Temple opens basketball season vs. Seton Hall

One of the most anticipated seasons in recent Temple basketball history is upon us.

The Owls will show if they are deserving of their No. 22 ranking in Friday's season opener against Seton Hall at the Liacouras Center.

"Seton Hall is a great opener for us in terms of challenging and testing us to see what type of team we will be, certainly early," said coach Fran Dunphy, whose squad is favored to win a fourth straight Atlantic Ten title.

In the Pirates, the Owls face a Big East Conference team led by a young and energetic coach and a legitimate NBA prospect.

Kevin Willard, 35, took over the Seton Hall program on March 29 after three seasons at Iona. He guided the Gaels to a 21-10 record last season en route to being named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference coach of the year.

Willard, the son of former Pitt coach Ralph Willard and disciple of Louisville coach Rick Pitino, inherited a Pirates squad coming off a 19-13 record and led by Herb Pope.

Pope, a 6-foot-8, 236-pound junior, led the Big East last season in rebounding at 10.7 per game. He also averaged 11.5 points, 2 assists, and 1.8 blocks.

He had a solid performance against Temple last season, finishing with 13 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 turnovers in the 71-65 Owls victory.

The Aliquippa, Pa., native doesn't appear too affected by off-season surgery to repair a genetic heart abnormality.

Pope, who came back to Seton Hall after withdrawing his name from June's NBA draft, finished with 16 points and 20 rebounds in a 97-55 exhibition win over Division III William Patterson.

"We have to be a team to win," Temple senior center Micheal Eric said. "If he has a great team, it's going to be a good battle between our team and his team.

"It's not about Herb Pope. It's about the team. It's about Temple and Seton Hall."

As has been the case for Dunphy-coached teams, the Owls will look to put on a solid defensive effort Friday and the rest of the season.

Last season Temple held opponents to 38.3 percent shooting - 28.5 percent on three-pointers.

The Owls hope junior point guard Juan Fernandez and junior shooting guard Ramone Moore can come close to providing the solid perimeter defense lost with the departure of Ryan Brooks and Luis Guzman.

Standout senior power forward Lavoy Allen, junior forward Scottie Randall, and Eric will join Fernandez and Moore in the starting lineup.

Defensive stopper Rahlir Jefferson, a sophomore forward, will mostly be the Owls' sixth man.

Temple senior forward Craig Williams (foot) will not play against Seton Hall. It is also unlikely that freshman forward Anthony Lee (heel) will see action.