Notes & Quotes: UConn Falls at Temple
PHILADELPHIA – Quenton DeCosey scored 23 points to help Temple rally from a double-digit deficit in the second half and beat UConn 63-58 Thursday night in American Athletic Conference action at the Liacouras Center.
The Huskies (17-7, 7-4 AAC) were led by 15 points from Shonn Miller and Rodney Purvis’ 12. Temple improved to 15-8, 9-3 as it won its fourth straight overall and against the Huskies.
Here’s a closer look at how the game went down:
WHAT WENT WELL
1. DOUBLING DOWN: The Huskies played strong defense for much of the game, holding the Owls to 38.3 percent shooting and forcing eight turnovers, which led to eight points. Five of those turnovers came in the first half. UConn also held the Owls to just 11 points in the first14:09 of the second half.
UCONN COACH KEVIN OLLIE’S TAKE: “Our defense was incredible. We were switching (on defense) … that was our game plan. We were rebounding the ball. We were getting out on the break. … Our defense has been good the whole year.”
2. LOCKER ROOM PEP TALK: The Huskies looked like a new team to open the second half with Miller scoring nine of the team’s first 12 points to build a 41-34 with 15:20 to play. UConn made 4 of 6 shots to start with a jumper from Purvis tying it at 31 just 22 seconds in.
WHAT NEEDS WORK
1. TURNOVER PARTY: The Huskies had Temple on the ropes at 54-42 with 5:51 remaining but fell apart from there. UConn had more turnovers (five) than points (four) over the five-minute stretch and managed just one field goal (Daniel Hamilton’s at 5:13) before finishing 0-for-4 from the field. Three of those mistakes came in the final 23 seconds.
OLLIE’S TAKE: “It comes back to execution. I’m the head of that as the coach. … We have to execute. We had six turnovers in the last six minutes. We had a 10 point lead with eight minutes to go, miss a couple layups and then I take my hat off to them.”
2. CLOSING TIME: The Huskies can't be pleased with their inability to finish off games. UConn falls to 2-5 in games decided by five points or less as they let the Owls steal this one.
MILLER’S TAKE: “We just have to execute and don’t play not to lose and just keep playing to win. And be aggressive.”
3. THREE FALLING: Daniel Dingle sparked the Owls’ comeback with a red-hot stretch from 3-point range in the second half. Down 54-42, Temple stormed back with four straight 3-pointers – three from Dingle (15 points) – as they reeled off a 14-2 run to tie the game at 56-56 with 1:49 to go.
TEMPLE COACH FRAN DUNPHY’S TAKE: “That’s a great part of our DNA that we are resilient and we’re not giving up kind of group. We are very fortunate it to win it. Some things had to go our way and they did. A couple of turnovers at the end that I will like to think that we caused them, but I’m sure the other side is saying we needed to take better care of the ball, too.”
4. GROWING PAINS? After starting and playing 16 minutes in the first half, freshman Jalen Adams did not get into the second half action until 2:43 left to play. Ollie didn’t say much about the decision after the game.
OLLIE’S TAKE: “Yeah there was a reason, it was a team reason.”
NOTES: Shonn Miller has scored in double figures in 19 straight games. … Amida Brimah started his second consecutive game. … Daniel Hamilton came into the game 7-for-37 shooting in three career games against the Owls. He finished 4-for-12 with nine points. …Temple won 55-53 win over UConn on Jan. 5 at the XL Center after Josh Brown hit the game-winning shot with two seconds left. He had a hand in the win again Thursday with a key steal of Hamilton with 23 seconds left that led to two foul shots by DeCosey to make it 61-58.… Caron Butler will be inducted into the Huskies of Honor at UConn’s Saturday game against Tulsa. He will be the 24th member. … Kentan Facey recorded his first Did Not Play of the season. Steve Enoch and Sam Cassell Jr. also did not see action.
UP NEXT
Saturday, vs. Tulsa at Gampel Pavilion, 8 p.m.(ESPN2)