Temple guards impress, outplay Jayhawks

Kansas guard Wayne Selden Jr., left and Kelly Oubre, Jr., right, attempt to trap Temple guard Will Cummings (2) during the Jayhawk's 77-52 loss to the Temple Owls Monday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA.

• Box score

Philadelphia ? Kansas University’s basketball players were torched by Temple’s guards in a 77-52 loss to the Owls on Monday night in Wells Fargo Center.

“They were very experienced, very poised. They knew how to break down defenses and spread the floor. That’s what they did,” KU freshman Kelly Oubre Jr., said of seniors Will Cummings (19 points, four assists) and Jesse Morgan (17 points, three assists) and junior Quenton DeCosey (18 points, two assists), who hit 17 of 27 shots, including 14 of 15 free throws.

“They played very well. They outplayed us. They have really good guards and we didn’t compete,” KU sophomore Wayne Selden Jr., stated.

Noted Bill Self: “We didn’t guard them well. Their guards were so good and quick, they all can pass, catch, handle and stretch it beyond the arc. They are good one-on-one guards. I was very impressed watching their guards play.”

Self added in assessing the blowout loss: “We turned it over a ton (17 times to Temple’s 12). They didn’t pressure us and we still managed 13 turnovers the first half. When we got inside of them, we didn’t finish. Our big guys combined for two baskets in the game (2-of-15 shooting). They were so active blocking shots (eight to KU’s two), doing things good defensive teams do. We didn’t help ourselves on that (offensive) end at all.”

Of his Jayhawks, Self said: “Tonight we played tired. We played like we were a half-step slow or full-step slow in my eyes.”