Tigers Headed to AAC Tournament Championship Game after 70-63 Win over SMU

Saturday, March 12

Fort Worth, Texas / Dickies Arena

4 p.m.

University of Memphis

21-9,13-5AAC

SMU

23-8,13-4AAC

Memphis

SMU

Photo by: (Ben Solomon/American Athletic Conference)

Tigers Headed to AAC Tournament Championship Game after 70-63 Win over SMU

Mar 12, 2022 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

FORT WORTH, Texas – The Memphis Tigers faced adversity in more ways than one Saturday afternoon, but the third-seeded Tigers gutted out a 70-63 win over second-seeded SMU in the semifinals of the 2022 American Athletic Conference Championship in Fort Worth, Texas.

Memphis (21-9) will now play for the AAC Tournament championship Sunday afternoon against top-seeded Houston. The Tigers have won six-straight games and 12 of their last 13 overall. Memphis avenged two losses against SMU during the regular season, which are its only two defeats since Jan. 15.

The Tigers are making their first AAC Tournament title game appearance since 2016.

Facing injuries and foul trouble, the Tigers saw contributions from their entire roster. Landers Nolley II and Lester Quinones each scored 10 points in the second half after having two and none in the first half, respectively, and Earl Timberlake had nine points and five rebounds in 18 crucial minutes off the bench.

Alex Lomax finished with 12 points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists in 39 minutes, and Tyler Harris added eight points in 18 minutes. DeAndre Williams grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with seven points before fouling out, and Jalen Duren added nine and seven and two blocks while persevering through an injury.

Memphis led at the half, 32-26, but SMU kept battling and led 55-51 with 7:18 left in the ballgame. Quinones hit a floater in the paint and Lomax made two free throws to tie things up at 55, and AAC Player of the Year Kendric Davis responded with a jumper to put the Mustangs back ahead by two. But Timberlake responded with an offensive rebound put-back and Quinones nailed a triple off an SMU miss, and the Tigers were ahead 60-57 and never trailed again.

Memphis hit 12 of its 17 free throw tries in the second half (.706). The Tigers outrebounded SMU in the ballgame, 48-25, and Memphis got 20 points from its reserves.

SMU (23-8) was led by Marcus Weathers' 16 points and six rebounds.

Memphis limited Davis to 3-of-13 shooting, and he had four turnovers.

UP NEXT
Memphis and top-seeded and 18th-ranked Houston meet for the third time this season on Sunday, this time for the AAC Tournament title. Tip-off is slated for 2:15 p.m. on ESPN. After that, NCAA Tournament bids will be awarded during the Selection Show on CBS starting at 5 p.m.

POSTGAME NOTES

Memphis used the starting lineup of Alex Lomax, Lester Quinones, Landers Nolley II, DeAndre Williams and Jalen Duren for the ninth-straight game.
- Memphis has used 16 different starting lineups in its 30 games this season but this same lineup since Feb. 12 at No. 6/7 Houston.
The Tigers are now 9-7 all-time in the AAC Tournament.
Memphis now leads the all-time series between the two schools, 16-15.
- Saturday's game was the first meeting in postseason play.
Memphis is 18-3 when leading at half this season.
Alex Lomax was one of two Tigers to lead the way in scoring with 12 points.
- He logged a career-high 39 minutes of action.
- His two blocked shots matched a career high (2x, last vs. Wichita State, 3/5/20).
Landers Nolley II was also at the top of the Memphis scoresheet with 12 points.
- He has been in double figures in seven of the last nine games.
DeAndre Williams finished with 10 rebounds, seven points and two assists before fouling out.
- The 10-rebound game is his third of the season.
Lester Quinones added 10 points, going 2-for-3 from 3-point range.
- He has had 10-plus points in 11 of the last 12 games.
- His eight rebounds matched a season high (at Tulane, 12/29/21).
Earl Timberlake had nine points and five rebounds off the bench.
- The nine points are his most in his last 14 games since scoring 12 against Tulsa Jan. 4.
- He had scored a total of nine points in his last six games combined.
Tyler Harris was 2-for-2 from the free throw line.
- He has made 23-straight attempts from the line.

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.