No. 16 Tigers knock off unbeaten Ole Miss

Saturday, November 23

Memphis, Tenn.

12 PM

University of Memphis

5-1,0-0AAC

Ole Miss

4-1,0-0SEC

Ole Miss

Memphis

D.J. Jeffries came in off the bench to contribute 23 points, including several dunks.

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Nov 23, 2019 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Gamebook (UM 87, OM 86)

Achiuwa posts second-straight double-double; Jeffries contributes 23 points

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Its heralded freshman class was missing its All-American and, early in the first half, it lost its starting guard.

Yet, without 7-foot-1 All-American James Wiseman and without guard Lester Quinones for most of the game with a hand injury, 16^th-ranked University of Memphis passed its first big home test of the young season.

The Tigers (5-1) defeated Ole Miss, 87-86, before 17,875 Saturday at FedExForum, relying on two other key freshmen, 52 percent shooting and experienced second-year guards Alex Lomax and Tyler Harris.

Freshman forward Precious Achiuwa posted his second-straight double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while D.J. Jeffries came off the bench to supply 23 points, four rebounds and two blocks. Lomax was superb in 29 reserve minutes, finishing with 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Harris scored 15 points, including three 3-pointers.

Ole Miss (4-1) entered the game unbeaten and holding the opposition to 52 points per game. No Rebel opponent had scored 60 points this season.

"I'm very proud of a young (Memphis) team coming out against a veteran team and basically growing up right before our eyes," said Tigers coach Penny Hardaway. "I couldn't have been more proud of everything that happened (today).

"We had our bumps and bruises but, for the most part . . . the big time plays we made at the beginning of the game, in the middle of the game, at the end of the game – especially after Lester got hurt and couldn't come back, the troops rallied and pulled a huge win out."

The Tigers played their third straight game without Wiseman, who is being withheld from games by the NCAA until Jan. 12 at USF. Quinones was hurt midway through the first half and did not return.

With a depleted attack, Achiuwa, Jeffries, Lomax and Harris stepped up. Lomax was particularly effective for the second-straight game and had several key moments, including completing a three-point play for a 73-65 lead with four minutes left and later driving and scoring on a left-handed layup for a 79-71 advantage with 1:41 to go.

He also made 4-of-4 free throws in the final 1:16.

"A-Lo knows my system, he understands me, he understands the flow, he's won a lot of ballgames in his career," Hardaway said. "He won six state championships in seven years, so he understands the game. He's a winner. He's already a tough guy.

"And he knows we have a very young team, so when he comes in the game he knows he has to affect the game right away. Whether that's fair to him or not, we need him to be on every single game. I was proud of him today."

Lomax was happy to be the calming effect Saturday, especially after the Tigers nearly squandered a 16-point second-half lead.

"At one point in the game we were starting to get a little wild," Lomax said. "So I was having to tell myself we need to calm down, listen to coach and run some sets. The ball was in my hands toward the end of the shot clock and I happened to make some good plays at the right time."

Memphis led by 16 (64-48) with 11:18 left, but Ole Miss hit three 3-pointers in the final six minutes and 11 straight free throws at one stretch to make the final minutes close. Ole Miss' Blake Hinson hit a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it a one-point game.

In the first half, the Tigers and Rebels battled each possession before the UofM pulled away with a 7-0 run in the closing three minutes for a 45-38 advantage.

The Tigers benefited from the play of Lomax who came in to ignite the offense behind a combination of alley-oop assists and strong rebounding. He assisted Isaiah Maurice for a layup that gave the Tigers a 29-28 lead with just under six minutes remaining. Memphis never trailed the rest of the half or in the second half.

The Tigers shot 56 percent to offset a lack of 3-point shooting (1-of-5) and scored 45 first-half points against an Ole Miss team that entered allowing only 52 per game. The Rebels made 6-of-14 from beyond the arc of offset 36 percent shooting.

Midway through the half, the Rebels led, 14-12, courtesy of a trio of 3-pointers, but never led by more than four points.

Ole Miss was led in scoring by Breein Tyree, who finished with 24 points.

"It was a great game, it was an awesome Memphis crowd," said Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis. "I admire how the young guys play with that physicality and passion early in their careers, and that's a credit to Penny and his staff."

Memphis resumes play on Thanksgiving Day against N.C. State in Brooklyn in the Barclays Center Classic.