BOX SCORE
QUOTES
NOTES
KALAMAZOO -- David Kool scored 30 points for the third time in his career and Mike Douglas dished 10 assists, but Western Michigan fell to Temple, 76-70, in front of a season-high 3,086 at University Arena Tuesday night.
Kool hit 10-of-19 shots, including three three-pointers, and 7-of-7 free throws for the Broncos (2-3), along with six rebounds and two assists. Douglas' 10 assists is only the 22nd double-digit assist game in school history. His passes helped senior Donald Lawson to 14 points, nine rebounds and two steals, while Flenard Whitfield hit his first collegiate three-pointer on the way to 13 points and six rebounds. Senior Martelle McLemore added nine points, seven rebounds and two assists against the Owls (5-2).
The Broncos led by four, 50-46, with 12:54 remaining in the game after McLemore found Nate Hutcheson for a lay-up. The Owls came back and hit a three-pointer on the next possession to start a 16-2 run over 4:11 to build a game-high 10-point advantage, 62-52, with 8:30 remaining in the contest.
Lavoy Allen completed a three-point play for Temple with 5:07 to play to keep it up 10, 70-60, but Lawson hit a couple of free throws and Whitfield tipped in a miss by Douglas on consecutive possessions. Temple scored again to push the lead back to eight, but Lawson hit a lay-up after a nifty feed by Douglas to make the margin six, 72-66, with 2:44 remaining.
Neither team scored for the next 2:19 until Kool drove for a lay-up to cut the margin to four, 72-68, but Temple threw the ball ahead for a dunk on the in-bounds pass to go back up six. Douglas notched his 10th assist after feeding an offensive rebound to Lawson, but Temple converted a pair of free throws for the final margin.
The Broncos scored the first four points of the game and still led by four, 7-3, after a three-point play by Whitfield. The Owls came back and took its first lead, 11-9, after a tip-in by Allen with 15:29 to play. Still down three, 14-11, the Broncos went on a 14-2 run to go up by nine, 25-16, with 11:34 to play. Kool hit a pair of three-pointers and converted an old-fashioned three-point play during the run.
Kool threw the ball ahead on the fast break to Lawson who converted to keep the Broncos up nine, 36-27, with 4:07 left in the half. The Owls rallied with 10 points in a row to regain the lead, 37-36, before Kool hit a pair of free throws with seven seconds left to give WMU the lead at intermission, 38-37.
Kool scored 19 of his 30 points in the first half by making 6-of-8 shots, two three-pointers and 5-of-5 free throws. The Broncos shot 51.9 percent in the first half (14-27), but Temple hung around with 14 offensive rebounds and a 11-6 edge in second-chance points.
McLemore hit a mid-range jumper and Kool converted two free throws to quickly put WMU up five, 42-37, to start the second half. Temple came right back with another run, this one consisting of nine consecutive points to go up four, 46-42, with 15:47 remaining and the game was tight the rest of the way.
The Broncos finished the game shooting 43.3 percent (26-60), .227 beyond the arc (5-22) and .867 at the free throw line (13-15). Temple shot .408 from the field (31-76), .391 from three (9-23) and .714 at the free throw line (5-7).
Temple out-rebounded WMU, 46-36, including 19-9 on the offensive glass to led 16-12 in second-chance points and attempted 16 more field goals. Temple scored 15 points off WMU's 10 turnovers and WMU scored five points off of six Temple turnovers. The Broncos were also able to get out and run to the tune of a 14-6 advantage in fast break points.
Ryan Brooks led the Owls with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Craig Williams hit 4-of-7 three-pointers while scoring 14 points and Juan Fernandez added 14 points, five assists and four rebounds.
The Broncos are off until Dec. 9 when they travel to Charleston, Ill., for a return ESPNU BracketBusters game against Eastern Illinois (3-2).