Jeffries’ Double-Double Leads TU Past Memphis on Saturday Night, 64-51

Saturday, January 20

Reynolds Center

7 PM

Tulsa

11-9, 4-4

Memphis

13-7, 4-3

Memphis

Tulsa

Jeffries’ Double-Double Leads TU Past Memphis on Saturday Night, 64-51

1/20/2018 10:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

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TULSA, Okla. — DaQuan Jeffries came off the bench for his first double-double with career highs of 24 points and 11 rebounds as Tulsa defeated Memphis 64-51 on Saturday night at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.

Jeffries went 8-of-15 from the floor, including a 3-of-4 mark from behind the arc, and had seven offensive rebounds for the Golden Hurricane (11-9, 4-4), who snapped a four-game skid. Jaleel Wheeler also came off the bench for a season-high 13 points, while Corey Henderson Jr. and Martins Igbanu added 12 points and 11 points, respectively.

Between Jeffries and Wheeler, TU held a 37-0 advantage in bench points and the Hurricane scored 25 points off 20 turnovers, which was a season-high for the Tigers (13-7, 4-3).

"I thought our guys showed great desire tonight, particularly when they (Memphis) made that run in the second half, and great toughness," head coach Frank Haith said. "We had a lot of guys step up. You have 37 points off the bench and we have been talking about that bench performance. [Jeffries] was outstanding. He has been waiting for one of these and he's capable of having one of these."

Memphis was led by a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds from Kyvon Davenport and Jeremiah Martin scored 14 points before leaving with an injury. The Tigers, who saw their four-game winning streak come to an end, were held to just 35.3-percent shooting en route to their second-lowest point total of the campaign.

Tulsa led 33-20 at halftime, but the Tigers came out on fire to start the second half and put together a 7-0 run to knock the lead down to single-digits, where it would remain until the closing minutes.

Jeffries extended the cushion minutes later with a layup and a pair of free throws to make it 43-34 with 13:13 remaining, only to watch Memphis answer with a 9-2 spurt that trimmed the TU lead to just a basket, 45-43.

A Davenport jumper with 8:19 to play again cut the Hurricane advantage to just a bucket at 49-47, but it would prove to be the Tigers' final field goal of the night. Tulsa forced three straight turnovers and went on an 8-0 run in just 43 seconds to reclaim a double-digit lead, 57-47, with 6:45 to go.

Memphis never recovered from the quick run as the Tulsa defense — spurred on by the home crowd — yielded just four free throws the rest of the way. The Tigers only attempted four shots in the final eight minutes and none over the final 4:21.

Tulsa forced nine Tigers giveaways in the final eight minutes and pulled away for the 64-51 final.
The highlight of the night came down the stretch when Sterling Taplin hit a 17-foot jumper and before coming up with a steal. The junior dished it to Corey Henderson Jr., who gave it right back, and Taplin tossed a behind-the-back pass to Wheeler for an easy layup.

In the first half, the Tulsa offense got going early and a stingy Hurricane defense pestered the Tigers to just 25.8-percent shooting.

Jeffries provided a spark off the bench with 11 points in the first 20 minutes and his layup with 12:13 on the clock started an 8-0 run to extend the TU lead to double-digits for the first time at 20-9.

Martin hit a deep 3-pointer to bring the Tigers within 22-17 with 7:55 left in the half, but the TU defense dug in and allowed just one field goal the rest of the period. In the meantime, Tulsa rattled off an 11-0 run for its largest lead of the stanza, 33-17.

Jeffries against started the spurt with a jumper in the soft spot of the Memphis zone before back-to-back 3-pointers from Henderson Jr. Igbanu added a layup and free throw and Jeffries capped the run with a steal and thunderous fast-break dunk.

The Hurricane will return to the hardwood on Sunday, Jan. 28 for a 5 p.m. matchup at No. 4/7 Wichita State (15-4, 5-2) in the second Havoc in the Heartland game this season.

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