Temple tops Hoyas for Dunphy’s 400th win

Add this to Fran Dunphy's seemingly endless list of accomplishments: 400 career victories.

Junior guard Ramone Moore's career-high 30 points gave Dunphy his 400th win in dramatic fashion as Temple upset No. 9 Georgetown, 68-65, Thursday night at the Liacouras Center.

Georgetown pulled within a point at 66-65 on Julian Vaughn's basket with 46.8 seconds left. The Hoyas had a chance to win the game after Temple's Juan Fernandez missed a three-pointer.

But Georgetown's Hollis Thompson, guarded tightly by Lavoy Allen, missed a layup with five seconds left. And after the Owls' Rahlir Jefferson made a pair of foul shots, Hoyas guard Austin Freeman missed a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer.

Dunphy is 400-214 over 22 seasons at Temple and Penn. He won 310 games at Penn before replacing John Chaney at Temple in 2006. Since then, Dunphy has recorded 90 victories with the Owls.

But in true Dunphy fashion, the coach said before the game that making a difference - not compiling coaching milestones - is what he is proudest of.

"I think what you are hoping to do is provide for those kids that are playing for you an opportunity to have a great experience," said Dunphy, whose squad improved to 6-2. "That's why we are coaching. And another aspect too: I think we all love competition."

Former Penn athletes Mark Zoller and Brennen Votel and former Temple star Dustin Salisbery were on hand to see their former coach get the milestone against Georgetown (8-1).

They were treated to a suspenseful game.

In Georgetown, Temple was facing what was supposed to be its stiffest test of the young season.

The Hoyas came in averaging 79.1 points and ranked seventh nationally in three-point field-goal percentage (43.8). Georgetown was led by Freeman, the Big East Conference preseason player of the year.

Temple looked to combat Freeman and Co. with its defense, ranked 11th in the nation at 55.4 points.

But early on, the Owls were the sharpshooting team thanks in large part of Moore's 17 first-half points.

Temple made 5 of its first 6 field-goal attempts to take an 11-5 advantage 3 minutes, 7 seconds into the game. Finding their groove, the Hoyas pulled within two points at 20-18 on Henry Sims' jumper with 10:37 left in the half.

But Moore responded with a rainbow three-pointer. Then after Scootie Randall added a jumper, the Owls held a 23-18 advantage 9:39 before intermission.

Jefferson's three-point play gave Temple an 11-point cushion (35-24) with 2:57 to go before halftime.

The Hoyas pulled within five points on Jason Clark's three-pointer 23 seconds before the break. As he had been doing for most of the half, Moore responded with a bucket at the other end. His tip-in four seconds before the break gave Temple a 39-32 halftime lead.

Temple notes. Freshman Anthony Lee will have back surgery next Friday at Temple Hospital to repair a herniated disk. The 6-foot-9 forward will be sidelined for an extended period of time. The Columbia, Md., native did not see action this season. . . . Daniel Ochefu, a junior center at the Westtown School, attended the game. The 6-9, 225-pounder is regarded by ESPN as the nation's 12th-best college prospect in the Class of 2012. Ochefu has scholarship offers from Temple, Georgetown, West Virginia, James Madison, and Rutgers.