Wednesday, February 3rd will go down as one of the biggest Temple sports days in the year 2010. Football signing day is always one of the most important days of the year for any college program. It’s where a fan base can finally stop worrying about larger programs (cough Florida…) coming in and poaching your recruits. After tomorrow we can all start worrying about the class of 2011. I know I will be anxiously awaiting that first commit from next year’s class.
Even with all of the hooplah that surrounds football signing day, there is yet another important basketball game to be played. Tomorrow the 17/19 ranked Temple Owls have what on paper appears to be an easy game against Duquesne. Yes this is the same Duquesne team that the Owls defeated to earn their second straight NCAA tournament berth. While the name on the jersey is the same, the product put out on the basketball court is not.
Duquesne lost arguably the best player from the A-10 last year in Aaron Jackson. Jackson averaged 19.3 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.5 rebounds while shooting a blistering 55.4% from the field last year. That last stat is perhaps the most impressive stat about Jackson’s game. It’s almost unheard of for a guard to shoot over 50%, let alone 55%. After a look at Jackson’s stat line, it’s clear as to why Duquesne is struggling so much this year.
Taking a look at the trends in this game push the advantage even further towards Temple. Temple is a stout 9-1 at home this year with the lone loss coming to top ranked Kansas. Duquesne is a miserable 1-7 away from home with losses at Western Carolina and at IUPUI. Duquesne is also one of the worst shooting teams in the country, both from beyond the arc and at the free throw line. As a team, the Dukes shoot a terrible 60.1% from the line and 24.7% from 3 point range. All signs point to an easy game.
But in the A-10 it’s hardly ever easy. Even Fordham gave the Owls some trouble before folding in the second half.
There is one match-up that admittedly concerns me. Damian Saunders is a freak of an athlete who snatches up any rebound that comes near him. The 6′ 7″ Junior forward is averaging 14.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game. He has the potential to give the Owls a major headache on both the offensive side of the ball and the defensive side. I expect to see coach Dunphy go with Rahlir Jefferson for long stretches of the game because he probably matches up best with Saunders. Jefferson and Saunders have basically the same body type and for this reason I expect Jefferson to have the most success of any Owl defensively.
Sergio Olmos shoots over Damian Saunders in the 2009 A-10 championship
If Temple can figure out a way to stop Saunders, they will win easily barring an absurd shooting night by anyone unexpected. I’m certainly hoping the Dukes lay down and give up for Temple, because the boys are in for a dogfight at Richmond this Saturday. I won’t hold my breath though.
Key Players (Temple)
- Ryan Brooks- 15.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.7 apg
- Juan Fernandez- 12.6 ppg, 3.6 apg, 2.8 rpg
- Lavoy Allen- 10.7 ppg, 10 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.6 bpg
Key Players (Duquesne)
- Damian Saunders- 14.7 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 3.4 bpg
- Bill Clark- 13.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.2 apg
- Melquan Bolding- 12.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.3 apg
And for the memories I have included a video about last year’s A-10 championship game…
