Alani Moore scores 26 points as Temple beats Yale
Temple's Alani Moore could have a bigger-than-expected role with the team, depending on the health of senior point guard Josh Brown.
Temple's Alani Moore could have a bigger-than-expected role with the team, depending on the health of senior point guard Josh Brown.
Throughout the season when extra playing time has been warranted, the freshman Moore often has seized the challenge, something that happened Thursday in an 83-77 win over Yale at the Liacouras Center.
Moore supplied a career-high 26 points on a night when some of his teammates were off the mark.
He shot 6 of 12 from the field, including 4 of 8 from three-point range, and sank 10 of 11 free throws.
Moore, whose previous career high was 18 points, made his first five shots, including four from three-point range.
"I hit my first shot and after that just let them fly and they kept falling," Moore said. "I would say I was very confident in my shot and they were falling."
Brown missed his second straight game with soreness in his Achilles tendon and would still be eligible to apply for a medical redshirt season providing he doesn't play past Jan. 4. Brown underwent Achilles tendon surgery in May.
He has not practiced since the Owls' 78-57 loss at Villanova on Dec. 13.
Daniel Dingle scored 19 points for Temple while Shizz Alston added 16. Leading scorer Obi Enechionyia had a season-low three points, shooting 1 for 11 from the field, although he also provided a team-high 10 rebounds. He left the game in the second half with an undisclosed injury and coach Fran Dunphy did not know the extent.
Three players scored 15 points for Yale, including 6-foot-9 senior Sam Downey, who added a game-high 17 rebounds.
Moore made his second straight start and his season-best performance was needed because Yale (6-5) wouldn't quite go away.
Twice within the final 22 seconds Yale cut Temple's lead to four points, but the Owls kept making free throws. For the game Temple was 28 for 30 from the foul line and is 43 for 48 during its two-game win streak.
Temple (9-4) will begin its 18-game American Athletic Conference schedule Wednesday at home against No. 24 Cincinnati.
Yale, the defending Ivy League champion, saw its four-game winning streak snapped.
Temple led by as many as 10 in the first half and took a 35-28 lead at halftime. Moore had 15 points in the half, hitting 5 of 7 shots. The rest of the team shot 6 for 28.
"Alani was terrific tonight, his first half was pretty spectacular," Dunphy said. "It gave us the cushion we needed to have the advantage in the first half."
Despite the fact that Brown has missed eight games and guard Trey Lowe is redshirting this season while recovering from an upper body injury, the Owls have enjoyed a solid nonconference schedule, which includes wins over ranked teams Florida State and West Virginia.
Last year the Owls were 5-5 heading into their AAC season and ended up qualifying for the NCAA tournament.
"I felt we should have won [more] and been more competitive, but 9-4 isn't bad," Dingle said. "We just have to get ready for the next challenge, Cincinnati, and make a run and make a statement in conference play."
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