SMU hangs on to beat Tigers

Tuesday, February 25

Dallas, Texas

8 PM

University of Memphis

19-9,8-7AAC

SMU (Powerful Minds Game)

19-8,9-6AAC

Memphis

SMU

Precious Achiuwa led the Tigers with 17 points and 7 rebounds in 19 minutes.

Photo by: George Walker/DFWsportsonline

Feb 25, 2020 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Gamebook (SMU 58, UM 53)Memphis Season Statistics (Overall)Memphis Season Statistics (AAC Only)

UofM sees its two-game winning streak come to an end

By: Phil Stukenborg

DALLAS – Precious Achiuwa scored 17 points, Lester Quinones added 16 and the University of Memphis men's basketball team limited SMU, the American Athletic Conference's top shooting team, well under its average Tuesday night at Moody Coliseum.

The Tigers also out-rebounded the Mustangs (39-35) and shot 85.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Despite those numbers, the Tigers dropped a 58-53 decision to the Mustangs to fall to 19-9 overall and 8-7 in conference play. SMU improved to 19-8, 9-6 in the AAC. Tyson Jolly led SMU with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The Tigers, like SMU, shot 34 percent and had their two-game winning streak snapped. The UofM was also hampered by committing 21 turnovers,

"I'm angry moreso than deflated," said Tigers coach Penny Hardaway. "We let an opportunity pass us by."

Hardaway was disappointed his team didn't display the same intensity it did in last weekend's 60-59 upset of No. 22 Houston.

"We just didn't come out with the same fire and desperation as we did (against Houston)," Quinones said.

Trailing by 12 at halftime, the Tigers used a 10-0 Achiuwa-powered run to cut the deficit to two points, with 16:14 to go.Quinones capped the run with a deep 3-pointer from the left wing. Achiuwa scored the first seven points of the half, most on strong, NBA-ready moves to the rim.

But, as they did in the first half, the Mustangs had an answer. A 9-2 SMU run made it 41-32 with 12:19 left. Jolly ended the run with a three-point play.

SMU eventually extended its advantage to 15 points (47-32) midway through the half, a stretch in which Achiuwa picked up his third and fourth fouls on a technical and an illegal screen. He went to the bench with 11:37 to go.

Memphis never got closer than six points until Quinones' 3-pointer in the final second of the game.

At the half, the Mustangs led, 32-20, on the strength of shooting 43 percent and limiting the Tigers to 30 percent shooting.

The Tigers led briefly in the early going (4-2), but SMU went on a 10-0 run, including three straight layups.

The UofM chipped away and trimmed the advantage to two points (18-16) following a 5-0 run: a layup by Boogie Ellis, a jump hook by Isaiah Maurice and a free throw by Ellis.

But the Mustangs responded with nine consecutive points, ending on a 3-pointer by Jolly and a layup by Feron Hunt for an 11-point advantage (27-16). The lead reached 12 points on two occasions in the closing minute.

Memphis made only one 3-pointer (in 10 attempts) in the opening half. Jolly had 10 points at halftime for SMU.

The Tigers stay on the road to play at Tulane Saturday night.

TIGERS NOTEBOOK

Tigers forward Precious Achiuwa did not commit a foul in last weekend's upset of No. 22 Houston. He picked up two fouls in the opening 3:07 against SMU.
Memphis committed a season-low eight turnovers against Houston. The Tigers had 10 at halftime against SMU and finished with 21. SMU scored 20 points off the UofM turnovers.
Isaiah Maurice did not warm up because of a left leg injury, but played 12 minutes and scored four points.
Damion Baugh led the Tigers with six assists.