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In conference play, Temple scored more points per 100 possessions with Alani playing than when any other guard played. Dre Perry had second in
best offensive rating.

Such indicates than both should taken far more FGA’s than they did.

Alani Moire smartly Took 71.8 percent of all his fga’s as three’s, and converting 42.9 percent of them.. If he shot more, Temple would have Temple average more than 65 ppg in conference games they did.

Since Alani Moore was a better shooter by far than either Rose or NPL, he should have taken some of their so Temple could have scored more points.

It’s difficult to fathom with Temple struggling to average 65 ppg, Mckie could allow Moorman to average 27 mpg in conference play as he averaged just 6.4 ppg and shoot but 38 percent on fga’s in conference play, and thus helped keep Temple’s scoring down.

Moorman did played well at Center sin the second UConn game.

In 9 of Temple’s 12 conference losses, Moorman simply was an awful shooter making few hoops while playing way too many minutes.

In two losses to Tulsa, he shot 1-8 in one game, and 2-8 in the other.

In loss to Tulane he shot 2-6, and in loss to SMU he shot 1-7. In loss to UConn, Moorman shot 2-7. In loss to Wichita State he shot 1-4. In loss to Memphis,Moorman shot just 2-6 from the field. In loss to Cincy, Moorman shot 2-8. In loss to South Florida, he shot 2-5 from the field.

Moorman also shot poorly in some of Temple’s non-conference losses as well. As he shot 1-5 against Missouri, 2-7 playing Miami, 2-8 against Penn, and 0-4 against Villanova.

Moorman rebounded almost half as well as he did his freshman year.

It makes no sense that’s Moorman played far more than Perry who was one of the best shooters in the conference, and had a far superior rating than Moorman on both offense and defense.

Moorman being a team captain kept him on the court. Surely not his playing good basketball.

Scott should have averaged 30 mpg in conference play.

As Rose shot only 38 percent on two’s in conference play, as he took 189 two’s, but made but 72 two’s. Given that Scott shot 54.7 percent on two’s, a much higher 2-point shooting percentage than Rose did, Scott need to take take 57 less two’s than Rose, in order to score the same number of two’s as Rose.

And if Scott has played as much as Rose and taken 189 two’s as Rose did, Scott would have made 105 two’s compared to Rose’s 72. That’s 33 more two’s or 66 more points.

And if Scott and Perry has taken most of Moorman’s minutes, Temple would have scored even more points as both shot two’s far better than Moorman did, and opponents would have scored fewer points as Perry’s defense was far better than Moorman’s.

We saw in the second UConn game that that Rose took 19 FGA’s and made just three baskets. Scott took 15 FGA’s and made 10 field goals. Alani Moore took 10 FGA’s and made 5 field goals. Temple still managed to win, but if Scott and Alani had taken some of Rose’s FGA’s, Temple would have scored more points and would have won the game in regulation, and there would be no two overtime periods.

Oddly, Temple was ranked 30th in nation in defense this season, but finished only 6th in conference play. The AAC is a defensive conference with a few good shooters sprinkled in.

Only three AAC’s teams averaged over 70 ppg.

Three-Man-Weave wrote that Temple had bad shooters and that’s why their offense was so bad and scored such few points per game.

I see it differently.


Temple shot but 40 percent on FG attempts which ranked 332 in the nation out of 350 Div.1 teams, and 9th in conference play. Such shows how it was for both Rose with a 36.8 percent FG percentage and NPL with a 38 shooting percentage to take Temple’s most shots. As we have seen, both would have shot far better if Mckie had only played a pressure defense far more often than he did. As both would have scored easy hoops by forcing more turnovers. And if both had played with Scott and A.Moore more, their shooting percentages would have been even higher.

Temple had only it’s fourth losing season since 1976. Such is especially painful as Temple lost but one player, and was coming off a 23-10 winning record.

Temple fans were down on HC Fran Dunphy, as Temple did not have success in the NCAA tournament diluting his tenure. He was surely missed last season as Dunphy’s staple was decisively winning the turnovers battle over opponents, and that not only came to an end, but opponents committed fewer turnovers than Temple did. That partially explains Temple’s losing record.

This past season also saw returning players NPL, Moorman, and Hamilton, all see their shooting percentages sharply decline. Should not have happened.

How good was Alani Moore? He played in all 18 conference games and only shot more than 33 percent on three’s in 14 of those 18-games. He shot 42.9 percent (36-84) on three’s in conference games. Mckie should have created more shots for A.Moore in games he was on.

A.Moore was way more consistent shooting three’s than Shizz Alston was. As in the prior season, Shizz Alston shot over 33 percent on three’s in 7 of the 18 conference games he played in. Alston made 52 of 186 three point attempts.

Alston made but 16 more three’s than A.Moore did, but took 104 more three-point attempts than A.Moore did. Alston took 5.7 more three’s per conference games than A.Moore did.

Temple shot 69.6 percent from the foul line this past season in conference play, down from 73.5 percent the year before.

Temple saw it’s two point shooting percentage decline from 49.8 percent in conference play last season to 43.6 percent this past season.

Most good college teams shoot 3’s at 37 percent.

Temple’s three-point shooting the prior season was 35.3 percent in conference play, and Temple’s three-point shooting dropped this season to 33 percent in conference play.

Temple still had the 2nd best three point shooting percentage in the conference this past season. Another indication that the AAC did not have many good shooters.

Temple’s opponents shot more three’s (400-348) or 3 more per conference game than Temple did.

Temple should have shot more three’s than opponents did as Temple shot three’s at 33.9 percent compared to opponents only shooting 31 percent on three’s.

Temple should have shot more three’s and fewer 2’s, as Temple converted three’s at a higher equivalent rate than it shot it’s two’s.

Temple went from averaging 8.3 three’s made per game in prior winning season (2nd best in the conference) to only 6.4 three’s made per conference game (10th in the conference) this past season.

Temple would have not only shot a higher percentage on three’s but scored far more three’s if Perry had played more (34.4 percent on three’s in conference play) and Alani Moore (42.9 percent on three’s in play) had shot more three’s. And if Perry had replaced Moorman playing time, Temple would have had far less three’s shot by Moorman who shot 26.5 percent on three’s in conference play.

HC Mckie saying after Tulsa loss that Temple is not a good three point and should not be shooting many three’s is not born out when one compares Temple to it’s conference opponents stats, as Temple was the 2nd best in the conference shooting three’s.

When Jake Forrester played, Temple scored fewer points than when Hamilton played even Forrester had a far higher 2-point shooting percentage.

This is because for the season per 40 minutes Forrester turned the ball 3.9 times every 40 minutes, and fouled 6.2 times per 40 minutes.,

Hamilton or the season , per 40 minutes, turned the ball over 2.5 times per 40 minutes, and fouled 5.2 per 40 minutes.

In conference play, Forrester turned the ball 12.5 minutes, and committing a foul once every 6.25 minutes he played. Temple needed a far better performance by it’s starting Center.

One can see why Temple started off the season winning games in non conference games, and then went south once Forrester inserted as Temple center.

NPL averaged 8.5 rebounds per game this past season and 5.8 rebounds per game the prior season.

Most of Quentin Rose’s fga’s were mid-range 2-point jump shots. In interviews, Quentin Rose has said that he had a nice mid-range jump shot.

Not so. He should have looked at his stats. As according to basketball prognosticator Bart Torvik, Rose shot mid-range two’s poorly his entire four years. .His worse being the last two seasons when he shot the most mid-range two-point jump shots.


As last season, Rose shot 46-171 or 26.9 percent on mid range 2’s

His junior year Rose shot 52-177 or 29.4 percent on mid range 2’s.

His sophomore year, Rose shot 57-145 or 39.3 percent on mid-range 2’s.

His freshman year, Rose shot 31-90 or 34.4 percent on mid-range two’s.

NPL also shot 25 and 26 percent on mid-range 2-point jumpers the past two seasons.

What’s startling is that both Dunphy and McKie allowed this to happen. One can only hope that didn’t know his stats shooting mid-range 2’s.

Very disappointed with HC Mckie’s comment that Jake Forrester had a “solid” last season. Not so. As Forester’s defense was ok, and although he shot well he committed so many needless turnovers and fouls, that Temple was outscored by an average of 16.4 points per 100 possessions last season when Forrester played. Worse than anyone else on the team.

McKie also said he’d like to see Forrester slow down his game and not try to do so much. No mention was made of his high turnover rate nor his excessive fouling.

Temple averaged 1.4 more foul shots per game than it’s opponents because of how often Rose and NPL made trips to the foul-line.

Temple did so even though Temple committed 1.7 more fouls per game than it’s opponents did. This disconnect is may becdue to Temple’s offensive players drawing more shooting fouls than their opponents did.

Temple was 5th in the conference in committing the most fouls, primarily because it’s bigs were not being taught that good defense is based on forcing bad shots and not stopping every shot, and when the defender has accomplished that, they should not be fouling the shooter. But Temple players foul bad shots anyway.

The gold standard for excellence in committing the fewest fouls is the Univerity of Virginia. As Virginia’s HC Bennett teaches defense without committing excessive fouls. One reason conference opponents average less than 60 pgg.

Last season, Virginia played the same number conference games as Temple, and committed but 277 fouls compared to Temple committing 338 fouls in AAC conference play. Virginia committed almost 3 less fouls per game than Temple did.

By fouling so little Virginia opponents took but 245 foul shots in conference play. compared to Temple’s opponents taking 347 foul shots in 18 conference games, almost 100 more or approximately 5 more opponent foul shots per conference game than Virginia opponents did.

Solid game by your pupil Monty, Epperman.

On page 1 of this thread I have provided a review
Of Temple men’s bb games played during the 2019-2020 season. It’s my view that Temple should have had a strong winning record and not a losing record as Temple did.

Alani Moore is playing professional bb for the Houston Push. They play in a tournament game tonight at 6 pm that can be viewed on ESPN3.

He’s had an outstanding year having averaged 13.8 ppg, shot 51.7 percent on all fga’s, 40 percent on three’s, and 86 percent at the foul-line.

He shot terrifically on two’s at 80.9 percent (32-44), compared to at Temple where shot but 28.3 percent on two’s (15-53 on two’s). The reason for the large disparity is because as a pro he plays in a fast-breaking system that gets him into the open court. That rarely happened at Temple.

His non-shooting stats are equally impressive, as he averaged 5.2 assists per game, 1.5 steals per game, and committed but 1.7 turnovers per game. His offensive rebounds and steals exceeded his turnovers. He averaged but 1.4 fouls per game.

Alani Moore 5.2 assists per game is double what he averaged at Temple (2.6 assists per game). Alani Moore, not Rose, should have mostly distributed the ball as Rose averaged just 3.6 assists per game. Alani Moore and Rose would have both had far more assists if he had also played more with Perry and Scott.

Since Alani Moore was an excellent three point shooter, he should have shot far more often for Temple, and such would have resulted in both him and Temple scoring more points. Moore would have averaged way more than the 7.6 ppg he averaged in conference play. No reason for MooTemple. Sad a pro, shooting more often, A.Moors averaged 13.5 ppg. He should have done that for Temple.

The lesson learned is that sometimes a player’s limited scouring has more to do with his coach’s decisions.

In conference play of 2019-2020 season. Temple averaged just 66.7 points, opponents 70.9 point.

Reflecting on Temple’s season, it’s clear that Temple’s problem was it’s lack of scoring caused by it’s poor 44.7 two-point shooting percentage which ranked 335 out of 350 teams in the nation. Mckie deliberately thrust both Rose and NPL as the focal point of Temple’s offense even though in conference play Rose shot a woeful 38.8 percent on 2’s and 30 percent on three’s , and NPL shot 41 percent on two’s, 31.1 percent on 3’s. Adding to Temple’s scoring problems was Temple’s starting PF averaging just 6.2 ppg.

Can’t have a winning record when a teams most prolific shooters are shooting so poorly, and conference opponents are shooting 47.6 percent on 2’s
when they played Temple. Mckie should have known better especial since he had far better shooters on the team.

Temple’s defense was good as it held teams to shooting just 39.8 percent, which was 30th best in the nation. Temple held teams to shooting 46.3 percent on two’s which ranked 76th in the nation, and held opponents to shooting 31.1 percent on 3’s. which ranked Temple 67th in the nation.

As a result of Temple’s poor shooting, Temple wound up with a 14-17 overall record, and 5-13 conference record.

But Temple jetted out to a 6-1 non-conference record. They had success, as at times, they played a pressure defense that led to forced opponent turnovers that led to easy Temple hoops. Temple was ranked 12th in the nation in steals. But as soon as conference play Temple stopped trying to force opponent turnovers, and losses mounted up.

Temple played an 18-game conference schedule. Temple was 3-10 in conference play primarily due to starters Rose and NPL poor shooting, and Moorman’s low scoring.But, while Rose and NPL both shot awful in half court sets, but shot well when Temple forced opponent turnovers.

Temple could have solved it’s scoring problem by removing Moorman as Temple’s starting PF, sliding 6’8 “ Rose from wing to the PF position, and inserting Scott as Temple’s new wing. Such would have provided Temple with so much more scoring.

It was only when Temple found itself with a 3-10 conference record, and Moorman became injured, that Mckie was forced to go to insert Scott line-up. and played small ball with 4-guards, and Temple had success.

One can readily see that as in Temple’s victory over SMU, Tulane, and UConn, when in the second halves of the SMU and Tulane games, and the entire UConn game. Mckie decided only to go to a small line-up is because in the first half of the SMU and Tulane, Mckie had played a tall line-up and found itself trailing by large margins.

So Mckie moved Rose to PF, and Scott came off the bench early on to play significant minutes on the wing. Scott went off- scoring 22 points, 16-points, and 25-point respectively in those games, and Temple won all three-games.

Scott had transferred to Temple the season before from Kennesaw State where he had averaged 17.3 ppg his sophomore. He had scored very well against some of the best teams in the nation including Butler and Texas Tech. Against Butler, he scored 26-points, 22 of those coming in the 2nd half, the most points scored against in a half that season. He also shot 42.5 percent on three’s, his last seven conference games.

In transferring he had offers from top-flight teams Maryland, Virginia Tech and Nevada. He chose Temple.

Under NCAA he had to sit-out for a year. During that time he led Temple’s second unit more wins over the first unit than they lost. Players indicated in interviews that Scott was Temple’s best offensive player saying he could shoot from anywhere, and was hardest ll yer to defend.

Scott only averaged 14-mpg in conference play prior to the SMU game, as he was shuttled in and out games making it difficult to find a rhythm.

Clear, that Scott was Temple’s best player and was the straw that stirred the drink in Temple’s wins over SMU, Tulane and UConn, and made Temple’s 4-guard line-up work as well as it did.

In those three games, Scott shot a whopping 81 percent (18-22) on two’s, unheard for a guard.

Scott has that rare and unique ability to hit 2’s and be fouled and then shoot free-throws. That happened three times in this three conference games. Should be reflected in box score. Is not.

The small line-up consisted of four guards-Alani Moore, NPL, Scott and Rose. They played with either Forrester, Moorman or D. Moore at the center position.

In those three games, led by Scott. Temple shot 54.9 percent (50-91), and shot 45.7 percent ( 16-35) on three’s in those three conference wins. These shooting percentages cried out for Temple to have played small ball all season so Temple could drastically have increased their scoring. Prior to those games, Temple’s 2-point shooting was in the 43 percent.

Temple’s small ball pressure defense also caused SMU, Tulane, and UConn, to shooting but 41 percent (43-104) on two’s, and 28.6 percent (14-49) on three’s, well below what Temple held teams when Temple played with a traditional Center and

It’s my opinion, Temple’s most productive line-up would have been Alani Moore, NPL, Scott. Perry and Rose. I say this as Perry was Temple’s best overall shooter. They never played together.

Coupled with playing small ball with 4-guards required that Temple play aggressively and force turnovers, and as such raised the shooting percentages of Temple’s players particularly Rose and Nate who both shot awful when Temple limited itself to playing in slow half-court sets.

For some unfathomable reason after the UConn game, in Temple’s last conference games, Temple lost all five conference games because it did not pressure the ball. Temple saw it’s national ranking making steals drop from 12th in the nation to 54th when the season ended.

A separate mistake the HC made was underutilizing his best shooters, not only Scott, but Alani Moore and Dre Perry as well. One would think the HC would want his best shooters both to play and shoot often, when they played. But that didn’t happen.

Mckie underutilized Alani Moore, by far Temple’s best three point shooter arc 42.5 percent on three’s in conference play; Scott, Temple’s best two point shooter, 54.7 percent on two’s in conference play; and Dre Perry, Temple’s best overall shooter (56.7 percent on two’s, 41.3 percent on three’s)

Scott averaged 30 mpg in Temple’s last 8 conference games. In 7 of 8 Temple’s last 8 conference games Scott shot 69.85 percent ( 32–46) shooting two’s.

Scott finished conference play shooting 54.7 percent overall on two’s in conference play, the highest percentage of any guard in the AAC conference.

McKie should have known earlier in the season that shuffling Scott in and out of games earlier in the season, would hurt Scott’s offensive production, and when Scott got the chance to play significant minutes he excelled.

A.Moore, Temple’s best 3-point shooter, played 30 plus minutes, took few shoots and thus he averaged but 7.6 ppg in conference play. If Mckie. had created more plays for him, he would have scored far more points per game.

Perry averaged but 17.6 ppg for the season even though he shot 56.7 on two’s and 41.3 percent on three’s, and was one of Temple’s better defenders.

Instead of relying on the above three for Temple’s offense Mckie’s made both Rose and NPL the focal point of the offense and having them take Temple’s most fga’s when instead Scott, A.Moore, Dre Perry should have.

If Scott and Perry had been taking Temple’s most two’s, and Alani Moore more 3’s, Temple would have had a far higher shooting preventing shooting two’s, and would have had a far better win-loss record.

Due to Rose, NPL, and Moorman leading Temple’s offensive attack, Temple only averaged 65 ppg in regulation.

One can only attribute McKie making both Rose and NPL the focal point of Temple’s offense as being unwarranted favoritism.

Temple wouldn’t have lost a beat on both sides of the ball if Perry came off the bench, not Moorman, with Perry subbing in for Rose, NPL and Scott.

Temple would have been better off with Moorman hardly ever playing the PF position, but instead had shared the Center position with Forrester, and Rose.

If Alani, Rose, NPL and Scott all played 30 minutes per game, Temple would have been a far better team, and Temple would have averaged in the mid or upper 70’s, and not the 65-ppg the averaged in regulation of conference play.

Mckie failing to have his players pressure the ball often, insured that Temple would force fewer opponent turnovers, Temple scoring fewer points, and opponents more points.

If Scott had played more with both Rose and NPL, and Temple would have forced more opponent turnovers, both Rose’s and NPL’s would have seen their 2-point shooting percentages. As Rose’s shooting percentage on 2’s reached 50 percent in the SMU and Tulane wins, and when NPL shot 54 percent (6-11) on two’s in Temple’s win over UConn.

Both Rose and NPL playing in mostly half-court offense sets in other conference games exposed their weaknesses shooting the ball.

If Temple played small ball in other conference games, and coupled that with pressure defense thus causing forced opponents turnovers, opponents would have averaged far less than the 69 ppg they did in conferenc play. Temple not pressuring the ball in Temple’s last five conference games resulted in 5-straight losses as Temple committed more more turnovers than their opponents, and shot a lower 2-point shooting percentage.

In Temple’s last five conference games, Mckie continued to rely on Rose, and he shot a woeful 32 percent (16-50) percent on 2’s, and 27 percent (9-39) on three’s. NPL shot even worse as he shot 23 percent (6-27) on two’s, and 27 percent (2-7) on three’s. Given house bad both players performed, it’s surprising that the scores in four of those games were as close as they were. But Mckie let that happen in most of Temple’s conference games.

Temple should have had a winning season and conference record.what could have been!