Memphis Tigers Clawed Short by Owls in a Close Encounter at FedExForum
The Memphis Tigers faced off against the Rice Owls in a closely contested match that ended with the scoreboard reading 74-71. The Tigers now stand with an even record, while the Owls improved their standing. Despite a valiant effort, the home team fell just short of victory.
In front of a crowd of 11,594 at FedExForum, the Memphis Tigers showcased their resilience after trailing in the first half with only 22 points to Rice's 33. The second half saw an impressive surge from Memphis as they racked up an additional 49 points to Rice's 41. However, this comeback was not enough to secure a win for the home team.
The statistics reflect how evenly matched both teams were throughout the game. Both teams blocked four shots and made ten steals each. The Tigers edged out slightly with one more assist than their opponents, totaling ten assists over Rice's nine.
Memphis excelled in free throw accuracy with an impressive 86 percent completion rate compared to Rice's more modest 58 percent. They also dominated inside scoring with a significant advantage in points in paint at forty versus twenty-six by Rice.
Despite these advantages, turnovers proved costly for both sides as each team gave up possession sixteen times during play. This resulted in fourteen points off turnovers for Memphis and nine for Rice.
From beyond the arc, Memphis struggled significantly; they shot only seventeen percent from three-point range while making just three out of eighteen attempts. In contrast, Rice had better success shooting forty-eight percent and sinking ten three-pointers out of twenty-one attempts.
Rebounding was another area where Memphis showed strength; they pulled down thirty-five rebounds including thirteen offensive boards which led to seventeen second-chance points – twelve more than what Rice managed to score on similar opportunities.
Looking ahead after this tough loss at home, fans can catch their next game against Wichita State Shockers scheduled on February 3rd at noon local time back here at FedExForum in Memphis TN which will be broadcast nationally on CBS TV network.