Alright, so here we are with 2:00 or so to go before tip, and this place is still really empty. As in, there are a few full rows behind the horseshoe end of the court, and just about no one in the 10 or so rows of seats that sit between the end of the court and the giant painting that serves as the concert stage wall. and is the signature piece of art here at Boardwalk Hall.
This is my first time here, and I find the place pretty impressive, even if it's not necessarily meant for basketball. It's been beautifully restored inside, and I really like the colored lights along the sides of the arched ceiling.
There are somewhere between 20 and 30 Temple students in the upper level across the floor from and at the same end as the Owls' bench, and a section of probably 40 to 50 St. Joe's students behind the Hawks' bench. The PA guy for the tournament is the guy who does Temple games at the Liacouras Center, but rest assured he's totally objective (no, he really is).
As more atmosphere-like things happen, I'll bring them to you over the course of the game.
But here's something important on the floor: Darren Govins is starting for St. Joe's. He's joined by Pat Calathes, Rob Ferguson, Ahmad Nivins and Garrett Williamson. Temple starts Dion Dacons, Dionte Christmas, Dustin Salisbery, Mark Tyndale and Sergio Olmos to jump at center.
13:31 1st: Ooh. Ryan Brooks just hit a 3 from the left side to give Temple a 12-7 lead, and that prompted Phil Martelli to call timeout. There are a decent number of Temple fans here overall... not as many as St. Joe's brought, but given that the place is so empty, it's all relative, I guess.
8:43 1st: For lack of any atmosphere, some game info. Brooks just hit another 3, this from the left corner, to give Temple a 21-14 lead. He's the game's high scorer with 10 points; Rob Ferguson has seven points, or half the Hawks' total.
2:51 1st: I'm a bit surprised there haven't been any rollouts from the St. Joe's fans, given that I recognize at least one of the fans in their student section (the first pictured) as being among the higher-ups.
1:53 1st: Darrin Govens ties it at 27-all with a three from just to the left of the top of the arc.
1:20 1st: Dion Dacons answers by getting open for a backdoor-ish layup to make it 29-27. I saw the George Washington players sitting behind the Stage End basket (for lack of a better way to put it) earlier, but they're gone now. The Colonials get the winner of this game and neither team has shown all that much.
Halftime: Dustin Salisbery wakes the crowd up by nailing a 3 at the buzzer from about halfway between the midcourt and 3-point lines. Temple leads 32-28. Back in a bit.
Stats: Temple shot 13-of-29 from the field (44.8 percent) and 5-of-10 from 3. 18 rebounds, five on offense. Seven assists, six turnovers, two blocks and three steals.
St. Joe's shot 11-of-26 from the field (42.3 percent) and 4-of-10 from 3. 15 rebounds, three on offense. Eight assists, four turnovers, one block and two steals.
Brooks is the game's high scorer with 10; Ferguson still leads St. Joe's with seven. St. Joe's bench, consisting of Jawan Carter and D.J. Rivera, didn't score. Brooks scored all 10 of Temple's bench points, with Chris Clark the only other player off the Owls' bench.
17:22 2nd: Calathes just tied the game at 32-32 woth two free throws, but Mark Tyndale answered with a three from the right corner. The St. Joe's students are banging on the hockey boards to make some noise, which is the closest thing to creative noise creation I've seen tonight.
16:19 2nd: Another Brooks 3 makes it 38-32. Carter answers with a three of his own to make it 38-35. Brooks is a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc so far.
12:20 2nd: Tyndale drives to the basket, gets fouled going up by Pat Calathes, and the ball bounces off the back iron, around, and into the basket. Phil Martelli is complaining rather loudly about something... that Pat Calathes had a piece of loose tape covering an injury, maybe. So Calathes had to come out and Garrett Williamson is in. Tyndale made the free throw and it's 47-39 Temple.
11:28 2nd: After a three by Salisbery, Calathes gets hit with a charge. There's a media timeout, and it's 50-41 Temple.
10:19 2nd: Brooks misses a 3 at last, from the left side. At the other end, Carter hits a driving layup to make it 50-45, and here we go.
9:36 2nd: Carter goes all the way to the basket uncontested for a layup. Ten seconds later, Fran Dunphy calls timeout. The St. Joe's students briefly chant Carter's name, but I'm sort of stretching here.
9:10 2nd: Brooks drives to the basket and gets it up over the outstretched hand of Nivins and off the glass for a layup to make it 52-47.
7:51 2nd: St. Joe's has a basket ruled out by the officials, who whistle Ahmad Nivins for touching the ball while it was in the cylinder. The Hawks fans roar their disapproval... and it happened right in front of me... and I think they're right.
7:00 2nd: A quick look at the coaches reveals Phil Martelli pacing with his arms behind his back, and Fran Dunphy standing still in front of his assistants with his arms crossed. Martelli looks quite unemotional, if I can use that as a word. Dunphy does not.
6:22 2nd: Nivins takes a pass from beyond the halfcourt line and, while going up, redirects the thing in for a layup. Quite a move. It's 54-51 Temple and Martelli calls time.
3:32 2nd: The ball goes all over the place, but Dacons saves it, and Salisbury sends it inside to Tyndale who gets the layup over Ferguson. 56-51 Temple, and Martelli calls time.
3:00 2nd: Carter nails a 3 from the top of the arc. 56-54. At the other end, Tyndale drives to the basket and gets fouled by Ferguson but the layup does not fall after a suspenseful roll. Media timeout. And yes, I've pretty well given up on the atmosphere theme. After the timeout, Tyndale misses the first free throw, but makes the second and it's 57-54.
2:27 2nd: Nivins puts back his own miss to make it 57-56.
1:50 2nd: Williamson misses a layup, and while going up to put it back Tyndale fouls him from behind. Williamson makes the first and misses the second (!) and we're tied at 57-all.
1:38 2nd: D.J. Rivera is whistled for his third foul, and a woman in the stands yells, "That's okay, baby!" I guess that's his mother or some other relative. Mark Tyndale makes one of two free throws (missing the second as well!) and it's 58-57 Temple.
1:05 2nd: Temple forces the shot clock down to three seconds, and Carter drives to the basket and gets fouled by Christmas. It's his fourth, and Carter -- how about this? -- makes both free throws to make it 59-58 St. Joe's.
0:22.5 2nd: After Tyndale airballs an off-balance 3, Pat Calathes gets fouled at the other end. He makes the first, then Fran Dunphy calls time. The Temple band plays one of the Sith Lord theme songs from Star Wars: Episode I.
0:11.4: Brooks misses a 3, then fouls Calathes after the rebound. Some St. Joe's fans behind me start chanting "Back to Broad Street!" Calathes makes both, it's 63-58, and I'm pretty sure that will do it.
0:06.3 2nd: Mark Tyndale drives for a layup that St. Joe's wisely doesn't contest. then fouls Carter on the inbounds pass. Carter misses the first free throw... and makes the second. 64-60.
0:03 2nd: Tyndale gets an uncontested slam. Govens is fouled on the inbounds and makes the first and the second. That'll do it. Final score is 66-62.
So it's St. Joe's vs. GW tomorrow at 9 p.m. I'll be here for that game and all the other ones tomorrow, so if you see me, do say hello.
