Since day one of the 2007-08 campaign, Mark Tyndale has served as the barometer of success or failure for the Temple men’s basketball team. Why should the first day of the Atlantic 10 schedule have been any different?
Playing his best overall game in nearly a month, Tyndale helped carry the Owls back from a 17-point first half deficit to grab a late lead against Charlotte on Saturday night. But he missed a key free throw and couldn’t make the big play in the final seconds as the 49ers escaped the A-10 opener with a 60-58 victory.
In a frenzied atmosphere at Halton Arena, where a retooled Charlotte squad hasn’t lost this season, Temple played poorly at the start and fell into a 33-16 hole. The Owls missed five of their first six free throw attempts and eight of their first nine three-point attempts.
But an 8-0 burst to close the first half brought Coach Fran Dunphy’s team back into the contest. And for the first 18 minutes of the second half, the Owls played the best man-to-man defense of Dunphy’s tenure.
The 49ers scored just two field goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half, yet they still had a 45-36 lead when junior forward Lamont Mack hit a three-pointer with 9:02 remaining – because Temple’s offense was similarly unproductive.
Then, quite suddenly, Dionte Christmas hit a pair of three-pointers and Tyndale found some open lanes to the basket. The Owls went on a 14-2 run, capped by a pair of Tyndale layups, to take a 50-47 lead with 4:24 to go.
A minute later, Christmas fouled out of the game. Coming in, Christmas needed 15 points to reach the 1,000-point mark for his college career. He finished with 13.
But the Owls were OK, thanks to a clutch 19-foot jumper by Ryan Brooks and an impossible three-pointer by Tyndale. On the other end of the floor, Charlotte scored on a putback and senior guard Leemire Goldwire hit three free throws – a sign of things to come.
Tyndale hit his bomb just before the shot clock buzzer with 6-7 forward Charlie Coley right in his face. It gave the Owls a 55-52 lead with 2:14 remaining. The 49ers missed their next shot, but grabbed the offensive rebound – then Brooks stole the ball.
Tyndale had a chance to give the Owls a five-point lead when he was fouled with 1:34 on the clock. He missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Charlotte then tied the game on a three-pointer by Goldwire, who was being chased by Semaj Inge.
After Inge’s baseline layup attempt was blocked, Goldwire hit another bomb – this one fading away from 22 feet – to give the home team a 58-55 lead with 31 seconds left.
Undaunted, sophomore point guard Luis Guzman raced the ball into the frontcourt and Brooks nailed a three-pointer before the 49ers were able to set their defense. The score was tied with 23 seconds to go.
Everyone in the building knew where Charlotte was going on its last possession, including the officials. But Goldwire never got a chance at a game-winning field goal attempt. He never even got the ball. He didn’t need it.
While cutting through the lane, Goldwire went to the floor. Guzman was called for a takedown.
Dunphy questioned the call afterward. Guzman flatly disagreed with it, saying that Goldwire initiated the contact and simply fell down.
Goldwire hit two free throws to give the 49ers a two-point lead with 13 seconds to go.
The Owls still had a chance to tie or win the game. After a timeout, Tyndale brought the ball into the frontcourt. But without Christmas on the floor, the Owls were easier to defend.
Without a clear opening, and with Brooks blanketed on the right side, Tyndale passed the ball to Inge on the left wing. Charlotte quickly shifted to deny him an open look. So Inge passed the ball to Guzman in the left corner. There were four seconds to go.
Afterward, Guzman said he should have shot the ball. Dunphy said he thought Guzman had a chance to pass it to Lavoy Allen on the low block. But according to Guzman, Allen stepped away from the basket to set a pick.
Guzman tried to tightrope the baseline for a game-tying layup attempt. But the 49ers cut him off, and Guzman was called for a charge – another call he disputed.
With 1.1 seconds to go, the Owls appeared to be done. But Charlotte gave them one last chance, attempting a length-of-the-court inbounds pass that sailed over everyone and bounced over the baseline, untouched.
So the Owls regained possession, under their own basket.
Guzman looked for Brooks, who couldn’t shake free on the perimeter. So instead he tried to pass the ball to Tyndale, directly under the basket.
Fourteen years ago, Eddie Jones caught the same pass from Rick Brunson and missed a layup at the buzzer as Temple lost by one to UMass at the height of the Chaney-Calipari feud.
Nine years ago, Pepe Sanchez caught the same pass from Rasheed Brokenborough and drew a foul as time expired. He hit two free throws to beat Michigan State in the greatest game in the history of The Liacouras Center.
On Saturday night, Tyndale wasn’t able to catch Guzman’s pass as he was sandwiched by two Charlotte defenders. Was the contact any different than it was when Goldwire went to the floor?
Yes.
There was more contact on the final play.
But the officials swallowed their whistles, and the Owls had to swallow a two-point loss in their A-10 opener.
Temple dropped to 6-8. Charlotte improved to 10-5. The Owls will host Xavier on Wednesday night at The Liacouras Center.
Dunphy Postgame Comments: Listen to Audio
Guzman Postgame Comments: Listen to Audio
Tyndale Postgame Comments: Listen to Audio
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