Memphis guard Kendric Davis makes a game-winning buzzer-beater to knock off Temple
After a tough contest, Temple was downed by an impressive shot by Davis to beat the buzzer.
Temple will not soon forget Memphis guard Kendric Davis.
At the Liacouras Center on Sunday, Davis hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer to hand the Owls a 61-59 loss in an American Athletic Conference matchup.
The Owls (10-9, 4-2, AAC) only made 17 of 58 shots from the floor, including 4 of 29 from three-point range. For most of the game, Temple struggled to make simple shots.
Guards Khalif Battle and Damian Dunn each missed two attempts with less than one minute remaining, but Dunn made a three-pointer with two seconds left to tie the game.
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“He’s a great player,” Temple head coach Aaron McKie said about Davis making a buzzer-beater. “He got it going in the second half. So those are the sort of things that happen when you put yourself in those situations.”
Statistical leaders
Dunn, who returned to the court after being ejected against Tulsa on Jan. 10, made 5 of 11 shots for a team-high 23 points. Forward Nick Jourdain added 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Davis and forward DeAndre Williams each scored 20 points for Memphis (13-5, 3-2).
What we saw
Both programs struggled to score, especially in the first 20 minutes.
Prior to halftime, Temple went 7 of 27 from the floor, including 1 of 11 from three-point range. On the flip side, Memphis struggled to find scoring lanes.
The Tigers only made 11 of 30 first-half shots, including 2 of 13 from beyond the arc.
“We just talked about playing with our edge, just being competitive on the defensive end,” Dunn said. “I think we just took a big step today.”
Davis, who averaged 21.3 points per game through 17 games, only scored a four first-half points. But Davis made all the difference after halftime by scoring 17 second-half points and making contested shots.
Overall, Memphis finished 22 of 58, including making 4 of 23 three pointers.
Temple finished with 17 turnovers, and Memphis scored 22 points off those turnovers.
Momentum Shifts
Temple’s 10-0 first-half run was sparked by strong defense, holding Memphis scoreless for over four minutes. The Owls capitalized by making 6 of 6 from the stripe to take a two-point lead with 11:18 remaining.
Temple’s 7-0 second-half run was sparked by Dunn converting a three-pointer with 13:09 left. However, Memphis went on a 7-0 run that swung momentum. Dunn made two free throws to end the run at the 6:09 mark.
Davis made a three-pointer with 3:58 remaining to tie the score at 51. This shot propelled Davis into taking over the game.
Up Next
Temple faces AAC rival East Carolina (10-9, 1-5) on Wednesday at the Liacouras Center (7 p.m., ESPN+).