Published Dec 19, 2023
Jones, Mills, and the Tigers roll past the Cavaliers 77-54
Clay Bailey
Associated Press

David Jones scored 26 points, Caleb Mills added 11 and No. 23 Memphis built a second-half lead to pull away from No. 22 Virginia 77-54 on Tuesday night.

Jones was 8-of-15 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from outside the arc as Memphis (9-2) won its fourth straight.

Reece Beekman led the Cavaliers (9-2) with 13 points, while Jake Groves added 12 points. Ryan Dunn finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds as Virginia saw its five-game winning streak snapped.

While UVa’s defense is ranked high in several categories, it was the Memphis pressure and the Tigers style that allowed them to hold a double-digit lead midway through the second half.

The advantage would stretch to 65-44 as Memphis crafted a 13-0 rally.

Virginia got down early and could never really recover. A major factor was Virginia’s 18 turnovers. They average eight a game.

The Cavaliers uncharacteristically struggled with ballhandling in the half committing a half dozen turnovers. But the Memphis pressure defense gave up inside baskets to allow Virginia to trail 38-32 at the break.

The Cavaliers had not played to their potential in the last-minute win over Northeastern on Saturday, where they fought back most of the game. This time, Memphis blitzed them taking a 13-1 lead and despite pulling close at times in the first half, Virginia was never in the game after the midway point of the second half.

The Tigers climbed into the Top 25 for the first time this season after Saturday’s win over then No. 13-Clemson. Memphis solidified the ranking with another win over a Top 25 opponent. This one was convincing as the Memphis defense took Virginia out of its game with pace and defensive pressure.


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