By Matt Leon

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — After picking up a hard-fought 78-67 win over Villanova last weekend (see game story) to improve to 6-2 — and 2-0 in the Big 5 — the Temple Owls have a few days off before heading down to Texas to play the Longhorns on Saturday in Austin, and Rice on Monday in Houston.

Temple guard Ramone Moore (photo) was brilliant in the win over Villanova, scoring 34 points, thanks in large part to a 14-15 performance at the foul line.

Owls head coach Fran Dunphy says his senior guard is playing well:

“Ramone has a scorer’s mentality and I think, even more so, he has a feel for when he needs to arrive on the scene.  I think he did a really good job of identifying and then following through with that thought process.  He’s a guy that we need to do just what he did, in terms of scoring and making things happen.”

Moore is leading the Owls in scoring, pouring in 18.4 points per game.

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Temple’s success is coming despite being banged up.  They have been playing without senior forward Scootie Randall (knee) and senior forward/center Michael Eric (patella).

“Obviously we don’t want this happening, and you certainly don’t want it happening to Mike and/or Scootie like it’s happened, those are the guys you really feel bad for.  But for those guys who are now stepping in and trying to fill the void, it’s a wonderful opportunity,” says Dunphy.  “And what I also talked about with our guys was those guys — Juan Fernandez, Ramone Moore, Khalif Wyatt — who get all the attention and have a specific role on our team, even have to do more than they have ever done in the past, certainly from a rebounding and defensive standpoint as well.”

Temple and Texas will tip off at 2:30pm on Saturday in Austin.

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