University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
4-4,0-0American
Baylor
6-2,0-0Big 12
Davis' Career Day Powers Memphis Past Baylor, 78-71
Dec 06, 2025 | Men's Basketball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis men's basketball team picked up its first Power Conference victory of the season Saturday afternoon, surging past RV/RV Baylor, 78-71, inside a charged-up FedExForum.
The victory gives head coach Penny Hardaway sole possession of fifth place in program history with career win No. 159.
Despite rolling out their sixth different starting lineup in eight games and weathering a 0-for-7 start from the field, the Tigers (4-4) set the tone with toughness. Memphis leaned on its defense and relentless rebounding to disrupt the Bears early, holding Baylor to 17 percent shooting (2-for-12) and forcing seven turnovers in the opening 10 minutes. A late 6-0 burst sent the Tigers into halftime with a 37-34 edge.
Aaron Bradshaw led all Tigers with 11 points in the half as Memphis fed the post, with 20 points in the paint during the frame. Bradshaw also hauled in five boards as Zach Davis finished the first half with eight points and seven rebounds.
From there, the afternoon turned into a heavyweight bout.
Baylor (6-2) punched back, riding a 19-8 run to build an eight-point lead midway through the second half. Memphis answered with resilience. Davis tied the game at 56-56 with 10 minutes remaining before Sincere Parker pushed the Tigers back in front moments later as the teams traded leads five times down the stretch in the final seven minutes.
Memphis closed the game with a defining 16-8 run over the final five minutes, highlighted by eight points from Davis and Bradshaw's emphatic fastbreak dunk in the final seconds to give the Tigers their first signature win of the season.
The Tigers' depth and physicality ultimately won the day. The Tigers outscored Baylor 46-22 in the paint and grabbed 18 offensive rebounds that led to 21 second-chance points.
Perhaps the most impressive storyline of the afternoon was Memphis' suffocating defense. The Tigers held Baylor nearly 20 points below its season average of 90.1, limiting a high-powered Bears offense that had scored fewer than 80 points just once all season. Baylor's previous season low was 78 - Memphis shaved seven points off that mark.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Memphis opened with a starting lineup of Dug McDaniel, Quante Berry, Zach Davis, William Whorton and Simon Majok.
- It marked the team's sixth different starting group this year, one more than Penny Hardaway's total from all last season.
- Memphis improved to 7-2 all-time against Baylor.
- The Tigers improved to 5-0 against the Bears at home and Hardaway secured his first-ever win over a Big 12 opponent.
- Memphis is now 20-7 against Power Conference opponents over the last four years, dating back to a Dec. 14, 2021 victory over No. 6 Alabama.
- The Tigers' recent defensive surge has been dramatic. After allowing opponents to average 78.8 points over the first five games, Memphis has slashed that number to 66.3 points per game during its current three-game win streak.
- Opponents' field-goal percentage has plummeted as well, dropping from 45.1% to 35.0% over the same stretch.
- The Tigers got outrebounded 44-43, but managed to grab 18 offensive boards and score 21 second-chance points.
- It marks the sixth-straight game with 10-plus offensive rebounds for Memphis and the Tigers now have two games this season with 20 or more second-chance points.
- Memphis had only three games all of last season with 20+, which included a season-high of 21.
- The Tigers, who entered the game leading the American with an average of 34.3 bench points per game, got 37 points Saturday from their reserves.
- Memphis has scored 131 points from the bench over the last three games (43.7).
- Memphis has won 49 of its last 56 games at FedExForum and are now 98-15 at home under Hardaway over eight seasons.
- Memphis dished out 12 assists and turned the ball over just nine times, the second-fewest miscues of the season.
- Zach Davis produced the first double-double of his career with 23 points and 13 rebounds against the Bears. Both totals are career bests.
- He also added two steals and shot 7-of-14 from the floor (8-of-10 at the stripe).
- Davis has now scored double figures in four of the last five games after putting up his previous season high of 12 against Wake Forest.
- The performance was Davis' third-career 20-point game.
- Aaron Bradshaw matched his career high with 17 points to go along with a season-high seven rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench.
- His teams are now 13-0 when he scores in double digits; only NC State's Terrance Arceneaux (18-0) has more wins without a loss in such games among active Division I players.
- Bradshaw is averaging 15.5 points over his last two games played after totaling just 22 points in his first five games combined.
- He was 7-of-12 from the floor and matched Davis with a team-high four offensive rebounds.
- Dug McDaniel quietly orchestrated the offense once again with 11 points and a game-high seven assists in 39 minutes.
- McDaniel has reached 11 or more points in all but one game this season, while recording seven assists or more for the fourth time.
- The Washington, D.C. product has recorded at least 10 points with five assists in seven of the eight games this season.
- Sincere Parker finished with 10 points, three rebounds and three dimes in 24 minutes off the bench.
- Simon Majok tallied four points, six rebounds and a career-high three blocks.
- Quante Berry led the Tigers with three steals.
UP NEXT
Memphis continues a stretch of four games against Power Conference opponents next Saturday with a matchup against No. 6 Louisville at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN at the KFC Yum! Center.
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.
