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Temple Gets First NCAA Bid Since '01

Christmas scores 22 to lead Owls past rival St. Joseph's

By Mitch Pritchard,  Newser User

Posted Mar 15, 2008 9:55 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Temple earned its first NCAA Tournament bid since reaching the Elite Eight in 2001, with a 69-64 triumph over Saint Joseph's in the Atlantic 10 championship game today, reports the Associated Press. Dionte Christmas scored 22 points for the Owls (21-12), who won a league-best seventh title by shooting 61% in the second half in a game played on the tourney's neutral court site in Atlantic City.

"This is one of those teams where there is great chemistry to it," said coach Fran Dunphy, who took Penn to nine NCAA Tournaments before taking over for John Chaney two years ago. St. Joseph's (21-12) must wait out Selection Sunday to see if its upset of No. 10 Xavier in the semis—it's second win over the Musketeers in eight days—was enough to get them into the tournament.

Temple's Sergio Olmos, left, and Semaj Inge smile as they hold the Atlantic 10 trophy after defeating Saint Joseph's, 69-64, in the final game in the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Championship in Atlantic City, N.J. on Saturday, March 15, 2008.
Temple's Sergio Olmos, left, and Semaj Inge smile as they hold the Atlantic 10 trophy after defeating Saint Joseph's, 69-64, in the final game in the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Championship in Atlantic...   (AP Photo/David Gard)
Temple's Lavoy Allen (24) and Mark Tyndale, left, try to block a shot by Saint Joseph's Ahmad Nivins, center, during the first half of the Atlantic 10 men's basketball championship game, Saturday, March 15, 2008, in Atlantic City, N.J.
Temple's Lavoy Allen (24) and Mark Tyndale, left, try to block a shot by Saint Joseph's Ahmad Nivins, center, during the first half of the Atlantic 10 men's basketball championship game, Saturday, March...   (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
Temple's Dionte Christmas helps cut down the net after his team beat Saint Joseph's 69-64 in the final game in the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Championship in Atlantic City, N.J. on Saturday, March 15, 2008.
Temple's Dionte Christmas helps cut down the net after his team beat Saint Joseph's 69-64 in the final game in the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Championship in Atlantic City, N.J. on Saturday, March 15,...   (AP Photo/David Gard)
Saint Joseph's Pat Calathes tries to find an open teammate in the second half of the final game against Temple in the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Championship in Atlantic City, N.J. on Saturday, March 15, 2008. Calathes was held to only 14 points in Temple's victory over Saint Joseph's....
Saint Joseph's Pat Calathes tries to find an open teammate in the second half of the final game against Temple in the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Championship in Atlantic City, N.J. on Saturday, March...   (AP Photo/David Gard)
Temple's Dionte Christmas chases down a loose ball in the Owls 69-64 win over St. Joseph's in the Atlantic 10 championship game today.
Temple's Dionte Christmas chases down a loose ball in the Owls 69-64 win over St. Joseph's in the Atlantic 10 championship game today.   (AP Photo/David Gard)
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NCAA • NCAA basketball • St. Joseph Hawks • Xavier Musketeers • Temple Owls • Atlantic 10 Conference • 2008 NCAA Tournament • Fran Dunphy • John Chaney

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