Now that the calendar has hit November, it’s time for Temple’s men and women’s basketball teams to hit the hardwood.
This Tuesday’s edition of The Temple News will include a four-page basketball preview insert which will tell you everything you need to know about the Owls before the season tips off for the men at Tennessee on Nov. 9, while the women host Central Michigan at the Liacouras Center on Nov. 12.
Here’s what readers can expect to see in Tuesday’s basketball preview:
- A look at both team’s spark plugs: senior Mark Tyndale for the men and senior Lady Comfort for the women. Tyndale was named a captain this season, a far cry from where he was last year, when he missed the first six games of the 2006-2007 because of academic ineligibility. Can he help the Owls improve on last season’s 12-18 record? On the women’s side, 2007 A-10 Player of the Year Kamesha Hairston has graduated and senior Lady Comfort is expected to take on the bulk of the offensive burden for the Owls now. How will the 6-foot-2 center handle her new role?
- Men’s coach Fran Dunphy and women’s coach Dawn Staley both took a page out of former Temple coach John Chaney’s playbook and crafted tough regular season schedules. How will the men fare against Tennessee, Duke and the defending national champion Florida Gators? Can the women pull of an upset against tough Atlantic Coast Conference teams like Duke, NC State and Maryland?
- The men’s squad flourished on offense while getting torched on defense last season. Will the addition of highly-touted freshman center Lavoy Allen help the Owls stop teams this season?
- The women’s team nearly made a Sweet 16 appearance last season before falling to Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. With Hairston and Fatima Maddox gone, do the Owls have enough to get back to the Big Dance – and if they do can they advance past the second round for the first time in Staley’s eighth season at the helm.
- Previews of the rest of the A-10 competition for both the men and women.
- The Owls will not have the services of freshman Michael Eric after the NCAA Clearinghouse ruled that he was ineligible this season. What exactly is the NCAA Clearinghouse and why do coaches have a problem with it?
- The men’s squad jacked up a lot of three’s last season, but this year, the NCAA has moved the line back. What effect will this have on the Owls?
The preview will also include full team rosters, schedules and more.
(Photo courtesy of Owlsports.com)
