A WIN FOR THE CITY
Tigers win 2nd NIT trophy in program history
Deandre Williams' runner in the lane fell as he fell to the floor.
As the referees' whistle blew to signal that the Memphis junior was fouled, Williams banged his fists on the court, flexed his muscles and made his free throw to give the Tigers a comfortable 15-point lead late in the second half against Mississippi State in the championship game of the National Invitation Tournament.
“You can tell how bad Memphis wants this,” remarked ESPN playby-play commentator John Schriffen.
Top-seeded Memphis (20-8) went on to win 77-64 against the fourth-seeded Bulldogs (18-15) and the Tigers got exactly what they wanted: a championship. Memphis was all smiles at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas, as it cut down the nets, danced, hoisted a trophy and celebrated its second NIT Championship in program history.
The Tigers got off to a 6-5 start this season but closed strong, winning 14 of its last 17 games. Their average margin of victory in four NIT games was 10 points.
“Our guys were going to be relentless today and we weren't going to leave here without a championship,” coach Penny Hardaway said on ESPN after the game. “We had to do it for our city. We owed them that for the way we started off.”
Boogie Ellis scored 23 points to lead the charge for the Tigers, while D.J. Jeffries had 15 points and five blocks. Lester Quinones scored eight and established a new career-high with 16 rebounds.
Up jumps the Boogie
After an inconsistent season-and-ahalf to start his Tigers career, Ellis flourished late this season.
Culminating with a 27-point output in the AAC Tournament semifinal loss to Houston, the sophomore guard scored in double figures five times during a sixgame stretch.
Ellis had been relatively quiet at the NIT – until it mattered most. The San Diego native, who was averaging six points a game at the NIT, carried Memphis with 23 points. Ellis scored 11 points in the first half, but it was his back-toback 3-pointers in the second half that provided the Tigers with the spark they needed.
With Memphis nursing a 40-37 lead with less than 17 minutes left in the game, Ellis drilled a pair of 3-pointers that pushed the Tigers' lead to 46-37.
Alex Lomax on the floor
Alex Lomax, the Tigers' “heart and soul” this season, has not played since injuring his left ankle on Feb. 27.
On Sunday, Lomax came into the game with less than a minute to play. He smiled and pointed toward the Memphis fans on hand who gave Lomax an extended ovation. Lomax did not register any stats, but it was a fitting tribute for the point guard who was instrumental in many of the Tigers' victories.
Shutting down Stewart
The Tigers have become adept at neutralizing their opponents' biggest offensive threat the past two seasons.
Some of the AAC'S leading scorers – Tyson Etienne (Wichita State), Kendric Davis (SMU), Jayden Gardner (East Carolina) – each struggled with Memphis' unique style of defense this season.
So, it was no surprise that Mississippi State's hottest player, D.J. Stewart Jr., turned cold Sunday. After averaging more than 21 points a game through the NIT'S first three games, Memphis stifled Stewart. The sophomore guard did not score until there was 3:09 left in the game and was held to just four points.
The Tigers also had success with Mississippi State's leading scorer, Iverson Molinar, who scored only six points.
Free throws keep Tigers afloat
Memphis put together one of its best offensive exhibitions of the season in the second half of Saturday's semifinal win over Colorado State.
The Tigers turned on the jets and shot 62% from the field (63% from 3point range) en route to a 90-67 win. They kept the good vibes going early against the Bulldogs, starting 4 for 7. Then, Memphis hit the skids, making only six of its next 30 shots in the first half (20%).
But the Tigers salvaged their firsthalf showing by way of an unlikely aspect: free throws. Memphis came into Sunday's game the sixth-worst freethrow shooting team in the country (61.4%). In the first half, though, the team came through, hitting 9 of its 13 attempts (69.2%).
The nine free throws in the first half were more than the Tigers had in seven of their full games this season.
Ado’s block sparks MSU’S offense
The Bulldogs needed a spark on offense.
So, naturally, it came in the form of a blocked shot by their defense. Mississippi State got off to an abysmal 0 for 10 start from the field. Its first field goal came more than seven minutes into the game.
With Memphis threatening to stretch out its big lead even more, the Bulldogs got a momentum-changing play from center Abdul Ado on defense. Ado emphatically swatted away a would-be Deandre Williams layup. Mississippi State converted the block into a 3-pointer from Iverson Molinar.
After Ado's block, the Bulldogs closed the half on a 30-18 run and went into halftime tied with the Tigers, 33-33.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.