University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
7-4
Western Illinois
4-6
Tigers Post 78-51 Win Over Western Illinois Tuesday
Dec 23, 2014 | Men's Basketball
Box Score | Quotes | Notes
Box Score (PDF) 
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - University of Memphis' Nick King posted his first collegiate double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and two other Tigers nearly recorded double-doubles of their own to lift the home team to a 78-51 non-conference victory over Western Illinois at FedExForum Tuesday. King's 10 rebounds were a career high.
Trahson Burrell added 10 points and nine rebounds, and Calvin Godfrey posted season highs of 12 points and nine boards. Austin Nichols scored 12 points, and Pookie Powell had 10 points and four assists.
The Tigers defense was the story of the contest. Memphis held Western Illinois to 30.5 percent shooting from the field and 21.1 percent from the three-point arc. The Tigers out-rebounded the Fighting Leathernecks 48-30. Western Illinois' Garret Covington entered the game as The Summit League's leading scorer with a 17.8 scoring average, but the Tigers defense held the Fighting Leathernecks guard to only four points on 1-of-11 field goals, 0-of-7 treys and 2-of-2 free throws.
Memphis opened the game with a 9-0 run and never looked back. The Nichols-King tandem accounted for all nine Tigers points in the run. Nichols had six points, while King scored three in the game-opening spurt.
The Fighting Leathernecks cut the Memphis lead to 12-8 at the 14:26 mark of the first half, but the Tigers responded with a 16-0 spurt to grab a 28-8 advantage and put the contest out of reach. Godfrey and Kuran Iverson each netted four points in the run. Memphis led 41-14 at the break.
After halftime, Memphis maintained its substantial lead throughout the second half, with Western Illinois getting no closer than 18 points.
The Tigers shot 50 percent from the floor, 22.2 percent from the three-point line and 73.7 percent from the free throw line. Memphis had 17 assists compared to only 12 turnovers. The Tigers assisted on 17 of their 31 field goals made.
Memphis takes a few days off from competition for the Christmas break and returns to action Dec. 31 with its American Athletic Conference opener. The Tigers host Houston in the league opener at 1 p.m. (CT) at FedExForum. ESPNU is televising the game.
