LaSalle gets no offense in loss

Speedy Morris did not show much emotion as he crouched on the La Salle sideline in the final moments of last night's Big 5 loss. His Explorers did not show much emotion during the contest. Temple took a three-point halftime advantage and routed La Salle in the second half en route to a 67-50 win at McGonigle Hall. The Explorers shot a miserable 7 for 34 in the second half. Guard Kareem Townes -- the one-man scoring machine for the Explorers who was averaging 25.2 points per game going into the contest -- managed just 11 points on 4-for-17 shooting. He was scoreless in the second half. "I thought we got some really good looks at the basket," Morris said. "We just didn't make a lot of shots. Townes had a very good first half, and I'll give credit where it's due, but look at the tape and see the shots that he got. He normally makes those shots. I don't think it was a great defensive effort on him. He just didn't make his shots." Meanwhile, Temple (10-7, 1-0 Big 5) was struggling too. But the Owls dominated the boards, outrebounding the Explorers 48-29. Owls freshman forward Lynard Stewart had 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Temple floor general Rick Brunson also had 15 points, and sophomore forward Huey Futch had a career-high 14 points. La Salle (11-9, 0-2) needed this win badly in order to keep its hopes of an NIT bid alive. The Explorers have not been to a postseason tournament the past two seasons. But Temple needed the game too in order to make the NCAA tournament. Morris called his team's play "horrendous," and likened it to the way the Explorers played in a 90-71 loss to Penn on Jan. 17, as well as in a loss at Wisconsin-Green Bay. The Owls shot 10 for 24 from three-point range and used that shooting to blow away La Salle after intermission. With Temple ahead 48-36, the Explorers made their final threat of the evening. Consecutive three-pointers by La Salle's Paul Burke and Olof Landgren pulled La Salle to within six points, but Temple went on a 14-0 run while the Explorers missed 11 straight shots. Owls coach John Chaney said because the Explorers don't have a true big man, his squad was able to focus on the perimeter players. Townes and Burke shot a combined 7 for 30 from the field. "Temple needed a win," Morris said, "but so did we. We needed a win against a team like this."

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