Temple Owls men's basketball

The Temple Owls men's basketball team represents Temple University in the sport of basketball. The Owls compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I as a member of the American Athletic Conference (The American). They play their home games in the Liacouras Center on the university's main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and are currently led by head coach Adam Fisher. Temple is the fifth-most winningest NCAA Division I men's college basketball program of all time, with 1,978 wins at the end of the 2022–23 season. Although they have reached the NCAA Tournament over thirty times, they are one of nine programs with that many appearances to have not won the Tournament and one of four to have never reached the National Championship Game.

Temple Owls
2022–23 Temple Owls men's basketball team
UniversityTemple University
All-time record1,978–1,135 (.635)
Head coachAdam Fisher (1st season)
ConferenceThe American
LocationPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
ArenaLiacouras Center (Capacity: 10,206)
NicknameOwls
ColorsCherry and white[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
Alternate jersey
Team colours
Alternate
Pre-tournament Premo-Porretta champions
1938
Pre-tournament Helms champions
1938
NCAA tournament Final Four
1956, 1958
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1944, 1956, 1958, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2001
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1956, 1958, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2001
NCAA tournament round of 32
1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2011, 2013
NCAA tournament appearances
1944, 1956, 1958, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019
Conference tournament champions
1979, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2010
Conference regular season champions
1937, 1938, 1964, 1967, 1969, 1972, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2010, 2012, 2016

On March 7, 2012, the Temple Owls announced that they would be rejoining the Big East Conference for all sports in 2013 after 31 years in the Atlantic 10 Conference, with the Owls football team membership beginning in the 2012 season. However, before Temple became an all-sports member of the Big East, the conference split along football lines. The league's non-FBS football schools formed a new Big East in 2013, while Temple and the remaining football members remained in the old conference, but renamed it the American Athletic Conference.

History

The Temple Owls became the first National Invitation Tournament (NIT) champions in 1938, one year before the inception of the NCAA Tournament. The NIT was broadly recognized as a National Championship awarding tournament for a number of years, beginning with the 1938 National Championship by Temple. Additionally, the Owls were retroactively recognized by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll and the Helms Athletic Foundation as the national champion for the 1937–38 season.[2] Temple again won the NIT championship in 1969.

During the 1950s, the Temple basketball team made two NCAA Final Four appearances in (1956, 1958) under head coach Harry Litwack. Litwack was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame after concluding a 21-year coaching career that included 373 wins.

Head Coach John Chaney, also a Hall of Famer, won a total of 741 career games (312 losses) and took Temple to the NCAA tournament 17 times in 24 seasons with the Owls. His teams won the Atlantic 10 regular season championship eight times, while winning the A-10 Tournament six times. His 1987–88 Owls team entered the NCAA tournament ranked No. 1 in the country, but lost in the Elite Eight to Duke. Chaney reached the Elite Eight on five occasions and was the consensus National Coach of the Year in 1988. On March 13, 2006, Chaney retired from coaching.[3]

On April 10, 2006, Penn head coach and La Salle alumnus Fran Dunphy was named the new head coach. Dunphy had coached the Quakers for 17 straight seasons prior to the move. After struggling his first year, the Owls won the A-10 Tournament for three consecutive years in 2008, 2009, and 2010. The Owls received bids to the NCAA Tournament for six straight years under Dunphy (2008–2013). However, the Owls only won a game in the Tournament twice during that time period. Since Temple joined the American Athletic Conference in 2013, the Owls have struggled, making the NCAA Tournament only in 2016 and 2019.

After the 2018 season it was announced that former Owls standout and then-assistant coach Aaron McKie would take over for Dunphy in 2019.

Players Mark Macon, Juan Ignacio Sanchez, Eddie Jones, Lavoy Allen, Aaron McKie, Tim Perry and Mardy Collins are just a few who have gone on to play in the NBA.

Rivalries

As a member of the Big 5, the five large colleges in Philadelphia, the Owls have long-standing rivalries with Villanova, Penn, Saint Joseph's, and La Salle. The Owls are tied with Villanova for the most Big 5 titles to date, with 27. However, while tied in overall titles, Villanova has more outright titles not shared by any other tying team. The Owls have not won an outright Big 5 title since the 2000–01 season. The Owls won their most recent Big 5 title in 2022-23, going 3–1 in Big 5 play and splitting the title with Villanova. During Big 5 games, the Temple student section unfurls long banners about the opposing team, which has been a Big 5 trademark for Temple.

Other rivals include UMass, UConn, and Cincinnati. Temple was in the American Athletic Conference with UConn and Cincinnati until their departures in 2020 and 2023, respectively. When Temple was in the A-10, head coach John Chaney had a personal rivalry with UMass head coach John Calipari.

Awards and honors

Retired numbers

Temple Owls retired numbers
No. Player Pos. Tenure No. ret. Ref.
5Guy RodgersPG1955–1958[4]
6Hal LearPG1953–19562012[5]
12Mark MaconSG, PG1987–1991[6]
20Bill MlkvySF1949–1952[7]

All Americans

National Coach of the Year

Atlantic 10 Conference (1982–2013)

  • Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year [9]

American Athletic Conference (2013–Present)

  • American Athletic Conference Most Improved Player
    • Nate Pierre-Louis – 2019[10]
  • American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Owls in pro basketball

NBA Drafted players

Year Round Overall Player Team
2011 2 50 Lavoy Allen Philadelphia 76ers
2006 1 29 Mardy Collins New York Knicks
2000 2 48 Mark Karcher Philadelphia 76ers
1997 2 37 Marc Jackson Golden State Warriors
1994 1 10 Eddie Jones Los Angeles Lakers
1 17 Aaron McKie Portland Trail Blazers
1991 1 8 Mark Macon Denver Nuggets
1 18 Duane Causwell Sacramento Kings
1988 1 7 Tim Perry Phoenix Suns
1987 2 27 Nate Blackwell San Antonio Spurs
1985 4 78 Granger Hall Phoenix Suns
6 124 Charles Rayne Phoenix Suns
1984 1 15 Terence Stansbury Dallas Mavericks
8 167 Jim McLoughlin Los Angeles Clippers
1981 9 202 Ron Wister Philadelphia 76ers
1979 4 81 Ricky Reed Los Angeles Lakers
1978 9 181 Tim Claxton Philadelphia 76ers
1974 5 87 Joe Newman Detroit Pistons
1972 2 30 Ollie Johnson Portland Trail Blazers
1969 2 23 John Baum Chicago Bulls
3 40 Eddie Mast New York Knicks
5 70 Joe Cromer Philadelphia 76ers
1968 9 118 Clarence Brookins Philadelphia 76ers
15 187 John Baum Los Angeles Lakers
1966 4 40 Jim Williams Chicago Bulls
1960 2 15 Bill Kennedy Philadelphia Warriors
1958 Guy Rodgers Philadelphia Warriors
7 52 Jay Norman Philadelphia Warriors
9 68 Tink Van Patton Philadelphia Warriors
1956 1 7 Hal Lear Philadelphia Warriors
1955 7 Al Didriksen Philadelphia Warriors
8 Harry Silcox Philadelphia Warriors
1952 Bill Mlkvy Philadelphia Warriors
1950 5 Ike Borsavage Philadelphia Warriors

[13]

Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Owls have appeared in the NCAA tournament 33 times. Their combined record is 33–33.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
1944Elite Eight
Regional 3rd Place Game
Ohio State
Catholic
L 47–57
W 55–35
1956First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National 3rd Place Game
Holy Cross
Connecticut
Canisius
Iowa
SMU
W 74–72
W 65–59
W 60–58
L 76–83
W 90–81
1958Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National 3rd Place Game
Maryland
Dartmouth
Kentucky
Kansas State
W 71–67
W 69–50
L 60–61
W 67–57
1964First RoundConnecticutL 48–53
1967First RoundSt. John'sL 53–57
1970First RoundSouth CarolinaL 51–53
1972First RoundWest VirginiaL 71–77
1979No. 7First RoundNo. 10 St. John'sL 70–75
1984No. 8First Round
Second Round
No. 9 St. John's
No. 1 North Carolina
W 65–63
L 66–77
1985No. 8First Round
Second Round
No. 9 Virginia Tech
No. 1 Georgetown
W 60–57
L 46–63
1986No. 9First Round
Second Round
No. 8 Jacksonville
No. 1 Kansas
W 61–50 OT
L 43–65
1987No. 2First Round
Second Round
No. 15 Southern
No. 10 LSU
W 75–56
L 62–72
1988No. 1First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
No. 16 Lehigh
No. 8 Georgetown
No. 13 Richmond
No. 2 Duke
W 87–73
W 74–53
W 69–47
L 53–63
1990No. 11First RoundNo. 6 St. John'sL 65–81
1991No. 10First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
No. 7 Purdue
No. 15 Richmond
No. 3 Oklahoma State
No. 1 North Carolina
W 80–63
W 77–64
W 72–63 OT
L 72–75
1992No. 11First RoundNo. 6 MichiganL 66–73
1993No. 7First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
No. 10 Missouri
No. 15 Santa Clara
No. 3 Vanderbilt
No. 1 Michigan
W 75–61
W 68–57
W 67–59
L 72–77
1994No. 4First Round
Second Round
No. 13 Drexel
No. 5 Indiana
W 61–39
L 58–67
1995No. 7First RoundNo. 10 CincinnatiL 71–77
1996No. 7First Round
Second Round
No. 10 Oklahoma
No. 2 Cincinnati
W 61–43
L 65–78
1997No. 9First Round
Second Round
No. 8 Ole Miss
No. 1 Minnesota
W 62–40
L 57–76
1998No. 7First RoundNo. 10 West VirginiaL 52–82
1999No. 6First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
No. No. 11 Kent State
No. 3 Cincinnati
No. 10 Purdue
No. 1 Duke
W 61–54
W 64–54
W 77–55
L 64–85
2000No. 2First Round
Second Round
No. 15 Lafayette
No. 10 Seton Hall
W 73–47
L 65–67 OT
2001No. 11First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
No. 6 Texas
No. 3 Florida
No. 7 Penn State
No. 1 Michigan State
W 79–65
W 75–54
W 84–72
L 62–69
2008No. 12First RoundNo. 5 Michigan StateL 61–72
2009No. 11First RoundNo. 6 Arizona StateL 57–66
2010No. 5First RoundNo. 12 CornellL 65–78
2011No. 7First Round
Second Round
No. 10 Penn State
No. 2 San Diego State
W 66–64
L 64–71 2OT
2012No. 5First RoundNo. 12 South FloridaL 44–58
2013No. 9First Round
Second Round
No. 8 NC State
No. 1 Indiana
W 76–72
L 52–58
2016No. 10First RoundNo. 7 IowaL 70–72 OT
2019No. 11First FourNo. 11 BelmontL 70–81

NIT results

The Owls have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 19 times. Their combined record is 23–17. They are two time NIT champions (1938, 1969).

Year Round Opponent Result
1938Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Final
Bradley
Oklahoma A&M
Colorado
W 53–40
W 56–55
W 60–36
1957Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game
Dayton
Bradley
St. Bonaventure
W 77–66
L 66–77
W 67–50
1960First RoundDaytonL 51–72
1961First Round
Quarterfinals
Army
Dayton
W 79–65
L 62–60
1962First Round
Quarterfinals
Providence
Loyola–Chicago
W 80–78
L 64–75
1966First Round
Quarterfinals
Virginia Tech
BYU
W 88–73
L 78–90
1968First RoundKansasL 76–82
1969First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Final
Florida
Saint Peter's
Tennessee
Boston College
W 82–66
W 94–78
W 63–58
W 89–76
1978First RoundTexasL 58–72
1981First Round
Second Round
Clemson
West Virginia
W 90–82
L 76–77
1982First RoundGeorgiaL 60–73
1989First RoundRichmondL 56–70
2002First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game
Fresno State
Louisville
Villanova
Memphis
Syracuse
W 81–75
W 65–62
W 63–57
L 77–79
W 65–64
2003Opening Round
First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Drexel
Boston College
Rhode Island
Minnesota
W 68–59
W 75–62
W 61–53
L 58–63
2004First RoundRutgersL 71–76
2005First RoundVirginia TechL 50–60
2006Opening RoundAkronL 73–80
2015First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Bucknell
George Washington
Louisiana Tech
Miami (FL)
W 73–67
W 90–77
W 77–59
L 57–60
2018First RoundPenn StateL 57–63

References

  1. "Temple University Logo Usage Guide" (PDF). April 29, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  2. ESPN, ed. (2009). ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game. New York, NY: ESPN Books. p. 546. ISBN 978-0-345-51392-2.
  3. "Temple coach Chaney retires". ESPN.com. 2006-03-13. Archived from the original on 2017-07-20. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  4. Naismith Hall of Fame Welcomes Guy Rodgers at owlsports.com, 8 Aug 2014
  5. Temple To Retire Men's Basketball Great Hal Lear's Jersey at owlsports.com, 12 Apr 2012
  6. Mark of greatness! Looking back at Temple's 1991 at Inquirer.com, 14 Feb 2016
  7. This Future Dentist Once Dropped 54 Straight. Then He Was Lost to Time by JOHN WALTERSMAR at SI.com - Mar 3, 2020
  8. "(PDF)" (PDF). Temple University Athletics.
  9. "List of Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year Winners".
  10. "Defensive Player, Sixth Man, Most Improved and Sportsmanship Award Announced". theamerican.org.
  11. "Temple's Fran Dunphy named AAC Coach of the Year". NBC Sports Philadelphia. 10 March 2016.
  12. "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees". NBA.com.
  13. "Draft Finder". Basketball-Reference.com.
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