Richmond's run sends Temple home with 72-57 loss
Trailing at Richmond by just three points midway through the fourth quarter Tuesday night, Temple found itself within striking distance of a win that would have bolstered its NCAA Tournament resume.
That was before a potential game-tying bucket missed the mark and before one of the nation’s better players took over the game.
The Spiders score 14 of the last 16 games to close out a 72-57 win over the Owls, sending head coach Diane Richardson’s team back to Philadelphia with a 3-2 record.
Temple had clawed to within 58-55 at the 5:26 mark of the fourth quarter on a three-pointer by guard Kaylah Turner, who led the Owls with 22 points Tuesday night. Turner was fouled on the shot and had a chance at a four-point play but missed the free throw.
And after forward Jaleesa Molina came up with a steal on the ensuing possession, Temple guard Drew Alexander had a look at a three-pointer but couldn’t knock it down.
Richmond forward Maggie Doogan swiped the rebound and took over from there. The Broomall native and former Cardinal O’Hara High School star hit a three that sparked Richmond’s 14-2 run to finish off the game.
The reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, Doogan showed why she was good enough to earn an invitation to the USA Basketball Team Trials in Colorado Springs prior to the 2025 AmeriCup. She posted a double-double of 31 points and 14 rebounds and fell just one assist shy of a triple-double, knocking down 12-of-21 shots from the floor and 6-of-12 from three-point range.
Molena (11 points on 5-for-13 shooting) was the only other Temple player aside from Turner to reach double-figure scoring. The Owls shot just 30.6% (19-for-62) from the floor and 28% (7-for-25) in the loss. They will return to action at Villanova Saturday night at 7 p.m. in a Big 5 game that would set up the Owls to defend their City Series title should they win this weekend at Finneran Pavilion.
Richmond, which started the season ranked 24th nationally, improved to 4-1. The Spiders’ only loss this season came to No. 4 Texas.
