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Temple-Bucknell NIT Preview

NIT First-Round

No. 8 seed Bucknell (19-14) at No. 1 Temple (23-10)

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Liacouras Center.

TV/Radio: ESPN3/WPHT-1210 AM

Coaches: Bucknell, Dave Paulsen (21st season, 396-213, 7th season at Bucknell, 134-93); Temple, Fran Dunphy (26th season, 500-270, 9th season at Temple, 190-107).

All-time series: Temple leads 29-5. The Owls have won 10 in a row.

Last meeting between the two: Temple won, 80-54 on Jan. 6, 1982.

Most recent game: Bucknell lost to Lafayette in the Patriot League semifinals, 80-74 on March 8. Temple lost in the American Athletic Conference semifinals to SMU, 69-56 on March 14.

What's next: The winner advances to meet the winner of the game between No. 5 George Washington and No. 4 Pittsburgh.

Probable starters

Bucknell (19-14)

G Stephen Brown, 5-11 Fr., 3.7 ppg., 1.4 apg.

G Ryan Frazier, 6-0 Jr., 5.4 ppg., 1.8 apg.

G Chris Hass, 6-5 Jr., 16.0 ppg., 3.3 rpb.

F Zach Thomas, 6-6 Fr., 7.7 ppg., 3.8 rpg.

C Nana Foulland, 6-9 Fr., 10.5 ppg., 5.7 rpg.

Key Reserves

F D.J. MacLeary, 6-7 So., 3.6 ppg., 3.2 rpg.

G J.C. Show, 6-2 Fr., 6.8 ppg., 1.5 rpg.

G John Azzinaro, 5-11 So., 5.5 ppg. 1.6 rpg.

G Steve Kasper, 6-3 Sr., 5.1 ppg., 3.5 apg.

Probable starters

Temple (23-10)

G Will Cummings, 6-2 Sr., 14.2 ppg., 4.3 apg.,, 4.1 rpg.

G Jesse Morgan, 6-5 Sr., 11.8 ppg., 3.2 rpg.

G Quenton DeCosey, 6-5 Jr., 12.4 ppg., 4.4 rpg.

C Devontae Watson, 6-11 Jr., 2.5 ppg., 3.1 rpg.

F Jaylen Bond, 6-8 Jr., 7.9 ppg., 8.0 rpg.

Key reserves

F Obi Enechionyia, 6-9 Fr., 5.0 ppg., 3.5 rpg.

G Josh Brown, 6-2 So., 6.2 ppg., 3.1 rpg.

F Daniel Dingle, 6-7 So., 3.8 ppg., 2.7 rpg.

Did you know? Bucknell earned the Patriot League's automatic NIT bid by winning the regular season title.

Fast fact: First-team all-Patriot forward Chris Hass scored a career-high 32 points during this season's 72-65 loss at Villanova on Nov. 20.

Fast Fact II: This is Temple's 18th NIT appearance and first since 2006. It is also the first time for Dunphy in the NIT in his 26-year coaching career.

New rules: All 2015 NIT games will include two experimental rules. Teams will compete using a 30-second shot clock instead of the current 35-second shot clock. NIT games will also have a four-foot restricted-area arc as opposed to the current three-foot arc.