Tigers Take Down Little Rock in Home Opener

Tuesday, November 14

Memphis, Tenn.

7 PM

University of Memphis

1-1

Little Rock

0-2

Little Rock

Memphis

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Nov 14, 2017 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Postgame Quotes Memphis 70, Little Rock 62

Jeremiah Martin scores career-high 26 points in win

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Jeremiah Martin scored a career-high 26 points to lead Memphis to its first win of the season, 70-62, over Little Rock Tuesday night in the home opener at FedExForum. The home-opener win is the 15th consecutive for the Tigers.

Martin took over the game halfway through the first half, after a sluggish start by the Tigers. Memphis trailed 21-7 in the first half before Martin went on a tear to end the second half. The junior guard scored 13 points in the final seven minutes to help trim the lead to 32-27 at halftime.

"Thank goodness Jeremiah Martin stepped up, raised up, he played superb game," Memphis head coach Tubby Smith said. "Kyvon Davenport gave us some clutch shots, Malik Rhodes as well down the stretch there. That's what those guys are supposed to do. They're veteran players and I'm really proud of how we recovered. After we responded to not playing well in the first half. We just couldn't guard them, but we figured it out."

Down just five at halftime, the Tigers came out in the second half with a greater sense of urgency. Little Rock would lead by as many as four points early in the second half, but no more.

Kyvon Davenport, who finished with 13 points, gave Memphis its first lead of the game with 5:22 left to play. Davenport has scored in double figures in each of the first two games of his Tigers career.

After Davenport's go-ahead bucket, he came back down the floor and knocked in a three-pointer to extend the Tigers lead out to five points. Memphis would never relinquish that lead.

Martin finished with a career-high four made three-pointers and tied his career high with seven field goals made. Martin's previous high-scoring game was 25 points in last season's win at Oklahoma.

Malik Rhodes scored nine points and added a team-high four assists. Kareem Brewton Jr. tacked on seven points and Jamal Johnson scored five points.

Memphis took care of the ball in the second half, finishing with just one turnover after the break. The Tigers showed improvement at the free-throw line and beyond the arc as well, shooting 16-of-23 and 8-of-18 respectively.

Three Little Rock players scored in double figures, including Jaizec Lottie who led the team with 12 points.

Memphis will be back in action at FedExForum in one week, to host New Orleans on Tuesday, November 21 at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling the ticket office at 901-678-2331 or visiting GoTigersGoTix.com.