After a wire-to-wire win against Albany at the NABC Brooklyn Showcase last week, Temple Men’s Basketball struggled Saturday. The Owls allowed VCU to get out to a double-digit lead early in the first half without putting up much of a fight.
Temple (6-4, 0-0 American Athletic Conference) fell to VCU (6-5, 0-0 Atlantic 10) 87-78 Saturday afternoon at the Siegel Center in Richmond, Virginia. Despite the Owls’ second-half comeback attempt, the Rams’ 50 points in the first half was too much to overcome.
The Owls also battled injuries that plagued the usually-deep lineup. While guard Jahlil White returned from his hand injury he sustained against Columbia on Nov. 18, guards Jordan Riley and Shane Dezonie did not play. On top of that, guard Zion Stanford logged just two minutes early in the game before exiting. Riley suffered his injury prior to the contest.
Temple’s offense could not get going without Riley and Stanford. After guard Mateo Picarelli hit a three-pointer for the Owls’ first basket of the game, things went downhill.
VCU guard Joe Bamisile entered the game early in the first half and sparked an 8-0 run by himself, including two three-pointers that put the Rams up nine just seven minutes into the game. It was Bamisile’s first game for the Rams following a temporary restraining order from a West Virginia court allowing second-time transfers to return to action.
Bamisile finished with 11 points on 4-12 shooting, including three three-pointers.
VCU’s three-point shooting gave them a 16-point lead with seven minutes remaining in the first half before leading by as many as 23 points in the first period. The Rams shot 61 percent from the field and made seven three-pointers. All nine VCU players who entered the game in the first half scored at least one basket.
Temple guard Hysier Miller has been the team’s leading scorer so far this season, often controlling the Owls’ offense. Miller struggled in the first half, ending with just one point on 0-6 shooting, and the Rams took advantage.
The Owls did not go away quietly in the second half. Despite trailing by 19 at the beginning of the frame, Temple went on a 20-12 run eight minutes into the second half that brought the game to 51-62.
Forward Sam Hofman was a big reason the Owls found a spark, as his eight second-half points kept the game close. Hofman finished with a season-high 17 points and added four rebounds and two assists.
Temple had an opportunity to bring the game within single digits with that run but could not find a basket. The Owls allowed VCU guard Zeb Jackson to sneak by on a baseline drive and dunk that pushed the Rams’ lead back up to 13 with nine minutes left.
The Owls continued to struggle from three throughout the second half. The Rams grabbed long rebounds for back-to-back fastbreak baskets that put them on a 7-0 run and extended their lead back to 18 points with six minutes remaining.
This lead proved to be insurmountable. Despite Temple making it interesting with a small comeback attempt toward the end of the game, VCU earned a comfortable win without allowing the Owls to extend their winning streak.
Jackson and guard Max Shulga both led all scorers with 19 points. Five Owls scored in double-figures, but they could not find enough consistency on the other end of the floor.
The Owls will look to bounce back against Nevada (8-1, 0-0 Mountain West) in game one of the Diamond Head Classic tournament on Dec. 21 at 3 p.m.
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