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If the line gets to +10.5, I will be playing on the Temple Owls at home tonight versus Villanova.
The Owls have had moderate attendance this year, but tonights game vs city series rival Villanova has been sold out for months (long before Villanova's #1 ranking.
Though Villanova's recent accent to the #1 rank has definitely put the icing on the cake for the games media hype, its the situational comparison & revenge angles...and possible value... that has me liking Temple a lot if we get to 10.5.
If you read my post last week, when I faded Temple and played S. Fla, that play had roots that grew from tonights match-up.
Not only is Temple seeking double revenge here, but they are also playing against a Nova freshman star recruit, who shunned Temple in a dramatic series of events prior to this season.
Jaylen Brunson, a coveted 5 start recruit who had been a shoe in recruit for the Owls decided to go across the "street" to Nova and didn't even visit the Temple campus.
The spat began when Temple had allegedly hired Jaylen's dad, Rick, a former Temple B-ball standout & TU alum as an assistant coach...but on the same day it was announced Brunson would join the Temple coaching staff that it was revealed that Brunson was being charged with an alleged sexual assault in a Michigan newspaper. It was reported later that week that Temple was forced to withdraw the job offer to Rick based on these events.
It was shortly after the job was taken off the table, that Jaylen decided to snub Temple (and even a long scheduled visit to it's campus...while he was in the city visiting Nova.)
It has long been said that when two Big 5 city teams play, that you can toss the stats and teams overall records out the window. Though this makes no mathematical sense, it is strangely true.
Temple, in this spot (against an elite team) especially at home recently has played off the charts. A quick look back to games a couple years back vs Duke, last year #1 Kansas and even this year vs SMU Temple has brought it to a different level.
Temple has done this by playing a series of mini-games. Basically playing balls out 100% for four minute segments between tv time outs and not really thinking about the full game. Just win the 4 minutes, and move on.
If Temple is able to win the first four minute battle here, I think they will have a real shot to win the game SU, as the crowd will be fueled with it's sold out crowd filled with bitterness toward Nova & Brunson.
Nova is the better team on paper, no question, but Temple is capable here (as this in not the first time they are in the spot, and coach Dunphy has proven his ability to navigate his team best in the large underdog / high profile games...)
City series, bit rivalry, extra 2 points (if we get to 10, the Brunson factor and what I believe will play as a 5 point HC advantage tonight...
I will be on Temple U +10.
Good Luck!
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