USF shocks Tigers, 75-73

Saturday, February 8

Memphis, Tenn.

3 PM

University of Memphis

17-6,6-4AAC

USF

11-12,4-6AAC

South Fla.

Memphis

Isaiah Maurice scores on a reverse layup for two of his eight points.

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Feb 08, 2020 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Gamebook (USF 75, UM 73)Memphis Season Statistics (Overall)Memphis Season Statistics (AAC Only)

Injuries, foul trouble prove too much for UofM to overcome

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis shot 58 percent in the second half, committed only 11 turnovers and got 39 points from its reserves, but couldn't overcome multiple obstacles in Saturday's 75-73 American Athletic Conference loss to USF at FedExForum.

The Tigers (17-6, 6-4 American) played without key reserve center Malcolm Dandridge – out with a slight knee injury – and played the final minutes without starters Precious Achiuwa and Lance Thomas, who both left the game after being injured. Achiuwa, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, walked off with 4:41 left and Thomas left the floor two minutes later.

Memphis was also without starting forward D.J. Jeffries, who suffered a knee injury last week in practice that will keep him out for much of the rest of the regular season.

Add to the mix being outrebounded by the Bulls, 41-29, and the Tigers were unable to pull out the win, despite a furious rally in the closing minutes.

"We didn't get it done," said Tigers coach Penny Hardaway. "We got into foul trouble in the first half, which started our little downfall. We just never really got a rhythm with guys in foul trouble and not being able to play aggressively. It was a total embarrassment today."

USF (11-12, 4-6 American) got 21 points each from David Collins and Laquincy Rideau to pull off the victory and avenge a 68-64 loss to the Tigers in Tampa Jan. 12.

The Tigers were led in scoring by reserve guard Tyler Harris, who finished with 17, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer. It was one of his five 3-pointers. Guards Boogie Ellis and Alex Lomax added 14 points apiece and Lester Quinones scored 10.

Achiuwa, who entered the game averaging 15.1 points and 10.1 rebounds, was held to six points and three rebounds. The three rebounds were a season low.

"This season we've had to (endure) a lot of distractions," Harris said. "We can't make excuses. We've got to keep playing hard."

Trailing by nine (67-58) with 3:30 left, the Tigers rallied behind Lomax and Ellis. Lomax nailed a 3-pointer, Ellis converted a four-point play (a 3-pointer from the right corner and a converted free throw) and Lomax followed with another 3 to tie the game at 68 with 1:31 to go.

But USF ended the game on a 7-2 run before Harris' final 3-pointer.

"Obviously it was a bad loss," Lomax said. "But we've got to keep fighting and stay a family."

The Tigers led by three at the half, but the Bulls used four 3-pointers and a conventional three-point play to take their biggest lead (53-44) with 11 minutes left.

Memphis led 42-41 with 14:25 to after Ellis drove the lane and dropped in a lefthanded layup. But the Bulls went on a 9-0 run to take a 50-42 lead. A Rashun Williams 3-pointer made it 53-44 shortly thereafter.

After the Tigers trimmed the deficit to five (53-48) on back-to-back layups by Ellis and Quinones, USF regained a nine-point advantage after Madut Akec's layup with 8:25 left.

At the half, the Tigers led 34-31 despite shooting 39.3 percent and missing 10 of their 13 attempts from beyond the arc.

The UofM helped itself in the opening half by committing only four turnovers and getting late first-half contributions from Harris and Lomax. The sophomores from Memphis scored the team's final 13 points of the opening half with Harris dropping in two 3-pointers, the last of which came with 22 seconds remaining to give Memphis a 34-31 lead.

Achiuwa scored six of the UofM's first eight points, but was limited to six minutes because of foul trouble.

Collins had 11 at the half to lead USF.

Memphis plays next at Cincinnati Thursday night.

TIGERS NOTES

After being the team's leading rebounder in 18 consecutive games, freshman forward Precious Achiuwa was held to a season-low three rebounds in the game, the result of foul trouble and a second-half injury.
The Tigers were outrebounded, 41-29, and were led in rebounding by Lance Thomas, who had five.
The Tigers got 39 points from their bench, the most since scoring 47 in a 97-55 win over New Orleans Dec. 28 at FedExForum.
Justin Brown led USF with 16 rebounds, seven on the offensive boards.