Tigers trip No. 4 seed UCF, earn spot in American Athletic Championship semifinals

Friday, March 15

Memphis, Tenn.

1 PM

University of Memphis

21-12

UCF

23-8

Memphis

UCF

Isaiah Maurice (14) scores two of his career-high 21 points as Kyvon Davenport (left) celebrates.

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Tigers trip No. 4 seed UCF, earn spot in American Athletic Championship semifinals

Mar 15, 2019 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Boxscore (UM 79, UCF 55)Memphis Season Statistics (Overall)Memphis AAC Notes Supplement (vs. Houston)

Maurice, Davenport lead UofM into Saturday matchup against top seed Houston

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Isaiah Maurice scored a career-high 21 points and Kyvon Davenport added his 18^th career double-double to lead the University of Memphis past No. 4 seed UCF, 79-55, Friday and into the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Championship.

The Tigers (21-12) will meet No. 1 seed Houston in the first semifinal, which tips off at 2 p.m. Saturday at FedExForum. Houston (30-2) advanced with a lopsided victory over UConn.

As he left the floor moments after a postgame radio interview, Maurice was serenaded by dozens of fans in the arena's lower bowl chanting his name. Others exchanged high-fives with the junior forward.

It was deserved adoration.

In the UofM's 24-point win, Maurice made 8 of 11 field goals – including three 3-pointers – and added three assists.

Maurice had scored in double figures only once since Jan. 13. His ability to pull 7-foot-6 UCF center Tacko Fall away from the basket with his outside shooting ability was a key factor in the win. Maurice scored his 21 points in 23 minutes off the bench.

Hardaway called it Maurice's "best game of the year" and said the 6-foot-10 forward can be "one of the best 5s in the conference" when he plays like he did Friday.

"My main focus was to just come in and produce," Maurice said. "I was just trying to have fun out there."

As for Davenport, he provided 16 points and 11 rebounds to continue a postseason trend.

Davenport averaged 18 points and nearly eight rebounds in last season's run to the semifinals. He's averaging 16.5 points through two games in this week's Championship.

"When he makes his mind up, he's impossible to stop," Tigers coach Penny Hardaway said. "He is showing up at the right time."

Davenport, an athletic 6-foot-8 forward, had struggled offensively in the team's final seven regular-season games, averaging fewer than eight points. He had 17 points and seven rebounds in a first-round victory over Tulane.

Jeremiah Martin also scored in double figures for the Tigers, finishing with 13 points, 11 coming from the free throw line. Only Fall scored in double figures for the Knights (23-8). He had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Ahead by 10 at the half, the Tigers opened the second on a 7-2 run to go up by 16, 44-28. Raynere Thornton buried a corner trey and Kareem Brewton had a three-point play during the run.

Memphis maintained its double-digit advantage through the under-16-minute timeout, leading 51-35 after a twisting layup by Antwann Jones. The lead reached 20 points with about eight minutes left when Maurice knocked down a 3-pointer from beyond the elbow for a 58-38 cushion.

The Tigers' advantage reached 22 points with less than six minutes remaining on a layup by Davenport that was assisted by Maurice.

At the half, Memphis led, 37-27, pulling away late in the half to take a double-digit lead, its largest of the opening 20 minutes. The Tigers ended the half on an 11-2 run, which included two 3-pointers from Davenport.

After falling behind 11-4 early, the Tigers overcame their cold shooting to eventually take a 14-11 advantage following a 3-pointer by Tyler Harris. The Tigers did not trail the remainder of the half.

Davenport scored 12 points in the opening half and Maurice added 10. The Tigers shot 40 percent in the opening half and made five 3-pointers. They also were 8-of-10 from the free throw line.

UCF shot 43 percent and dropped in three 3-pointers, but the Knights did not shoot a free throw in the opening 20 minutes.

NOTABLE

Kyvon Davenport was named to the AAC all-tournament team a year after averaging 18 points and 7.6 rebounds during the team's run to the semifinals. He's making a bid to earn a second-consecutive spot. He's averaging 16.5 points and 9 rebounds through two games this week.
Davenport recorded the 18^th double-double of his career in the victory and 10^th of the season.
Isaiah Maurice said he had never experienced what he experienced after the game when fans began chanting his name as he walked off the court. "It was a special moment," he said.
The Tigers improved to 16-1 against UCF in games played in Memphis. Earlier this season, the Tigers won, 77-57, at FedExForum.
UCF had defeated sixth-ranked Houston and 19^th-ranked Cincinnati earlier this month and had won four of five games. The Knights are expected to earn an at-large berth and play in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2005.
Memphis improved to 17-2 at FedExForum this season. The only losses have been to then-No. 3 Tennessee in December and then-No. 25 Cincinnati in February.
Defensively, the Tigers limited UCF to 28 percent shooting in the second half and 36 percent shooting for the game. The Knights were averaging 46 percent shooting entering the game.