We stormed the court last night. We, the Temple Owls. We, the Cherry and White. For the second time in as many Decembers, an unranked Temple basketball squad pulled off the upset against a top-ten team at home. Temple upset #9 Georgetown. It’s kind of a big deal. Don’t sit there and give me a “Bully for you, Teddy Roosevelt.” It’s kind of a big deal.
ESPN gifted the match with a nationally-televised, primetime slot. The anticipation was high. The question on campus all day long was “Hey, do you think we can win this?” Fans started lining up four hours before tip-off to make sure they got the best seats in the house.
Temple had something to prove. After starting out the season in the top 25, they lost their ranking with a few sloppy performances. Back on the home court for the first time in nearly a month and facing a formidable opponent, they were intent on putting up a battle.
And that they did. Junior Ramone Moore put up 30 points, and even the stat sheets couldn’t show how well he contained Georgetown standout Chris Wright. Juan Fernandez, Lavoy Allen, and Rahlir Jefferson all put up incredible efforts to help Templetown takedown the Hoyas. The Owls never trailed in the game and clutched the 68-65 win.
Maybe it was the feeling of redemption. Maybe it was the feeling of vindication or elation or pure adrenaline. Maybe it was the age-old expectation that a non-ranked team beating a ranked team deserves. But as soon as the final buzzer sounded, the student section emptied out onto the maple of the Liacouras Center. And as the famous “I Believe” chant began, it was still sinking in. TU students have shirts, have signs, have posters, have schedule magnets, have headlines, have keychains, have spirit. But it was still sinking in.
Temple still has a long road ahead with tough matchups against Villanova, St. Joe’s, and Duke. With this huge momentum shift, however, the Owls will carry an unmatched confidence. For the 9,000 fans who witnessed the upset last night, it was a game that won’t soon be forgotten. The deafening roars provided the soundtrack to a team fueled by passion and spirit. As that backboard lit red and the clock expired, the collective sigh of relief in the building was tangible before the upsurge of cheers.
The shirts last night read “I think you hear us coming.” Well, by George (-town), I certainly think they do now.
ESPN gifted the match with a nationally-televised, primetime slot. The anticipation was high. The question on campus all day long was “Hey, do you think we can win this?” Fans started lining up four hours before tip-off to make sure they got the best seats in the house.
Temple had something to prove. After starting out the season in the top 25, they lost their ranking with a few sloppy performances. Back on the home court for the first time in nearly a month and facing a formidable opponent, they were intent on putting up a battle.
And that they did. Junior Ramone Moore put up 30 points, and even the stat sheets couldn’t show how well he contained Georgetown standout Chris Wright. Juan Fernandez, Lavoy Allen, and Rahlir Jefferson all put up incredible efforts to help Templetown takedown the Hoyas. The Owls never trailed in the game and clutched the 68-65 win.
Maybe it was the feeling of redemption. Maybe it was the feeling of vindication or elation or pure adrenaline. Maybe it was the age-old expectation that a non-ranked team beating a ranked team deserves. But as soon as the final buzzer sounded, the student section emptied out onto the maple of the Liacouras Center. And as the famous “I Believe” chant began, it was still sinking in. TU students have shirts, have signs, have posters, have schedule magnets, have headlines, have keychains, have spirit. But it was still sinking in.
Temple still has a long road ahead with tough matchups against Villanova, St. Joe’s, and Duke. With this huge momentum shift, however, the Owls will carry an unmatched confidence. For the 9,000 fans who witnessed the upset last night, it was a game that won’t soon be forgotten. The deafening roars provided the soundtrack to a team fueled by passion and spirit. As that backboard lit red and the clock expired, the collective sigh of relief in the building was tangible before the upsurge of cheers.
The shirts last night read “I think you hear us coming.” Well, by George (-town), I certainly think they do now.
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