Owls Escape With 80-79 OT Win Over La Salle

Earl Pettis and Sam Mills missed open three point attempts in the last five seconds, allowing Temple to escape Tom Gola Arena with a hard fought 80-79 overtime win over La Salle.  The Explorers played from behind for most of the game and went into halftime trailing 32-29.  The Owls led for most of the second half and held a ten point lead with just over four minutes to go but the Explorers chipped away at the lead.  With help from a technical foul on Temple's Ramone Moore, they cut the Owl's lead to two points after Pettis made both technical foul shots.  La Salle maintained possession and eight seconds into the possession, Tyreek Duren found Pettis open on the perimeter and he drained a three to tie the game with 1:25 to go in regulation.  Khalif Wyatt missed a jumper with just over a minute to go and La Salle had a chance to take the lead, but Duren missed a runner with thirty-three seconds to go.  Temple worked the ball until there were six seconds left and called a timeout to set up a play, but were unable to get a shot off as Wyatt lost track of time and dribbled out the clock.
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The Explorers struck first in OT on a Pettis three, but Temple scored nine straight points to take an 80-74 lead with just over two minutes to go and they would not score again.  Duren hit a three and Pettis made a two to cut the Owls lead to one with fifty-five seconds left.  La Salle held Temple again and gained possession with thirty-seven seconds left.  With five seconds left, Pettis got an open look from three that rimmed out, but DJ Peterson grabbed the offensive rebound and found an open Mills in the corner.  His three point attempt with two seconds left bounced off the rim as the final buzzer sounded giving the Owls their eleventh straight win.
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Pettis scored a career high 33 points for La Salle and was joined in double figures by Mills (12), Ramon Galloway (12), and Duren (10).  Jerrell Wright added 9 points for the Explorers and Galloway handed out 6 assists.  For Temple, Wyatt's 25 points led four players in double figures.
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http://www.goexplorers.com/news/2012/2/22/MBB_0222124403.aspx?path=mbball
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http://www.owlsports.com/news/2012/2/22/MBB_0222124120.aspx