Adam Fisher: John Chaney ‘smiling down on us’ as Temple wins

FORT WORTH, Texas — Together with his group on the cusp of its first journey to the NCAA match since 2019 after an unbelievable win over Florida Atlantic within the AAC match semifinals on Saturday, Temple coach Adam Fisher stated he was fascinated by John Chaney, the Owls teaching legend who died three years in the past, following the victory.

“[Coach] Chaney is smiling down on us,” he advised ESPN after Temple’s thrilling 74-73 victory over FAU, a Last 4 squad a 12 months in the past.

With a win over UAB on Sunday, Fisher would full one of many best in-season turnarounds in current school basketball historical past, only a month after his group misplaced 10 video games in a row. In response to ESPN Stats & Data analysis, Temple (5-13 American) would tie Holy Cross (2016) as the one groups to make the NCAA match with 13 convention losses. Saturday’s win was additionally the second-largest upset over the previous 30 seasons for Temple, which was a 14.5-point underdog.

Saturday’s chaotic sport ended as FAU star Johnell Davis dedicated a turnover on his errant go and Temple’s Hysier Miller dove to the ground for the unfastened ball as time expired to seal the win.

It was a fortuitous second for a program that had not skilled that bliss for almost all of the season. Final month, Temple had an 8-17 report — 1-11 within the American — after a 10-game shedding streak.

And earlier this month the varsity introduced that it had launched an investigation after a playing watchdog firm flagged a matchup between UAB and Temple for suspicious playing exercise.

Fisher, a first-year head coach, stated his group stayed “locked in” amid its challenges because it orchestrated an 8-2 report in its final 10 video games.

“We use the time period unfastened and locked in,” he stated after the sport. “Should you’re at our shootaround, we get after it, we’re detail-oriented, however we’ve enjoyable. We have to benefit from the second. Our focus is at all times on getting higher. We do not actually discuss successful and shedding and this and that.”

Fisher has preached “Temple Powerful” all week. He is additionally invited former gamers to talk to his group.

He stated he has conveyed the importance of the group’s historical past so his gamers perceive those that got here earlier than them. He credit Chaney and the opposite legends of this system for the chance his group can have on Sunday to succeed in the NCAA match for the primary time in 5 years amid a difficult season. He stated the group has a board in its area that each former participant indicators each time they go to.

Temple may even be the third group since 1939 to play 5 convention match video games in 5 days, per ESPN Stats & Data analysis.

“It is one of many winningest packages in all of faculty basketball,” Fisher stated. “We now have nice amenities, we get nice constitution flights, all these superb issues due to all the nice gamers that got here earlier than us.

“So, we play for these guys that got here earlier than us. We all know they’ve led Temple to locations we need to go to. I believe there isn’t a higher solution to get to the place you need to go than to listen to from those that have accomplished it and accomplished it in that cherry and white.”