Temple Women’s Basketball was victorious for the seventh straight time this season on Sunday, as the Owls defeated the Tulane Green Wave 86-71.
The Owls were lead by the contributions of Tanaya Atkinson, who scored 21 points and notched her 1,000th point of her career. The Owls were also lead by junior Alliya Butts who also scored 21 points, and Feyonda Fitzgerald who racked up her fourth straight double-double with 20 points and a career high 13 assists.
After scoring the first basket of the game, the Tulane Green Wave would not regain the lead or tie for the rest of the game. Temple would jump out to a 21-7 advantage in the first quarter. The quarter would be defined by an 8-2 run early in the frame by the Owls, and an 11-0 run to end the quarter.
Tulane would start the 2nd quarter with a 7-0 run to close the gap to 22-14, but Temple would push the lead back up to 33-18 after an 11-4 run by the Owls. Temple would lead by as much as 16 in the quarter, before a sequence of baskets from Tulane’s Leslie Vorpahl would help the Green Wave close the gap to just 14 to end the quarter. The Owls would lead 40-26 at the half.
Though Tulane would start the quarter off hot by going on a 12-5 run to cut the lead to single digits, it would not be enough. The Owls would respond with a 12-2 run to extend the lead to 19 points; the largest lead of the game. Tulane would close out the frame with a buzzer beater to cut the lead to 16.
In the fourth quarter, Tulane shot 57.9% from the field, but it still wasn’t enough to help the Green Wave mount a comeback, as Temple would shoot 62.5% from the field.
“It’s just a great team effort” said Temple Coach Tonya Cardoza in Sunday Night’s press conference after the game. “I’m just happy and proud of the way they’re playing right now.”
The Owls are playing exceptionally well as their 86 points marks the 5th time Temple has scored over 80 points this season. Since the Owls have started their winning streak, they’ve averaged as a team 75 points, and have won by an average margin of victory of 22.9 points per game.
The Owls have not lost a game since Dec. 7, 2016 when they lost to the Hampton Pirates on the road 71-65.
The win improves the Owls to 6-0 in conference play, and 11-3 overall.
Temple’s next game will be Wednesday, Jan. 11, against East Carolina at McGonigle Hall. Tip-off is at 7 pm.
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