By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, FEB. 4, 2015 – USF took a lead into halftime but couldn't overcome a cold spell after the break in a 61-48 loss to Temple on Wednesday night at the Sun Dome.

Corey Allen Jr. (St. Louis) scored 10 of his team-high 16 points in a first half that saw the Bulls lead by as many as eight points. Up by 1 at the break, USF made two baskets in the first 7 minutes of the second half while Temple seized control in the second meeting between the programs this season.

"We were still there in the second half. We were a few possessions (away) and just hit a lull of about 6, 7 minutes where we couldn't get a basket," head coach Orlando Antigua said. "Some of it had to do with their defense. Some of it had to do with us getting opportunities and missing some shots."

Junior Nehemias Morillo (Dominican Republic) was the other Bull in double-digit scoring figures with 12 points as USF finished 34 percent from the field (19-for-55). Freshman Ruben Guerrero (Spain) added five points and a career-high 14 rebounds to help the Bulls finish even with Temple on the boards, 41-41.  

Temple took the first game of the season series, 73-48, in Philadelphia back on Jan. 22, but it was USF that seized control in the first half Wednesday night. Allen Jr. and Morillo combined for 17 points to help the Bulls head into the break ahead, 24-23, after they led for more than 17 minutes.

"I feel when we did the little things we kept building the lead," Allen Jr. said. "Once we stopped doing them we started to see the decline. We just have to stick with what we do best."

USF (7-16, 1-9) took its final lead on a layup by Guerrero 37 seconds into the second half before Temple made its move. Devontae Watson provided the go-ahead layup and the Owls continued on a 10-2 run that extended the advantage to 35-28 just over 5 minutes into the half.

Allen Jr.'s jumper cut the deficit to 38-35 with 11:26 remaining but that's as close as USF got the rest of the way. The Bulls were hampered by nine turnovers in the final period while they searched for scoring production.

"They came out in the second half and obviously made some adjustments," Antigua said. "We were trying to make adjustments as well and we gave them too many opportunities in that regard."

Anthony Collins passed Chucky Atkins for third on USF's all-time assist list with 521 after dishing out two assists while battling foul trouble. Collins, a junior from Houston, needs 13 more assists to tie Radenko Dobras for second place in the program's history books. Reggie Kohn is USF's all-time assists leader with 632 from 2000-03.

Will Cummings was the lone Owl player in double figures with a game-high 19 points in the fourth consecutive win for Temple (16-7, 7-3).

"We're just staying positive," Allen Jr. said. "We'll keep on going through the season and keep on going into every game fighting and see what comes out of it."

USF finishes up the week with a test at Cincinnati at 8 p.m. on Saturday and wraps up a two-game road trip at in-state rival UCF on Wednesday, Feb. 11.  The Bulls are back in the Sun Dome on Saturday, Feb. 14 to host Memphis at noon. Purchase tickets HERE.