Temple Owls Aim to Rebound at North Texas in Sunday AAC Clash
Temple (15-9, 7-4 AAC) travels to face North Texas (14-11, 5-7 AAC) at 2 p. m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 15. The Owls are looking to bounce back from a tough road defeat, while the Mean Green hope to build momentum after a solid home victory. This matchup carries conference implications as both teams chase positioning in the crowded AAC standings.
Recent form: momentum and missteps
Temple enters the weekend coming off a 77-66 loss at Tulane. The Owls got a big scoring night from Derrian Ford, who poured in 26 points and connected on four of seven from long range, and reliable contributions from Jordan Mason, who finished with 15 points, five assists and two steals. Still, Temple struggled to contain Tulane’s offense and couldn’t get stops at the rim when it mattered most. The loss exposed some inconsistencies on the defensive end that Temple will need to correct if it hopes to stay among the top teams in the league.
North Texas arrives buoyed by a 76-69 home win over Memphis. The Mean Green got a steady hand from Je'Shawn Stevenson (16 points, two steals) and effective play from David Terrell Jr. (14 points, three steals). That balance on offense and activity on the perimeter helped North Texas overcome stretches where its shot-making cooled. The result gives the Mean Green some breathing room and a chance to tighten up their conference position with a win over Temple.
Matchup dynamics and keys to the game
This game shapes up as a classic contrast of offensive creation and defensive discipline. Temple’s backcourt duo — the scoring punch of Derrian Ford and the floor management of Jordan Mason — will try to dictate tempo and force North Texas into uncomfortable possessions. Ford’s ability to score both off the bounce and from deep stretches opposing defenses, while Mason orchestrates and creates for others, makes Temple difficult to scout when both are clicking.
On the other side, North Texas will lean on its perimeter defenders and veteran scorers to keep pace. Je'Shawn Stevenson’s knack for getting into passing lanes and creating transition opportunities will be vital, while David Terrell Jr. provides complementary scoring and slashes to the basket. If North Texas can convert on those fast breaks and limit second-chance points, it can exploit any defensive lapses from the Owls.
Rebounding and turnover margin are likely to decide this one. Temple must secure defensive boards to prevent North Texas from converting extra possessions into easy points. Meanwhile, North Texas needs to protect the ball against Mason’s playmaking and make Temple pay when the Owls miss from long range. Both teams will also need reliable bench contributions; depth could swing the late-game rotation and fatigue management.
What to expect and stakes
With conference standings tight, this game carries more than just momentum. A Temple victory would solidify its position among the upper tier of the AAC and buy some breathing room in the loss column. For North Texas, a win would sharpen its resume for a stronger finish and highlight the team’s ability to defend at home against a high-scoring backcourt.
Look for coaching adjustments on both ends early — Temple to try and clamp down on interior scoring and delay action to generate open looks, and North Texas to test Temple’s perimeter defense and push the pace off turnovers. Execution in the final possessions, free-throw shooting and whether either team can sustain a run will likely determine which side leaves with the conference victory.
Tip-off is set for 2 p. m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 15. Expect a competitive contest with postseason positioning on the line for both programs.
