Temple outlast UMBC in toss-up fourth quarter at home
La Salle women's basketball pushes past Lehigh, while Saint Joseph’s and Drexel men's team fell at home on Saturday.
The Owls went to the line 11 times in the fourth quarter, sinking eight of the attempts, and turned a close game into a rout of the UMBC Retrievers, 68-53, at the Liacouras Center.
All knotted at 46-46 after three quarters, Temple used a 11-3 run through the five-minute mark of the fourth to pull ahead for good.
Neither team shot well in the final quarter, with the Owls (6-for-16, 37.5% FG) getting clutch baskets and six more free throws to hold off UMBC, which made just 2-of-14 from the floor (14.3% FG). Tiarra East poured in 9 of her 11 points over the final four minutes.
Tarriyonna Gary led all scorers with 15 points and Aleah Nelson added 14 points for Temple (3-5). UMBC (2-5) had a 12-point game from Laycee Drake.
Temple will remain home to go against La Salle in a City Series matchup on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.
Spruill’s season high pushes La Salle past Lehigh
Kayla Spruill scored a season-high 26 points on 7-for-15 shooting and the Explorers never trailed in a 66-54 win over the visiting Lehigh Mountain Hawks on Saturday.
Spruill finished 9-of-10 from the free-throw line and grabbed eight rebounds. It marked the second 20-point effort of the year for the graduate student, whose career high is 28 points.
An 18-8 third quarter advantage helped La Salle (6-3) get separation from Lehigh, going ahead by as much as 17 points. The Explorers then held off some late-game pushes, including a 10-0 run early in the fourth quarter, to seal the game.
Frannie Hottinger had 18 points to pace three in double figures for Lehigh (3-6).
La Salle won’t have to travel far for a clash with City 6 rival Temple on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. (ESPN+).
Drexel drop to Princeton at home
Lamar Oden, Jr. had his fourth 16-point game but the Dragons couldn’t climb out of an early hole in an 83-63 loss to the Princeton Tigers, dropping four of their last five.
Drexel trailed 9-0 before getting on the board at the 14:32 mark and would end the half down 36-27. The closest that the host Dragons (4-5) cut it to from there was five points, with Princeton pulling away over the last few minutes and finishing with a 50-32 edge in points in the paint.
Oden shot 6-for-12 overall (4-for-7 3PT) while Jamie Bergens added 12 points off the bench.
Matt Allocco scored a game-high 19 points (9-of-12 FG) as one of five players in double figures for Princeton (6-2).
Drexel will have a week between games, next heading to City 6 rival La Salle on Dec. 10 (noon, USA).
Hot shooting battle finds Saint Joseph’s on losing end
Despite shooting 41% percent from three, the Hawks were not unable to match the level of the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights in a 97-80 home loss.
The shooting barrage saw Fairleigh Dickinson finish at 34-of-59 overall (57.6%) and 12-of-24 3PT, compared with 25-of-55 shooting (12-of-29 3PT) from St. Joe’s.
The two sides battled to several lead changes through midway into the second half. It was a two-point contest, 69-67, with seven minutes to go, before the Knights then embarked on a 28-13 closing push.
St. Joe’s (3-4) was paced by Erik Reynolds II with 21 points, his fourth game of at least 20 points, and Christian Winborne with 19 points. Demetre Roberts and Grant Singleton had 24 points each for Fairleigh Dickinson (4-6).
The Hawks will face Temple on Tuesday in a City Series matchup at 7 p.m. (ESPNU)