PHILADELPHIA -- Saint Joseph's found the perfect way to beat Temple's vaunted matchup zone: The Hawks just kept making their 3-point shots.
Jameer Nelson and Delonte West each had 21 points, and No. 3 Saint Joseph's set an Atlantic 10 record with 20 3-pointers to remain unbeaten with a 83-71 victory over Temple on Saturday.
Pat Carroll scored 20 and Chet Stachitas added 12 for the Hawks (18-0, 8-0), who extended their school-record winning streak to 18.
"I shot a lot more today," Carroll said. "We knew, with their zone, that 3s would be available. And Jameer and David will find you if you're open."
The previous conference record for 3s in a game was 19, accomplished three times since the Atlantic 10 was formed in 1976. The Owls had 19 twice.
Carroll, who entered the game having made 13 of his past 16 3-point attempts was 5-of-10 from beyond the arc. The Hawks had only four two-point field goals.
David Hawkins tied a career-high with 36 points for Temple (7-10, 2-5), the 12th straight game he has scored 20 or more. Mardy Collins had 21.
As they have done in most of their wins this season, the Hawks built an insurmountable lead early in the game and shut down their opponent with smothering defense.
After a putback by Dwayne Jones in the opening minute, the Hawks' next nine field goals were all 3-pointers. Nelson and Stachitas sank three each to give Saint Joseph's a 33-11 lead midway through the first half.
Carroll continued the streak with his third and hit his fourth in the half's final minute. The Owls' Dion Dacons then banked in a 12-footer to beat the halftime buzzer and cut the lead to 44-28.
"We make other teams better and we made them better today," Temple coach John Chaney said. "We were sleepwalking I guess."
West, who had a quiet five points in the first half, opened the second with two straight 3s around a jumper by the Owls' Collins. Carroll made another 3-pointer and John Bryant hit a free throw to put Saint Joseph's ahead by 24.
West and Nelson hit back-to-back 3s with 8:45 remaining to give the Hawks their largest lead at 29.
But Saint Joseph's then went 7:20 without a field goal and Temple had a late 20-3 run to make the final score look respectable.
With very little to complain about, coach Phil Martelli focused on the scoring drought and poor defense down the stretch, saying both he and the team were upset with the way they closed out the win.
"I never felt uncomfortable," Martelli said of the shrinking lead. "I was more uncomfortable with the way we played than with the score. We have to adjust that."
Before the game, Chaney received a standing ovation from the crowd and was presented with a framed jersey in honor of his 700th career win Wednesday over St. Bonaventure.
Longtime friends Chaney and Martelli embraced before the ceremony and again after the game, when Chaney paid the Hawks coach a compliment.
"For him to say we have a special team, that I trust and that I believe in," Martelli said. "I am humbled by what he had to say about our team."
In the final minutes, the Temple rooting section chanted, "Overrated." The Hawks' fans responded with a cry of "Undefeated."
"I chant it at them every day," Martelli joked, adding, "It's better than chanting, 'Never rated."
On Monday, Saint Joseph's faces Villanova, a team that Martelli acknowledges he has not scouted or seen.
"The only thing I am well aware of is the (raucous) atmosphere," Martelli said. "But we've been through this now. We've been to Xavier, we've been here, we were at St. Bonaventure. It's not going to have an impact."
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