Memphis motors to sixth-straight win with 73-52 triumph at USF

Tuesday, March 2

Tampa, Fla.

8 p.m.

University of Memphis

15-6,11-3AAC

USF

8-11,4-9AAC

Memphis

South Fla.

Photo by: USF Athletics

Memphis motors to sixth-straight win with 73-52 triumph at USF

Mar 02, 2021 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. – The Memphis Tigers earned their sixth-straight win and ninth in the last 10 games with a 73-52 win at USF Tuesday night in Tampa, Fla.

With the victory, Memphis (15-6, 11-3 AAC) matched the 2018-19 team for its most conference wins in a season since winning 12 in 2013-14.

Boogie Ellis led the Tigers with 18 points, including five 3-pointers. He has now led the Tigers in scoring in three-straight games. DeAndre Williams had his second-straight double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Lester Quinones added 12 points and seven rebounds.

D.J. Jeffries contributed nine points, four rebounds, and four assists for Memphis.

USF (8-11, 4-9 AAC) was paced by Xavier Castaneda's 17 points.

The Tigers led by as many as 27 points in the second half, 65-38, and limited USF to 32.0 percent shooting (16-50) overall. The Bulls went just 6-for-20 from the floor in the second half (.300).

The Memphis defense was solid once again Tuesday night. Along with Ellis' 12 first-half points, including three 3-pointers, Memphis held the Bulls without a field goal for over seven minutes midway through the first half, during which time the Tigers grew their lead from 21-15 to 34-16. The Tigers forced 11-straight misses during that span.

That 34-16 lead was Memphis' largest of the opening 20 minutes, and the Tigers had a 36-23 advantage at the intermission.

The Tigers outrebounded USF in the game, 46-28. Memphis had 14 assists on its 23 field goals.

Up Next
The Tigers' regular season concludes Sunday at No. 9/7 Houston. Tip-off against the Cougars will be at 11 a.m., and the game will be televised on CBS. Houston is currently in second place in the AAC at 13-3, just winning percentage points behind conference-leading Wichita State at 9-2.

Tickets for the 2021 Air Force Reserve AAC Men's Basketball Championship, scheduled for March 11-14 in Fort Worth, Texas, can be purchased through the Memphis Ticket Office at (901) 678-2331 or at THIS LINK.

Postgame Notes

Memphis used the starting lineup of Boogie Ellis, Lester Quinones, Landers Nolley II, DeAndre Williams, and Moussa Cisse for the sixth-straight game.
- When it was used for the first time before Memphis' game against UCF on Feb. 1, it became the Tigers' eighth different starting lineup in the first 16 games of the season.
- Memphis is now 8-0 when Ellis starts a game this season, including 6-0 since he moved back into the starting lineup Feb. 1 after 10 games coming off the bench.
- The Tigers went 6-4 while Ellis came off the bench.
The Tigers' current six-game winning streak is their second since 2016-17.
- The other was a 10-game winning streak last season.
Memphis now leads the all-time series with USF, 29-7.
- That includes a 13-3 advantage in games played in Tampa.
Memphis was 11-for-25 from 3-point distance (.440).
- The 11 triples are its most since having 13 on Feb. 1 against UCF.
- The Tigers had 12 in their last two games combined (12-43, .279).
Boogie Ellis topped the scoresheet for Memphis with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting and 5-of-8 from 3-point range.
- He has led Memphis in scoring in three-straight games.
- The San Diego, Calif., native has hit three, four, and now five 3-pointers in his last three games.
- He is averaging 16.0 points per game in his last three outings.
DeAndre Williams had his second-straight double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
- That followed 10 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds at Cincinnati on Sunday.
- Williams also had three assists and two steals.
- Entering the game, Williams was one of four players in the nation to be averaging at least 10 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.0 steals per game this season.
Lester Quinones was in double figures for the first time in five games, since having 13 against UCF on Feb. 1.
D.J. Jeffries added nine points, four rebounds, and four assists.
- The four assists matched a season high (2x, last vs. USF, Dec. 29).