Austin Nichols hit a 10-foot jump shot from the left baseline with 3.1 seconds left to play to give the Tigers a much-needed win over Tulane at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. After trailing most of the game, the Green Wave tied the score at 51 on a floater by Louis Dabney with 2:30 to play. Nichols hit a free throw, then an acrobatic tip off the backboard to give Memphis a 54-51 lead, only to see Jay Hook tie things with a three-pointer with just over a minute to play.
Nichols and Dabney each hit one of two free throws to set up the sophomore Tiger’s game-winning heroics. The win avenges a Tiger loss to Tulane three weeks ago at FedExForum. The U of M improves to 12-7 on the season and 5-3 in American Athletic Conference play while Tulane falls to 13-7 (4-4). The game is just the second for the Tigers this season to be decided by fewer than ten points.
Memphis enjoyed runs of 12-0 and 7-0 (each keyed by Avery Woodson three-pointers) to take a 32-25 halftime lead. Freshman Markel Crawford had 11 points in the first half (including a thunderous dunk) on his way to a season-high 15 for the game. The Tiger lead grew to nine (49-40) midway through the second half before Tulane began scratching its way back. Hook led the way for the Green Wave with 13 points, while Dabney and Jonathan Stark added 10 each.
Nichols led the Tigers with 17 points and nine rebounds. The Tigers shot 43 percent for the game and held the Green Wave to 35 percent. The teams combined for 33 turnovers and only 18 assists in front of a near-empty arena normally packed for games featuring the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans.
The Tigers will return to action Wednesday night when they host East Carolina at FedExForum.
