The Tigers and UCF Knights played Wednesday night at FedExForum like they’d seen enough of each other. After combining for 165 points Monday night (in a game rescheduled from January), the teams put up merely 136 in what became the Tigers’ fifth win in six games. Memphis improves to 11-6 for the season (7-3 in the American Athletic Conference), while UCF leaves town with a 4-9 record (2-8).
Memphis Athletics / Joe Murphy
Penny Hardaway
With 18 points, Landers Nolley led the Tigers in scoring for the third straight game. The sophomore transfer from Virginia Tech hit six of his 12 field-goal attempts and pulled down 10 rebounds. D.J. Jeffries was the only other Tiger in double figures with 11 points off the bench. Alex Lomax scored eight points and handed out six assists off the Tiger bench.
After a stretch of accurate shooting from long distance, the Tigers hit only three of 13 three-point attempts against the Knights. But the outcome was never really in doubt, the Tigers leading by 14 (24-10) midway through the first half. When the Knights closed within four points (37-33) early in the second half, Tiger forward DeAndre Williams hit a three-pointer to spark a 13-2 run for the home team.
UCF missed 19 of its 23 three-point attempts and shot 42 percent overall. C.J. Walker led his team with 15 points and seven rebounds.
The Tigers next take the floor — again at FedExForum — Saturday afternoon, when East Carolina comes to town. Memphis beat the Pirates by 27 points on January 24th. ECU upset the 5th-ranked Houston Cougars Wednesday night.