3-point shooting powers Memphis past Ohio, 94-70

Memphis moves to 3-0 to start the season

From the University of Memphis

arkansasrazorbacks.com

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis men’s basketball team improved to a 3-0 start for the second year in a row, defeating Ohio, 94-70, inside FedExForum in Memphis Friday night.

The Tigers (3-0) closed out the win over the Bobcats (1-3) behind a season-high 94 points, shooting over 56 percent from the field and over 72.2 percent from beyond the arc – the highest clip for Memphis since shooting 66.7 percent from three in a win over NC State on Nov. 28, 2019. It marks just the sixth game since the 2013-14 season in which the Tigers have hit at least 60 percent of their three-point attempts.

Redshirt-sophomore guard PJ Haggerty logged his thirdstraight 20-point game to begin the season, scoring a game-high 23 points (7-of-10) to go with seven rebounds and a pair of assists.

Senior guard Tyrese Hunter had 15 second-half points to finish with 21 after going 4for-4 from distance in the final 20 minutes of play. He added six assists and five rebounds while senior forward Nicholas Jourdain ended the night with 15 points, eight boards and a pair of assists.

A fast start and the hot hand for the Tigers gave them an early 16-4 lead after PJ Carter drained the team’s fourth long distance bucket in the opening seven minutes of the game.

The very next trip down the floor, Jourdain brought the house to its feet when Hunter found him streaking down the court for the easy dunk for the

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14-point lead.

The Tigers led 43-38 at the break thanks 55.6 percent shooting in the first half – led by Haggerty’s 17 points (6for-7) including three-forthree from three-point range.

Jourdain had a big first half as well, adding 10 points and four boards on 4-of-4 shooting.

Memphis led by as many as 14 points in the half, but 11 turnovers – including three in the final 1:20 of the half – helped get the Bobcats to within five. The Tigers (.667) and the Bobcats (.421) each knocked down eight first-half three pointers. Memphis finished the game 13-of-18 from distance (.722).

Turnovers remained a story coming out of the half as Memphis forced the Bobcats to four-consecutive turnovers, turning them into an 8-0 run to grow the lead to 15 before a media timeout with 15:35 remaining in the game.

The Tigers continued their hot three-point shooting throughout the second half and went up 75-60 after a three by Hunter with 5:30 remaining.

Memphis’ lead grew to as much as 27 after Demarien Yates came in off the bench and hit two consecutive shots. The Tigers have now won 63 of their last 65 games when shooting 50 percent or better from the floor. Defensively, Memphis held the preseason MAC favorites to eight points fewer than their scoring average entering the night.

Tonight’s game also marked the third straight game that the Tigers have scored 50+ points in the second half this season.

Up Next

Memphis will hit the road jetting out to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational starting on Nov. 25.

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