Temple Basketball Season in Photos

The 2022-23 season was a tumultuous season for both Temple Men’s and Women’s Basketball. 

For the women, two players were suspended from the team and two others left in the middle of conference play in what was head coach Diane Richardson’s first season with the team. For the men, a season that began with high expectations ended with guard Khalif Battle stepping away from the team, a first-round conference tournament loss, several transfers and the departure of head coach Aaron Mckie. 

This season, expectations were low for both teams. However, at the end of the season, the women’s team won a share of the AAC regular season championship and the men’s team reached the AAC Finals. 

Here’s how everything unfolded throughout the season:

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First-year head coach Adam Fisher during a team practice in October 2023. Fisher inherited a Temple team that lost five of its six leading scorers to the transfer portal. 

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Temple Women’s Basketball head coach Diane Richardson runs onto the court during Cherry & White night on Oct. 26, 2023. This is Richardson’s second year coaching the Owls, coming from Towson University in 2022.

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Temple Women’s Basketball’s bench celebrates following a Tristen Taylor three-point shot during the Owls’ dominant 109-43 season-opening victory over Delaware State. The 66-point margin of victory is the largest in program history. 

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Hysier Miller and Steve Settle III reach to contest a shot during Temple’s matchup against the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Adam Fisher won his first game as a head coach, and Temple secured a victory against a team that had beaten them the previous year.

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Four Temple players guard La Salle’s Jhamir Brickus during a Big 5 matchup in The Liacouras Center. Brickus scored a Big 5 record of 41 points, but it was not enough as the Owls beat the Explorers 106-99 in triple overtime. This was Temple’s second Big 5 win, earning the Owls a chance to play in the Big 5 Championship at the Wells Fargo Center.

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Jordan Riley attempts a layup against forward Rasheer Flemming during the inaugural Big 5 Championship at the Wells Fargo Center on Dec. 2, 2023. Riley scored 20, but it was not enough as St. Joe’s beat Temple 74-65.

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Tiarra East and Aleah Nelson celebrate a made three-point basket during Temple’s matchup against the Charlotte 49ers at The Liacouras Center on Jan. 21. The Owls were on a roll, improving to 4-2 in conference play after beating the first-place Charlotte team.

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Coach Adam Fisher walks off the court following a 73-70 loss to the Charlotte 49ers. This loss marked the ninth loss in a row for the Owls in Fisher’s first year as head coach.

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Adam Fisher praises center Emmanual Okpomo during Temple’s 83-77 victory against UTSA on Feb. 18. This victory, the first in six weeks, snapped a historic 10-game losing streak for the Owls.

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Demi Washington shoots over Tulsa forward Temira Poindexter as the Owls play against first-place Golden Hurricanes on Feb. 28. Washington scored 15, but Poindexter’s 30 points was too much as Temple lost to Tulsa 76-67, snapping a five-game winning streak.

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Tiarra East holds up the AAC Regular Season Championship trophy after Temple clinches a share of the title following a 74-53 win against FAU. This was Temple Women’s basketball’s first regular season championship since joining the AAC.

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Tristen Taylor catches a ball at her former high school Duncanville High School as the team practices for the AAC Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas.

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Aleah Nelson reaches to help up Tristen Taylor during Temple’s first game of the 2024 AAC Tournament against Tulane in Fort Worth, Texas on March 11. The Owls narrowly defeated the Tulane Green Wave, winning 76-72 in triple overtime.

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After coming into the tournament tied for first-place in the AAC, the Owls ended their season in a disappointing loss to Rice 60-57.

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Zion Stanford shoots a fadeaway during Temple’s first-round matchup against UTSA at Dickies Arena in the AAC Tournament on March 13. Stanford scored 19 as Temple defeated UTSA 64-61. This marked Temple’s first tournament win in six years. 

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Emmanuel Okpomo defends a shot during Temple’s semifinal matchup against Florida Atlantic University. FAU, after reaching the Final Four in 2023, lost to Temple 74-73. For the first time ever, Temple reached the AAC Finals.

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In the final game of the AAC tournament, Temple fell to UAB 85-69.  Following the game, Adam Fisher brought the entire team to the post-game press conference, telling reporters “We win together, we lose together, but together is the key word.”