College Basketball
- Matchup: Temple Owls (15-5, 5-2 AAC) @ #13 Houston Cougars (20-1, 7-1 AAC)
- Date: January 31st, 2019
- Time: 7 pm EST
- Network: ESPN2
- Location: Houston, TX
- Venue: Fertitta Center
- Seating Capacity: 8,479
Background Info
The Temple Owls travel to Houston to take on the Cougars. All season, the Cougars have been dominate, except when they go up against Temple. On January 9th, Temple handed the Cougars their only loss of the season, winning 73-69 at Liacouras Center.
Temple’s strong backcourt and recent struggles
Temple boasts a backcourt who knows how to get buckets. Senior guard Shizz Alston Jr. (18.5 points per game), Junior guard Quinton Rose (17.1 points per game), and sophomore guard Nate Pierre-Louis (14.0 points per game) provide the scoring pop for the Owls, who average 75.3 points per game. Lately, the Owls have been on a rough stretch, losing two of their last three games — which includes a blown 14-point lead against Cincinnati. Coach Fran Dunphy will be hoping his Owls can rack up another win against Houston to get his team back on the right track.
Houston’s strength is DEFENSE
Houston has the reputation of being a defensive beast. There is no surprise that Houston is the first team to 20 wins this season. The Cougars hold opponents to 60.2 points per game and boast the 7th best defense in the nation. Junior guard Armoni Brooks (14.8 points per game) and senior guard Corey Davis Jr. (14.6 points per game) provide the scoring for the Cougars, who average 75.7 points per game. Currently, the Cougars are riding a 5-game winning streak, including a 44-point thumping of the East Carolina Pirates.
Prediction
Expect the Cougars to be energized by their home crowd and avenge the loss suffered to the Owls earlier in January. In their last matchup, Brooks only managed to score five points on 2-of-12 shooting. Tonight, expect Brooks to step up and score double-digit points alongside Davis Jr. The Owls will put up a good fight, but they’ll falter in the second half due to the Cougars suffocating defense.
Temple – 65
Houston – 77
Follow us on YouTube and Twitter
Photo Credit
@UHCougarMBK via Twitter
Written by Ryan Gayle
