The Temple Owls faced off against the Memphis Tigers in a tightly contested game at the FedExForum, resulting in a 55-53 victory for the home team. This outcome leaves Temple with a record of 0-1, while Memphis stands at 1-0.

Jan 14, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Temple Owls forward Babatunde Durodola (11) handles the ball against the Memphis Tigers during the second half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

First Half

The first half saw both teams grappling for control. The Tigers established an early lead with their aggressive play, scoring 29 points compared to Temple's 22. The Owls struggled to find their rhythm offensively, shooting just 34 percent from the field. Aiden Tobiason was a key contributor for Temple during this period, managing to score and assist effectively despite the team's overall shooting woes.

Second Half

In the second half, Temple made adjustments that allowed them to close the gap significantly. They improved their scoring output with Babatunde Durodola making crucial plays on both ends of the court. However, despite outscoring Memphis by five points in this half, it wasn't enough to overcome their earlier deficit.

Jan 14, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Temple Owls guard Aiden Tobiason (25) and Memphis Tigers guard Quante Berry (0) jump for a rebound during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Key Plays and Performances

A pivotal moment came when Gavin Griffiths blocked three shots and added six rebounds throughout his time on court. His defensive efforts were instrumental in keeping Temple within striking distance until late into the game. Meanwhile, Masiah Gilyard's presence was felt through his strategic assists which helped maintain ball movement under pressure.

On Memphis' side, their bench proved vital by contributing significantly more points than that of Temple's reserves—29 compared to just nine from Temple’s bench players—which ultimately provided them with an edge needed for victory.

Jan 14, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Temple Owls guard Gavin Griffiths (0) dunks the ball against Memphis Tigers center Simon Majok (10) during the second half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Post Game Analysis

The post game analysis highlights how turnovers played a critical role; while both teams had similar turnover numbers (14 for Temple), it was Memphis who capitalized better on these opportunities by converting them into points off turnovers more efficiently than their opponents did.

This matchup also underscored some areas where improvement is necessary: particularly around shooting accuracy beyond two-point range where only two successful three-pointers were made out of nineteen attempts—a mere ten percent success rate—indicating room for growth ahead of future contests like those against Florida Atlantic University scheduled next week back home at Liacouras Center on January 18th starting noon Eastern Time broadcasted live via ESPNU network!

Fans are encouraged not only watch but share insights about what they believe could be done differently moving forward so others can join discussions surrounding our beloved team’s journey throughout this season!

NCAAMB - Recap

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