2023-12-20 05:37:30
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – On Monday, No. 23 Memphis basketball was ranked for the first time this season, and on Tuesday, the Tigers played like they still had something to prove as they dismantled No. 22 Virginia, 77-54, at FedExForum.
It marked the largest victory for Memphis over a ranked opponent since Feb. 8, 1964 when the Tigers defeated No. 10 DePaul, 98-67.
The Tigers (9-2) extended their win streak to four games, including three straight victories against a ranked opponent after taking down No. 21 Texas A&M and No. 13 Clemson last week.
It is the first time in program history they have beaten top-25 teams in three consecutive regular season games. They did achieve the feat in 2008 by knocking off No 19 Michigan State, No. 6 Texas and No. 3 UCLA in three straight games, but that happened in postseason play in the NCAA Tournament.
David Jones put on another show with 26 points in 28 minutes against the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense that entered the night allowing just 53.3 points per game this season. Caleb Mills came off the bench to score 11 points.
The Tigers shot 47.4 percent (27-57) against Virginia’s vaunted pack line defense, including 39.1 percent from three-point range (9-23), and matched their season high with 27 points off 18 turnovers by the Cavaliers.
Memphis jumped all over Virginia right out of the gate with a 13-1 run, led by five points from Jones and a trio of triples. Jones later recorded seven-straight points in less than two minutes to put the Tigers in front, 29-20.
In the final seconds of the first half, Nicholas Jourdain scooped up his second steal of the night and fed Mills on a fast break layup that sent Memphis into the locker room with a 38-32 advantage.
The second half was back-and-forth to begin with Virginia cutting a 10-point deficit down to five at the 15:30 mark. A couple of minutes later with the Tigers in front 52-44, Malcolm Dandridge hit a pair of free throws that ignited a 13-0 run to push the lead out to 21 with 8:54 remaining.
Virginia never threatened after that and finished the game shooting 39.3 percent from the floor (22-56).
Freshman Ashton Hardaway buried his second three ball of the night at the 1:26 mark to give Memphis its largest advantage of the game at 77-52 before the Cavaliers got a bucket late to finish off the scoring.
Virginia, who was fifth in the nation in assist/turnover ratio and turnover margin, averaged only 8.0 turnovers per game. On Tuesday, Memphis forced the methodical Cavaliers into a season-high 18 miscues. It was the most turnovers by a Virginia team since Jan. 15, 2020 against Florida State, and only the third time the Cavaliers have totaled at least 18 turnovers in a game since 2015.
The Tigers also held the nation’s leading three-point man Isaac McKneely to an 0-for-5 night from deep and six total points. He was shooting the long ball at a 55.1-percent clip coming into the matchup.
Reece Beekman led the Cavaliers with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Memphis used the starting lineup of Jahvon Quinerly, David Jones, Jaykwon Walton, Nicholas Jourdain and Malcolm Dandridge for the third time this season.
- The Tigers improve to 3-0 this season with that starting five.
- Memphis picked up its sixth win of the season against a Power Five program, improving the Tigers to 12-2 against power conference opponents the last two seasons.
- The Tigers also earned their fourth win of the year against a top-25 team.
- Memphis’ 38 first-half points and 77 total points were the most allowed by Virginia this season.
- The Tigers matched their season high with 15 steals. Five different Tigers recorded two or more.
- Jones recorded his fifth-straight game with 20 or more points, and seventh of the season.
- Dandridge finished the night with a near double-double behind nine points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists.
- Dandridge has hauled in at least seven boards in four-consecutive games, the first time he’s achieved that feat in his career.
- Jahvon Quinerly totaled nine points, a game-high five assists and four rebounds.
- Walton recorded six points, five rebounds and two steals after being re-inserted into the starting lineup.
- Memphis outscored Virginia 23-12 off the bench and 34-30 in the paint.
- The Tigers led for 39:34 of the game and outscored the Cavaliers 39-22 in the second half.
UP NEXT
Memphis returns home Saturday for a third-straight game when the Tigers host Vanderbilt for a 3 p.m. showdown on CBS inside FedExForum.
Fans can get tickets for that matchup HERE.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tiger Men’s Basketball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team’s social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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