It’s the 60th anniversary of the Big 5 and to celebrate that the first Big 5 doubleheader since 2004 took place between Temple and La Salle for game one. Nothing beats playing in the Cathedral of College Basketball that is the Palestra. Temple got off to a hot start in the second half shooting 58% from the floor and led by as many as 15. La Salle went on a mini-run to cut down the lead to eight at halftime, even pulling as close as three points. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough from the weary Explorers with Temple taking game one of the doubleheader 62-49. The Owls received pretty productive nights from freshmen Trey Lowe and Ernest Aflakpui who combined for 14 points and 6 rebounds.
Josh Brown and Quenton DeCosey both added a dozen points to the cause and Jaylen Bond also had 10 points in the game. It wasn’t a high-scoring affair, but that’s the beauty of Big 5 games because they usually come down to the wire. La Salle, who has depth and injury problems, played their starters most of the game and they simply didn’t have enough left in the tank to keep up with Temple. The Owls clamped down on the Explorers, forcing them into poor shot choices leading to a 34% field percentage for La Salle. Temple on the other hand shot an even 50% from the floor and took care of the basketball, only turning the ball over six times as opposed to La Salle’s 12 turnovers.
It is quite a sight to see Big 5 games back where they belong at the Palestra for a change. This a great win for Temple and every game for them is pretty much a must win at this point. Weather permitting, Temple will square off against undefeated #8 SMU in a primetime battle at the Liacouras Center, in a game that could define where Temple will be heading this season.
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