COL BKB: Temple 57, Rhode Island 44

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., March 13 (UPI) -- Juan Fernandez scored the first seven points of the game Saturday in sending No. 17 Temple off to a 57-44 Atlantic 10 Tournament win over Rhode Island.

The victory sends the Owls (28-5) in the A-10 Tournament final Sunday against the winner of Saturday's second semifinal, which sent Richmond against Xavier. Temple is looking for a third consecutive conference title.

Fernandez opened the scoring with a 3-pointer 33 seconds into the game and added a basket off a jump shot about a minute later. It wasn't until the 16:45 mark that either team managed another point and that was again a Fernandez jumper.

Rhode Island (23-9) broke through with a Delroy James basket with the game 3:48 old but Temple answered with a Michael Eric jumper and a Fernandez layup with 14:54 to go in the half made the score 11-2 and the Owls never looked back.

Fernandez finished with 14 points, just behind the game-high 16 by teammate Ryan Brooks. Rhode Island was led by Keithe Cothran's 11-point effort.