Temple standout performances in wins over top ten teams from 2008-12

Coming off a dramatic 83-79 victory over Syracuse at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, December 22^nd, Temple will look for its tenth win and the programs 1800^th win on New Years Eve vs. Bowling Green (5-7).

Temple has not played since that dramatic thriller against Syracuse because Friday’s game vs. Detroit was cancelled due to the Titans not being able to travel safely into Philadelphia.

Temple’s win over then No. 3 ranked Syracuse marked the fifth straight year in which the Owls defeated a top ten team.

 All of Temple’s victories over top ten foes have come while the Owls were unranked, and the cherry and white currently sit at No. 28 in latest Associated Press poll.

In every one of Temple’s upsets, a player has stepped up on the national stage to make headlines, resulting in a career game, so lets turn back the clock to 2008 where the streak of W’s over top ten teams began

 December 13^th, 2008: Temple 88, No. 8 Tennessee 72

Tennessee head coach, Bruce Pearl’s No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers came into the Liacouras Center at the time with a 6-1 record. Sitting at 4-3, the Owls were off to a sluggish start and Temple was in search for a big time victory. With Christmas approaching, it was only fitting that All-American Candidate; Dionte Christmas provided the packed house with a gift.

Christmas torched the Volunteers for a season high 35 points, 30 of which came in the second half alone on 12-22 shooting, including 7 three pointers on ESPN to hand Tennessee a 88-72 loss.

 December 13^th, 2009: Temple 75, No. 3 Villanova 65

Temple and Villanova’s city rivalry is well documented and with the Wildcats being ranked No. 3 in the nation, the game between the two Big 5 enemies was that much more hyped up.

Juan Fernandez erupted for a career high 33 points to stun Villanova, 75-65. Fernandez was red hot from minute 1 to 40, missing just four shots on 11-15 shooting from the floor and went 7-9 from downtown to pace the Owls scoring attack and open the flood gates for Temple fans rushing the floor.

The ten-point victory was Temple’s first win over a top five team dating back to February 20, 2000 when the Owls took down No. 1 Cincinnati 77-69.

December 9^th, 2010- Temple 68, No. 9 Georgetown 65

With final exams on the horizon for student athletes, the Owls delivered an even tougher test to No. 9 Georgetown.

After losing to the Hoyas 47-46 in 2009, Temple returned to favor and shocked Georgetown, 68-65 behind Ramone Moore’s game-high 30 points.  Moore shot 12-18 from the hardwood and went 2-2 from three point range to help secure coach Fran Dunphy’s 400^th careen win in dramatic fashion.

January 4^th, 2012- Temple 78, No. 3 Duke 73

In front of the third largest crowd to ever witness a college basketball at the Wells Fargo Center, Temple stunned No. 3 ranked Duke, 78-73.

Instead of taking a bus down to the Sports Complex, the Owls took the straight shoot down Broad Street and traveled by subway-A unique route that could not have worked out any better.

Duke had ruled the all-time matchup and the Owls hadn’t defeated the Blue Devils since January 25^th, 1996, further ending a nine game losing streak to coach Mike Krzyzewski squad.

 Khalif Wyatt scored a game high 22 points, shooting 8-12 and hit three key tre balls to help lift Temple over the Blue Devils.

December 22^nd 2012- Temple 83, No. 3 Syracuse 79

In the most recent of Temple’s upset wins over top ten powerhouses; it was Wyatt again who stepped up for the Owls.

This time, though, it came at the mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden.

Wyatt scored a career high 33 points, 20 of which came in the first half on 8-17 shooting to upend No. 3 Syracuse at the Orange’s “home away from home.”

It was Wyatt’s first ever game at MSG and the senior guard, as he often seems to do hit clutch shot after clutch shot and went a perfect 15-15 from the free throw line to carry Temple.