Though the history between the universities of Temple and San Diego State is a little thin, tonight's 6:10 tip off on TNT will not be their first meeting. In their one and only contest, a game played on December 30, 1981, the Aztecs defeated the Owls by a final score of 75-64 in an event allegedly called the Cabrillo Classic. Let's call this a "small" sample size.
Nonetheless, there are some cool story lines to follow and reminiscing to be done today. Let's start first with this evening's coaches and then move our way back through the annals of college basketball history to a group of dudes named the Fab Five. We play our version of "This is Your Life" with coaches Fran Dunphy and Steve Fisher after the jump...
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Though Temple, as detailed above, lost its one and only meeting with SDSU, Fran Dunphy came out the victor in his single confrontation with Steve Fisher. Then the coach at Penn, Dunphy's Quakers defeated Fisher's #25 Michigan Wolverines 62-60 on December 13, 1994 thanks to a timely assist from current TU assistant coach Shawn Trice and a clutch jumper from the new head man at Penn, Jerome Allen. When told Dunphy mentioned the game to reporters in his Friday press conference, Fisher had some fun of his own with the media. This courtesy of OwlScoop.com's John Di Carlo:
Reporter: Fran was saying you're a better person than you are a coach.
Fisher: Maybe.
(Laughter)
Reporter: He also talked about taking his Penn team and winning at Michigan one time. Can you reminisce about that?
Fisher: He didn't say that, did he? I think the referees cost us the game.
(More laughter)
I do remember that. I don't remember names, but he had guys who were lights out shooting the ball against us in our building. I congratulated him for winning, took my chin to my chest and walked out. He's exactly right. I wish he hadn't said that, but he's exactly right.
On the flip side, Fisher's left another Big 5 legend—John Chaney—walking off the floor in defeat on two separate occassions, albeit probably in a manner opposite taking a chin to the chest and leaving in silence. One of those two Temple losses came in the form of a 1993 West Regional showdown between the Owls and Michigan University's Fab Five of Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Chris Webber, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson.
For those of you who may have missed last Sunday evening's "30 for 30" documentary on the team, keep an eye out for it on replay. The piece was exceptionally well put together, and even if you happen to disagree with Jalen Rose's thoughts on American socioeconomics, you do get a few minutes of Temple playing ball in these fantastic cherry threads. What you won't hear in the doc, however, is this gem from coach Chaney:
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At a late juncture, a frustrated Chaney, tired of seeing Chris Webber push Derek Battie around on the blocks without referee intervention, yelled to Battie: “Next time he does that, knock him on his ass!” A technical foul followed that essentially ended whatever suspense remained.
See? The Basketball Hall of Famer was paging Nehemiah Ingram long before the John Bryant incident. No big deal.
Getting back to tonight's game, though San Diego State is the clear favorite, there were some analytic rumblings prior to the tournament in regards to a Sweet 16 appearance for the Cherry & White. But, even as a soon-to-be TU alum, I just don't think the Owls stack up. Still, I'm sure the boys, including the playing-injured Scootie Randall, will give it their all tonight in what could be the last time Lavoy Allen ever dons a Temple jersey.
In closing, while I would traditionally try to come up with some witty play on Juan Fernandez' name, I think those have all been just about exhausted over the last two days. Instead, I'll depart by encouraging you to consider the following investment.
Don't look now folks, but the Temple Owls are the only team from this city left standing. So much for that preseason top-10, eh Jay?