Temple's offense, rebounding crumble in 74-56 Big 5 loss at Villanova

VILLANOVA, Pa.  – Temple found itself playing an uphill battle against Villanova until it finally  lost its footing.

Guard Gavin Griffiths buried a three-pointer to cut Villanova’s lead to six points with less than eight minutes left in the game. But instead of commencing a comeback, it preceded the Owls’ downfall. The Wildcats fired off nine straight points to regain a 15-point advantage that stood firm.

Temple’s offense sputtered in its fourth loss of the season and determined its fate in the Big 5 Classic, falling to Villanova 74-56 at Finneran Pavilion Monday night. The Owls (4-4) will face Saint Joe’s in the third-place game of the Big 5 Classic Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Xfinity Mobile Arena, while the Wildcats (6-1) will play Penn in the championship game.  

“We practiced here yesterday, got after it defensively,” Temple head coach Adam Fisher said. “So we got to continue to improve our defense. I think our defense did get better. Forty-five [points] in the second half is too many, 
but I think it starts with defending and rebounding and we didn’t do that enough tonight.”

The Owls’ defense prevented the Wildcats from taking control early on as Villanova led by just one point entering halftime. Then the Wildcats proved why they rank 19th nationally in offensive rating, outscoring Temple by 17 points in the last 20 minutes.

Fisher went four players deep into his frontcourt rotation, but Temple couldn’t withstand Villanova’s dominance off the glass. The Wildcats outrebounded the Owls by 19 and accumulated 21 offensive boards to Temple’s six.

The Owls’ offense fared little better, scoring a season-low 56 points on 43% shooting from the field. Although Villanova head coach Kevin Willard said his team didn’t play any zone defense, it certainly appeared so. The Wildcats’ backcourt pressure denied Temple from sustaining any momentum it built throughout the game.

Despite their offensive woes, guards Aiden Tobiason, Derrian Ford and Jordan Mason reached double-digits, with 15, 14 and 12 points, respectively. 

Temple struggled to match Villanova’s frontcourt size early on. Forward Duke Brennan, a 6-foot-10, 250-pound transfer from Grand Canyon who entered the game leading the nation in rebounds per game, overpowered 6-8, 235-pound forward Babatunde Durodola to score a second-chance layup, giving the Wildcats a 5-2 lead less than three minutes into the game.

Fisher cycled through forwards Jamai Felt and Ayuba Bryant Jr. for more versatility. The Owls frequently switched when Villanova set screens, which helped it force eight first-half turnovers. The Wildcats’ fastbreak defense prevented Temple from reaping the rewards however, as it scored just nine points off turnovers.

Offense didn’t come easy for the Owls in the halfcourt, either. 

Although Temple shot 45.8% from the field in the first half, it struggled to consistently generate offense. Villanova sat in what looked like a zone defense, which prevented the Owls from getting downhill to create advantages. Temple attempting just four three-pointers in the half didn’t make matters easier, as the Wildcats gained control with a 15-10 advantage with 10 minutes remaining until halftime.

“Obviously, [the Wildcats] pressure you, so not having a lot of ballhandlers, it puts Jordan Mason in a tough spot all night with the top there,” Fisher said. “I thought we had some really good looks to be honest with you.” 

The Owls received their first glance at guard Zion Stanford, who transferred from the program and joined Villanova in April. He bettered Tobiason off the dribble for a layup, his first shot of the game. Otherwise, the junior wasn’t much of a factor, finishing with four points, two rebounds and one assist.

Temple’s defense remained problematic for the Wildcats, who couldn’t pull away from the Owls’ offensive woes. Temple continued to switch against screens and precisely defend the perimeter, which troubled guard Bryce Lindsay – Villanova’s leading scorer. He shot 2-for-8 from the field in the first half.

The Owls’ defensive efforts finally paid off as they increased their transition frequency in the closing minutes of the half. Ford converted a transition layup to give Temple a one-point lead that two Wildcats three-pointers quickly erased. 

The Owls’ newfound tempo gave way to their making four of their last five field-goal attempts to trim Villanova’s lead to 29-28 entering the locker room, nevertheless. Temple held the Wildcats to 35.5% shooting from the field and 31.3% shooting from three-point range through the first 20 minutes.

The Owls picked up where they left off coming out of the locker room, as Tobiason converted a spot-up three for a 35-33 edge less than five minutes into the second half. Temple’s defensive intensity didn’t wane either, with Villanova missing five consecutive field goals due to its crisp rotations.

Then, the Wildcats pounced.

Villanova reverted back to its zone coverage after beginning the half in a man-to-man approach and Temple stumbled. The Wildcats poured in nine unanswered points to regain a 44-39 lead as they established rhythm from beyond the arc. Guard Devin Askew assisted on two consecutive  Villanova threes, with the Owls’ closeouts starting to lose their effect.

Temple’s defensive tenacity outweighed its size disadvantage in the first half, but it could no longer be ignored. Twelve of the Wildcats’ first 19 points of the last 20 minutes came in the paint as they dominated off the dribble and commanded the offensive glass. Brennan, who finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, was pivotal in both efforts. 

But, it was Lindsay who turned heads. He warped a once-valiant Temple defense, hitting his first three shots of the half, primarily attacking the rim.

Ford, who dons the Owls’ leading scoring title, ran off a pair of drives that halted the Wildcats from fully pulling away. His efforts pierced Temple’s deficit to 51-46 with 10 minutes remaining in the game, but it proved to be inconsequential.

The Owls suffered a three-minute scoring drought, allowing guard Tyler Perkins to drain a three to give Villanova its then-largest lead at 11 points. He led all scorers with 19 points on 5-for-7 shooting from three. 

While Temple thrived off forcing turnovers in the first half, the Wildcats flipped the script in the last 20 minutes. The Owls recorded five second-half turnovers, which Villanova transfused into eight points.

“They shoot a lot of threes, so we’re trying to take that away,” Fisher said. “But there’s some times that we got so concerned with the weakside three that we left them open for layups. And I think when you see an easy one go in, then the rebounding comes. I think everything they do, when they make some shots, their pressure amps up, their rebounding amps up.”

The Wildcats drained two more trifectas for good measure en route to a 18-point advantage while Temple’s offense remained structureless for its largest loss of the season.

Front page photo by Jeremy Shover