Tigers Rout Shockers to Close February

Sunday, February 27

Memphis, Tenn.

1:30 p.m.

University of Memphis

17-9,11-5AAC

Wichita State

13-12,4-9AAC

Wichita St.

Memphis

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Feb 27, 2022 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis Tigers led wire-to-wire in an 81-57 win over the Wichita State Shockers Sunday afternoon at FedExForum. The 24-point margin of victory is the largest in the 28 all-time meetings between the two schools dating back to 1958-59.

Memphis (17-9, 11-5 American Athletic Conference) has won eight of its last nine games and 11 of the last 15 overall. The Tigers are in third place in the AAC standings heading into the last week of the regular season, one-half game behind 11-4 SMU. Houston is in first place at 13-2, and the Cougars will be in Memphis next Sunday for the regular-season finale.

The Tigers were led by Landers Nolley II's season-high 22 points. He connected on 4-of-6 3-point attempts and 7-of-10 shots from the field overall. Jalen Duren added 13 points, seven rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals, and Lester Quinones and DeAndre Williams had 12 points apiece.

Memphis jumped on the Shockers from the get-go, scoring 12 of the game's first 14 points and using an 18-0 run in the latter part of the first half to open a 35-9 advantage. During that run, the Tiger defense forced 14-straight Wichita State misses.

After leading 39-17 at halftime, the Tigers shot 60.7 percent in the second half (17-28) en route to the victory.

Memphis finished the contest shooting 55.4 percent from the floor (31-56), 50.0 percent from distance (7-14) and 85.7 percent from the free throw line (12-14).

The Tigers led by as many as 28 points Sunday afternoon.

Wichita State 13-12 (4-9 AAC) was led by Tyson Etienne's 11 points.

UP NEXT
The regular season finishes at South Florida Thursday at 8 p.m. CT on ESPNU and at home against Houston next Sunday, March 6, at 11 a.m. on CBS. Tickets are available online at www.GoTigersGoTix.com or by phone at (901) 678-2331.

Tickets for the American Athletic Conference Championship, set to run from March 10-13 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, are also available online at www.GoTigersGoTix.com or by phone at (901) 678-2331.

POSTGAME NOTES

Memphis used the starting lineup of Alex Lomax, Lester Quinones, Landers Nolley II, DeAndre Williams and Jalen Duren for the fifth-straight game.
- Memphis has used 16 different starting lineups in the 26 games this season.
- The last five games are the first time this season the Tigers have used the same lineup in five consecutive contests.
Memphis has won four-straight games against the Shockers and six of the last seven matchups overall.
- The Tigers are on top in the all-time series, 16-12, and lead 11-3 in Memphis.
- Head coach Penny Hardaway is 6-1 against Wichita State in his head coaching career.
The Tigers ended the game shooting 55.4 percent from the field, their third-best mark in a game this season.
- The Tigers have won 42-straight games when shooting better than 50.0 percent from the field.
- The streak started after shooting 54.4 percent (31-57) in an 87-74 loss at Cincinnati on Feb. 23, 2017.
Memphis went 12-for-14 from the free throw line (.857).
- The Tigers are shooting 80.8 percent from the charity stripe over the last six games (84-104).
- Memphis shot 59.0 percent in the five games prior (62-105).
The Tigers finished the month of February with a 6-1 record.
- The last time Memphis won six games in February was in the 2012-13 season.
Memphis has won seven-straight contests when scoring 80-plus points.
Landers Nolley II led the Tigers in scoring for the fourth time this season with 22 points.
- He set season and AAC highs, besting his 20 points at No. 6/7 Houston (2/12) and the 20 he also scored against UCF on Feb. 1, 2021.
- The redshirt-junior matched his season high with four triples (at No. 6/7 Houston, 2/12) and set a season high in field goals with seven.
Jalen Duren finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals.
- The freshman has scored in double figures in nine-straight games.
- He has blocked at least one shot in 20 of the 22 games he has played this season.
- With 52 blocks this year, Duren has moved past Shawne Williams (2005-06) and into sole possession of eighth place by a Tiger freshman in a single season.
DeAndre Williams ended the game with 12 points and two steals.
- The senior has scored in double figures in back-to-back games for the fifth time this season.
- He has also had at least one steal in 12 of the 19 games he has played.
Lester Quinones reached the double figure mark for the seventh time in the last eight games.

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tiger Men's Basketball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.