Men’s Basketball Rises To Double-Overtime Win Over Mercer

Saturday, December 2

Memphis, Tenn.

4 PM

University of Memphis

4-2

Mercer

5-4

OT 1

OT 2

Mercer

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Men’s Basketball Rises To Double-Overtime Win Over Mercer

Dec 02, 2017 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Postgame Quotes Memphis-Mercer Boxscore Memphis Season Statistics

Jimario Rivers scored a career-high 18 points with eight rebounds

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis men's basketball team clawed its way back from a 10-point second-half deficit to defeat Mercer in double overtime by a score of 83-81 Saturday at FedExForum. The Tigers came back to tie the contest, twice, in the second half and hit crucial overtime free throws to come away with its fourth victory of the season.

It was the first double-overtime contest for the Tigers since the 91-79 victory over Southern Miss on Mar. 16, 2013. This is the first overtime game for Memphis this season.

The Tigers had four players in double figures, led by Jeremiah Martin's floor-high 19 points. Jimario Rivers added a career-high tying 18 points for the Tigers while Jamal Johnson made a season-high four three-pointers for 12 points. Kyvon Davenport finished with his second career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out in the first overtime period.

Memphis took care of the basketball and capitalized on free throws throughout the entirety of the contest. The Tigers finished with a season-low nine turnovers and made a season-high 30 free throws at a clip of 88.2 percent.

After taking an early lead over the Bears, Memphis saw itself down nine heading into the intermission. Mercer hit a three-pointer as the first half expired to take the commanding lead.

Memphis proceeded to cut what was a nine-point Mercer halftime lead down to as little as one with 12:31 left in the second half. Johnson's second three-pointer of the contest ignited an 8-0 Tigers run to put Memphis in position to regain the lead for the first time since early in the first half.

The Bears had an answer, however, with a 12-3 run of its own to go back up 10 with less than seven minutes to play.

Memphis wasn't done yet. Down 56-46 after the Mercer run, Memphis responded with an 11-1 run of its own to tie up the game for the first time since the 13:04 mark in the first half. Just as Mercer regained the lead, Johnson knocked down another three-pointer with 27 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.

With the first overtime ending in a tie, Memphis took an early 4-0 lead in the second extra period. The Bears came back to tie the game up two more times before Martin knocked down the game-winning free throws with :03 remaining. Once Memphis took the lead at 83-81, the defense held strong and kept Mercer from taking a desperation shot as time expired.

The homestand continues for the Tigers Tuesday evening with a 7 p.m. contest against Samford. Tuesday's game is one of two games in the month of December that is broadcasted locally on CW30 and ESPN3.com.