The Temple College Leopards men's basketball team has had a slew of critical games of late.

Wednesday's game is the most critical yet.

The Leopards will host Southwestern Christian College in a 7 pm matchup at Kirby Johnson Court.

When the teams met on Jan. 25 in Terrell, the Rams outlasted the Leopards, 93-80. SwCC led at the half, 49-38 and outscored the Leopards in the second half by two. The Rams led 49-38 at halftime and outscored the Leopards by two in the second half.

Four of the five SwCC starters scored in double figures, led by Kainan Thomas' 20 points.

Josh Telfort led four Leopards starters in double figures, as he logged a double-double with 18 points and ten rebounds. Camren Roper was in a pursuit for a triple-double, as he ended with 16 points, seven rebounds, and seven steals.

Temple is averaging 78.2 points per game and 73.5 points per game in conference, shooting 39% from the field, 25.6% from beyond the arc, and 67.1% from the free-throw line.
Telfort (15 ppg, 15.3 ppg in conference), Jaymes Brown-Peterson (9.1 ppg overall, 10.4 ppg in conference), Rasuan Collier (8.5 ppg overall, 6.2 ppg in conference), and Roper (7.2 ppg overall, 8.3 ppg in conference) lead the Leopards scoring attack.

Defensively, the Leopards yield 74.9 points per game, and 76.7 points per game in conference.

Southwestern Christian average 76.9 points per game overall, and 73.5 points per game in conference.

Carson Brown (14.6 ppg overall, 12.5 ppg in conference), Thomas (14.5 ppg overall, 14 ppg in conference), Donny Thomas (10.6 ppg overall, 12.4 ppg in conference), and Dylon Richardson (10 ppg overall, 10.7 ppg in conference) are the Rams' leading scorers.

SwCC yields 81.6 points per game overall, and 80.9 points per game in conference play.

The conference playoff chase

Going into Wednesday tilt, TC is 17-11 overall and 6-6 in sole possession of third place in NTJCAC play with two games two play in their schedule. They are one-half game ahead of SwCC, Collin County Community College, and Ranger College are at 5-6.

A win by Temple would separate the Leopards 1 ½ games ahead of SwCC. Teams would be chasing the Leopards in the third spot, and then breathing will be a ton easier in a ten-day break.

A loss could drop Temple into a wealth of rocky issues: A fourth-place tie with at least Southwestern Christian and the ten-day break that includes a conference bye that would Temple to scoreboard watch the traffic around them. That could have the Leopards facing MCC on March 5 in Waco with a potential playoff berth on the line.

MCC (8-2) and Weatherford (9-3) will battle for first and second place. The Highlanders and Grayson College are the only teams in conference with four games remaining.

The top four teams in the NTJCAC qualify the Region V Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments, which will be held at McLennan Community College March 12-15.