Temple’s women’s basketball team is preparing for its American Athletic Conference Tournament matchup against Charlotte with one thing in mind: revenge.

Last season, the Owls earned a share of the regular season title but fell short, losing to Rice 60-57 in the semifinals. This year, the Owls are in Fort Worth as the No. 4 seed, looking for retribution after finishing with a 19-10 record on the season and a 13-5 mark in conference play, earning the fourth seed in the tournament.

Here’s everything you need to know before Temple’s matchup against the Charlotte 49ers, which is set for a 3 p.m. Monday tipoff.

Momentum

Temple closed the regular season out with six straight wins, fueled by a strong defense. The Owls won by controlling the tempo of the game, forcing turnovers and getting out in transition to score fast, averaging 67 points per game.

The Owls’ scoring comes from its patented equal-opportunity offense, which has seen five Temple players average seven or more points on the season. However, a big part of the Owls' win streak has come from controlling the boards behind forwards Amaya Oliver, Jaleesa Molina and Anissa Rivera, as Temple has outrebounded all of its opponents during the win streak.

In spite of Temple’s recent success, the Owls have been plagued this season with long scoring droughts. If Temple hopes to capture the AAC Championship, the Owls will have to play a consistent and high-energy 40 minutes of basketball.

Key contributors

Guard Tiarra East leads the Owls, averaging 14 points per game, but has struggled with inconsistent play throughout the conference slate. However, the senior guard was able to find her rhythm to close out the regular season, scoring a career-high 33 points against Rice before an 18-point performance against Charlotte.

East will be crucial for the Owls, especially late in the game, with her ability to create shots and deliver in big moments.

Alongside the importance of East will be Alabama A&M transfer Kaylah Turner. The guard has made an immediate impact in her first year on North Broad Street off the bench, earning the American Athletic Conference Sixth Player of the Year award.

Turner’s speed and ability to generate instant offense off the bench for the Owls might help mitigate any offensive dry spouts the offense may go through.

Molina is another important piece for the Owls, as the sophomore forward's development has played a big role in Temple’s success this season. Molina leads the Owls in grabbing nearly seven rebounds a game while using her length and speed to guard any position.

Scouting Charlotte

Charlotte finished the season with an 11-20 record, particularly struggling during conference play with a record of 4-14. The 49ers' scoring offense was ranked last in the AAC, averaging 59 points per game, while the scoring defense was second to last, allowing 67 points per outing.

The 49ers ended the season on a three-game losing streak, falling to 12th in the conference standings, and have to play in the first round of the tournament. Despite this, Charlotte has found some rhythm in Fort Worth, defeating No. 13 FAU 55-51 before upsetting No. 5 Tulsa 71-66 en route to earning a spot in the quarterfinals.

The 49ers are led by their duo of guard Hayleigh Breland and forward Keanna Rembert, who both average 11 points per game. Breland is coming off a 23-point performance against Tulsa in which the junior shot 9-for-11 from the field, knocking down four threes.

In the matchup against Tulsa, the 49ers were able to score effectively in the fourth quarter, shooting 62% in the quarter and controlling the boards against the Golden Hurricane. Rembert is one of the better rebounders in the AAC, averaging nearly six a game and playing a big role in creating second chances for the 49ers.

The Owls beat the 49ers 60-54 to close out the regular season last Tuesday, with three Temple players hitting double figures. Temple’s offense struggled in the first quarter, scoring just four points, but regrouped with a strong second-half performance to handle Charlotte.