Boardwalk Blast: Owls Stun Xavier

Temple advanced to the Atlantic 10 Championship Game with a 55-53 victory over Xavier on Friday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Read about the game and listen to postgame comments from Coach Fran Dunphy and his players.

ATLANTIC CITY -- Dionte Christmas found his shooting stroke just in time, and the Temple basketball team reached the Atlantic 10 Championship Game with a 55-53 victory over Xavier in the tournament semifinals at Boardwalk Hall on Friday night.

Christmas, who has struggled since January and shot just 1 for 10 in Thursday’s win over Saint Joseph’s, hit two big three-pointers down the stretch and clinched the victory with a free throw with seven seconds remaining.

Christmas hit a high-arcing three-pointer to put the Owls up, 51-47, with under two minutes remaining. After B.J. Raymond hit two free throws -- on Christmas’ fourth foul -- the scuffling Owls guard rained in another three to extend the lead to five.

Derrick Brown hit a runner to pull the Musketeers within three, but after Christmas lost the ball going to the basket, Raymond was short on a three-pointer in transition and Christmas’ foul shot – good for his 20th point -- sealed the game.

How bad had Christmas been struggling?

He hit his first jump shot of this tournament to tie the game at 33 with a three-pointer in the second half of Friday’s game. This is the same player that rained threes on eighth-ranked Tennessee on his way to 35 points back in December.

Lavoy Allen scored 10 points and added 11 rebounds for the Owls. Brown scored 19 and Raymond added 18 for Xavier.

The victory improved Temple to 21-11 and gave it a quality victory over the top seed in the tournament and 19th-ranked team in the country. The Musketeers fell to 25-7.

Twenty-one is an unbeatable number in Atlantic City, but is it enough to gain an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament?

According to bracketologist Joe Lunardi on ESPN 950 Friday afternoon, the Owls are squarely on the bubble with the win.

A 22nd win Saturday over the winner of the late semifinal between Duquesne and Dayton would clinch a second straight conference tournament title and an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament for the Owls.

Then, 22 would mean NCAA, not bust.

Dunphy/Christmas/Ryan Brooks Postgame: Listen to Audio

Juan Fernandez Postgame: Listen to Audio

Sergio Olmos Postgame: Listen to Audio

Semaj Inge Postgame: Listen to Audio