PHILADELPHIA. Pa. – A poor shooting night spoiled a career night for Trajata Colbert, as Wichita State fell, 72-59, at Temple Wednesday night in the Liacouras Center.
Wichita State (13-9, 3-6) shot a season-worst 27.8 percent from the field, a majority of those misses coming in the paint right near the basket. Wichita State has lost the last four meetings against the Owls.
Colbert recorded her fourth double-double of the season behind a career-high 25 points and 11 rebounds. DJ McCarty and Shamaryah Duncan added 10 points apiece, but were a combined 7-of-27 from the floor. Jane Asinde added eight points and 12 rebounds.
Temple connected on 46.4 percent of tries, including an 8-for-19 mark from long range. Wichita State was just 2-of-11 from three-point range. Wichita State grabbed a season-high 25 offensive rebounds and outrebounded the Owls, 50-36, but only converted those offensive rebounds into 15 points.
Wichita State dug itself into an early hole, trailing 15-6, after missing 12 of its first 15 attempts from the field, while Temple hit 7-of-12. Back-to-back McCarty triples gave the Shockers some life, but the Owls would still take an 18-12 lead into the second.
The Shockers finished the opening quarter just 5-of-21.
Wichita State's struggles on offense didn't go away in the second quarter, but a 6-0 run to end the half sent the Shockers into the locker room trailing by seven, 35-28, after trailing by as many as 13.
McCarty capped the Shockers' 6-0 spurt in the closing minutes with a fadeaway jumper just before the clock expired.
Wichita State finished the half just 11-of-39 from the field (28 percent) compared to Temple hitting 50 percent of its attempts. Both teams committed only seven turnovers, but Temple was able to capitalize on Wichita State's turnovers. The Owls scored nine points directly off Wichita State's miscues.
Colbert was able to assert herself down low, scoring a game-high 10 points in the first half. McCarty was close behind at eight.
Temple opened the second half red-hot, hitting a pair of three-pointers in the first 1:30, quickly pushing the margin to 14. After turning the ball over just seven times in the entire first half, Wichita State had six in the first 6:20 of the third quarter.
Trailing by 11 with less than 2:00 minutes left in the third, Temple hit a wide open corner trey and a driving layup to make it a 57-41 game.
The Owls extended their lead to 18 on the first possession of the fourth, but would go scoreless over the next 4:09 allowing Wichita State to cut into the margin. A 9-0 run pulled Wichita State within single digits after two Asinde free throws.
Temple broke out of its drought on the next possession to make it a 12-point game.
Again, Wichita State made another push, clawing within seven after a Colbert three-point play and still 2:30 to play. Unfortunately, that would be as close as it would get. Wichita State did not score the remainder of the game.
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Wichita State welcomes Memphis to Charles Koch Arena on Saturday, Feb. 4 for National Girls and Women in Sports Day.