Men's Basketball Falls at Temple in Double OT, 86-76

Saturday, February 25

Philadelphia, PA

11 a.m. CT

Tulane University

5-23, 2-14

Temple

15-15, 6-11

OT 1

OT 2

Tulane

Temple

Men's Basketball Falls at Temple in Double OT, 86-76

Feb 25, 2017 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

PHILADELPHIA – After surrendering a game-tying layup in the final seconds of regulation and Malik Morgan sinking an equalizing three-pointer at the overtime buzzer, the Tulane men's basketball team suffered an 86-76 American Athletic Conference defeat in double overtime at Temple on Saturday afternoon at the Liacouras Center.

Cameron Reynolds registered his fourth double-double of the season and scored a team-high 21 points to go with 11 rebounds, notching his 11th 20-point performance of the season and third in the last four games. Malik Morgan also tallied his second-consecutive double-double with 14 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, while Colin Slater added 10 points off the bench.

Shizz Alston, Jr. led Temple (15-15, 6-11 AAC) with 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Mark Williams scored 20 points. Obi Enechionyia added 14 points and Daniel Dingle chipped in 13 points for the Owls, who shot 31-for-76 (.408) overall and 10-for-12 at the free throw line in both overtimes combined.

Temple got off to a hot start shooting, making six of its first eight shots from the floor, including a pair of threes, to build a 17-4 lead just over four minutes into the game. The Green Wave would roar back with an 8-0 scoring run to cut the deficit to just five points, 17-12, with 11:41 remaining in the first half.

Tulane had great success working the ball inside, earning 13 free throw attempts in the period and responding to Temple's scores, as a pair of Reynolds free throws at the 3:35 mark cut the Wave's deficit to just two, 28-26. The Owls would close the half on a 9-2 run of their own and took a 35-28 lead into the locker rooms at the intermission

The Green Wave shot 9-for-26 (.346) from the floor, 2-for-8 (.250) beyond the three-point line and 8-for-13 (.615) at the foul line, while Temple went 14-for-31 (.452) from the field, 6-for-18 (.333) from three and made just one of three free throw attempts. Tulane owned an 8-5 scoring advantage off turnovers and a 5-0 edge on the fast break through the first 20 minutes of action.

After a Williams three-pointer put the Owls up 38-31 just over a minute into the second half, the Green Wave responded with a three by Ona Embo and a layup by Smith to cut the deficit to just a pair with 16:38 left in the game.

Temple pulled in front by seven, 43-36, with a pair of baskets in the paint, but Tulane countered with a 6-0 run of its own, capped by back-to-back drives and layups by Melvin Frazier to pull the olive and blue within one, 43-42, as the Owls called timeout with 13:24 remaining.

Trailing by four, Reynolds scored five-straight points with a three and a layup to give the Green Wave its first lead of the day, 47-46, with 11:41 left. Temple would counter with a 7-0 run over the next three and a half minutes to pull back in front, but seven-straight points including the final four by Morgan put the Wave ahead, 56-55, at the 5:32 mark.

After a pair of free throws by Reynolds with 4:53 to go made it 57-56, Tulane did not surrender the advantage for the remainder of regulation and led by as many as six, 63-57, with 3:44 left after five-consecutive free throws by Slater.

The Owls would score the final five points of the period, including a layup by Alston with eight seconds remaining tied the game at 65 and sent the game to overtime.

Temple led by as many as three in the first overtime, but Morgan carried the Green Wave by scoring all six of his team's points, including a desperation three from well beyond the arc as time expired to send game to double overtime tied at 71.

The Owls scored the first seven points of the second overtime for a 78-71 lead as Tulane called timeout with 3:18 to go. Temple increased its advantage to as many as 12 on a pair of free throws by Alston with 35 seconds to go while outscoring the Green Wave, 15-5, in the five-minute frame to hold on for the 86-76 victory.

Tulane will play its final road game of the season on Thursday, March 2 when it travels to Memphis. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. (CT), at FedEx Forum and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU with streaming available on the WatchESPN app.