by Don Mooney
Cleveland, TN junior guard Quante Berry scoring one of his game high 17 pts in Tiger route against New Orleans. photo by Don Mooney
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – From start to finish Memphis men’s basketball a complete 40-minute performance Wednesday night, easily defeating New Orleans 86-7at FedExForum. The Tigers (3-4) dominated the hardwood from start to finish for the second consecutive outing, stretching their lead to 25 points at one point to secure back-to-back victories.
The win marked head coach Penny Hardaway‘s 158th-career victory, tying him with Dana Kirk for fifth in program history.
Big men battle for loose ball. photo by Don Mooney
With a fifth different starting lineup this season, the Tigers set the tone with their most explosive opening half of the year. Memphis poured in 48 points before the break, fueled by a 59.4-percent shooting clip and 50-percent accuracy from deep. Both marks were season bests for any half, as were the 19 made field goals and eight three-pointers. By halftime, the Tigers had built a 20-point cushion (48-28), their largest of the season.
A fast start from Julius Thedford helped create that separation. The sophomore guard drilled his first four shots and knocked down a season-high three triples, scoring 11 of the Tigers’ first 13 points. He would later exit the game with 13 points and three rebounds.
photo by Don Mooney
Even with the limited rotation, Memphis showcased its depth. Quante Berry delivered a team-high 17 points on an efficient 7-of-8 shooting (3-of-4 from three), while Simon Majok, Dug McDaniel, Zach Davis and Sincere Parker all reached double figures. Davis pulled down a team-best nine rebounds, and McDaniel recorded a season-high 10 assists to go with 11 points for his first double-double as a Tiger. Memphis finished 49.3 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc while totaling 44 bench points.
After a three-pointer from UNO’s Kedrick Osby tied the game at 10-10 with 16:25 left in the first half, Memphis erupted on a 27-8 run across the next 11 minutes, connecting on eight threes before halftime and never allowing New Orleans another tie or lead.
photo by Don Mooney
New Orleans (2-6) found offensive rhythm late, cutting the margin to 13 with 4:58 remaining behind a surge from TJ Cope, who scored 14 of his game-high 21 points in the second half. The Privateers shot just 8-of-32 to open the game but closed making 15 of their final 26 attempts.