Tigers turn up heat, sink Cincinnati
Win is 10th in the last 12 games
Memphis basketball leaned on a familiar formula against a familiar foe Sunday at Fedexforum.
The Tigers (22-7, 12-4 AAC) got standout showings from Deandre Williams and Kendric Davis in a 76-73 win over Big 12-bound Cincinnati (19-11, 10-7). In the teams’ final regular-season meeting as conference opponents for the foreseeable future, Memphis pressured the Bearcats into a bevy of turnovers and got clutch free throws from Damaria Franklin and Davis with under five seconds to play to put the game away and hold off a very late rally.
It is the 10th win in the last 12 games for the Tigers, equaling the most wins of any season under fifth-year coach Penny Hardaway. With the win, the Tigers clinched a top-3 finish in the AAC. Memphis will either be the No. 2 or No. 3 seed at the AAC Tournament. Houston has already clinched the top seed.
Davis gave the Tigers 22 points, while Williams put up 21.
Need a spark?
Call on Alex Lomax.
Time and time again, the senior point guard has shown up right when the Tigers needed his trademark opportunistic defense. It happened again Sunday.
What had been a tight, back-andforth through the first seven-plus minutes, became something much different courtesy of Lomax. In his second game back after missing a month with a groin injury, Lomax swiped the ball from Landers Nolley II on back-toback plays. After the first steal, he finished on the other end himself. After the second, he fed Williams, who bucketed the ball to put Memphis up 16-11.
Those two field goals were the first of seven straight and helped send the Tigers into halftime up 41-30.
Cincinnati and ball security
Bearcats turnovers have been rare this season.
Cincinnati came into Sunday’s game ranked 16th in the country in offensive turnover percentage. Just three times this season have the Bearcats committed more than 15 turnovers.
Memphis at home is a different
animal, though. Tigers opponents have averaged 16 giveaways a game this season. They were better than that on Sunday. The Bearcats finished the game with 20 turnovers.
Second-half Kendric Davis
The Tigers’ star point guard has been spectacular all season, leading the league in scoring and assists.
But Davis’ ability to close games out for Memphis has only bolstered his value. He scored 16 of his 22 points after halftime − eight more than any other Tigers player in the second half.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.