Dain Dainja had sport highs of 25 factors and 10 rebounds as No. 18 Memphis pulled away within the final two minutes for an 84-72 American Athletic Convention win over visiting Rice on Wednesday night time.
PJ Haggerty added 21 factors and 5 assists for the Tigers (23-5, 13-2 AAC), whereas Nicholas Jourdain contributed 19 factors and 9 rebounds. Memphis shot 49.2 % from the sphere in securing a season sweep of the Owls.
Caden Powell scored 19 factors to guide 4 gamers in double figures for Rice (13-16, 4-12). Denver Anglin added 14 factors, Andrew Akuchie had 12 and Kellen Amos got here off the bench for 11.
Regardless of making solely 41.4 % from the sphere, the Owls had a professional likelihood to drag the upset after Powell’s dunk tied the rating at 70 with 3:51 left. They even received a cease and had possession with a possibility to take the lead.
However a steal by Colby Rogers led to Tyrese Hunter’s quick jumper on the 2:39 mark. The bucket ignited a game-ending 14-2 run.
One pregame storyline was whether or not Memphis might push its convention result in 1 1/2 video games over idle North Texas and UAB. In the meantime, Rice was attempting to construct on a 71-50 win over Tulsa on Saturday that snapped a four-game shedding streak.
It was all Tigers within the first 5 minutes as they established Dainja for seven fast factors and a 13-3 lead. The margin was 12 when Rogers made two free throws on the 11:28 mark, and it appeared Memphis would have a straightforward sport.
However the Owls hit them with a 12-2 run to drag inside 23-21 on Powell’s layup with 8:04 remaining. Memphis restored a nine-point benefit on two events earlier than settling for a 39-32 cushion on the break on a free throw by Haggerty with 5 seconds left.
–Area Degree Media