The Memphis Tigers suffered a heartbreaking 66-65 loss to the Florida Atlantic Owls in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, thanks to a last-second layup by freshman Nick Boyd. Despite a slow start, the Tigers managed to stage a comeback and take the lead, but they struggled with their shooting and were hampered by DeAndre Williams’ foul trouble. Kendric Davis suffered an ankle injury in the second half, and tensions rose when he was seen arguing with teammate Malcolm Dandrige. However, Williams came up big down the stretch, scoring crucial points that kept the Tigers ahead late in the game. The game ended with controversy, as a jump ball was called before the Tigers could call a timeout, giving FAU possession and ultimately the game-winning layup. Despite the loss, the Tigers played a hard-fought game and can be proud of their efforts.
Memphis Tigers Suffer Last Second Defeat to FAU in NCAA Tournament Opener
The Memphis Tigers were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament after a close 66-65 loss to the Florida Atlantic Owls in the Round of 64. The game ended with a controversial layup in the final second that gave FAU the win.
The Tigers struggled to get their offense going early in the game, relying heavily on mid-range and three-point jumpers. At one point, they were only 1-for-11 from beyond the arc, and only four of their first 22 field goal attempts came at the rim. On the other hand, the Owls went 6-for-7 from the field, giving them a 10-point lead with 7:41 left to play in the first half.
Despite the early deficit, the Tigers managed to stage a comeback late in the first half. They went on a 13-4 run that ended with a three-pointer from senior guard Kendric Davis, which gave them their first lead since the 14:57 mark. However, the Tigers faced a setback when DeAndre Williams got into foul trouble, limiting his playing time.
In the second half, Malcolm Dandrige made a big dunk off an assist from Williams, giving the Tigers their biggest lead of the game at 51-44 with nine minutes left to play. However, with 5:37 remaining, Davis landed on FAU freshman guard Nick Boyd’s foot, turning his right ankle. Davis had to be subbed out and tensions rose when he was seen yelling at Dandridge during the timeout. Dandrige responded by shoving Davis in the back as the guard was walking away, and the coaching staff had to intervene.
Despite this incident, Williams came up big down the stretch, scoring a pair of free throws and getting a two-point tip in that kept the Tigers ahead 65-64 with under a minute left to play. However, things quickly took a turn for the worse when the Tigers turned the ball over going up the court. Although they appeared to get possession back under their own rim thanks to a strip from Davis, a jump ball was called before they could call a timeout. FAU was awarded the ball after the jump ball, and Boyd scored the game-winning layup.
In the end, the Tigers’ struggles with their shooting and Davis’ injury proved to be their undoing. Despite the loss, the Tigers can hold their heads high knowing that they gave their all in a hard-fought game that could have gone either way.
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