UH wins at Memphis to clinch first-round bye in conference tournament.
Dotson’s 31 points help secure bye in AAC tourney
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Damyean Dotson scored 31 points, including five 3-pointers, Galen Robinson Jr. had a game-saving block, and Houston got a 72-71 win over Memphis on Sunday that clinched a first-round bye for the Cougars in the American Athletic Conference tournament.
With the game tied at 71, Dotson was fouled with 3.3 seconds left and went 1-for-2 from the line to put Houston back on top by a point. Memphis, after its final timeout, inbounded the ball from midcourt with 1.5 seconds left, getting it to Jeremiah Martin, whose 3-point shot was deflected by Robinson’s game-clinching block. The Tigers rebounded but time expired.
Rob Gray added 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting for Houston (20-8, 11-5), which has won seven of its last eight games.
Memphis (18-11, 8-8) edged into its first lead of the game, 67-66, with 3:22 left but couldn’t protect it.
K.J. Lawson got 20 points and Dedric Lawson added 12 plus 13 rebounds for Memphis, which had four players in double figures. The Tigers suffered their fourth consecutive loss and fifth in the last six games.