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Temple’s opponents averaged 70.9 points this season in conference play.

Yet, in non-conference play, Temple had held opponents low 60’s. Temple did so as it played it’s pressure defense then, but HC McKie for some inexplicable reasons did not do so in conference play. Such turned a winning record in non-conference games into a losing record in conference play.

In 15 non-conference games, opponents shot but 44 percent on two’s. Temple was then ranked 38th in the nation in 2-point defense. For the season Temple finished ranked 76th in the nation as opponents for the season wound up shooting 46.3 percent on two’s.

Temple was able to reduce it’s opponents two point shooting percentage from 52.2 percent last season in conference play to 47.6 percent in conference play this season. That’s quite an improvement. Temple’s Asst. Coach Ross, Temple’s defensive coach deserves credit for Temple’s improved defense.

With Temple holding opponents to shooting such low two point percentages both in non-conference and conference games, both far better than last year when Temple had a 23-10 season record, and a 13-5 conference record, one can see clearly that Temple would have had a comparable record, if not better, if only Temple’s offense had not faltered and declined as much as it did this season. And, as I argue later in that post, that did not nbedd to be.

Such improvement in Temple’s defense was mostly do Rose, Nate, and Perry, upping their defense from last year. Scott played better on defense that Shizz did. Hamilton statistically was Temple’s best interior defender but his play was limited in conference play. Temple’s improved defense was not do to D.Moore and Forrester playing the Center position as their defensive ratings were not good. Moorman’s defense slid a little from last season.

Opponents three point shooting was 30.4 percent in non-conference games this season. Such closely approximates what opponents shot on three’s in conference games. At one point in non-conference games, Temple was holding opponents to shooting 28.3 percent on three’s, and Temple was ranked 55th in the nation. Opponents finished the season shooting 31 percent on three’s which is ranked 69th best three-point shooting defense in the nation.

Opponents three-point shooting was 31.5 percent this year in conference play.

This past season in conference play opponents made 11 more three’s (33-points) than Temple did. This opponent advantage in shooting three’s is mostly do to Rose and Nate not shooting three’s well and Alani, and Perry not shooting as many three’s as they should have, Temple opponents making more three’s then Temple could have been reduced if stopping the three ball as they did in non-conference play,

In non-conference games, Temple made 52 more two’s, and scored 104 more points than opponents did.

The reverse was true in conference play as Temple’s opponents made 33 more two’s or 66 points in conference games, or 3 more three pointers points per conference game than Temple did.

As we’ve seen, both Rose shot 44 percent on two’s and Nate shot 48.8 on 2’s respectively in non-conference games when Temple played it’s pressure defense, and Rose shot but 38 percent and Nate big 40 percent when Temple did not play it’s pressure defense in conference games.

Rose’s two point shooting percentage shooting was awful the entire season, Nate’s just in conference play. Both shot but 31 percent on three’s in conference play. Such poor shooting caused Temple to average only 67 points in conference games. McKie should have reduced their playing time,, and tried different combination of better shooters like Perry and Scott, during periods within a conference game to see if Temple could score more points, with ought giving up more points. He did not.

I’m sure some of you think Temple would have done better and some think not. But the point is he should have tried to see. With Temple playing so poorly in conference games he had nothing to lose. Rather, he remained stubborn and continued to put a bad product on the floor.


Opponents foul line shooting in conference play was 74.1 percent. Temple shot 68.7 percent.Temple went to the foul-line more but only outscored it’s opponents by only two foul shots in conference play. Scott and Perry playing more minutes would have given Temple a larger margin in points scored at the foul-line. Temple made three more foul shots than opponents in conference play last season

What made Temple have a losing record in conference games, was a combination of Temple’s lack of offense, and that could have improved if Rose was not Temple’s ball distributor, and if players like Perry and Scott had both played and shot more, and Rose, Nate, and Moorman less. And Alani had shot more, especially three’s.

Temple’s excessive fouling also cost Temple some conference wins.

If Temple had played it’s pressure defense in conference play that would have made a big difference. One must remember that well into non-conference play that Temple was rated by Andy Katz as the 23rd best team in the nation, and Temple’s NCAA NET rating was no. 34 in the nation. It’s my view that Temple would have closely matched Temple’s 13-5 conference record last season McKie had tried the things I mentioned above.