PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Derrian Ford scored 24 points to lead Temple to a 95-67 victory over Saint Francis (Pa.) in a nonconference men’s basketball game Sunday at Liacouras Center. The Owls led 47-24 at halftime and never were threatened, improving to 6-5. The Red Flash fell to 2-9. Ford added six rebounds. Aiden Tobiason scored 19 points and Jordan Mason had 15 points and nine assists for Temple, which shot efficiently throughout. Skylar Wicks led Saint Francis with 22 points. Zion Russell added 14 points and seven assists. An announced crowd of 2,043 watched the Owls outscore the Red Flash in both halves. Temple next plays at Davidson on Thursday. Saint Francis visits Florida on Wednesday.

PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — The Temple Owls, seeking to climb above .500, will host the struggling Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash in a nonconference men’s basketball matchup Sunday at Liacouras Center. Temple (5-5) enters off a dominant 103-57 victory over Georgian Court on Tuesday, a needed bounce-back after a narrow 70-69 loss to city rival Saint Joseph’s. The Owls have shown flashes but lack consistency, with their five losses coming by an average of 12.2 points. Guard Jordan Mason has been a steadying force, coming off a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists against Georgian Court. He leads a Temple offense that averages 78.2 points per game. Saint Francis (PA) (2-8) faces a steep challenge, having lost eight of its last nine, including a 56-89 defeat at Radford on Dec. 7. The Red Flash have struggled defensively, allowing 84.2 points per game and losing by 30 or more points four times this season. A bright spot has been guard Paris Papadatos, who scored 15 points at Radford and poured in 19 in just 16 minutes in a win over Penn St.-Shenango on Dec. 3. The Owls have relied on balanced scoring, with Aiden Tobiason and Derrian Ford joining Mason as key contributors. They will look to exploit a Saint Francis defense that has surrendered 96 points or more in four games. The Red Flash’s two wins came against non-Division I Penn St.-Shenango and Division III Franciscan. This game begins a crucial two-game homestand for Temple before Atlantic 10 play intensifies. For Saint Francis, it is the second of a difficult three-game road swing before Northeast Conference action begins next month. Tip-off is scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Temple holds a 4-1 all-time series advantage, with the last meeting occurring in 2019.