Tigers fall to UCF despite career-high 23 points from Kyvon Davenport

Sunday, February 11

Memphis, Tenn.

3 PM

University of Memphis

14-11, 5-7American

UCF

15-9, 6-6American

UCF

Memphis

Kyvon Davenport (diving, right) scored a career-high 23 points Sunday vs. UCF

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Tigers fall to UCF despite career-high 23 points from Kyvon Davenport

Feb 11, 2018 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Memphis-UCF Boxscore Memphis Season Statistics (Overall/Conference Only)

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Kyvon Davenport scored a career-high 23 points and added a team-high eight rebounds, but his efforts weren't enough Sunday for the University of Memphis.

UCF got 22 points from B.J. Taylor and 20 from A.J. Davis to lead the Knights to a 68-64 American Athletic Conference victory over the Tigers at FedExForum. Memphis (14-11, 5-7 American) dropped its third straight game.

UCF improved to 15-9 overall and 6-6 in league play.

The Tigers finished with 14 assists, eight steals, three blocks and 27 rebounds – one fewer than UCF – and made 17 of 19 free throws. But they were undone by allowing the Knights to shoot 56 percent in the first half and 52.9 percent for the game. UCF scored 42 points in the paint and made key 3-pointers down the stretch.

"It was a disappointing loss," Tiger coach Tubby Smith said. "I'm disappointed in our defense and how we defended the 3-point shot. Once again, the 3-point shot did us in.

"But Kyvon had a good effort, Jeremiah (Martin) played well and David Nickelberry came in and did a good job for us. Victor (Enoh) did a good job. We just didn't get the scoring out of the guard spot. That's where we had trouble."

Starting guard Jamal Johnson was held scoreless in 23 minutes and reserve guard Kareem Brewton, who had 12 points against Wichita State last week, was limited to two points on 1-of-8 shooting.

Martin, the league's leading scorer at 19.3 points per game contributed 17 points, four assists and three steals. Mike Parks Jr., added 10 points and five rebounds. The Tigers' bench, which scored 40 points in last week's loss to nationally ranked Wichita State, was held to 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

Earlier this season, the Tigers dropped a 65-56 decision at UCF. The Knights' 7-foot-6 center, Tacko Fall, had several key dunks in the closing minutes of the Knights' victory in Orlando, but did not play Sunday. He is out the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury.

Memphis had its moments in the second half. The Tigers led briefly (37-36 and 41-40) early in the half and were tied at 50 with 10:21 to go after two free throws by Victor Enoh.

UCF gradually pulled away. The Knights led by eight (64-56) with three minutes left on a 3-pointer by Davis. The Tigers made one last run and trimmed the UCF lead to two (66-64) with 16.6 seconds to go on a corner 3-pointer from Jimario Rivers. The Knights' Taylor sealed the UCF win with two free throws a second later.

The TIgers have six regular-season games remaining -- three on the road, three at home - and Davenport said the Tigers can close the season strong if they "share the ball more." Smith said if the Tigers had dished out two more assists "we probably would have won the game."

At the half, Memphis trailed, 32-30, after spending most of the opening 20 minutes with the lead. The Tigers led by five points on several occasions, the last coming at 26-21 on a Martin drive to the basket that beat the shot clock.

Davenport had 12 points in the first half on 4-of-5 shooting, including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. Martin had seven points in the opening half.

The Tigers shot 42 percent and were outrebounded, 16-11, in the first half, but forced nine turnovers. A layup at the buzzer by UCF's Rokas Ulvydas gave the Knights the lead at the break.

After back-to-back league home games, the Tigers go on the road for games Wednesday at SMU and Saturday at Tulane. After the two-game road trip, the Tigers will play three of their four remaining games at home.

QUOTABLE

"The defensive stops – you've got to get them and we didn't." – Tigers coach Tubby Smith.

NOTABLES

+ Former Tiger basketball player Antonio Anderson was among four ex-Memphis athletes introduced at halftime following their induction into the M Club Hall of Fame Saturday night on the U of M campus. Baseball player Chad Zurcher, women's basketball player Connie Hibbler and football player John Bomer also were introduced.
+ Tiger guard Jeremiah Martin was held to four points on 1-of-6 shooting in the team's Jan. 3 loss at UCF. He was 6-of-13 shooting Sunday and 3-of-3 from the free throw line for 17 points.
+ Memphis was averaging nearly 15 turnovers per game in league play, but committed only 10 against UCF.
+ UCF entered the game ranked third nationally in scoring defense at 61.3 points per game and fifth nationally in field goal defense (38.5 percent). The Tigers finished slightly better than the Knights' average with 64 points and 41.2 percent shooting.
+ UCF won for the first time in 15 meetings against the Tigers in Memphis. Twelve of those games have been played at FedExForum. UCF is now 1-11 vs. the Tigers at FedExForum.