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GAME NOTES: The 20th-ranked Temple Owls are clearly favored in today's Atlantic 10 Conference clash with Philadelphia rival La Salle.

Temple enters this tilt riding a four-game win streak and came into the weekend tied with Xavier and Richmond atop the league standings. The Owls put forth another stellar defensive effort on Wednesday in a 49-41 victory over Dayton. They are now 23-5 overall and 11-2 in league action, and they have held an opponent more than 20 points below their scoring average on eight occasions this season. A win today would give Temple just its fifth 4-0 Big 5 campaign, and its first since 1987-88.

La Salle has been hit hard by injuries, and the result has been seven consecutive losses. The Explorers are 11-16 overall, including 3-10 in conference, and they are coming off an 81-72 loss to George Washington.

Temple beat La Salle in a 64-52 final on January 30th, and the Owls own a 65-40 series lead over the Explorers.

Ramone Moore has emerged as a serious threat at the offensive end of the court for Temple, as he has led the team in scoring the last three times out. Moore tallied 13 points against Dayton on Wednesday, but his team only shot 32.1 percent from the field, including 2-of-15 from three-point range. Fortunately, Temple held the Flyers to 41 points on 26.3 percent shooting from the field, and outscored them 13-6 from the charity stripe. The Owls only turned the ball over eight times, and Lavoy Allen ripped down 17 rebounds in the clash. Ryan Brooks scored 11 points, and he continues to pace Temple on the year with his 14.8 ppg. Keep an eye on Allen, as he is scoring 11.3 ppg while grabbing 10.5 rpg, one of a small number of players nationally that average a double-double. Temple is holding opponents to 57.2 ppg this season on 37.8 percent field goal efficiency.

Rodney Green is a big-time scorer for La Salle who is averaging 18.2 ppg to go along with 113 assists and 43 steals. Aaric Murray, a promising freshman center, provides 12.5 ppg and 6.7 rpg for the Explorers, who are putting up 70.7 ppg while allowing 73.2 ppg. La Salle has committed 116 more turnovers than its opponents this season. It is certainly ironic that the Explorers are shooting the exact same percentage as their foes (.440). In the recent loss to George Washington, Green led four double-digit scorers for La Salle with 21 points. Murray added 16 points and nine rebounds before fouling out, and Jerrell Williams contributed 13 points and 16 boards. A 21-12 deficit in points from the foul line certainly hurt the cause.

Temple is simply a better team than La Salle and will win today. Still, expect Green and his Explorers to keep it close.