MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Julius Thedford’s season-best performance wasn’t enough to save Memphis’ 11-game home win streak, as the Tigers dropped a 92-78 decision to UNLV on Sunday at FedExForum.
Memphis trailed by double digits for much of the afternoon and fell behind by 21 points with 9:02 remaining before mounting a late push. The Tigers used an 18-5 run to pull within 82-74 with 4:45 left, but a 3-pointer on the next possession stalled the rally and Memphis never drew closer.
Thedford was a bright spot in his first start, finishing with a season-high 16 points and six rebounds while providing consistent energy on both ends. Curtis Givens III added 10 points and three assists, while Sincere Parker and Simon Majok each provided nine off the bench.
Offensive struggles proved costly throughout the afternoon. Memphis shot 42.4% from the floor and went just 4-of-17 (23.5%) from 3-point range. The Tigers committed 18 turnovers - 10 of them in the first half - which led to 30 Runnin’ Rebel points and contributed to a 49-36 halftime deficit.
Point guard Dug McDaniel finished with six points on 1-of-10 shooting and six turnovers. Aaron Bradshaw added four points with three turnovers in 10 minutes.
Memphis briefly found life early in the second half when Thedford scored the first five points to cut the margin to 10, but the Tigers were unable to sustain momentum. Though they later strung together a 12-0 run to get within single digits, the late surge proved too little, too late.
The setback drops Hardaway’s team under .500 for just the third time in his seven-plus seasons. Memphis last started 1-2 in 2020-21 before rebounding to win the National Invitation Tournament.
UNLV finished 50% from the floor overall (32-of-64), while connecting on seven triples and 21-of-26 free throws. The Runnin’ Rebels got 25 points and 12 rebounds from Howie Fleming Jr., and another 25 points with five steals from true freshman Issac Williamson.
POSTGAME NOTES
Memphis used a new starting lineup for the first time this season: Dug McDaniel, Curtis Givens III, Julius Thedford, Ashton Hardaway and Thierno Sylla.
It marked the Tigers’ second different lineup in three games.
The Tigers dropped to 2-5 all-time against UNLV, including 0-2 in games played in Memphis.
The loss ended Memphis’ 11-game home win streak, which was the longest in the American Conference and the 14th-longest active streak in Division I.
It was the program’s first defeat inside FedExForum since Dec. 21, 2024, against Mississippi State (79-66).
Memphis is now 95-15 at home under head coach Penny Hardaway.
The 14-point margin marked the Tigers’ largest home loss of the Hardaway era.
Graduate forward Tariq Ingraham appeared in his 100th career game, contributing three points and a rebound in four minutes off the bench.
Sophomore guard Julius Thedford led Memphis with a season-high 16 points (5-of-8 FG) and six rebounds in 23 minutes.
It was the eighth time in his career he has scored at least 16 points and he became the sixth Tiger to reach 15 points in a game this season.
Simon Majok recorded a career-high nine points and added a team-best seven rebounds in 12 minutes. He finished 3-of-4 from the field and 3-of-3 at the free-throw line.
Majok and Thedford each collected three offensive rebounds to share the team lead.
Curtis Givens III added 10 points, three assists and a career high-tying three steals in 29 minutes.
Sincere Parker scored nine points off the bench, while Ashton Hardaway added seven.
Memphis finished with a negative assist-to-turnover ratio for the first time this season, recording 13 assists against 18 turnovers.
Defensively, the Tigers tallied eight steals and three blocks. UNLV finished with 13 steals.
UP NEXT
Memphis will head to the Bahamas next week for the Baha Mar Championship on Nov. 20-21. The Tigers will play two games in Nassau, facing No. 3 Purdue on Thursday (5 p.m. CT) before getting either No. 11 Texas Tech or Wake Forest on Friday (TBD).