After starting off slow the Memphis Tigers pulled away in the second-half against the University of Central Florida for a double-digit lead. It was all for naught as the Knights rallied to send it to overtime, and eventually double-overtime. Final in 2OT: UCF 107 Memphis 104
Kendrick Davis almost single-handedly brought the Tigers home with a win, scoring 42 points in the loss in Orlando. UCF was led in scoring by Ithiel Horton with 27 points.
Memphis dropped to 12-5 on the season. Next up: Memphis Tigers vs. Temple in Philadelphia at 3:00 p.m.
Davis Scores 42, Tigers Fall to Knights in 2OT Thriller
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Memphis Tigers fell in double overtime Wednesday night inside Addition Financial Arena to the University of Central Florida Knights, 107-104. With the loss, Memphis moved to 12-5 overall and 2-2 in the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
Fifth year-guard Kendric Davis scored a career-high 42 points - one point shy of former Tiger Jeremiah Martin's AAC record set in 2019. Davis' 42-point total is tied for the fifth-most in a game in program history.
The Tigers saw a late lead evaporate as UCF (13-4, 4-1) hit a three-point shot with under 30 seconds to play in regulation to tie the score at 78-78 and force overtime.
Davis was responsible for the first seven points for the Tigers in overtime before redshirt-senior guard Keonte Kennedy came up with a steal and a dunk to tie the game once again at 87-87 with 15 seconds left in the OT period. UCF missed the ensuing three-point attempt and the game moved to double overtime. Kennedy ended the night with a season high-tying 14 points.
In the third OT period, redshirt-freshman guard Johnathan Lawson nailed a contested three-point shot from the corner to make the score 104-105 and get Memphis within one with 14.7 seconds to play. The Knights ultimately hung on to win after the Tigers' failed buzzer-beater attempt to force a third overtime.
The overtime contest marked the first OT game for the Tigers since they won at Tulane, 74-67, on Feb. 29, 2020.
Memphis finished the night shooting 50.7 percent overall (35-69) and 90.3 percent from the free throw line (28-31). The Tigers also connected on 6-of-18 attempts from deep (33.3%).
UCF shot 42.0 percent from the floor (29-69) and drained 45.7 percent from long range (16-35), while going 33-of-37 at the charity stripe (89.2%).
Ithiel Horton led the Knights with 30 points after going 5-of-10 from three-point range and a perfect 9-for-9 at the free throw stripe.
UP NEXT
Memphis stays on the road Sunday for a 2 p.m. CT matchup at Temple on ESPN2 before returning home to welcome Wichita State on Jan. 19 at 6 p.m.