Temple holds onto early lead over Charlotte, extends winning streak to three
The Owls have recently struggled with giving up their lead in the third quarter, but managed to secure a 80-62 win Saturday, thanks to their presence on defense down the stretch.
Third-quarter struggles have plagued Temple women’s basketball as of late, and against Charlotte on Saturday at the Liacouras Center, it seemed like a similar situation.
After the Owls carried a 17-point lead at halftime, Charlotte cut the lead to eight, just four minutes into the third. Temple regained the momentum with a 10-point run sparked by a Tristen Taylor jump shot that led to an 80-62 win over the 49ers (5-12, 0-6 American Athletic Conference), giving the Owls (11-6, 5-1) their third straight victory.
“It felt good to get a good win,” said Temple coach Diane Richardson. “Our defense dictated the game. I said in the huddle, ‘We can not give up leads like this and be complacent.’ This was the game we didn’t.”
Temple had three players score in double digits. Guard Tarriyonna Gary finished with a team-high 18 points, forward Jaleesa Molina had 15 points, and Taylor added 13. Madison Roshelle led the 49ers with 17 points, shooting 7-for-15.
“They were leaving me open,” Gary said. “If you’re going to leave me open, then you’re just going to have to pay. I was also finding my teammates in transition as well.”
Defensive dominance
The Owls’ defensive presence and ability to force turnovers have defined their season. It was the same story against Charlotte.
The Owls opened in a full-court press and forced nine of Charlotte’s 17 turnovers in the first quarter. Temple capitalized on those turnovers with 19 points.
“Even if our offense isn’t working, our defense is what’s going to start our offense,” Taylor said. “If we start off [well] and Charlotte’s confidence is down, it just boosts ours more.”
Temple also did a good job forcing missed shots. Charlotte shot 40% from the field on 22 of 55 shooting. Temple held the lead for 39 of the 40 minutes, thanks to the Owls’ persistent defense.
Molina continues to impress
After forwards Ines Piper and Rayne Tucker entered the transfer portal last season, the Owls needed Molina to step up in the front court, and early on this season she struggled.
However, the last couple weeks, Molina has continued to impress on both ends of the court, especially in the Owls’ recent success in conference play.
“It’s her confidence,” Richardson said. “That’s something that we’ve been trying to pour into her as much as possible, and she’s starting to realize that now. She’s feeling more comfortable in doing that and understanding that [she’s] got some moves.”
Not only did she contribute offensively, shooting 5-for-5, but she also grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds. Molina also played well defensively getting in passing lanes and forcing turnovers. She finished with a team-high three steals.
Up Next
The Owls will visit East Carolina (10-7, 2-3 AAC) in Greenville, N.C., on Wednesday at 6 p.m. (ESPN+).