PHILADELPHIA – Victoria Macaulay scored a career-high 27 points and added 10 rebounds to help the Temple women’s basketball team win a close, 63-59 game against visiting Northeastern (1-2) on Saturday evening at the Liacouras Center.
Natasha Thames also recorded a double-double for the Owls (3-1) with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Erica Covile came off the bench for 11 points, hitting nine of those in 10 attempts at the free throw line. She made 4-of-4 in the final crucial minute of the game to help the Owls hold off the Huskies.
Three players also scored in double figures for Northeastern, led by Kashaia Cannon with 16 points.
The game was a sloppy affair, as the two teams combined for 57 turnovers. Although the Owls recorded only one more turnover in the final stats, Northeastern took better advantage as they finished with a 29-18 lead in points off turnovers. The Owls fared better in second-chance opportunities, and also got more of a contribution off their bench.
“We have to take better care of the basketball,” said Temple head coach Tonya Cardoza. “There were so many opportunities we had on the offensive end for Vic and Tasha where we didn’t complete the pass, or we got trapped and not know where to throw the ball.
“You want to win basketball games. Of course, I’m one of those people, I’m not just happy if we win. I want to look good doing it. We have to become a better basketball team. When I’m sitting there watching the mistakes we’re making, I know down the road we’re not going to be able to do that against better teams. Obviously I’m happy that we won, but I’m close to a perfectionist and I want to look good doing it.”
Macaulay put on a performance in the first half with 17 points, shooting 7-of-10 from the field. She scored six points as part of a 10-4 run that gave Temple a nine-point, 24-15 lead with 5:07 remaining in the first half.
The Huskies responded with two treys as part of a 10-3 run to come within two points in the final two minutes, 27-25. After the margin was once again two at 29-27, Tyonna Williams hit 2-of-2 at the line with 15 seconds left to send the Owls into halftime up by four, 31-27.
Temple cleaned up the glass in the first half, out-rebounding Northeastern 24-13, with nine of those rebounds being the work of Thames.
After another trey by the Huskies opened the scoring in the second half and narrowed the margin to one, the Owls surged back ahead with an 8-0 run. The final bucket of the run, scored by Macaulay, gave Temple a 39-30 lead at 13:09.
Northeastern answered with an 8-0 run of its own to put the margin back at one, 39-38 at the midway point of the second half. The first tie score since 4-4 came at 41-41, but once again the Owls went ahead by six.
The Huskies continued to keep it close, but never took the lead away from the Owls.
Covile made 3-of-4 at the line near the four-minute mark to start what would become a 7-2 run, helping Temple keep Northeastern at bay over the final minutes.
Amencie Mercier converted an old-fashioned three-point play to bring her team within four, 56-52 at 2:09, but Thames came right back down and did the same for Temple.
The Huskies came within three with a minute remaining, but Covile hit 4-of-4 at the line in the final minute to keep the lead for Temple.
The Owls will be back in action next Wednesday, Nov. 21, facing Rutgers at 7:00 p.m. at McGonigle Hall.
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