In a game that started Monday night and ended Tuesday morning, the 19th-ranked Tigers beat Miami, 72-68, for their second win of the young season. The game was part of ESPN’s 24 hours of college basketball, an annual viewing festival to open the network’s coverage of the sport.
Freshman point guard Joe Jackson led the Tigers with 17 points and four assists. Charles Carmouche (13 points), Wesley Witherspoon (12), and Antonio Barton (off the bench for 10) joined Jackson in double figures for Memphis.
The Tigers held on for the win despite being outrebounded by the Hurricanes, 51-31, and shooting only 34 percent from the field (Miami was held to 33 percent). After shooting the lights out in their opener against Centenary last Friday night, Memphis was a miserable 4-for-22 from three-point range. Chris Crawford made only two of eight long-distance attempts after hitting all four against the Gents.
Durand Scott led Miami with 20 points, while Reggie Johnson added 12 points and 12 rebounds.
The Tigers are right back at it Wednesday night, when they host Northwestern State at FedExForum. Tip-off for that game is a nice-and-early 7 p.m.
