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Conference USA Basketball
Recap of Wednesday, February 22nd games
Updated Conference USA basketball standings
Memphis 66, UTEP 56
I believe a wise man once said, “Don’t believe the hype”. In a much anticipated game in Conference USA, Memphis and UTEP put a national crowd to sleep as Memphis used a second half run to pull away from the Miners on Wednesday.
Chris Douglas-Roberts had 17 points for the Tigers who overcame a strong defensive effort by UTEP for their 14th straight victory. Memphis has a two-game lead over the Miners, who lost for only the second time in 12 games.
UTEP was hurt by the injury to senior leader John Tofi. Tofi, who averages 14.5 points and 8.9 rebounds, was stretchered off with 8:39 remaining with a knee injury. It makes things difficult "when you lose your guy who's getting double points and double rebounds," Coach Doc Sadler said. "We lost a good rebounder and they took advantage of it. [Memphis] made an adjustment to make a difference going inside, and we didn't have an answer for them."
Darius Washington scored 11 points for the Tigers, while Rodney Carney, Memphis' leading scorer on the season with an 18.2 average, finished with 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting, including missing all four of his 3-point attempts. The Miners have allowed an opponent's leading scorer to reach his average only four times this season.
Jason Williams led UTEP with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Kevin Henderson added 13 points and Stefon Jackson had 12. Memphis will play Tulsa at home on Saturday while UTEP will host a revenge game against Houston.
Central Florida 69, East Carolina 49
Josh Peppers led five Central Florida players in double figures with 17 points as the Knights snapped a two-game losing streak with a 20 point rout of East Carolina. Central Florida opened the second half with a 17-3 run to extend a 10-point halftime lead to 48-24. The Knights led by as many as 27, and East Carolina never got any closer than the final score in the last 10 minutes. Justin Rose and Anthony Williams had 12 points each for Central Florida. Mike O'Donnell added 10 points and five assists and Jermaine Taylor came off the bench to score 10 points.
East Carolina has lost 5 of their last 6 and is now in the cellar of Conference USA. UCF is now 5-6 in conference and still are mathematically alive for a bye in the conference tourney. ECU will have senior night on Saturday against Tulane. UCF will travel to Rice on Saturday for a fifth place battle.
| Tulsa 73, SMU 56 Anthony Price hit 7-of-8 field goals for 15 points and Darold Crow scored 12 to lead Tulsa to a season sweep over SMU. It was Tulsa's first double-digit win in conference play and its largest margin of victory this season. Tulsa point guard Brett McDade had 11 points, six assists, three steals and just one turnover as Tulsa matched a season-low with nine turnovers. SMU center Bamba Fall set a Reynolds Center record for blocks by an opponent with six and was the Mustangs' only bright spot of the night. Tulsa will try to avenge a home loss to Memphis on Saturday while SMU will try to spoil UAB’s tourney hopes at home. |
Updated Conference USA basketball standings
by John Griffin, CUSA-fans.com Basketball Staff Writer
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