NCAAB Game Recap - Arkansas-Little Rock at Memphis
Wed Nov 20, 2019 8:00 PM EST

USC-Up
50
Lou
76
F
Elon
61
UNC
75
F
ArkLR
58
Mem
68
F
ASU
41
Tenn
76
F
(N/A)
45
Mia-O
80
F
Chat
53
FSU
89
F
Bingha
77
NJIT
75
F
Sien
89
Yale
100
F(3OT)
Urba
51
WriSt
88
F
(N/A)
20
VMI
96
F
DelSt
64
VaTec
100
F
Merrim
81
StPet
77
F(OT)
Colum
63
StJon
82
F
SFA
57
Rut
69
F
JMU
80
ODU
78
F
Rider
72
UMass
82
F
Princ
54
Ind
79
F
GaTec
78
UGA
82
F
Bry
74
Drex
86
F
E WA
68
BC
72
F
NoKY
59
Ball
57
F
Belm
73
Lipsco
67
F
FAU
70
FlGlf
72
F(OT)
Corn
53
Syr
72
F
(N/A)
58
SHSU
88
F
SeLA
66
Tuls
73
F
(N/A)
56
NoAZ
93
F
APSU
72
Vand
90
F
Troy
52
TAMU
56
F
HiPt
55
StLou
67
F
(N/A)
66
NrthIA
88
F
MorSt
52
Mizzu
70
F
IUPUI
62
LoyIL
85
F
MtStM
51
UAB
58
F
(N/A)
66
ChiSt
79
F
Sac
61
UCDav
51
F
NIU
86
W IL
81
F
ArkSt
80
ColSt
78
F
Citad
57
Ill
85
F
Gram
76
SJSU
83
F
UCSB
67
OrSt
78
F
TxSt
64
UNLV
57
F
BYU
68
Bois
72
F(OT)
Portl
82
PorSt
75
F
SDSU
66
USD
49
F
StMar
68
Fres
58
F

Nov 20, 2019, 8:00 PM EST

Final

1

2

T

Arkansas-Little Rock

23

35

58

(16) Memphis

28

40

68

No. 16 Memphis beats Little Rock 68-58 as Wiseman watches
Thu Nov 21, 2019 12:00 AM

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Memphis players said they were unaware before Wednesday night’s game that star freshman James Wiseman had been suspended 12 games by the NCAA.

There was another culprit for the No. 16 Tigers’ poor early play - a lack of respect for Arkansas-Little Rock - before Memphis escaped with a 68-58 win.

Precious Achiuwa had 16 points and 12 rebounds, and DJ Jeffries added 15 points - all in the first half - providing a spark for the lackadaisical Tigers (4-1).

The game was played only hours after the NCAA ruled Wiseman, the Tigers 7-foot-1 freshman and last season’s top recruit, ineligible for the next 11 games - he’d already sat out one - for receiving impermissible benefits from Memphis coach Penny Hardaway. Hardaway provide the family with $11,500 to help with moving expenses from Nashville to Memphis two years ago, before Hardaway became the Tigers’ coach. After moving to Memphis, Wiseman played for East High, where Hardaway coached.

The NCAA considered Hardaway a university booster because he donated $1 million to the university in 2008.

Wiseman watched the game from the bench.

“We were definitely glad to find out a number. We had been waiting on that,” Hardaway said.

Jeffries and Achiuwa both said they were unaware of the NCAA ruling.

“I haven’t actually looked at my phone in like four hours,” Achiuwa said, Jeffries nodding in agreement.

Hardaway said he didn’t talk about the situation with his team.

“It is what it is right now,” he said. “It has taken on a life of its own. I’m sure they will see it later.”

Hardaway attributed the slow start to the team’s disregard for the Trojans.

“I kind of got the feeling of how the locker room was before the game that these kids were taking Little Rock for granted,” Hardaway said. “There wasn’t the same energy.”

Markquis Nowell led the Trojans (3-2) with 16 points, while Ben Coupet Jr. added 12 points. Ruot Monyyong had 12 points and nine rebounds and Kamani Johnson finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Nowell also had 10 turnovers, representative of the sloppy play throughout the game.

“We had our chances,” Little Rock coach Darrell Walker said. “You think about it, Kamani at the rim 13 times and he misses 10 layups and doesn’t get fouled. There’s nothing the coach can do about that. Markquis turns the ball over 10 times. I told him they weren’t going to let him score all those points tonight. I told him he had to be a facilitator and a decoy.”

Memphis missed its first eight shots and by the midway point of the first half, the Tigers (4-1) were 3 of 13 from the field and had missed all five of its 3-pointers while committing eight turnovers.

The Tigers were unable to overcome the anemic start until less than five minutes left in the half, with Jeffries providing the spark with 15 points helping Memphis take a 28-23 lead at the break.

Little Rock was within 55-53 with about five minutes left, but Memphis outscored the Trojans 13-5 the rest of the way as the Trojans gave way to the Tigers depth.

“I don’t have all the weapons that Penny has,” Walker said. “He has a bunch of weapons, even coming off the bench. ... Right now, I don’t. I got a couple of freshmen and some guys hurt. My deck is not full, but I’m not making excuses.

“Penny’s deck is not full either.”

BIG PICTURE

Little Rock: After jumping to an early 9-0 lead, the Trojans defense played well enough to cause problems for Memphis. Little Rock stayed close, but the visitors struggled from the foul line, going 13 of 24.

Memphis: Memphis was a mess to start the game, missing its first eight shots, some of them way off the mark. Four turnovers added to the early misery. After taking the lead late in the first half, the Tigers never relinquished the advantage in the second half, although Little Rock kept the game close.

UP NEXT

Little Rock: Travels to North Carolina State on Saturday

Memphis: Hosts Ole Miss on Saturday.

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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

Leaders

Arkansas-Little Rock PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
M. Nowell 16 0 3 5 4 0
R. Monyyong 12 0 0 9 4 4
Memphis PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
P. Achiuwa 16 0 2 12 2 0
D. Jeffries 15 0 0 3 0 2

Team Comparison

ArkLR Mem
Points For 58 68
Field Goals 21/49-43% 24/62-39%
Three Pointers 3/10-30% 5/21-24%
Free Throws 13/24-54% 15/23-65%
Offensive Rebounds 7 13
Defensive Rebounds 28 26
Rebounds 36 42
Blocks 4 6
Steals 11 16
Turnovers 26 19
Personal Fouls 24 23
Technical Fouls 0 0
Ejections 0 0

2019-20 Reg Season - Mem Leads Series 1-0

Date Result Away Pts Ldr Home Pts Ldr
Wed Nov 20 ArkLR 58 @ Mem 68 M. Nowell 16 P. Achiuwa 16

Game Information

Stadium: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
Attendance: 15,390
Game Time: