Malcolm Dandridge scored 12 points to fuel host Memphis to a 60-59 win over No. 22 Houston in an American Athletic Conference game on Saturday afternoon.
Precious Achiuwa, Lester Quinones and Tyler Harris each had 10 points for the Tigers (19-8, 8-6).
Neither team led by more than three points in the last 8:02 of the game.
Two free throws by Alex Lomax gave Memphis a 59-57 lead with one minute remaining. Caleb Mills answered with two free throws on the other end with 47 seconds left.
After Memphis called a timeout, Achiuwa drew a foul while shooting. He missed the first free throw but made the second one to put Memphis ahead 60-59 with 28 seconds remaining.
Houston held the ball until Mills misfired on a 15-foot jumper with four seconds left.
Mills had a game-high 21 points and Marcus Sasser added 18 for Houston (21-7, 11-4). Nate Hinton also had 12 rebounds.
Quentin Grimes, who averages 12.3 points a game, did not play in the game after suffering a hip injury Wednesday in the win over Tulsa.
After Houston built an 8-0 lead to start the game, Memphis came back to take a 12-10 advantage. The game remained close through the first half with the Tigers leading 27-23 at halftime.
Memphis took a 36-28 lead with 17:12 left in regulation on a free throw by Achiuwa.
The Tigers reached the bonus in the second half with 14:36 left in regulation when Hinton was whistled for his second foul. Memphis went 21 of 30 from the free-throw line.
Memphis scored eight straight points on free throws in one stretch before Dandridge ended the Tigers' field goal drought with 11:22 left to give Memphis a 41-37 lead. The shot stopped a 0-of-8 stretch from the field for Memphis that lasted 8:39.
The back-and-forth game later had an 8-0 run for Houston that put the Cougars up 48-46 with 6:59 remaining.
--Field Level Media
Houston | Memphis | |
Caleb Mills 21 | Scoring | Malcolm Dandridge 12 |
Nate Hinton 3 | Assists | Alex Lomax 3 |
Nate Hinton 12 | Rebounds | Precious Achiuwa 6 |
Caleb Mills 5 | Free Throws Made | Precious Achiuwa 8 |
Marcus Sasser 3 | Steals | Malcolm Dandridge 3 |
Brison Gresham 1 | Blocks | Malcolm Dandridge 2 |