Written by Adrian Beecher
Orlando, Fla- Dedric Lawson’s 17 points and 9 rebounds led the Memphis Tigers to a 74-54 victory over the Tulane Green Wave in the AAC Men’s Basketball Tournament. Shaq Goodwin added 16 points and 2 blocks for the good measure for the Tigers.
Memphis opened up the game with the first two baskets, both coming from Goodwin for the early 4-0 lead. The Green Wave struck back quickly with a free throw and a 3-pointer from Louis Dabney.
Both teams had a back and forth battle over the next 7 minutes, and with 10:22 left to play in the first half Memphis was only up 12-11 on The Green wave. But then the Tigers started to put distance between them and Tulane, going on a 13 to 2 run to take a 25-13 lead over Tulane with 4:25 left in the half.
The Green Wave then went on a 7-1 run to cut the Memphis lead to just 6 points with just 1:28 left to play in the half. But the Tigers were able to extend their led to 9 points before the half as late fouls sent Memphis to the line 3 times in the final 1:05. Memphis hit 5 of 6 and went to the locker-room with a 31-22 lead on the Green Wave.
Shaq Goodwin is led the charge for Memphis with 9 points in the first half, while it was Dabney leading the way for the Green Wave with 6 points and 2 steals.
In the second half, Memphis continued where they left off. Shaq Goodwin got the first to baskets again for the Tigers to start a 9-2 run that gave Memphis a 40-24 lead over Tulane just 4 minutes and 11 seconds into the second half.
The Green Wave tried as they might to get back into the game, but the gas had run out for them and the tigers had jumped out to a 19-point lead with 11:48 left in regulation.
“We just really ran out of gas, honestly and that’s the honest truth. I just wish I had another year to play with this great coach and these great group of guys and I’m just sad that that it had to go down this way.” , said Tulane Senior Louis Dabney postgame.
Dabney finished the game with 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals.
Tulane would only get back within 14 points before the Tigers really put the hurt on, going up by 27 with 5:45 left to play.
The Memphis Tigers will now look ahead to Sunday whn they face the 5th seeded UConn Huskies in the AAC Championship game at the Amway Center in Orlando. Tipoff is set for 3:15 ET on ESPN.
Memphis head coach Josh Pastner addressed the matchup with the Huskies postgame, “ Look, when you’re going back to back and now back to back to back, I don’t know how much it comes down to the X’s and O’s, really how much strategy you’re going to be able to do. It comes down to the Jimmy’s and Joe’s. We’re going to have to get it done on the court, and its going to come down to the players making plays.”
Memphis opened up the game with the first two baskets, both coming from Goodwin for the early 4-0 lead. The Green Wave struck back quickly with a free throw and a 3-pointer from Louis Dabney.
Both teams had a back and forth battle over the next 7 minutes, and with 10:22 left to play in the first half Memphis was only up 12-11 on The Green wave. But then the Tigers started to put distance between them and Tulane, going on a 13 to 2 run to take a 25-13 lead over Tulane with 4:25 left in the half.
The Green Wave then went on a 7-1 run to cut the Memphis lead to just 6 points with just 1:28 left to play in the half. But the Tigers were able to extend their led to 9 points before the half as late fouls sent Memphis to the line 3 times in the final 1:05. Memphis hit 5 of 6 and went to the locker-room with a 31-22 lead on the Green Wave.
Shaq Goodwin is led the charge for Memphis with 9 points in the first half, while it was Dabney leading the way for the Green Wave with 6 points and 2 steals.
In the second half, Memphis continued where they left off. Shaq Goodwin got the first to baskets again for the Tigers to start a 9-2 run that gave Memphis a 40-24 lead over Tulane just 4 minutes and 11 seconds into the second half.
The Green Wave tried as they might to get back into the game, but the gas had run out for them and the tigers had jumped out to a 19-point lead with 11:48 left in regulation.
“We just really ran out of gas, honestly and that’s the honest truth. I just wish I had another year to play with this great coach and these great group of guys and I’m just sad that that it had to go down this way.” , said Tulane Senior Louis Dabney postgame.
Dabney finished the game with 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals.
Tulane would only get back within 14 points before the Tigers really put the hurt on, going up by 27 with 5:45 left to play.
The Memphis Tigers will now look ahead to Sunday whn they face the 5th seeded UConn Huskies in the AAC Championship game at the Amway Center in Orlando. Tipoff is set for 3:15 ET on ESPN.
Memphis head coach Josh Pastner addressed the matchup with the Huskies postgame, “ Look, when you’re going back to back and now back to back to back, I don’t know how much it comes down to the X’s and O’s, really how much strategy you’re going to be able to do. It comes down to the Jimmy’s and Joe’s. We’re going to have to get it done on the court, and its going to come down to the players making plays.”