Antonio Burks scored 16 points and handed out eight assists Tuesday night to lead the Memphis Tigers to an 81-62 victory over South Florida at The Pyramid.
The victory gave Memphis (14-4; 4-0 Conference USA) sole possession of the top spot in C-USA’s National Division and marked the Tigers’ eighth victory in their last nine games.
Burks was 7-of-12 from the field as four Tigers scored in double figures. Dajuan Wagner had 15 points, but was 4-of-17 from the field. Scooter McFadgon added 14 and Kelly Wise had 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Altron Jackson had 24 points and Will McDonald added 23 for South Florida ( 12-4; 3-1), which shot just 29 percent from the field. The rest of the Bulls scored only 15 points, and B. B. Waldon, South Florida’s second leading scorer, was held scoreless on 0-8 shooting from the field.
Memphis, which led by 11 at the half, held a double-digit lead the final 13:39 of the game.
Memphis scored six of the final seven points of the first half for a 38-27 lead behind Burks’ 10 points.
The Tigers had built the lead after the Bulls went more than four minutes without scoring in the latter stages of the first half.
Wagner opened the second half with a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws to build the lead to 16, 43-27, and the Tigers were never threatened again.
From there, South Florida could get no closer than nine, the last time coming on a dunk by Mike Bernard with 13:52 left.
