Halftime Report

Charlotte is on the road but looking no worse for wear. They have jumped out to a quick 33-29 lead against Temple.

If Charlotte keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 15-8 in no time. On the other hand, Temple will have to make due with an 8-16 record unless they turn things around (and fast).

Who's Playing

Charlotte 49ers @ Temple Owls

Current Records: Charlotte 14-8, Temple 8-15

How To Watch

What to Know

Temple will be in front of their home fans on Sunday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-court advantage. They and the Charlotte 49ers will face off in an American Athletic battle at 2:00 p.m. ET at Liacouras Center. Temple has now lost eight straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since January 7.

Last Thursday, the Owls came up short against the Tigers and fell 84-77. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Temple in their matchups with the Tigers: they've now lost six in a row.

Despite their loss, Temple saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Shane Dezonie, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and ten rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. Dezonie didn't help Temple's cause all that much against the Green Wave on Sunday but the same can't be said for this match. Jahlil White was another key contributor, scoring 20 points along with eight rebounds.

Meanwhile, Charlotte unfortunately witnessed the end of their eight-game winning streak on Tuesday. They fell just short of the Bulls by a score of 72-69. The loss came about despite Charlotte having been up 17 in the first half.

Charlotte's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Igor Milicic Jr., who almost dropped a double-double on 15 points and nine rebounds, and Dishon Jackson who scored 16 points along with seven rebounds. Milicic Jr. has been hot recently, having posted two or more blocks the last three times he's played.

The Owls have been struggling recently as they've lost nine of their last ten matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-15 record this season. As for the 49ers, their loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 14-8.

Sunday's matchup is shaping up to be a scrappy match: Temple have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 37.4 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Charlotte, though, as they've been averaging only 33 rebounds per game. Given Temple's sizable advantage in that area, the 49ers will need to find a way to close that gap.

Odds

Charlotte is a 4-point favorite against Temple, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 4-point spread, and stayed right there.


The over/under is set at 133 points.

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