Postseason Central

Temple advanced in the WNIT with a 67-54 first round win at Marist Thursday evening in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Junior Erica Covile and freshman Tanaya Atkinson combined for 37 points to improve the Owls to 17-16 overall, while Marist falls to 21-12. 

The victory was the first for Temple in post-season play since the 2011-12 season. That Owl team advanced to the WNIT third round.

Covile led the way with 19 points while also adding six rrebounds. Atkinson finished with 18 points and five rebounds, while sophomore Feyonda Fitzgerald had 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Senior Tyonna Williams had nine points, including a three that tied her for the all-time program lead with 162. Sophomore Safiya Martin led the Owls on the boards, pulling down 10 a game-high tying rebounds.

The Owls had a double-digit lead until Marist converted two sets of free-throws to cut the lead to 59-51 with 1:42 left in regulation. From that point on it was all Temple, as the Owls forced three-straight defensive stops, while converting free-throws at the other end of the court. Marist hit a last-ditch three with 36 seconds to play, but Temple was 10-for-10 from the line in the final 2:30 of action to seal the win.

The Owls will now head back home to Philadelphia to take on Big 5-rival Penn on Sunday at the Palestra at  2 p.m. ET. The Quakers took the first meeting between the teams, a 52-50 win at the Palestra on January 5.