Temple breaks game open in fourth quarter, beats La Salle 70-56 in women’s basketball
The Owls battled with the Explorers, but the fourth quarter saw Temple pull away for the win.
In a pivotal Big 5 matchup, Temple defeated La Salle, 70-56, inside the Liacouras Center on Monday night.
The Owls pulled away during the fourth quarter, outscoring the Explorers by nine points. Temple struggled in the third quarter, allowing La Salle to score 24 points. The Explorers eventually tied the game with nine minutes, 12 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
This comeback attempt was short-lived.
The Owls mounted an offensive resurgence led by guard Tiarra East, who scored 10 fourth-quarter points. This performance contributed to first-year coach Diane Richardson’s first Big 5 win.
Overall, Temple (4-5) proved too much for the Explorers (6-4).
“Temple hung around a lot and put some immediate pressure on our ball handler,” La Salle head coach Mountain MacGillivray said. “And that caused us to not see the floor the way we have been.”
Statistical leaders
Temple received significant contributions from their guards.
Tiarra East, who finished 10-of-22 from the field for a career-high 25 points, led the Owls on offense. In addition to scoring points, East grabbed nine rebounds and added four assists. East was assisted by Jasha Clinton, who added 12 points and a double-double.
“She stepped up today,” Richardson said about Clinton. “One of the things we talk about is pursuit and utilizing her speed and she did that tonight.”
The Explorers were led by guard Claire Jacobs, who scored 13 points. Additionally, Charity Shears, another guard, added 12 points, including two three-pointers.
What we saw
The Explorers struggled to shoot well from the floor, finishing 19 of 61. Forward Kayla Spruill, who averaged a team-high 15.1 points per game prior to tip off, contributed for three points. Spruill finished with three fouls and played only 20 minutes.