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Owls Settle Into New Nest

By Ed Benkin

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Temple Owls have a new practice home. Their head coach gave the media an inside look.

The new practice facility is located at Broad and Montgomery, right next to the Liacouras Center. Among the features of the new complex is a players' lounge, state of the art training rooms and locker rooms, and several practice courts for both the men's and women's teams. Fran Dunphy believes the new facility will help the Owls on the recruiting trail, with players getting a chance to see the newly-minted complex.

"It certainly helps," said Dunphy. "The kids want to see what we've got going on, but we've put ourselves in the neighborhood of all of the great programs in the country in terms of the facilities that we have."

The Owls actually began practicing on their new court at the end of last season among the sounds of construction across the rest of the building. Now, the players can enjoy every perk of their new practice home and Dunphy says they don't take the opportunity for granted.

"They love it," Dunphy said. "They feel very privileged to have it. When somebody else from a different era comes back, they come out shaking hands with them and respecting what they did before us."

The acknowledgement of the past is another part of the new facility. There is a hallway which features pictures from the past of both the men's and women's programs. It allows the current players to appreciate the players which came before them at Temple.

"There is the history and the tradition," said Dunphy. "They know they are responsible for representing this institution."

The Owls have already begun practicing for the upcoming season. Dunphy's squad will open on the road at Kent State on November 13th.

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