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[Fred David/The Daily Pennsylvanian] Temple guard Dustin Salisbery screeches to a halt with Villanova's Curtis Sumter in pursuit Saturday. Salisbery hit the game-winning shot.

Dustin Salisbery had the chance to be a hero last week but came up short, missing a three-pointer at the buzzer that would have given the Temple men's basketball team a victory over Arizona State.

This past weekend against Villanova, Salisbery didn't miss.

The sophomore guard sunk the game-winner on the Palestra floor to defeat the Wildcats, the favorites to win the Big 5. Salisbery's clutch shot made it easy for Temple fans to forget the missed opportunity of the previous game.

Salisbery has broken out this season with late-game heroics and starter-like statistics as the Owls' sixth man.

Despite his reserve role, the Lancaster, Pa., native led the Cherry and White in scoring three of the five games this year. So the Quakers will have to respect his skill when the two teams face off at the Liacouras Center tonight.

"He was a spark off the bench for them" against Villanova, Penn sophomore guard Ibby Jaaber said. "He's very long so he was a big part of their defense."

The Owls have had to make up for the early shooting problems of freshman guard Mark Tyndale, last year's Philadelphia Public League Player of the Year at Simon Gratz High School. While he has managed to contribute 13.4 points per game, the rookie was expected to produce more offensively and enters tonight's game shooting just 29 percent from the field.

With Tyndale running cold, it was Salisbery who got the chance to sink the three-pointer in the final minute against Villanova.

Junior guard Mardy Collins backed his defender into the lane before kicking it out to Salisbery, who was left wide open.

"Mardy does a great job of driving and penetrating," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. "Dustin is a very good shooter when he spots up, so we will have to prevent the opportunity of the drive-and-shoot."

"I'm just glad that Mardy had the confidence in me to pass it," Salisbery said after the game. "That just showed the team chemistry that we have."

It also shows that Salisbery is winning the trust of his teammates after making some poor shooting decisions last season.

Salisbery saw serious playing time as a freshman, but was oftentimes too quick to shoot instead of looking for his teammates. Despite scoring in double figures in 11 games, he finished the season averaging just seven points per game. He went through a seven-game slump in which he shot 5-for-32 and ended the season with just 13 points in his last four contests.

"He made his share of freshman mistakes, but that is typically what happens," Dunphy said. "He makes better decisions the older he gets."

Salisbery has shown strong improvements already this season, one of which came at the Palestra over the weekend.

Temple coach John Chaney said after the Villanova game that Salisbery was more "even-tempered" and vocal with his teammates against the Wildcats, which helped set up big baskets for guys like Tyndale.

"Usually he doesn't say anything to Mark, but this time, he did and Mark hit a big basket," Chaney said. "I can't wait to tell him to get away from that selfish attitude."

Salisbery said that while his game is improving, Coach Chaney has told him he still needs to work on his hustle and defense.

"He feeds off of offense, but you've got to be in a frenzy on defense too," Chaney said. "Quick moves or bad moves can turn a game immediately.

"I don't think it's all out of his system yet. I have to slap him around a little more."

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