Bench players help Temple prevail

ATHENS, Ohio - Paced by big contributions off the bench, Temple knocked off host Ohio University, 76-65, Wednesday night at the Convocation Center to extend its winning streak to six games.

The Owls (9-2) had three players in double figures, including bench players Rahlir Jefferson and Khalif Wyatt, who notched career highs with 18 and 14 points, respectively.

Ramone Moore chipped in 17 points for Temple, while Juan Fernandez added seven points and a career-high nine assists.

Lavoy Allen had just six points but 13 rebounds as Temple owned the glass with a 41-34 edge.

The win moved the Owls to 5-0 this season in games against teams from the Mid-American Conference. Temple has won 12 straight games against MAC competition.

The Bobcats (6-6) have dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season, and fell to an unsightly 4-4 at home.

Point guard D.J. Cooper had 13 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for Ohio but was held to just two points after halftime. Forward DeVaughn Washington tallied a game-high 20 points and Ivo Baltic added 12 points and seven rebounds.

The Bobcats were game early but never led after watching Wyatt uncork an uncanny shooting streak in the first half.

Wyatt helped break the game open midway through the first half. With the Owls leading by 23-21, Wyatt hit his first four shots, all from three-point range, to spark a 17-8 run that put the Owls up by 40-29 with just over three minutes left in the half.

Wyatt dropped in triples from the left corner, the right wing, and then two from the top of the key in the barrage.

Temple went scoreless in the last 3 minutes, 23 seconds of the half as the Bobcats cut the margin to 40-33 by the break.

But Ohio couldn't make a sustained run in the second half. The Owls opened the half with a 6-0 spurt to go back up 13, 46-33.

The Bobcats then rattled off eight straight points to pull to within 46-41 but would get no closer. Jefferson scored on a cutting layup and Scootie Randall bagged a three-pointer from the left corner to push the lead back up to nine.

Ohio's last gasp came with less than seven minutes remaining after Washington's two free throws cut the margin to 61-55.

But again the Owls came up with the big buckets when they needed them. A 10-3 run, capped by Allen's offensive rebound and score and Jefferson's layup off a turnover, nudged the lead up to 71-58 with 4:20 to go and Temple cruised the rest of the way.