The Memphis basketball team’s Sunday showdown with FAU at FedExForum lived up to the nearly year-long hype.
Like two heavyweight boxers going blow-for-blow, the Tigers and Owls went at each other for more than two hours. For the first time since meeting in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Memphis had a chance to redeem itself.
Which is exactly what the Tigers (20-8, 9-6 AAC) did, hanging on to outlast FAU 78-74. David Jones and Nae’Qwan Tomlin combined to score 46 points. Jahvon Quinerly and Jaykwon Walton contributed 14 and 11 points respectively. FAU (21-7, 11-4) got 22 points from Vladislav Goldin.
Here are five observations from Sunday’s game.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin steadies the ship
Overall, Memphis was not a model of efficiency in the first half. It hit 37.1% of its 35 field goal attempts. But it was only 3-of-14 beyond the arc and just 1-for-3 at the free-throw line.
Jones and Quinerly, while somewhat productive (combining for 12 points), were only 5 of 17 from the field.
Tomlin, meanwhile, scored 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting, including one 3-pointer. He also had four first-half rebounds and zero turnovers. He finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
Guarding the 3
FAU can (and does) struggle at the 3-point line from time to time.
When that happens, it’s usually bad news for the Owls. They shot 20% or below in its nonconference losses against Bryant and Florida Gulf Coast.
Memphis defended the 3-point line well against FAU, forcing Dusty May’s team to shoot just 25% (7-for-28).
Turnover turnaround?
When turnovers are the topic of discussion, Memphis is usually on the short end of it.
Not this time. The Tigers committed just six turnovers, while they benefited from 13 FAU turnovers.
No Malcolm Dandridge
Never mind, for a moment, why fifth-year senior center Malcolm Dandridge did not play Sunday.
The 6-foot-9 bruising big man is the Tigers’ most equipped option to combat FAU 7-footer Vladislav Goldin. Not the most prolific rebounder or shot blocker, Goldin was averaging 14.7 points per game.
Dandridge, at 260 pounds, is a skilled defender, especially down low. With the former East High star held out of the game amid an athletic department investigation regarding a potential eligibility issue, Memphis turned to Nicholas Jourdain, Jordan Brown and Tomlin to try to keep Goldin in check.
It didn’t work. Goldin finished with 22 points.
Johnell Davis surfaces late
Johnell Davis is one of the best players in the AAC.
After leading FAU in scoring last season, Davis has been even better in 2023-24. He went into Sunday’s game averaging 18.3 points a game.
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The Tigers gave Davis fits for much of the game, holding him to just three points in the first half. Davis did not score again until there was 11:55 remaining.
Despite his early struggles, though, Davis was activated down the stretch. As the Tigers tried to pull away, taking a 58-52 lead with less than 10 minutes to play, he made three of the Owls’ next four shots. The third one tied the score at 62 with 7:21 left.
He wound up with 20 points.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at [email protected] or on Twitter @munzly.
Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
