Halftime Report
A win for Columbia would push their record over .500, and after two quarters of play they've put themselves in a good position to make it happen. Sitting on a score of 78-73, they have looked like the better team, but there's still zero more quarters to play.
If Columbia keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 2-2 in no time. On the other hand, Temple will have to make due with a 3-0 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who's Playing
Columbia Lions @ Temple Owls
Current Records: Columbia 2-2, Temple 3-0
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 1 p.m. ET
- Where: Liacouras Center -- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- TV: ESPN Plus
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Fubo (Try for free) Fubo's holiday offer just kicked off - For a limited time, new subscribers can save $40 on Fubo's Pro, Elite, and Premier plans ($20 off the first and second months)
- Ticket Cost: $10.20
What to Know
Columbia has enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the Temple Owls at 1:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at Liacouras Center. Columbia has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.
Winning is just a little bit easier when you work as a team to rack up 14 more assists than your opponent, a fact Columbia proved on Wednesday. They claimed a resounding 105-60 victory over the Broncos at home. With that win, Columbia brought their scoring average up to 81.2 points per game.
Meanwhile, Temple entered their tilt with Drexel with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. The Owls sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 66-64 victory over the Dragons on Tuesday.
Temple's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Matteo Picarelli, who scored 11 points along with 5 rebounds and 1 steal. The team also got some help courtesy of Steve Settle III, who scored 8 points along with 5 rebounds and 3 blocks.
Their wins bumped the Lions to 2-2 and the Owls to 3-0.
Columbia is hoping to beat the odds on Saturday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Columbia have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 35.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Temple struggles in that department as they've been even better at 40.3 per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Come back here after the game to find expert analysis of the match and other NCAA Basketball content.
Odds
Temple is a big 12.5-point favorite against Columbia, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Owls as a 11.5-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 146 points.
See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Injury Report for Temple
- Quante Berry: Game-Time Decision (Thumb)
