Men's basketball advances to AAC quarterfinals

Thursday, March 14

Memphis, Tenn.

2 PM

University of Memphis

20-12

Tulane

4-27

Tulane

Memphis

Mike Parks Jr. (10) had his best game of the season with 14 points, 13 rebounds.

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Mar 14, 2019 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Boxscore (UM 83, TLN 68)Memphis Season Statistics (Overall)Memphis AAC Notes Supplement (vs. UCF)

Tigers use balanced attack to beat Tulane; await No. 4 seed UCF on Friday

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Jeremiah Martin scored a game-high 21 points, Kyvon Davenport added 17 and Mike Parks contributed his first double-double of the season to lead the University of Memphis to an 83-68 opening-round victory Thursday over Tulane in the American Athletic Conference Championship.

The Tigers (20-12) advanced to Friday's quarterfinals, where they'll play No. 4 seed UCF at 1 p.m. The Knights (23-7) received a first-round bye.

In Thursday's win, the Tigers improved to 16-2 at FedExForum by connecting on 11 3-pointers, outrebounding the Green Wave, 42-33, and scoring 52 first-half points. Memphis won for the seventh time in nine games.

While Tigers' coach Penny Hardaway wasn't pleased with his team's finish – Tulane (4-27) trimmed what had been a 23-point deficit early in the second half to single digits (77-68) in the closing minutes – he was happy to advance.

"Tulane had nothing to lose because they hadn't won a game in conference, and they had a week to prepare for us," Hardaway said. "We got lax being up by 20, we went away from our game plan but, luckily for us, we got the game back under control."

Caleb Daniels led Tulane with 19 points.

The Green Wave, which was 0-18 in regular-season conference games, did not score in the game's final three minutes. During that stretch, the Tigers were knocking down free throws. Memphis made 6-of-8 free throws, including 5-of-6 from Martin.

Parks had his best game of the season with 14 points -- to tie a season-high -- and 13 rebounds -- to set a career-high. Parks made 6-of-6 field goals.

"Mike came out and played phenomenal," Hardaway said. "It was his best game of the season by far."

Davenport also stepped up after a lackluster late-season stretch in which he scored in double figures once in four games. His 17 points were the most since scoring 26 Feb. 10 against UConn.

Wearing their throwback Memphis State uniforms for the third time this season, the Tigers extended a 14-point halftime lead to 23 (65-42) early in the second half. Two three-point plays from Davenport in the opening five minutes fed a 13-4 run.

From the point, Memphis maintained a double-digit lead with the exception of a one-minute stretch in the closing minutes.

At the half, the Tigers led, 52-38, behind impressive shooting. The UofM made 18-of-33 field goals (54.5 percent) and eight of nine free throws. The Tigers also made eight of 17 3-pointers, including three by Tyler Harris. Harris finished with 12 points – all on 3-pointers – off the bench.

The UofM also took care of the basketball in the opening half committing only five turnovers.

Tulane led early in the first half, the last lead coming at 17-16 with about 13 minutes to go. From that point, Memphis pulled away getting contributions from everyone. Harris dropped in two 3-pointers in a two-minute span and Alex Lomax added another, along with Isaiah Maurice and Martin.

The Tigers closed the half on a 28-14 run, fueled by more 3-pointers: one each from Kareem Brewton, Davenport and Harris.

Tulane also shot better than 50 percent (51.7), but was out-rebounded, 18-12, and hampered by eight turnovers.

NOTABLE

Jeremiah Martin moved into the Top 10 on the Tigers' career-scoring list with his 21-point effort. Martin now has 1,548 points, three more than Chris Douglas-Roberts, whom he displaced at No. 10.
The 11 3-pointers by Memphis were the team's third-highest total of the season.
Martin has scored 631 points this season, the fifth-most by a senior in school history. Ahead of him are Larry FInch (721), Keith Lee (688), Elliot Perry (665) and Rodney Carney (636).
Tigers' guard Jeremiah Martin played 31 minutes, his least amount of time on the court since playing 28 minutes at USF Feb. 2.
Mike Parks Jr. posted his first double-double of the season and the third of his career. He finished with 14 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.
Tulane ended its season with 21 consecutive losses. The Green Wave did not win a game after defeating Texas Southern Dec. 17.
Tulane outscored the Tigers, 22-4, on fast-break points.
UCF and Memphis split two regular-season games. Memphis won, 77-57, at FedExForum and UCF won, 79-72, in Orlando.