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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Wisconsin used long-range shooting and
experience to send Temple to a new low under coach John Chaney.
| | Temple's Ron Blackshear, left, and Wisconsin's Mike Kelley wrestle for possession. | The Badgers (No. 17 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 Associated Press) shredded Temple's matchup zone with 14
3-pointers Thursday night and senior point guard Mike Kelley took
over down the stretch in a 66-58 victory.
The loss was the sixth straight for the Owls, the longest losing
streak in Chaney's 19 seasons at Temple.
"We were prepared well for the zone," sophomore Ricky Bower
said after going 6-for-11 from beyond the arc for a career-high 19
points. "As a shooter, you know you'll get a lot of open shots."
Wisconsin (6-1) went 14-for-28 on 3s, and even during the game
the questions could be heard as to whether it's time for Chaney to
abandon the matchup zone that has become his trademark.
"I've played man, zone, triangle-and-2. I've done it all,"
said Chaney, whose longest previous losing streak at Temple was
five in 1982-83, his first season with the Owls. "It has nothing
to do with it. They run good stuff and they put shooters on the
floor. Kids today can make 3s, I don't care whether you play man or
zone. My zone has worked for 35 years and it still works when they
know what they're doing."
Kelley scored seven of his nine points in a late 9-0 run that
gave the Badgers their sixth straight win and snapped Temple's
24-game winning streak at The Liacouras Center. Temple's last loss
in its on-campus building came on Dec. 9, 1998, a 63-56 defeat to Wisconsin.
"This brings back good feelings because it's a very tough place
to play," Kelley said. "The experience helps in a lot of ways and
down the stretch it shows. I was in Ricky's ear all game telling
him to shoot as I was in the other guys' ears too."
Alex Wesby scored on a drive with 5:01 left to bring Temple
(4-6) into a 53-53 tie. Kelley, who averages 7.0 points and 5.2
assists per game, then made two free throws with 4:27 left to give
the Badgers the lead for good.
Mark Vershaw added two more free throws for Wisconsin before
Kelley followed a turnover by Temple with his only 3-pointer of the
game and the Badgers' 14th, one shy of the school record. Kelley
closed the run with two free throws with 1:38 left that made it
62-53, and the Owls were never closer than six the rest of the way.
"Mike's been through everything a college player can go
through," interim head coach Brad Soderberg said of Kelley, who
also had seven assists. "Mike is one of those guys you can't take
out of the lineup. We need him on the floor and he's done that for
four straight years."
Roy Boone of Wisconsin had 15 points, all on 3s.
"It's tough when they hit 3s with five seconds left on the shot
clock," Temple guard Lynn Greer said. "We played tough defense
for 30 seconds and then they hit the 3. It really hurts."
Greer, 3-for-17 from the field in Temple's last game, had 16
points on 5-for-14 shooting against Wisconsin. Freshman Ron
Blackshear added 15 points for Temple, including 12 of the Owls'
final 18. He was 4-for-7 from 3-point range, and Temple finished
9-for-25.
"I didn't know enough about him," Soderberg said of
Blackshear, who came in with a total of 19 points. "Our players
weren't to blame as I was at fault for not scouting him as well as
I should have."
The last time Temple lost this many consecutive games was the
1975-76 season, when it lost 11 straight. This losing streak
includes two losses to No. 1 Duke and road games to Miami of Ohio,
Villanova and Penn State. Next up is No. 6 Wake Forest on Dec. 21.
"Now we'll have to look forward to Wake Forest coming in and
putting a whipping on us, but that's my fault," Chaney said. "I
could have scheduled Ramapo or Little Sisters of the Poor, but I
schedule the tough teams and I'll continue to do that as long as
I'm here.
"We've been through this before, maybe not losing this many,
but if we stay healthy we'll be all right. You win now for next
year."
The Badgers are 4-0 under Soderberg. He replaced Dick Bennett,
who retired suddenly after the third game of the season citing
mental and physical exhaustion.
"Coach did a great job preparing us for the zone, and then we
made some adjustments, and again that credit goes to Coach," Kelley
said.
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ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Wisconsin Clubhouse
Temple Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
The Badgers knock down a flurry of three-pointers in the first half.
avi: 1283 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
David Hawkins throws down the two-handed jam.
avi: 598 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Temple's Ronald Rollerson tips in the missed shot.
avi: 579 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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