Shead scores in last second, No. 1 Houston tops Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jamal Shead scored 16 points, including the winning basket as time ran out, and top-ranked Houston escaped a second-half rally by Memphis for a 67-65 win Sunday in the regular-season finale.

Memphis’ Kendric Davis drove to the basket with nine seconds left and tied the game at 65. Houston chose not to call time out.

Shead then maneuvered along the top of the key, created some space from defender Elijah McCadden with a step-back move, let it go from about 18 feet and saw the ball nestle through the net as the lights around the basket showed time had expired.

“I knew coach (Kelvin Sampson) wouldn’t call time out because we’ve been in that situation before and he trusts me,” Shead said, adding: “God willing, I was able to make that shot.”

Sampson said there was too much time left to call time out after Davis tied the game, noting that it also would have allowed Memphis coach Penny Hardaway to make adjustments, put in better defensive players and switch on all ball-screens.

“The difference is we had them in retreat,” Sampson said. “When you get them back on their heels, then you can get a good shot.”

Tramon Mark matched Shead’s 16 points for Houston (29-2, 17-1 American Athletic Conference), while Marcus Sasser finished with 13. Shead also had seven assists.

Davis led Memphis (238, 13-5) with 26 points. Chandler Lawson added 10.

A second-half run by Memphis, capped by a Davis 3-pointer, provided the Tigers a 56-51 lead. But they couldn’t hold it, and Houston scored 10 straight points.

The matchup between the conference’s top teams came two weeks after the Cougars defeated Memphis 72-64 on Feb. 19.