with 18 points per game. Center Vladislav Goldin ranks in the top-10 in the same category, and guard Alijah Martin falls in the top-25.
The two teams squared off once this season in Boca Raton, Florida, on Feb. 15. Temple kept close for the majority of the contest, but FAU took an early lead and remained on top for most of the game, removing any doubt as to who’d win.
Four of FAU’s starters had double-digit points in that matchup, and Davis led the way with 17 points on 50 percent shooting. FAU hit five more threes than Temple, which helped maintain the distance between the two squads.
Temple has played some strong defense in the tournament so far, but the team hasn’t faced an offense quite like this. FAU has scorers upon scorers, and it will be tough to focus on limiting one main player when so many can contribute at a high level. Stopping Davis will help, but Temple really needs to focus on playing aggressive defense on every player.
It could be safe to say this is Temple’s biggest test to date. The team has a legitimate shot to win the entire tournament if they pull off this statement victory on a massive stage.
SPOILER ALERT
Declan Landis, Sports Editor: “It is really, really hard to pick against Temple. Every time I have, they’ve proved me wrong, and they have shown the AAC they’re real threats. Temple’s chemistry is off the charts, and Fisher has brought out the best in each player.
FAU is just too good. They have so much talent from top to bottom and several scorers that can take over at any point. Temple shut down SMU, but this FAU team is a lot better up and down the floor. Temple may have finally met its match today.”
FAU wins 79-73.
Johnny Zawislak, Assistant Sports Editor: “Temple continues to prove everyone wrong day in and day out through the tournament. When the Owls are clicking and shooting well, they look like they can beat anyone that stands in their way.
However, if there’s one thing that Temple has shown throughout its 34 games this season, it’s the team’s inconsistency. It’s hard to see a way the Owls continue to shoot at the same rate of success while also stopping the conference’s best offense on the other end.”
FAU wins 82-79
Ryan Mack, Assistant Sports Editor: “Temple finding its stride at the right time has been an understatement. The Owls are clicking on all cylinders on both sides of the court. It has been tough to pick against this team with how they have played in the last month of the season.
The last time these teams played against each other, Temple was able to stay within striking distance until the very end. I could see this game going the same way, but also ending the same way. Temple’s Cinderella run will be coming to an end.”
FAU wins 77-72.
Jaison Nieves, Sports Social Media Manager: “I think this is the point where Temple’s improbable run comes to an end, simply because of the high powered FAU offense.
Temple has been able to shut down and hold offenses to poor shooting but with FAU’s various weapons it becomes really difficult to be able to contain so many people. Temple won’t go down easily but I think this is where it comes to an end.”
FAU wins 67-59
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