By Mel Greenberg
PHILADELPHIA _ In a sense, there's a sort of irony that Temple coach Dawn Staley's eight-year journey with the Owls would lead to Hawk Hill, where Wednesday night against arch-rival St. Joseph's her team will attempt to make her the winningest coach in Temple's history.
Some of Staley's memorable moments have occurred either at or against St. Joseph's in terms of Atlantic Ten tournament titles and Big Five wins.
Last month, The Owls escaped the Hawks at home in the Liacouras Center and went on to win at La Salle a few days later to become the first women's Big Five team to win four straight outright City Series titles with a 16-0 record.
Beyond the extra attention on Staley's record is the Atlantic Ten race in which Temple is currently locked in a three-way tie for first. St. Joseph's, meanwhile, has gone on to play some of its most consistent ball since the visit to the Owls.
Furthermore, the Hawks are probably getting tired of the long spell the Owls have held with an 11-1 record in the last 12 games of the series.
Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse, the site of Wednesday night's game, will again be a host site in next month's Atlantic Ten tournament. The conference is looking to go off campus locales in the near future.
On Sunday, Staley tied former coach Linda Hill MacDonald, who coached the Owls from 1980-1990, in total wins. The former Virginia star in her eight seasons is 166-78, while Hill MacDonald was 166-130 in 10 seasons on North Broad St.
Also, as Staley attempts to grab one record, she's about to lose another at Virginia, where Sharnee Zoll is 16 assists awat from topping Staley's mark in the early 1990s with the Cavaliers.
Here's a recap of highlight wins under Staley, although a few potholes in terms of setbacks are also tossed into the narraitve for historical purposes.:
Nov. 17, 2000 Temple 89, Lehigh 55 -- First Game, First Win, First Home Win.
Nov. 27, 2000 Temple 74, (a) Rider 65 - First Road Win.
Dec. 9, 2000 Temple 80, Penn 64 - First Big Five Win
Jan. 5, 2001 Temple 84, (a) St.Bonaventure 64 - First Atlantic 10 Game, First A-10 Win
Jan. 9, 2001 Temple 69, Geo. Washington 62 - First A-10 Win Over Perennial A-10 Leader.
Mar, 3, 2001 Temple 76, La Salle 69 - First A-10 Tourn. Game, First A-10 Tourn. win.
Feb. 24, 2002 Temple 71, La Salle 61 - First Big Five title
Mar. 4, 2002 Temple 63, St. Joseph's 58 - First Atlantic Ten title (at Liacouras Center)
Mar. 16. 2002 (a) Iowa St. 72, Temple 57 - First NCAA game (a loss).
Nov. 29, 2002 Kansas St. 72, Temple 65 -- Loss to No. 2 Jayhawks in Stanford's tourney.
Dec. 28, 2003 (a) Virginia 72, Temple 71 - Loses to alma mater in first trip to Charlotteville.
Mar. 8, 2004 Temple 53, (a) St. Joseph's 48 - Second Atlantic Ten title.
Nov. 28, 2004 (a) Tennessee 52, Temple 48 - Narrow loss to No. 1 Vols in Knoxville.
Dec. 13, 2004 Temple 71, # 22 Rutgers 60 -- First win over AP-ranked team.
Jan. 23, 2005 Temple 82, (a) ESPN-#25 Richmond 62 - Owls' First AP Ranking Next Day.
Jan. 27, 2005 Temple 72, Geo. Wash. 64 - Key win on way to perfect A-10 regular season.
Feb. 27, 2005 Temple 69, (a) St. Joe. 46 - Second Big Five title.
Mar. 7, 2005 Temple 70, (a) Geo.Wash 62 - A-10 tournament win.
Mar. 20, 2005 Temple 66, La. Tech 61 - First-round and first NCAA win at Storrs, Ct. Owls' 25th straight overall.
Dec. 19, 2005 Temple 69, #17 Georgia 66, ovt. - First outside-area win over AP ranked team.
Jan. 19,. 2006 Temple 48, (a) #9 Rutgers 47 - Win Over Hightest Ranked Opponent.
Feb. 17, 2006 Temple 59, St. Joseph's 53 - Second straight Big Five title and third overall.
Mar. 6, 2006 Temple 59, Geo. Wash. 54 - A-10 tournament win at St. Joseph's.
Feb. 12, 2007 Temple 68, La Salle 55 - Third straight Big Five title and fourth overall.
Mar. 18, 2007 Temple 64, Nebraska 61 - NCAA first-round win at Raleigh, N.C.
Jan. 19, 2008 Temple 68, #13 Geo. Wash 66 - Key A-10 win over nationally-ranked rival.
Feb. 2, 2008 Temple 60, La Salle 55 -- 4th st. Big Five title and City Series streak at 18.
Feb. 20, 2008 Temple (a) St. Joseph's. -- (To be updated at conclusion of game).
Philly.com discussions are intended to be civil, friendly conversations. Please treat other participants with respect and in a way that you would want to be treated. You are responsible for what you say. And please, stay on topic.
These boards are monitored by Philly.com staff. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us in our sole discretion and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. Personal attacks, especially on other board participants, are not permitted. We reserve the right to permanently block any user who violates these terms and conditions.