March 4, 2006

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Sixth-seeded Dayton saw its season come to an end with a 70-55 loss to #22/20 Temple on Saturday in the Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Quarterfinals at SJU Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse.

UD closes out its season with a 17-12 overall record, which was the most wins since the 1985-86 season. With the win, third-seeded Temple (22-7) advanced to Sunday's A-10 Semifinals against Duquesne at 4 p.m. ET.

A-10 First Team selection Cara Wright closed out her Flyer career with a game-high 20 points to go along with nine rebounds and a block. However, she was the only Flyer to reach double figures in scoring as A-10 Second Team pick Jennifer Strong scored nine points and Ashley Armstrong added eight.

A-10 Player of the Year Candice Dupree led Temple with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Khadija Bowens and Kamesha Hairston added 14 and 11 points respectively for the Owls.

The Flyers were held to 30.9 percent shooting on the night (17-for-55) including 3-for-17 from three-point range. The Owls hit 43.1 percent from the field (25-of-58) with a majority of the baskets coming from inside as Temple made just 1-of-8 shots from beyond the arc.

TU also led in rebounding, 48-35, and points in the paint, 38-18. Temple also turned 16 Dayton turnovers into a 16-5 edge in points off turnovers.

Temple took a 32-23 lead into the locker room after an evenly played first half. TU shot 9-of-30 from the field while UD made 5-of-18 shots from the floor. The difference came in rebounding and points off turnovers as the Owls led in both categories. Temple out rebounded Dayton 25-14 including 10-1 in the offensive glass. TU also took advantage of 11 UD turnovers for an 8-0 edge in points off turnovers.

Dayton stayed close behind nine points from Wright and a pair of three-point baskets from Armstrong for six points in the first half. Hairston led all players with 10 in the first half for Temple. Dupree added was held to 0-for-8 shooting from the field, but was 9-for-12 from the line for nine points.

The Flyers held Dupree without a field goal for the first 7:45 of the contest. Then the A-10 Player of the Year made baskets in two consecutive trips down the court to put the Owls ahead 46-29. That would also mark the closest margin of the second half as Temple led by as many as 22 before a late Flyer run close out the game at 70-55.