This one will linger.
The Tigers played in Hartford, Connecticut, Thursday night — site of the American Athletic Conference tournament in three weeks — and managed to build a 15-point lead on the UConn Huskies, winners of five of their last six games entering the contest. But they suffered a dreadful collapse over the game’s final eight minutes, in particular a 12-2 Husky run to end the game. In losing consecutive games for the first time this season, Memphis falls to 18-9 and 8-6 in AAC play while UConn improves to 13-12 (8-5).
The Tigers led for 34 of the game’s 40 minutes, by 14 at halftime, and by seven (60-53) with less than five minutes to play. But Husky guard Jordan Adams drained a floater from the right elbow with 1:50 left on the clock to seize the lead (61-60) for UConn. The U of M regained possession after a turnover, but Dedric Lawson misfired at the end of the shot clock. Husky reserve Christian Vital escaped on the inbounds play, receiving a pass and dunking the ball for the decisive points. The Tigers missed a pair of three-point attempts on their final possession, with Jimario Rivers flushing an offensive rebound for the Tigers’ final points.
The win gives UConn a split of the teams’ two games this season, Memphis having won at FedExForum on January 5th.
Craig Randall starred off the bench for Memphis, scoring 11 first-half points and 13 for the game, his most since November 26th. Markel Crawford added 13, Dedric Lawson 12, and Jeremiah Martin 11 for Memphis.
Adams led UConn with 19 points.
Now for the lingering part. The Tigers don’t play again until they visit 18th-ranked Cincinnati next Thursday (February 23). They don’t return home to FedExForum until Houston visits on February 26th.
