PROVIDENCE, R.I - For the 12th consecutive season, the Temple Owls have knocked off a nationally-ranked team as they defeated previously unbeaten No. 17/15 Houston at the Liacouras Center, 73-69. USF was also in action and joined Temple and Houston as three of five American Athletic Conference men's basketball teams with two league wins after its 66-48 victory over Tulane.
Wednesday, January 9
Temple 73, No. 17/15 Houston 69
In an exciting finish, Temple men's basketball knocked off a nationally-ranked team for a 12th straight season, this time handing No. 17/15 Houston (15-1, 2-1) its first loss of the season by a score of 73-69. Quinton Rose scored a game-high 22 points for the Owls (12-3, 2-1), who hit 25 of 28 free throws.
There were seven ties and 14 lead changes in a very tightly contested game, with neither team ever leading by double digits.
The Owls had the largest lead of nine on a number of occasions, the last with 7:27 remaining.
Houston came as close as a point down the stretch and then trailed by just two with seven seconds left and the ball.
Ernest Aflakpui took a charge that led to an offensive foul on the Cougars in the final second, which gave Temple the ball back. Houston was forced to foul, and Nate Pierre-Louis (18 points) made two free throws for the final score.
Temple's 25 free throws made are its second-most of the season, with its percentage of .893 also marking its second-best.
The Owls have now defeated a Top 25 team in 12 straight seasons, and remain undefeated at home with a record of 6-0.
Rose and Pierre-Louis each hit 9-of-10 free throws and recorded two steals. Rose's 22 points are his third-most this season, while Pierre-Louis is leading Temple with 20 points per game over the Owls' three American Athletic Conference contests.
Shizz Alston, Jr. was the Owls third player to reach double figures, scoring 12 points and dishing a game-best six assists.
Aflakpui and De'Vondre Perry led all players with seven rebounds each, and the total ties Perry's career high.
Breaon Brady had 19 points to lead Houston, who started 15-0 for the first time since the 1967-68 team won its first 31 games. Houston's 15-game winning streak was the school's longest since the 1982-83 season.
USF 66, Tulane 48
Leading from start to finish, USF earned a 66-48 win over Tulane at the Yuengling Center on Wednesday night.
USF (12-3, 2-1 in AAC) has posted its most victories since the 2013-14 season and extended its home winning streak to seven games. The Bulls scored 35 points off 26 Tulane turnovers and grabbed 12 steals in their eighth win in the past nine outings.
David Collins had an all-around performance with a game-high 17 points, five assists, five rebounds and a career-high five steals. Alexis Yetna registered his eighth double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. The redshirt freshman forward set a new career high with a trio of three-pointers and his first came at the end of a 10-0 run that spotted USF a 26-12 lead in the opening half.
Tulane junior forward Samir Sehic registered his sixth double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while freshman swingman Kevin Zhang made it to double-figures for the third time with 11 points.
T.J. Lang led the Bulls early on by scoring nine of his 11 total points in the first period. Along with from Lang's lift, aggressive USF scored 17 points off 15 Tulane turnovers on the way to a 34-26 halftime lead.
Mayan Kiir scored all eight of his points in the first half and slammed home a dunk following a Collins steal during the 10-0 run that pumped the USF lead up to 26-12 more than midway through the period.
A layup by Justin Brown stretched the USF lead to 11 with 16:49 remaining and the Green Wave never got within single digits the rest of the way. Tulane (4-11, 0-3) went 8-for-25 from the field after the break, including a 2-for-14 showing from long range.
USF scored 35 points off 26 Tulane turnovers and the Bulls dominated in points in the paint by a 34-12 margin.
The Bulls are off to their first 2-1 start in The American since joining the conference in 2013.
Yetna leads The American with eight double-doubles this season. USF was one of only two schools in the NCAA with a conference leader in rebounds, assists and steals leading up to Wednesday's action.
Laquincy Rideau finished with three steals and headed into Wednesday's game ranked fifth in the NCAA with a conference-leading 2.9 steals per game.
UPCOMING GAMES