The Memphis Tigers (5-0) came out with a 99-97 overtime win over the No. 2 team in the country, the UConn Huskies (4-1), handing the Huskies’ their first loss of the season.
The Tigers had a 13-point lead with less than five minutes to go in regulation, but the resilience of UConn forced overtime. The Huskies stayed poised despite the deficit. Alex Karaban hit a three to cut the lead down to 10 for UConn followed by two big threes from McNeeley to put the Huskies within four. Then Solo Ball hit a three to tie the game at 82 with 1.2 seconds left.
Tyrese Hunter was huge for Memphis, as he led all scorers with 26 points, including seven three pointers. PJ Haggerty added 22 points before fouling out, while Colby Rogers and Dain Dainja contributed 19 and 14 points, respectively.
This was a high-level matchup between both teams to kick off the Maui Invitational. The way Memphis played on the defensive side of the ball was what kept Memphis in the lead in the second half. UConn’s poise and undetermined efforts helped them go on an 18-5 run to keep them in the game.
Despite UConn’s loss, several players had special efforts, with Tarris Reed Jr. putting up a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds, Alex Karaban with 19 points, Jaylin Stewart with 16 and Hassan Diarra adding 12 points and four assists.
Solo Ball also contributed 10 points, including the game-tying three.
The Memphis Tigers remain undefeated with this victory, as their record now stands at 5-0. This was a tough loss for the Huskies and Dan Hurley, but it is still early in the season with many more games to play. Memphis now has the attention of many college basketball fans, as they now have something to prove with this win. It will be interesting from here on out to see how the rest of their season unfolds for the Tigers.
Sources: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401715611 https://images.app.goo.gl/2HAKck1gat2i7PTy8
by: Lemuel Mbuinga
