For the third time this season the University of Memphis found itself in a tight game late in the second half on the road against a quality opponent, and for the third time the Tigers came up short when it counted most.
Memphis and Cincinnati were tied at 67, but over the final 5:33 of the second half the Bearcats took control of the ballgame on both ends of the floor, forcing the Tigers into eight misses in their last 10 field goal attempts and sending coach Josh Pastner’s squad to their second loss in American Athletic Conference play by a score of 76-72.
Entering Thursday night’s contest at Cincinnati (14-6, 4-3 AAC), the Tiger defense ranked best in the AAC with opponents converting only 36 percent of shot attempts, but that defense was nowhere to be seen once the two teams tipped off. Cincinnati shot a boiling 58 percent in the game’s opening 20 minutes before ultimately finishing 30-60 from the field.
Memphis controlled the tempo throughout the game. While Cincinnati typically plays at one of the slowest paces in all of Division I, the Tigers were able to turn the contest into a track meet. But unfortunately for Pastner and company, pace doesn’t win basketball games when the defense is struggling and the shots aren’t falling, and that was the case Thursday night.
Dedric Lawson has been the Tigers’ leading scorer at 14.5 points per game this season, but against Cincinnati the forward played the worst game of his freshman campaign, shooting a dismal 1-11 while scoring only seven points. Senior guard Ricky Tarrant was almost as poor, scoring only two points in five shot attempts.
Trahson Burrell and Avery Woodson did all they could to try to make up for the lost scoring, netting 24 and 18 points respectively, but the hole left by the Tigers’ two leading scorers underperforming was ultimately too large to fill.
On the Bearcats’ end, guard Troy Caupain carried the offensive load, scoring 25 points and dishing out four assists. Caupain got off to a hot start in the game, shooting 7-9 before halftime. The first half felt like a nearly constant back and forth between Caupain and Memphis’ Woodson, with the latter splashing in 4-5 three-point attempts to start the game.
The loss drops Memphis to 12-6 on the season and 3-2 against American Athletic Conference competition. The Tigers will return home to play East Carolina (8-11, 0-6 AAC) Sunday. The Pirates are losers of six straight, and the Tigers will have an opportunity to earn a victory before entering what is likely the toughest stretch of their season. Following ECU, Memphis will play a five-game stretch that includes home contests vs. UConn and Cincinnati, as well as road games at UCF, Houston and undefeated SMU.
Tipoff between Memphis and ECU is set for 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon at FedExForum, and the game will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.
