Temple tops Penn for fourth straight win

Temple extended its winning streak to four games with an 81-72 victory over Penn on Saturday at the Liacouras Center.

The Owls (5-3) were without starting guard Khalif Battle, who was averaging 21.4 points per game and missed his first game since fracturing a bone in his left foot against La Salle on Dec. 1.

Coach Aaron McKie said the Owls would look to take a scoring-by-committee approach. Eight of the Owls’ nine-man rotation put up points against the Quakers (3-8).

Besides Battle, the Owls were also without guard Tai Strickland and center Emmanuel Okpomo because of undisclosed injuries.

The Owls’ offensive efficiency and rebounding strength led to an early 10-0 run in the first half and a 12-3 lead. Temple held the lead through the rest of the game.

McKie had a hole to fill in his starting lineup, and Quincy Ademokoya was the next man up.

The 6-foot-6 guard made his first collegiate start against the Quakers. Before Saturday, Ademokoya played in three games, averaged 5.3 minutes a game, and totaled two points.

In the first two minutes of the game, guard Damian Dunn passed to Ademokoya, who was at the left wing and made a clean three-pointer.

About two minutes later, the Owls were on a 7-0 run, and forward Sage Tolbert handed the ball off to Ademokoya at the right wing. He made his second three to extend the run to 10.

Despite the hot start, Ademokoya still had two turnovers and didn’t make a shot in the second half.

Ademokoya finished with six points and hit 2 of 9 three-point attempts.

In the first game without Battle, Dunn (27 points) and forward Jake Forrester (21) had personal career highs in points.

Dunn broke his career-high at the 12-minute mark of the second half, when he took a step to the left and spun around his defender for a mid-range shot to advance the score to 61-41.

Besides his nine points from the field, Dunn also made 1 of 3 three-point attempts and was 8 of 10 from the free-throw line.

Forrester set his career high at the free-throw line. After he drove into the paint for two, Forrester drew a foul against Penn forward Max Martz at the five-minute mark of the second half and extended the Owls’ lead to 71-57.

Before Saturday, Dunn’s career-high was 22 points, against Wichita State on Dec. 10, 2020, and Forrester had a high of 17 points against St. Joseph’s on Feb. 7, 2019.