Tulane drops road tilt at Temple, 80-69

PHILADELPHIA – The Tulane men’s basketball team dropped its final American Athletic Conference road game of the season, 80-69, on Sunday afternoon at the Liacouras Center.

Samir Sehic registered his fourth double-double of the season with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Caleb Daniels chipped in 18 points and seven boards. Jordan Cornish led all players with 10 assists for the second time this season, matching his career-high.

Quinton Rose led Temple (21-8, 11-5 AAC) with 29 points on 13 of 21 shooting, as Shizz Alston Jr. added 22 more to the scoreboard with eight assists.

Sehic got to work early and often by making four shots, including a pair of 3s, in the first six minutes to account for 10 of the Green Wave’s first 12 points, but they trailed, 15-12.

The Owls were able to extend their lead into double-digits over the next several minutes of action, but Tulane was able to get back within six, 34-28, with under five minutes remaining in the first half.

Temple was able to make some tough and acrobatic baskets in the final minutes of the period to extend its advantage back to double digits, closing the half on a 7-0 scoring run to take a 43-30 lead into the intermission.

The Green Wave held the Owls to just 2-for-12 (.167) shooting from behind the 3-point arc in the opening 20 minutes, but were outscored, 24-10, in the paint and 8-0 off turnovers.

Temple continued its scoring streak to 15 straight points into the early moments of the second half to build its first 20-point lead, 51-30, but a pair of treys by Daniels and Connor Crabtree sandwiched a fast-break layup for a quick 8-0 scoring spree.

The Wave continued to battle, and despite falling behind by 15, used a 7-0 scoring run capped by a Crabtree layup on a drive to his right from the wing to pull within eight, 56-48, with 12 minutes left.

Temple expanded its lead back to double digits and Tulane was unable to cut below that benchmark for the remainder of the day, as the Owls protected their home court.

The Green Wave shot 26-for-69 (.377) overall, 9-for-25 (.360) from 3-point range and 8-for-13 (.615) at the free throw line, while the Owls went 32-for-68 (.471) from the field, 7-for-29 (.241) from outside and made nine of 13 (.692) free throws.

Tulane (4-23, 0-15) returns home Wednesday, March 6 to host USF. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse.