PHILADELPHIA — In an impressive upset, Jamal Mashburn Jr. led the Temple Owls to a thrilling 88-81 victory over the No. 18 Memphis Tigers on Thursday night, scoring 21 points in the process. Quante Berry also made significant contributions, putting up 19 points, while Shane Dezonie chipped in 15 for the Owls, who improved their record to 11-6 overall and 3-1 in the American Athletic Conference. This win marked a significant turnaround for Temple, which had suffered six consecutive losses to Memphis prior to this match-up.

Memphis, attempting to secure a 4-0 start in conference play for the first time since 2013, had PJ Haggerty leading their scoring efforts with 21 points. Tyrese Hunter added 16 points, and Dain Dainja contributed 14 points in the losing effort for the Tigers, who had entered the game with a solid 4-0 record in true road contests. Nicholas Jourdain, a former Temple player who transferred to Memphis, helped his new team with 11 points.

The Owls were without point guard Lynn Greer III for the second consecutive game. Greer had missed the first nine games of the season due to an NCAA suspension and returned for four games before not being present for the matchup against Wichita State on January 3 due to what the team described as “personal reasons.” His absence was felt, as he is no longer listed on Temple’s roster, and his father, Lynn Greer, the Owls’ chief of staff and one of the team’s all-time leading scorers, was also missing from the bench during the game against Memphis.

For Memphis, this matchup was crucial considering their impressive nonconference wins against teams such as Missouri, UConn, Clemson, Virginia, and Mississippi. A strong showing in the conference could bolster their chances for an NCAA at-large bid if they do not win the AAC tournament and secure the automatic entry.

For Temple, this win against a ranked opponent is a significant achievement under second-year coach Adam Fisher. It serves as a much-needed boost for the Owls, who last participated in the NCAA tournament in 2019.

A key moment in the game occurred when Haggerty missed two crucial free throws with 1:57 left on the clock, which could have narrowed the lead to just two points. Following this, a quick dunk by Stanford for the Owls shifted the momentum, marking a pivotal four-point swing for Temple.

Looking ahead, Memphis will face Charlotte on Sunday, while Temple prepares to host Tulane on the same day.