The Temple players understand that Sunday?s noon matchup at the Liacouras Center against SMU isn?t just any ordinary American Athletic Conference game.
Even though the Mustangs are ineligible for the AAC and NCAA Tournaments, they are the nation?s last unbeaten Division I team, taking an 18-0 overall and 7-0 AAC mark into the game.
The reason for the ban came after the NCAA ruled SMU ?committed multiple violations, including academic fraud, unethical conduct and head coach control in the men?s basketball program.?
So the Owls (10-7, 4-2) relish the chance to hand the Mustangs their first L. Even more importantly, the players feel there is some unfinished business concerning SMU.
Last year Temple lost three times to the Mustangs, including a 69-56 defeat in the AAC semifinals.
In all three games, Temple held a double-digit lead.
When asked if he felt Temple owed SMU one, Owls leading scorer Quenton DeCosey didn?t hesitate.
?Definitely,? said DeCosey, who is averaging 15.6 points per game. ?They beat us three times last year and if we get one of the wins, we would probably have been in the (NCAA) tournament.?
In preparing for Sunday?s game, Temple coach Fran Dunphy looked back at last year?s matchups, especially the first one, a 60-55 SMU win at the Liacouras Center in which the Owls led by 13 points early in the second half.
?We had our chances to win that game and it would have been a great win for us to get,? Dunphy said.
Dunphy is especially impressed by the poise of the Mustangs, led by reigning AAC Player of the Year Nic Moore, a senior point guard averaging 15.6 points and 4.9 assists.
?Nic Moore is really good,? Dunphy said. ?It is almost like he says, ?I am going to spread the ball around, see how my team is doing and if it is not to my satisfaction I will take over.'"
SMU coach Larry Brown, who was suspended the first nine games as part of the NCAA penalty, says playing Temple is pure agony, mainly because he considers Dunphy a close friend.
?I love coming back to Philly,? said Brown, who coached the 76ers for six years, ending after the 2002-2003 season. ?You don?t like to play friends and two I admire him so much, just the type of person he is.?
While the players always talk about not placing one game higher than any other, they understand how much this contest can mean for a postseason resume.
?Of course it is a big deal and we will take it and run with it and hopefully come out with a victory,? said point guard Josh Brown, who leads the AAC in minutes played, averaging 34.9 per game. ?We are not going to make it bigger than it is.?
--www.philly.com/
Even though the Mustangs are ineligible for the AAC and NCAA Tournaments, they are the nation?s last unbeaten Division I team, taking an 18-0 overall and 7-0 AAC mark into the game.
The reason for the ban came after the NCAA ruled SMU ?committed multiple violations, including academic fraud, unethical conduct and head coach control in the men?s basketball program.?
So the Owls (10-7, 4-2) relish the chance to hand the Mustangs their first L. Even more importantly, the players feel there is some unfinished business concerning SMU.
Last year Temple lost three times to the Mustangs, including a 69-56 defeat in the AAC semifinals.
In all three games, Temple held a double-digit lead.
When asked if he felt Temple owed SMU one, Owls leading scorer Quenton DeCosey didn?t hesitate.
?Definitely,? said DeCosey, who is averaging 15.6 points per game. ?They beat us three times last year and if we get one of the wins, we would probably have been in the (NCAA) tournament.?
In preparing for Sunday?s game, Temple coach Fran Dunphy looked back at last year?s matchups, especially the first one, a 60-55 SMU win at the Liacouras Center in which the Owls led by 13 points early in the second half.
?We had our chances to win that game and it would have been a great win for us to get,? Dunphy said.
Dunphy is especially impressed by the poise of the Mustangs, led by reigning AAC Player of the Year Nic Moore, a senior point guard averaging 15.6 points and 4.9 assists.
?Nic Moore is really good,? Dunphy said. ?It is almost like he says, ?I am going to spread the ball around, see how my team is doing and if it is not to my satisfaction I will take over.'"
SMU coach Larry Brown, who was suspended the first nine games as part of the NCAA penalty, says playing Temple is pure agony, mainly because he considers Dunphy a close friend.
?I love coming back to Philly,? said Brown, who coached the 76ers for six years, ending after the 2002-2003 season. ?You don?t like to play friends and two I admire him so much, just the type of person he is.?
While the players always talk about not placing one game higher than any other, they understand how much this contest can mean for a postseason resume.
?Of course it is a big deal and we will take it and run with it and hopefully come out with a victory,? said point guard Josh Brown, who leads the AAC in minutes played, averaging 34.9 per game. ?We are not going to make it bigger than it is.?
--www.philly.com/
