NIT 2015: Temple vs. Miami Semifinals Schedule and Predictions

The 2015 NIT semifinals kick off with a highly anticipated clash between No. 1 Temple and No. 2 Miami.

Temple was considered one of the biggest snubs from this year's NCAA tournament due to a strong regular season. The Owls have been tearing up the NIT instead, handily defeating Bucknell, George Washington and Louisiana Tech en route to a berth in the semifinals.

Miami was also a bubble team for the Big Dance but was left out following an early exit in the ACC tournament. The Hurricanes have been playing some very solid hoops since, downing NC Central, Alabama and Richmond for the right to face the Owls to earn a spot in the championship game.

Both of these squads are riding big waves of momentum heading into this contest, and we should see some compelling basketball as a result. Before they take the hardwood once more, let's take a look at the game's essential viewing information and predict its winner.

No. 1 Temple vs. No. 2 Miami

When: Tuesday, March 31

Where: Madison Square Garden in New York City

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Channel: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Preview and Prediction

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Ranked just 238th in the nation in scoring offense during the regular season, the Owls have really hit their stride in the NIT, scoring 73, 90 and 77 points in their first three tournament contests, respectively. That makes Temple a scary competitor due to its already stout defense.

In its 77-59 victory over Louisiana Tech, Temple played an extremely well-rounded game on both ends of the court. Guard Quenton DeCosey led the Owls with 21 points and added 11 rebounds for the game's only double-double. He was precise on offense, shooting 7-of-11 from the field, and he displayed solid defense on the perimeter.

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DeCosey was complemented nicely by guards Jesse Morgan and Will Cummings, as Morgan produced 17 points and six rebounds, while Cummings finished the game with 15 points and six assists. Their efforts led to Temple shooting 49.1 percent from the floor and turning the ball over just five times.

Both players were also instrumental on defense, helping the Owls to hold the Bulldogs to shoot just 36.7 percent from the floor.

If the Owls have any weakness going forward, it's their lack of size in their starting rotation. Miami boasts 7'0" center Tonye Jekiri and 6'10" forward Ivan Cruz Uceda, two players who could give Temple fits on the interior.

The Hurricanes didn't have a solid shooting day against Richmond in the quarterfinals, bucketing just 31.1 percent of their shots from the floor in their 63-61 victory. However, their ability to win in the boards on both ends of the court—Miami accumulated 47 rebounds to Richmond's 32—gave them enough scoring opportunities to come away with the win.

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Sheldon McClellan led the Hurricanes in scoring, racking up 16 points after hitting six of 13 attempts from the floor. Davon Reed did his damage from the foul line, netting eight of 11 attempts to score 10 points while adding 12 rebounds.

The team also saw production from Joe Thomas and Ja'Quan Newton off the bench, as Thomas scored seven points and added six rebounds, while Newton scored 11 with five boards and two assists.

Miami held firm on the defensive end of the court, forcing Richmond to take an excess of jumpers and unfavorable looks from downtown, resulting in a team shooting percentage of just 38.9 on the game. The abundance of rebounds by the Hurricanes ensured the Spiders didn't get enough second-chance opportunities to make up for their inaccurate shooting.

Expect this game to come down to the wire, as Temple will have a difficult time thriving on the inside, while Miami is set to take on a solid defense on the heels of a poor shooting performance. The upper hand here has to go to the team that has been more consistent throughout the tournament, and in this case, that would be the Owls.

Prediction: Temple 73, Miami 69