Temple Opens Season With 68-56 Win
Temple defeated Central Connecticut State in its season opener on Monday, November 2, 2026, leading from early in the first half.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Basketball
Temple beat Central Connecticut State 68-56 in its season opener. The Owls never trailed after the opening minute and led 36-16 at halftime.
Why it matters
The win gives Temple a strong start to the season and shows its scoring depth, with several players contributing in double figures. It also set the tone for the early part of the schedule.
Jordan Marsh scored 16 points on 7 of 15 shooting and 2 of 9 from three-point range, while Gavin Griffiths added 11 points and eight rebounds. Ashton Reynolds led Central Connecticut State with 18 points, and the extraction does not include season-long comparisons.
The players
Jordan Marsh
Jordan Marsh is a Temple guard who led the Owls in scoring with 16 points in the season opener.
Ashton Reynolds
Ashton Reynolds is a guard for Central Connecticut State who led his team with 18 points in the loss.
The details
Temple took the lead with 19:04 left in the first half and did not trail again. A 9-0 run early in the second half pushed the lead to 25 points, and Jason Drake added 11 points on 4 of 7 shooting for Temple.
Timeline
Monday, November 2, 2026: Temple defeats Central Connecticut State 68-56 in the season opener.
Season Trajectory
Temple's season-opening win gives the Owls an early marker in their 2026-27 schedule. The margin and balanced scoring offer an initial read on the roster's depth, though one opener is too early to project postseason positioning.
Temple's balanced scoring, with Marsh and Griffiths both producing strong totals, offers fantasy managers a look at which Owls could hold value. The extraction does not include schedule details for the next game.
The takeaway
Early-season wins often depend on balanced scoring, and Temple's opener showed that depth. Fans can track how that pattern holds as the schedule continues.
Further reading
For more on the team's early results, see Basketball coverage for Philadelphia.
