By George: Temple handling pressure

When Maryland erased a 15-point deficit to tie Temple last Sunday, it looked like the Owls were going to waste another opportunity for a quality road win. Then, the Owls settled down and regrouped.

Lavoy Allen converted a layup and added a free throw for a three-point play that was the difference in the Owls’ 64-61 win.

“Coming into this game, we knew Maryland was gonna be a tough team,” said Allen. “I think we did a pretty good job keeping our head in the game when they made their little run and handling the pressure.”

It was a much-needed quality win for the Owls (5-2), who lost two of three games the previous weekend. With a home game tonight vs. Georgetown (8-0), a loss to Maryland would have dropped the Owls to 4-4. There aren’t a ton of chances for quality wins in the Atlantic 10, so the Owls needed to bolster their resume in non-conference play.

“Maryland could be as good of a team as Georgetown,” said Temple guard Juan Fernandez. “They’re not ranked, but they’re a really good team. This was a neutral court [in Washington, D.C.], but it was an away game for us.”

It was a key victory for Temple to restore some confidence. A win over the undefeated Hoyas would likely push the Owls back into the Top 25 and give them a signature win.