Temple Closes In on History

At 67, John Chaney is one step from his first Final Four.

That next step, though, is a doozy.

His Temple team plays top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Duke on Sunday after thrashing Purdue, 77-55, in the NCAA East Regional semifinals Friday night at Continental Airlines Arena, handing the Boilermakers their worst NCAA tournament loss.

By the end of a game that was expected to be a defensive struggle but turned into a rare Temple offensive show, the Owl fans who had traveled from Philadelphia were chanting, “We want Duke!”

“They don’t know what the hell they’re talking about,” Chaney said flatly. “Who wants to see Duke? The fans that were screaming, they’re probably out there now, jumping off of bridges.”

For Temple, though, there’s only one way to the Final Four, and it’s through Duke.

Chaney has been stopped a game short three times--losing to Duke in 1988 in the same arena when the top-seeded Owls had Mark Macon. Temple also lost in regional finals in 1991 and 1993.

“To get to the Final Four would mean everything,” said point guard Pepe Sanchez, who had 17 points, nine assists, six steals and six rebounds. “A program like Temple with all the tradition, and to get Coach to the first Final Four in his life, that would be like a dream. We’ve got nothing to lose at this point. We’re going to play against the best team. The pressure is on them.

“We want to get to a championship and Duke is going to be in our way sooner or later. We’ve got to play them. We’re going to fight.”

Guard Mark Karcher scored 21 points for Temple (24-10), making eight of 17 shots, including five of 12 three-pointers.

The game turned in the first half after two early technical fouls against Purdue--one on guard Jaraan Cornell for a shoving match with Temple’s Quincy Wadley and the other on Coach Gene Keady for arguing.

“Jaraan is such a mild-mannered guy, that was a reaction that was caught, not an action,” Keady said. “I thought it was unfair. I wanted to stick up for my player. I felt we came out very unemotional and I guess I just overreacted to it.”

Sanchez made all four free throws and Temple took advantage of the possession to go from trailing by four points to leading by six.

A three-point basket by Rasheed Brokenborough made the lead 20-11, and Temple blew out the Boilermakers (21-13) from there.

The lead was as many as 19 points in the first half, and Temple was up at halftime, 47-32.

Temple’s 47 points were its most in a half this season, and the Owls scored only 49 in a game against Massachusetts last month.

The Owls made 29 of 55 shots.

“I’m very much surprised,” Chaney said. “I’ve seen them shoot this way maybe once.

“It was as much a surprise to me as anyone who’s seen us play.”

Purdue was able to score outside against Temple’s matchup zone, making 13 of 22 three-point shots, but made only six two-point shots.

Cornell led the Boilermakers with 14 points.

Forward Brian Cardinal, Purdue’s inside force, scored five points, and attempted only two shots.

“We’ve been so up and down this season,” Cardinal said. “I was hoping we could be up one more game, but we just weren’t able to do it.”

Said Keady: “It’s been quite a ride.”