Memphis 75, UCF 65 (OT): Austin Nichols collected 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots in a reserve role as the visiting Tigers beat the Knights in American Athletic Conference play.
Kedren Johnson scored 13 points and Avery Woodson added 11 for Memphis (17-10, 9-5 AAC), which has won 18 of 19 all-time meetings including the last eight. Shaq Goodwin chipped in eight points and 10 rebounds for the Tigers.
Brandon Goodwin tallied 15 points and four steals for UCF (12-14, 5-10), which was denied a season-best fourth consecutive victory. Staphon Blair contributed 12 points and nine rebounds and Kasey Wilson and Daiquan Walker each added 10 points for the Knights.
The Knights erased an 11-point deficit in the final six-plus minutes of regulation, tying it on Goodwin's driving layup with 3.4 seconds left. UCF missed its first four shots of the extra period as Memphis scored nine straight points, and the Knights didn't get closer than six points the rest of the way.
Memphis made eight of its first nine shots to build an 18-2 lead through six minutes but missed 15 of its last 19 from the field before halftime and settled for a 31-28 lead at the break. Nichols scored four straight points as the Tigers opened the second half with a 9-1 burst to push the lead back to double digits, and he hit a 3-pointer to make it 50-38 with just under 11 minutes to play.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Nichols was not in the starting lineup due to "life lessons," Memphis coach Josh Pastner told the Tigers' pregame radio show. … UCF was 7-of-28 from 3-point range while Memphis was 5-of-26. … UCF leading scorer B.J. Taylor was held to seven points on 2-of-14 shooting, including 1-of-10 from 3-point range.
Memphis | Central Florida | |
Austin Nichols 20 | Scoring | Brandon Goodwin 15 |
Kedren Johnson 4 | Assists | B.J. Taylor 6 |
Shaq Goodwin 10 | Rebounds | Staphon Blair 9 |
Kedren Johnson 4 | Free Throws Made | Staphon Blair 2 |
Markel Crawford 3 | Steals | Brandon Goodwin 4 |
Austin Nichols 3 | Blocks | Staphon Blair 3 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Memphis | 75 | 38.6 | 5-26 | 16-21 | 14 | 45 | 6 | 8 | 13 |
Central Florida | 65 | 37.9 | 7-28 | 8-19 | 17 | 38 | 4 | 8 | 13 |