PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas – Memphis basketball, returning from coach Penny Hardaway’s suspension, defeated Michigan 71-67 on Wednesday in Battle 4 Atlantis.
The Tigers (4-0) face No. 20 Arkansas on Thursday (4 p.m., ESPN), renewing what was once a real rivalry. The programs haven’t met in over 20 years, and the Razorbacks hold a slight edge in the series 11-10.
No. 23 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, Memphis led by 16 points in the second half, but Michigan (3-2) came back to cut the deficit to two points with 9.1 seconds left. David Jones scored the last 9 points for Memphis, making his final 67 free throws with 67 seconds left and two with less than 5 seconds left.
Ashton Hardaway saw his first significant playing time of the season and it paid off. The freshman led all Tigers with 17 points, including five 3-pointers on seven attempts.
The Wolaita team won 50-28. But they committed twice as many turnovers (18 to 11) as the Tigers, who turned Michigan mistakes into 21 points. Michigan head coach Juan Howard was on the bench for the first time this season while recovering from heart surgery in September, but assistant Phil Martelli handled the head coaching duties.
Here are five starting plays from Wednesday’s game.
Full Hardaway
Penny Hardaway wasn’t the only Hardaway with a lot of eyes on her on Wednesday.
His sons Ashton and Jayden took off in a big way. Ashton scored eight straight points in a 71-second stretch to give the Tigers the lead. His second of two 3-pointers in the game gave them an 18-14 lead.
Then it was Jayden’s turn. The super senior knocked down back-to-back field goals (2-pointer and 3) with less than four minutes to play in the first half. It was part of a 13-2 Memphis run that helped push the lead to 37-23.
In the second half, Ashton connected on another triple to cap a 12-2 Michigan run.
A difficult game for some beginners
The Tigers’ usual scoring punch was less effective.
Jones (despite a late exit), Jaycon Walton and Jordan Brown combined for 20 points (eight free throws) on 5-of-20 shooting.
Point guard Jahvon Quinerly, who had a season-best eight rebounds, scored nine points on 3-of-8 shooting.
New strength
Hardaway, now in his 6th year as the Tigers’ coach, has established a brand of defense. A constant one. Burning opponents from start to finish.
But through the first three games this season, the Tigers haven’t exactly used the intensity that some have grown accustomed to seeing from them.
That changed Wednesday.
The Tigers beat the Colts’ backcourt of Doug McDaniel and Nimari Burnett. They put pressure on the frontcourt with their full-game fitness and toughness.
Michigan shot 39.3% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.
Memphis calms the big ship.
The Tigers should have scrapped at least part of the game plan very early. That’s because starting center Brown has found himself in some hot water with the coaching staff.
The former Louisiana star and last season’s player of the year picked up two fouls and was pulled from the floor less than three minutes into the game. He did not return to the floor until the second half.
Ashton Hardaway: Why Tigers freshman told national TV audience ‘I’m really like this’
So Memphis went with a steady diet of Malcolm Dandridge and Nick Jourdain. Dandridge had two points, two rebounds, two steals and two turnovers in the first half, while Jourdain had three points, one rebound and one block.
Caleb Mills gets internet access
Late in the first half, a run-of-the-mill fan jump on the field might look neat.
But it was too much because of what happened before.
Late in the first half, Mills teed up defender Olivier Nkamhua. He then went into attack mode. Mills’ crossing movement around the 3-point line forced Nkamhua to start going back. The only thing standing in the way is Mills. Nkamhoua could not. Instead, the momentum sent him sliding on his backside to the right side of the lane.
The Memphis fans at Imperial Arena roared. The game continued and Mills hit a field goal with 1:53 left in the first half.
The play helped send the Tigers to a 37-25 halftime lead. Mills scored 10 points in the game.
“What Caleb Mills did at :15 is illegal in the United States,” Field of 68 posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
“Caleb Mills ruined that guy’s whole Thanksgiving!!” Popular social media personality Cuffs The Legend posted on X.
“OMG Caleb mills made him touch the earth,” read a post on Slam University X’s account.
Reach sportswriter Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.