Temple’s basketball teams ended last season on a high. What’s the plan to keep the momentum going?

Eight months ago, Temple’s basketball programs had the most momentum they’ve seen in half a decade.

The men’s team finished its 2024 campaign one win short of the NCAA Tournament. Weeks earlier, the women claimed their share of the American Athletic Conference regular-season championship for the first time in program history.

Both teams have plenty of questions surrounding their 2024-25 season, which begins with a doubleheader Monday at the Liacouras Center. The men face Sacred Heart at 5:30 p.m. (ESPN+), and the women take on Richmond in the nightcap (8 p.m., ESPN+).

Here are 10 questions facing Temple’s men’s and women’s teams.

Coach Adam Fisher turned around his team’s fortunes last March. The Owls won four of their final six regular-season games, then beat four opponents in four games during the American Athletic Conference Tournament before losing to Alabama-Birmingham in the championship game.

The team lost leading scorer Hysier Miller and forward Jahlil White. White transferred to La Salle. Miller went to Virginia Tech before being removed under the cloud of an ongoing gambling investigation into Temple’s program stemming from last season. Fisher replaced them with former All-Mountain West guard Jamal Mashburn Jr., former St. Joseph’s guard Lynn Greer III, and former Penn State guard Jameel Brown.

Fisher’s team has a new core, but guards Zion Stanford and Shane Dezonie could be key after playing significant roles last season. The Owls’ new lineup must jell quickly to maintain its momentum.

» READ MORE: What we know — and don’t know — about the investigation into gambling irregularities around Temple men’s basketball

Stanford enters his sophomore year as one of the men’s team’s most prolific scorers, and redshirt sophomore Quante Berry has earned praise from coaches and teammates this offseason.

Women’s coach Diane Richardson signed freshmen Adena Webster, Kelian Cedano, and former Westtown guard Savannah Curry, while redshirt freshman Drew Alexander will also play this season after sitting out due to the NCAA’s transfer rules.

Richardson hasn’t coached a team without Aleah Nelson since Richardson’s third season at Towson in 2019. Five years later, the third-year Owls coach must replace her former starter.

Tiarra East led the Owls in scoring last season and seems poised to play off the ball. Tristen Taylor played increased minutes at the end of last season and could slide into the starting lineup.

Richardson also brought in former Alabama A&M guard Kaylah Turner, who averaged 11 points for the Aggies as a freshman last year.

Greer was expected to be the starting point guard before earning a nine-game suspension for NCAA rules violations while at St. Joe’s.

Dezonie was the secondary ballhandler last season, but Quante Berry’s improvement could lead him to earn more opportunities.

Mashburn could also handle the ball, but the role seems to be up in the air ahead of the opening game.

» READ MORE: Temple suspends Lynn Greer III, assistant coach Chris Clark, due to ‘unrelated’ violations

One player on the men’s team who could, and maybe should, redshirt is Aidan Tobiason.

With a crowded backcourt, Tobiason may not get playing time when Greer returns. Tobiason averaged about 19 points in high school and still has plenty of eligibility left. Redshirting would allow him to play college ball while developing without pressure.

Richardson’s team is also crowded, but her younger players have a greater chance to make an immediate impact. The Owls have 13 players who could play significant minutes, and several are entering their freshman season.

Temple’s women’s team finished seventh in the country in offensive rebounds largely thanks to forwards Rayne Tucker and Ines Piper. However, Tucker transferred to Alabama-Birmingham this offseason, and Piper went to South Florida.

The Owls brought in Towson’s Anissa Rivera and USC’s Amaya Oliver to make up for the losses. They also added Sheyenne Swain-Price to the active roster and recruited freshman Felicia Jacobs.

The men’s team finished near the bottom of every AAC rebounding category. However, the Owls added more height with Fordham forward Elijah Gray (6-8), center Mohamed Keita (7-1), and freshman forward Dillon Battie (6-8).

Greer’s suspension likely changed the men’s game plan. However, some combination of Dezonie, Mashburn, Stanford, Steve Settle III, and Gray would be likely. Brown, Berry, Battie, and guard Matteo Picarelli could rotate in.

Richardson’s unit might be more solid. East, Taylor, and guard Tarriyonna Gary will probably anchor the backcourt, and two of either Oliver, Rivera, or forward Jaleesa Molina could lead the frontcourt.

» READ MORE: Aiden Tobiason ready to ‘step up’ next season with Temple impacted by transfer portal woes

Battie is athletic and could immediately contribute. The 6-foot-8 forward will likely play solid backup minutes in the nonconference schedule.

Similarly, Turner showed her scoring ability and could thrive in a bench role where she isn’t the primary scorer.

The Owls had a strong regular season in 2023-24 but fell apart in the postseason, losing to Rice in the AAC semifinals. At their best, the Owls play strong defense and force opponents to make mistakes. At their worst, they forced bad shots and beat themselves.

Richardson’s team found success in her second year. The Owls know what it takes to compete in the AAC and have the roster to do so.

Temple’s nonconference schedule seems to be geared toward building a strong NET ranking. Victories over teams like Boston College, Florida State, Rhode Island, and any Big 5 opponent could be quality wins by February.

Fisher had a winning formula and conjured just enough magic to knock on the door of the postseason. A higher-quality roster could push the Owls over the hump toward their first NCAA Tournament appearance in five years.