Official Is Not Amused by Mascot

Temple’s mascot, Hooter the Owl, was ejected late in the game Sunday after going on the court and gesturing at the referee following a technical foul.

The ejection came with 3:12 left in the Owls’ 68-62 loss to Penn.

The man in the costume went on the court right after Temple Coach John Chaney received a technical for arguing with official John Hughes.

The mascot approached Hughes at the foul line and made a gesture. He was given a technical and ejected.

The student in the costume, who would not give his name, had no comment. Temple officials would not release the man’s name.

Penn’s Jeff Schiffner made three of the four technical free throws, giving the Quakers a 61-52 lead.

“I can’t believe that’s ever happened before....Usually our mascot is soft,” Chaney said.

Koko Archibong had 19 points for Penn (7-3).

Temple (3-8) pulled within three points in the final 20 seconds, but Schiffner and Ugonna Onyekwe combined to make three free throws, securing Penn’s second victory over the Owls in 20 years.

Onyekwe and Duane King each scored 11 points.

David Hawkins had 16 points for Temple, which has lost six in a row.