ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – St. Bonaventure became the 506th victim
of Temple’s vexing match-up zone during the 24-year tenure of head
coach John Chaney on Wednesday.
Chaney is now 506-244 at Temple and 731-303 overall in his
34-year coaching career.
The Owls, who do not start a player under 6-5, created major
disruptions in the Bonnies’ offense and cruised to an 83-66 victory
in Atlantic 10 basketball action at the Reilly Center.
The long and lean Owls had hands in every passing lane and did
not allow SBU to adopt any semblance of offensive rhythm. Temple
forced 16 turnovers by the Bonnies while committing just six
miscues of their own.
“We read the passing lanes very well,” admitted Mark Tyndale,
Temple guard. “That’s how we got some easy buckets on the other end
and that’s what coach (Chaney) asked us to go out there and
do.”
Tyndale grabbed five steals and converted several powerful dunks
to highlight his game-high 26 points.
St. Bonaventure coach Anthony Solomon agreed that the Temple
zone gave the Bonnies an offensive headache.
“I have to give a lot of credit to Temple – their zone gave us a
lot of problems tonight,” Solomon lamented. “I don’t know how many
points they got off of their 15 steals, but my guess is that it’s
20 points or more. It’s difficult to be successful giving up that
many easy, uncontested layups or dunks.
“Trying to execute against that zone was the issue,” Solomon
concluded.
Converting shots close to the basket was helpful to the Owls,
who have been struggling shooting of late.
“It (getting easy baskets) is very important,” Chaney declared.
“We’re not good shooters and we’ve had moments where we just
haven’t shot the ball well this year. But when we shoot the ball
well, we become a very formidable team.”
The game adopted the pace of a track meet early as Temple opened
an 11-4 lead roughly three minutes in.
Solomon called a timeout to rally his charges and the Bonnies
responded with a 6-2 spurt for a 13-10 score at the 13:40
point.
Temple’s 6-11, 285-pound junior center Wayne Marshall kept the
hosts at bay with six points in the next four minutes and it was
27-19 Temple with 8:29 showing in the first.
Marshall let his teammates take over from deep from here.
Temple rattled off six trifectas in the next five minutes to
open a 19-point bulge at 46-27.
The Owls then took a 50-33 advantage into the locker room at the
half.
While the Bonnies managed to pull within 13 points at 71-58
after the intermission, it was too little too late as Temple upped
its record to 7-6 overall and 1-2 in the A-10.
The hosts did, however, provide those in attendance with some
eye candy in the final 20 minutes, throwing down several showy
dunks.
Big fella Paul Williams sent it in two-handed and seconds later
Ahmad Smith found Michael Lee with a precise alley-oop. Lee then
grabbed a quick steal and added another slam, this one a one-handed
flush.
Tyler Relph capped off the half’s amusement with a half-court
oop to David Fox worthy of SportsCenter’s Top 10.
Williams registered his fourth double-double in the last five
games, dropping in 12 points and hauling down 16 rebounds.
Also for SBU, which played without senior Patrick Lottin,
Michael Lee contributed 16 points and Wade Dunston threw in 11
marks.
Lottin was suspended for an undetermined period “for not meeting
the established standards required of student-athletes within the
program,” Solomon stated.
Lottin averages 10.1 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per
game.
“I was sorry to hear about Lottin,” Chaney remarked. “I am proud
of them (SBU) for playing the way they played without him.
“Kids have a way of breaking your heart, but there’s still
talent on that floor,” Chaney said. “They’re (SBU) going to get it
done. Something’s going to happen and they’re going to surprise
some people.”
The loss drops St. Bonaventure to 6-8 overall and 0-3 in the
Atlantic 10. They host Rhode Island in another conference game at 7
p.m. Saturday.
