Memphis Falls to No. 25/25 Florida Atlantic, 66-65, in NCAA Tournament

Friday, March 17

Columbus, Ohio / Nationwide Arena

8:20 PM

University of Memphis

26-9,13-5AAC

(9) #25/25 Florida Atlantic

-323,182 CUSA

Fla. Atlantic

Memphis

Memphis Falls to No. 25/25 Florida Atlantic, 66-65, in NCAA Tournament

Mar 17, 2023 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Nicholas Boyd drove into the lane and made a floater with 2.5 seconds left, and Florida Atlantic beat Memphis 66-65 Friday night in a rugged, back-and-forth game for the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament win.

Coach Penny Hardaway's Tigers (26-9) had the ball and a one-point lead with 19 seconds left, but a steal by Brandon Weatherspoon and a subsequent jump ball — Hardaway argued his team had called timeout before the tie-up — gave the Owls (32-3) a chance, and Boyd converted.

Kendric Davis scored a game-high 16 points despite being hobbled by a second-half leg injury for eighth-seeded Memphis.

DeAndre Williams added 13 points while playing most of the second half with four fouls for the Tigers, including a tip-in that put his team ahead 65-64 with 34 seconds left.

The Owls won the Conference USA title to make the tournament for the second time, 21 years after their first appearance. The school will move to the American Athletic Conference next season, where Memphis will be an annual foe.

POSTGAME NOTES

Memphis used the starting lineup of Kendric Davis, DeAndre Williams, Chandler Lawson, Eljah McCadden and Jayden Hardaway for the seventh time this season.
- Memphis is 5-2 with that starting five.
The Tigers are now 35-28 all-time in the NCAA Tournament in their 28 appearances.
Memphis shot 43.1 percent overall (25-58) and hit only 6-of-22 from long range (27.3).
FAU outscored the Tigers 32-26 in the paint.
Memphis is now 15-2 this season when allowing 69 points or fewer in a game.
- The Tigers have allowed 78 points or fewer in -straight games.
- Memphis is 22-3 when the opponent shoots less than 45.0 percent from the floor.
The Tigers led 35-31 at the half.
- Memphis is 23-3 this season when leading at the break.
- The Tigers' 26 wins this year are the most in the Penny Hardaway era and the most overall since winning 31 in the 2012-13 season.
Memphis and FAU are tied 1-1 in the all-time series.
- That only other meeting between the programs came on Feb. 3, 1993 when the Tigers won 96-46 in Memphis behind 10 points and 10 assists from junior Penny Hardaway.
DeAndre Williams logged his 12^th double-double of the season and his 22nd-of his career with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
- His recorded his team-high 13^th-game of the year with double-digit rebounds and pulled in 10-plus in four straight outings.
- He recorded a team-high four dimes.
Kendric Davis led the Tigers in scoring for the 23^rd time this season behind 16 points.
- The point guard has reached double digits in 25-straight games and brought a halt to his 6-game streak of 20 or more points.

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tiger Men's Basketball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.