The Tigers returned to FedExForum Monday night with a roar. Playing the first of two games in three nights against UCF (the teams’ first meeting having been postponed for Covid-19 regulations in the UCF program), Memphis scored 17 of the game’s first 20 points and had all but secured its 10th win of the season by halftime. Landers Nolley led the Tigers with 20 points, DeAndre Williams scored 15, and junior guard Alex Lomax hit four three-pointers on his way to 14 points in the blowout. The Tigers hit 13 three-pointers, the fourth time in their last five games they’ve connected on at least 10 (all of those games victories).
Memphis Athletics / Joe Murphy
Boogie Ellis
The Tigers are now 10-6 for the season and 6-3 in the American Athletic Conference. (They trail only Houston and Wichita State in the loss column of the standings.) The Knights fall to 4-8 (2-7) with the loss.
Memphis guard Boogie Ellis started for the first time since December 4th, a span of 11 games. The sophomore scored 11 points, and picked up three assists and four steals in 17 minutes on the floor. Sophomore guard Lester Quinones had 13 points, six assists, and six rebounds.
Memphis shot a stellar 56 percent from the field, hitting almost half its three-point attempts (13 for 27). The Knights shot 40 percent from the field, slightly higher, actually, than the average for Tiger opponents this season. Brandon Mahan scored 15 points to lead the visitors. The Tigers forced 26 UCF turnovers, 19 of them before halftime.
The teams will take the floor for a rematch Wednesday night, again at FedExForum. It will be the second of a four-game homestand for Memphis. East Carolina pays a visit this Saturday.