The Memphis Tigers rallied back but fell just short in a heartbreaking, 77-75 loss to the Arizona Wildcats.
Memphis had a fantastic chance to tie the game at the buzzer thanks to different strategies by both teams.
Up by three, Arizona elected to foul Memphis rather than risk giving up the game-tying three-point shot.
Memphis made the first free throw but missed the second on purpose and managed to come down with the rebound. ( Read More…)
Former NBA and Memphis Tigers star Lorenzen Wright was found shot to death in a wooded area in Memphis.
Family members called police and reported Wright missing after they hadn’t heard from him for days.
There were concerns about his whereabouts because Wright would typically stay in contact with his family.
Wright previously sold two of his vehicles to a drug dealer, which is giving police a possible lead in the case. ( Read More…)
Former Memphis coach Dana Kirk, who led the Tigers to the 1985 Final Four, died suddenly on Monday from a heart attack.
The Memphis Commercial Appeal first reported the news, and the death has since been confirmed by a family spokesman.
Kirk won 158 games with Memphis in seven seasons, leading them to five straight 20-win seasons and a brief appearance at the top of the NCAA rankings in 1983.
But Kirk’s time at Memphis was also marred by controversy. Kirk was fired the season after reaching the Final Four just before being indicted for income tax evasion, which sent him to prison for four months. Around the time of his imprisonment, the NCAA found Memphis guilty of violations, forcing them to vacate the ’85 Final Four appearance. (Doesn’t this sound like another more recent Memphis coach…?)
“He did a magnificent job and was a great coach and helped create the image of Tiger basketball,” Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson told the Commercial Appeal.
“He always talked Tiger basketball right to the end. I still had some of our boosters that think he walked on water. He had a strong following.”
The Memphis Tigers were on the verge of suffering their second Conference USA defeat of the season, which would have been two more than they suffered in the past three years combined.
But Elliott Williams wouldn’t let that happen.
The newcomer scored a game-high 24 points, including a 3-point play with just over a minute remaining, to give the Tigers a late lead it wouldn’t relinquish in a 75-72 win against the host Marshall Thundering Herd.
Memphis had trailed by two before Williams’ layup. Roburt Sallie added two free throws with six seconds left to provide the final margin.
While this isn’t the dominant Tigers team of past years, a loss to Marshall would have been a big hit to its collective ego. Hassan Whiteside almost delivered the blow single-handedly, going off for 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven blocks. But Memphis showed its grit and determination to prevail, despite abysmal games from Wesley Witherspoon and Doneal Mack, who combined for 17 points but went 5-for 22 from the floor.
