DAVIDSON, N.C. (Interstat) — Derrian Ford scored 23 points and Temple withstood a furious second-half rally from Davidson, escaping Belk Arena with a 68-63 victory in nonconference men’s basketball on Thursday night.

The Owls built a commanding 13-point halftime lead with stifling defense but saw it evaporate completely in the final minutes before making critical free throws to snap a two-game road losing streak.

Temple improved to 7-5 overall, while Davidson dropped to 8-3.

The game turned into a stark tale of two halves. Temple dominated the opening period, holding Davidson to 23 points on 24% shooting from the field. The Wildcats missed 17 of their first 19 three-point attempts and managed only two assists against five turnovers in the half. Meanwhile, Ford was electric early, scoring 15 first-half points, including a pair of three-pointers, as the Owls methodically built a 36-23 advantage.

Davidson emerged from the break transformed. The Wildcats unleashed a 40-point second half, fueled by improved ball movement and the scoring of Roberts Blums. The guard from Riga, Latvia, scored 12 of his team-high 14 points after intermission, helping to ignite the comeback. A three-pointer from Parker Friedrichsen with 1:43 remaining gave Davidson its first lead since the opening minute at 56-55, capping a 33-19 run.

The most important part of the game unfolded in the tense final 90 seconds. After Friedrichsen’s three put Davidson ahead, Temple’s Aiden Tobiason answered immediately with a clutch jump shot to put the Owls back up by one. Following a defensive stop, Ford was fouled and sank two free throws with 19 seconds left to extend the lead to 59-56.

Davidson’s ensuing possession ended in a turnover when Cam Wallace stole the ball from Devin Brown. Ford was fouled again and made both free throws for a five-point cushion. Nick Coval hit a deep three-pointer for Davidson at the buzzer to provide the final margin, but Temple’s composure at the line sealed the win. The Owls shot 26 for 33 from the free-throw line, including 10 for 12 in the final 3:31.

Ford’s 23 points led all scorers. Tobiason added 19 points for Temple, and Jordan Mason contributed 14. The Owls won despite being outrebounded 44-30 and allowing 13 offensive rebounds, which led to 15 second-chance points for Davidson. Temple offset that with superior efficiency, committing only six turnovers and forcing eight, while also recording five steals.

Blums’s 14 points led a balanced Davidson attack. Coval scored 10 of his 10 points in the second half, and Friedrichsen finished with nine points and three assists. Ian Platteeuw, the 7-foot center from Barcelona, Spain, added nine points and nine rebounds. The Wildcats finished the game shooting just 5 for 22 from three-point range and 10 for 15 from the free-throw line.

Temple’s defensive game plan effectively disrupted Davidson’s typically precise offense for the majority of the night. The Wildcats’ two total assists marked a season low, and their offensive rating of 98.2 points per 100 possessions was well below their season average.

The victory provided a significant road win for Temple ahead of its next game against Princeton on Monday. Davidson, which had been a 5.5-point pregame favorite, looks to rebound quickly with a daunting trip to face Kansas on Monday.

The game was played in front of a crowd of 2,151 at Belk Arena.