Redshirt-sophomore guard PJ Haggerty logged his third-straight 20-point game to begin the season, scoring a game-high 23 points (7-of-10) to go with seven rebounds and a pair of assists. photo by Don Mooney
by Don Mooney 11-6-2024
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis men’s basketball team improved to a 3-0 start for the second year in a row, defeating Ohio, 94-70, inside FedExForum in Memphis Friday night.
Despite a career night from junior guard Ajay Sheldon, the Ohio men’s basketball team (1-3) was unable to overcome a hot shooting Memphis (3-0) Friday night (Nov. 15), falling to the Tigers, 94-70 inside FedExForum.
The Tigers (3-0) closed out the win over the Bobcats (1-3) behind a season-high 94 points, shooting over 56 percent from the field and over 72.2 percent from beyond the arc – the highest clip for Memphis since shooting 66.7 percent from three in a win over NC State on Nov. 28, 2019. It marks just the sixth game since the 2013-14 season in which the Tigers have hit at least 60 percent of their three-point attempts.
A career night from junior guard Ajay Sheldon that included six-3-pointers finished with 20-pts. photo by Don Mooney
Redshirt-sophomore guard PJ Haggerty logged his third-straight 20-point game to begin the season, scoring a game-high 23 points (7-of-10) to go with seven rebounds and a pair of assists. Senior guard Tyrese Hunter had 15 second-half points to finish with 21 after going 4-for-4 from distance in the final 20 minutes of play. He added six assists and five rebounds while senior forward Nicholas Jourdain ended the night with 15 points, eight boards and a pair of assists.
Senior forward Nicholas Jourdain ended the night with 15 points, eight boards and a pair of assists. photo by Don Mooney
Memphis won the tip, but the Bobcats got on the board first with a driving layup from James. Memphis then went on a 9-0 run before a layup from Clayton cut the deficit to 9-4. However, moments later, a steal and a driving layup gave the Tigers an 11-4 lead going into the first media timeout.
After the Bobcats got down 14, Ohio caught fire behind the arch, starting with back-to-back threes from Sheldon. After Memphis matched a three, James and Sheldon both drained two more to cut the deficit to five with 8:56 left, forcing Memphis to call a timeout. Out of the timeout, Memphis went back up 10, but two more threes from James cut the deficit to 31-22 with 6:19 remaining in the half.
photos by Don Mooney
A fast start and the hot hand for the Tigers gave them an early 16-4 lead after PJ Carter drained the team’s fourth long distance bucket in the opening seven minutes of the game. The very next trip down the floor, Jourdain brought the house to its feet when Hunter found him streaking down the court for the easy dunk for the 14-point lead.
Hustle and defense didn’t go unnoticed as mentioned in Coach Hardaways press conference. photos by Don Mooney
The Tigers led 43-38 at the break thanks 55.6 percent shooting in the first half – led by Haggerty’s 17 points (6-for-7) including three-for-three from three-point range. Jourdain had a big first half as well, adding 10 points and four boards on 4-of-4 shooting. At the half, Ohio shot 36 percent from the field, 42 percent from three and were 4-of-5 from the line, while Memphis shot 56 percent from the field, 67 percent from three and were 5-of-6 from the line. Memphis outrebounded the Bobcats, 17-16, while both teams recorded five steals, with Memphis dishing out 11 assists to the Bobcats’ 10. Ohio also forced 11 Tiger turnovers, scoring 16 points off them.
Memphis led by as many as 14 points in the half, but 11 turnovers – including three in the final 1:20 of the half – helped get the Bobcats to within five. The Tigers (.667) and the Bobcats (.421) each knocked down eight first-half three pointers. Memphis finished the game 13-of-18 from distance (.722).
photo by Don Mooney
Turnovers remained a story coming out of the half as Memphis forced the Bobcats to four-consecutive turnovers, turning them into an 8-0 run to grow the lead to 15 before a media timeout with 15:35 remaining in the game.
The Tigers continued their hot three-point shooting throughout the second half and went up 75-60 after a three by Hunter with 5:30 remaining. Memphis’ lead grew to as much as 27 after Demarien Yates came in off the bench and hit two consecutive shots.
The Tigers have now won 63 of their last 65 games when shooting 50 percent or better from the floor. Defensively, Memphis held the preseason MAC favorites to eight points fewer than their scoring average entering the night. Tonight’s game also marked the third straight game that the Tigers have scored 50+ points in the second half this season.
Memphis will hit the road for a week when it heads out west to take on San Francisco on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 9 p.m. CT (ESPNU) before jetting out to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational starting on Nov. 25.