March Madness: Temple MBB: Scouting the South Florida Bulls

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The Owls practiced for their allotted 40 minutes Thursday evening at the Bridgestone Arena in preparation for a second round NCAA Tournament match up with the play-in game winner South Florida Bulls.

Although the practice appeared to be nothing more than a typical pre-game shoot around, the fifth-seeded Owls made it evident during its press conference earlier on Thursday that they weren’t going to take the 12th-seeded Bulls lightly. The game will tip-off at 9:50 p.m on Friday (TNT broadcast).

Friday’s game will feature the Owls’ first meeting with the Bulls in program history, but coach Fran Dunphy told the media that he has been following South Florida’s play in the Big East Conference this season.

“I thought they were a really terrific defensive basketball team, who took care of the ball in pretty good fashion and great control of games; most teams played at their pace,” Dunphy said. “And then last night, obviously they defended very well, but they also made shots, and made a ton of them early and got a sizeable gap between they and California. I just thought they were on their game last night.”

Graduate center Micheal Eric said South Florida appears similar to an opponent that Temple faced earlier in the year at the 5 Hour Energy Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

“I think they remind me of Wichita St., [South Florida] has depth with the guards and scoring abilities from the wings” Eric said. “It’s going to be an interesting game.”

The Owls defeated Wichita St. in overtime, 78-74.

South Florida is led by 6-foot 10-inch senior forward Augustus Gilchrist who averages 9.6 points per game.

The Bulls have four other players who average at least eight points. Senior guard Hugh Robertson averages 6.7 points per game and is the team’s leader in field goal percentage at 52.7 percent.

Wyatt took several shots during the practice that looked like he was anticipating shooting over the length of the Bulls.

Temple will be facing a South Florida defense that shutdown California in the first round game on Wednesday night, as they went onto win 65-54. The Bulls held the Bears to 13 first half points and to 5-of-24 shooting.

“We’re going to have to move the ball, be patient and move without the ball too,” senior guard Juan Fernandez said. “And play as a team more than ever on offense, if we’re going to break them down.”

The Owls will look to make it two consecutive years in which they make it past the second round, as last year then-No. 7 Temple defeated No. 10 Penn State, 66-64 at Tucson, Ariz. in the NCAA Tournament. Temple’s run ended in 2011 when they lost to No. 2 San Diego State in double overtime, 71-64.

“This is our [seniors’] last go-around, as far as we’re going to make it, it would be great to make it to the Elite Eight.,” redshirt-senior guard Ramone Moore said. “But, we don’t want to try to look too far ahead.”

Owls clinch No. 1 seed in overtime thriller

The men’s basketball team defeated Massachusetts 90-88 in overtime on Wednesday night, clinching the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Ten Conference Tournament and at least a share of the A-10 regular season title.

Temple (23-6, 12-3 A-10) honored graduate center Micheal Eric, redshirt-senior guard Ramone Moore, senior guard Juan Fernandez and senior guard Jake Godino in a ceremony before the game for senior night.

Eric, Moore and Fernandez all scored in double digits, and Godino made his first career start. Eric tied a career high with 19 points and added 15 rebounds for his third straight double-double.

Owls’ junior guard Khalif Wyatt paced Temple with 26 points, including 17 from the free throw line. Wyatt scored Temple’s last seven points to clinch the win in overtime.

Listen to post game audio from Wyatt, Eric and coach Fran Dunphy. Check back with The Temple News for a full game recap.

Fran Dunphy

Khalif Wyatt, Micheal Eric

Men’s basketball injury updates: Randall and Eric

“We’re undersized and undergirthed (sp),” coach Fran Dunphy said after the Owls’ win against Buffalo on Wednesday. “Is that a word, ‘girthed?’ But that’s the way it is. We’re going to have to battle like crazy and figure out ways to win games.”

Dunphy has played a guard-heavy lineup without both senior forward Scootie Randall and redshirt-senior center Micheal Eric due to injuries.

Eric, who sat out the Owls’ 10 remaining games last season, reinjured his right knee during a practice on Nov. 25. The Nigerian native was fourth on the team in scoring (10.5 points per game) and led the Atlantic Ten Conference in rebounding (11.3 per game) after playing four games this year.

“[Eric] feels pretty good,” Dunphy said. “He’s been jogging around a little bit, doing some light running, not scrimmaging anyone else. In shooting drills and those kinds of things he looks good. It’s just a matter of hopefully another couple of weeks, but then when that couple of weeks hits, then how ready is he going to be right away. So it’s going to take some time. It will be on Mike’s schedule and we’ll just play along with it.”

Randall has yet to play this season as he continues to recover from off-season surgery on his knee. The six-foot-six-inch forward was named the Atlantic Ten Conference and Big 5 Most Improved Player and received A-10 Honorable Mention honors last season after averaging 10.7 point and 4.7 rebounds per game.

“[Randall] just doesn’t feel comfortable enough to go and it’s going to be his decision alone,” Dunphy said. “As long as he’s not comfortable then he’s not going to play. Although he’s doing a good job in practice. It’s just his level of comfort, it’s not where it needs to be.”

“If he doesn’t play all year long, then he gets the extra year,” Dunphy said. “If he says at somepoint, ‘I’m ready to go and I want to play,’ then that’s what it will be. But it will be his decision.”

Eric reinjures knee in practice-UPDATE

Graduate center Micheal Eric reinjured his right patella and will be out for six weeks.

Eric reinjured his right knee during the men’s basketball team’s practice last Friday. Eric will sit out the Owls’ (3-1) away game today at 2 p.m. against Bowling Green.

It is the same injury that kept Eric from competing in the team’s remaining 10 games last season.

This season Eric ranks fourth on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg.) and leads the Atlantic Ten Conference in rebounding (11.3 per game).

Eric reinjures knee in practice, will miss today’s game

Graduate center Micheal Eric reinjured his right patella during the men’s basketball team’s practice last Friday. Eric will sit out the Owls’ (3-1) away game today at 2 p.m. against Bowling Green.

It is the same injury that kept Eric from competing in the team’s remaining 10 games last season.

This season Eric ranks fourth on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg.) and leads the Atlantic Ten Conference in rebounding (11.3 per game).