by Don Mooney
Senior guars Jaylen Reid applying pressure in the paint capping off a career night in points with 32 and sinking game-winning free throws to seal Tiger victory. photo by Don Mooney
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A career-high 32 points, senior Jayden Reid nailed a pair of free throws with five seconds left to put the Memphis men’s basketball program ahead for the first time in the second half. Tigers get a stop in the last second to beat (RV) VCU 89-88 in the home opener Sunday at FedExForum.
The Tigers (2-0) won their home opener for the 25th consecutive year, and improved to 9-0 in home openers under head coach Penny Hardaway. The victory came over a VCU (1-1) squad that received 12 votes in the AP Top-25 to start the season.Memphis trailed by 10 after the Rams started the second half on a 6-0 run. The Tigers slowly chipped away at the deficit and tied it 87-87 on a clutch three-pointer by Reid at the 1:19 mark.
photo by Don Mooney
After the Rams made 1-of-2 free throws with 49 seconds, Memphis had a trio of looks before coming down with an offensive rebound with 19 seconds left. Reid drove to the basket and drew a foul with five seconds remaining before knocking down both free throws.VCU put up a deep, contested two-pointer in the final seconds that was off the mark, and junior Julius Thedford secured the rebound as time expired.
Reid’s huge night came on 11-of-21 shooting and 7-of-9 from the free throw line. He dished out seven assists and grabbed three steals. Furthermore, Reid surpassed the 1,000-point mark in his collegiate career. Reid was one of three Tigers to score in double-figures as seniors Tylik Weeks and Richards Vavers netted 17 points apiece. Vavers was 4-of-5 from long distance. Both teams shot at a high percentage of long range as VCU was 13-of-24 (.542) from beyond the arc and Memphis was 10-of-22 (.455). The Tigers had to withstand a storm in the first half as VCU was 10-of-17 (.588) from three.
Jaylen Reid making his presence felt on the defensive end. photo by Don Mooney
Corneilous Williams led the tigers in rebounding with six. He helped the Tigers outrebound the Rams 30-28. VCU, which was predicted to win the A10 in the Preseason Poll and won conference championships last season, went 23-of-27 (.852) from the free throw line. Blake Harper scored a team-high 22 points.
VCU led 29-19 near the midway point of the first half when a three by senior Josh Hollaway started a rally. Five straight points by Weeks trimmed it to 33-32, and the Tigers took the lead 34-33 on a pair of free throws by Vavers at the 4:55 mark. The Rams used the three-point shot to leap back ahead, including their 10th of the half with six seconds left go up 48-44 at the intermission. VCU scored the first six points of the second half to increase it to 54-44. Reid’s 1000th career point came on an and-one play to cut it to 57-52 with 16:48 to go.
photo by Don Mooney
The Tigers came within one, 67-66, on a drive by Weeks with 11:22 left. Memphis trailed 81-80 with 5:20 to go after a free throw by Vavers. The Tigers were still down 87-84 when Reid drilled a three off an assist by Vavers to level it 87-87 at the 1:19 mark. The Rams drew a foul on the other end and made 1-of-2 free throws, which led to the final sequence. It was the second straight thriller for the Tigers who opened the season with an 80-76 victory Monday over No. 18 Iowa State in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It was the highest ranked opponent Memphis has ever beaten on opening day.
photo by Don Mooney
The Tigers will hit the road Tuesday when they face their second ranked opponent of the year, No. 24 Vanderbilt, at 6 p.m. in Nashville. The next home game is Sunday, Nov. 15 at 12 p.m. against No. 11 Louisville.