Memphis opened the Maui Invitational with an OT thriller against UConn basketball, winning 99-97.
You cannot ask for a more entertaining start to the Maui Invitational. Although at times sloppy, and we will get into that, this game provided some great moments for both teams. Even back in August, this matchup promised to be entertaining and it sure was.
Memphis came out strong from the opening tip-off as they were able to control a one to two-possession lead for most of the first half with made threes from Colby Rogers and Tyrese Hunter. It wasn’t until Jaylin Stewart scored 7 points in 53 seconds that UConn basketball showed some life on the offensive end. Ultimately, the two teams went back and forth a few times and closed the first half tied up.
The second half was much of the same with both sides staying close until Memphis created some separation with a 16-4 run that put the Huskies in a tough spot. UConn basketball’s elite shooting brought them back into the game late as Alex Karaban and Liam McNeeley hit a few big threes which set up Solo Ball’s clutch shot to send the game into OT. The excitement continued into overtime which ultimately went the Memphis Tigers’ way on the back of Colby Roger’s 8 points in the extra period.
Now for the sloppiness… there were 52 fouls called in the contest with 21 going towards Memphis and 31 going towards UConn basketball. Memphis took advantage of this by driving to the paint and going to the free throw line 40 times where they gained a 10-point advantage in the contest.
Takeaway #1: UConn basketball got punched in the mouth
Memphis executed well given the circumstances and put the Huskies on their heels more than once. UConn basketball had good responses with the Jaylin Stewart scoring run and the barrage of threes to force OT when they were down 12 points with 3:18 left in regulation.
Their competitiveness got in the way late with two crucial and avoidable technical fouls happening in the overtime. The first being against Samson Johnson who shoved a Memphis player which ended up being his fifth foul and the end of his day. While this didn’t directly hurt the Huskies as it was part of offsetting technical fouls, it certainly set the stage for what was to come.
I’ll leave the opinions on the game-defining Liam McNeeley over the back foul to the folks on social media, but regardless of your take, the Huskies responded poorly as Dan Hurley got booked for a technical foul that gave Memphis the difference maker with two additional free throws. Hurley’s courtside behavior is nothing new to UConn basketball fans, but the spotlight has grown over the last two seasons and in this case, it may have cost the Huskies a chance at winning the Maui Invitational.
Takeaway #2: The Memphis Tigers could be for real
Don’t let the officiating discount the Tigers’ win. Memphis’s athleticism and length posed a problem for the Huskies’ backcourt all game. Combine that with their stellar 54.5% shooting from deep and it was enough to take down the #2 ranked team in the country.
Senior transfer Tyrese Hunter led the way for the Tigers with 26 points on 7-10 from three. Redshirt sophomore PJ Haggerty complimented Hunter’s shooting with numerous drives into the paint that resulted in him going 11-14 from the free-throw line.
It will be difficult for the Memphis backcourt to repeat that type of performance, but if they do then don’t be surprised to see this team ranked at points this season. A conference title and NCAA tournament berth are certainly on the table for Memphis basketball.
Takeaway #3: Say hello to Tarris Reed Jr. and Jaylin Stewart
Tarris Reed Jr. had a monster double-double with 22 points (10-13 FG), 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks. A lot was asked of him after Samson spent significant time on the bench with foul trouble and he delivered in a big way. It feels as though it is time to see what Tarris Reed Jr. looks like in the starting rotation. Not only has he shown his ability to stay on the floor for longer stretches than Samson, but he fits within the flow of the offense by giving the guards a reliable post presence.
Jaylin Stewart had a stellar and efficient game with 16 points (7-9 FG) and 5 boards in just 16 minutes of playing time. UConn basketball saw standout performances from Jaylin towards the end of last season, but none like this. When nothing was going their way early, Stewart’s fight kept the Huskies in this game. It was surprising to not see the hot hand get on the court in the closing stretches of both regulation and overtime.
Jaylin Stewart…FOR THREE! 👌
Stewie with a career-high 12 in the first half 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/YU3KA26kIA
— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) November 25, 2024
Next up for UConn (4-1): vs. Colorado (4-1) – Nov. 26 at 3:30 p.m. EST
Next for Memphis (5-0): vs. Michigan State (5-1) – Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. EST
[…] After a disappointing result against Memphis in the opening round of the Maui, UConn basketball looked much sharper against Colorado in the first half. They came out swinging and looked much more comfortable on offense. The ball didn’t stick as much as Hassan Diarra found his way into the starting lineup over Aidan Mahaney for the first time this season. […]
[…] is next to no time between games to make the level of adjustments that are needed. Following the Memphis loss in the opening round, the Huskies continued to regress against Colorado and ultimately fell […]