Villanova Wildcats vs Temple Owls Match Player Stats On Dec 13, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 13, 2017

PHILADELPHIA -- Jalen Brunson scored a career-high 31 points, and No. 1 Villanova swept the Big 5 portion of its schedule for the fifth consecutive season with an 87-67 victory over Temple on Wednesday at the Liacouras Center.

Omari Spellman added a career-high 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting, and Donte DiVincenzo had 12 points for the Wildcats, who improved to 11-0 while winning their 22nd in a row in Big 5 action against Temple, La Salle, Saint Joseph's and Penn.

Villanova shot a sizzling 60 percent (33 of 55).

Quinton Rose led Temple (6-3) with a career-high 27 points while Josh Brown added 12. Shizz Alston Jr. had 10.

Villanova jumped out to a 46-29 advantage at halftime and never looked back.

The Wildcats maintained a 15-point lead early in the second half and extended it to 20 at 56-36 following five points by Spellman on a three-point play and a short jumper.

Temple crept back within 64-50 but Spellman came right back with a clutch jumper from the baseline for a 16-point lead with 8:11 remaining.

Spellman continued his stellar play with a spinning runner off the backboard for a 72-52 lead with 6:20 left.

Villanova hit 11 of its first 18 shots in the second half, and the game was essentially over.

After falling behind 25-5, the Owls got the raucous sellout home crowd behind them with a 16-3 run to close within 28-21.

Villanova responded with nine consecutive points, including the fifth 3-pointer by Brunson, to push the advantage to 37-21.

Brunson led all scorers with 22 points at halftime while the Wildcats shot 59 percent (17 of 29).

NOTES: Temple is 2-18 all-time against the top-ranked team with losses in three consecutive seasons to the Wildcats. ... Temple was the last Big 5 team to defeat Villanova, 76-61 on Dec. 5, 2012. ... Villanova G Collin Gillespie remains out with a left wrist injury. He's expected to miss at least two to three weeks. ... Villanova is off until Dec. 22 when it plays Hofstra on Long Island, which is technically a home game for the Wildcats. ... The high-profile game brought the likes of Sixers G Ben Simmons and coach Brett Brown in the crowd. ... Temple will host Drexel on Saturday.