Memphis Standard

The Memphis Tigers got a buzzer beater from fifth-year guard Kendric Davis in the game's final second Sunday afternoon inside The Liacouras Center to beat the Temple Owls, 61-59. With the win, Memphis improved to 13-5 overall and 3-2 in the American Athletic Conference (AAC).

The Tigers were led by Davis' 20 points, four rebounds and three assists and also got a 20-point contribution from fifth-year forward DeAndre Williams, who added nine rebounds and three blocks.

 

With Memphis leading 59-56 and 12 seconds on the clock, Temple got the ball and drained a three-pointer from the left wing to tie the game with five seconds remaining.

 

Head coach Penny Hardaway called a timeout from the bench with two seconds to play as the team huddled up and drew up a play.

 

After a screen was set for Davis in the paint, the Houston, Texas product received the inbounds pass at the wing, dribbled once to the corner and pulled for the game-winner as he floated out of bounds and onto bottom of a Tiger pile.

 

Davis couldn't get a shot to fall in the first 20 minutes, going 2-for-7 for four points. After the Tigers came out of the locker room, his stroke began to fall. He led the team with 16 second-half points on 7-9 shooting.

 

The first half was a struggle from both sides offensively as Memphis went just 11-30 to lead 25-23 at the break, despite going in front 10-2 after four minutes of action. The Tigers held the Owls to a 25.9-percent clip and just seven made field goals.

 

Temple led by as many as nine points with under nine minutes to play in the second half, 45-36. After buckets from Keonte Kennedy and Elijah McCadden, Davis buried a pair of triples en route to eight-straight points for the Wooden Award Top-25 Watch List point guard.

 

After Memphis regained the lead on a pair of free throws from Williams, the Tigers never trailed again.

 

Memphis finished the night 22-58 overall (37.9%) and 13-16 at the free throw line (81.3%). The defense was stout all night, holding the Owls to 17-58 field goals for a 29.3-perent clip, including 4-29 from long range (13.8%).

 

UP NEXT

The Tigers are back at home Thursday when Wichita State comes to town for a 6 p.m. tip inside FedExForum.

 

 

GAME NOTES

• Memphis used the starting lineup of Kendric Davis, DeAndre Williams, Elijah McCadden, Keonte Kennedy and Kao Akobundu-Ehiogu.
• It marked the fifth different lineup of the season for the Tigers.
• Akobundu-Ehiogu earned his first start in a Memphis uniform, playing 18 minutes with two points and two blocks.
• Davis recorded his 10th game of 20-plus points on the season. He also added a team-high three steals in the effort.
• Williams earned his third 20-point game of the season and has now scored double figures in 14-straight outings. He just missed his fifth double-double with a team-high nine boards.
• The Tigers defense held its third opponent of the season under 30-percent shooting, the first in conference action. It was also their fifth opponent to limit to fewer than 60 points in a game.
• Memphis outscored Temple 22-5 off turnovers and 26-22 in the paint.
• The Owls were led by Damian Dunn's 23 points in 35 minutes.

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