Tigers close home schedule with huge win

Thursday, March 5

Memphis, Tenn.

8 PM

University of Memphis

21-9,10-7AAC

Wichita State

22-8,10-7AAC

Wichita St.

Memphis

Precious Achiuwa posted his 17th double-double of the season in Thursday's win over Wichita State.

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Mar 05, 2020 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Gamebook (UM 68, WSU 60)Memphis Season Statistics (Overall)Memphis Season Statistics (AAC Only)

Behind Harris, Achiuwa, UofM moves into a fourth-place tie in AAC

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Tyler Harris scored a season-high 19 points – including five 3-pointers – and Precious Achiuwa posted his 17^th double-double of the season (14 points, 16 rebounds) to lead the University of Memphis to a successful regular-season home finish.

Behind those contributions – and a season-low seven turnovers – the Tigers defeated Wichita State, 68-60, Thursday night in a key American Athletic Conference game before 17,021 at FedExForum. It was the team's fourth win in the past five games.

The UofM (21-9, 10-7 AAC) closes its regular season Sunday at Houston with a No. 4 seed – and first-round bye – possibly at stake.

"The guys knew this was a big game we needed," said Tigers coach Penny Hardaway. "They were locked in."

The Tigers closed the home portion of their schedule in impressive, defensive fashion, an attribute that has carried the team to a share of its victories. Memphis held Wichita State to 34.4 percent shooting, the fifth opponent in the past six games to shoot less than 40 percent.

And for a team that committed 24 turnovers in last weekend's win at Tulane, the Tigers committed only one in the second half against the Shockers (22-8, 10-7).

"We talked about taking care of the ball and getting back on defense," said Achiuwa, a finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward Award.

Ahead by five at halftime, the Tigers quickly took charge in the second half. Midway through the half the Tigers built a 12-point lead (44-32) following an 8-0 run capped by two Harris free throws.

Later in the half, Achiuwa caught a no-look pass from Harris in stride and finished with an explosive dunk for a 17-point advantage (62-45), the UofM's largest lead of the game. Harris' previous season-high point total was 17, which he had reached three times.

"His performance was huge," Hardaway said of Harris. "Tyler Harris was built for big moments. He's been like that since he was young."

Lester Quinones added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Tigers, while Lance Thomas scored nine points (all on 3-pointers) and Alex Lomax finished with eight points and four assists.

In the opening half, the Tigers only shot 31 percent, but were able to grab a 29-24 lead at the break behind their 3-point shooting. The UofM made only nine field goals in the first half, but six were from long range, including three by Harris. Harris knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the five-point halftime lead.

Wichita State jumped out to a 7-0 lead as the Tigers missed their first seven shots and were outrebounded, 10-2.

Memphis began its comeback by connecting from beyond the arc. Thomas, yielding his starting spot to the team's lone senior, Isaiah Maurice, opened the 3-point barrage. He hit two straight and Quinones added the third with 13:02 left to give the Tigers a 9-6 lead. UofM never trailed the remainder of the half.

The UofM's advantage reached 11 points (24-13) with 4:39 to go in the half after two free throws by Achiuwa. The Tigers withstood a late 11-2 Shockers' run and took the five-point halftime lead on third of Harris' 3-pointers.

The Tigers close the regular season Sunday at Houston. The game will tip off at 11 a.m. and be carried by CBS. Jim Nantz, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson, the network's No. 1 announce team for college basketball, will handle the broadcast.

TIGERS NOTEBOOK

The Tigers, coming off a game at Tulane in which they committed 24 turnovers, did not commit their first until midway through the first half. They had only six at halftime and only one in the second half.
Memphis starting guard Damion Baugh suffered a right hand injury (thumb) in the first half and did not return.
The UofM did not get whistled for its first foul until 11:03 remained in the first half.
Precious Achiuwa's 17^th double-double tied him for eighth-most in a single season in school history.
Led by Tyler Harris (19 points), the Tigers' bench scored 38 points, the most since scoring 39 Jan. 12 at USF.