MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Tyler Harris scored 14 points, 11 in the second half, with four 3-pointers to lead five Tigers in double figures and Memphis defeated UCF 77-57 on Sunday.
The Knights (15-4, 5-2 American Athletic Conference) came into Memphis having won nine out their last 10 games and with four straight wins over the Tigers, but Memphis took the lead early, never trailed and rolled to their fourth victory in their last five.
Mike Parks scored 13 points, Raynere Thornton had 11 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double in three games, Kyvon Davenport also scored 11 points and Jeremiah Martin added 10 with seven assists for Memphis (13-7, 5-2), which outrebounded the Knights 46-28, including 21-12 on the offensive glass.
B.J. Taylor opened the second half with a 3-pointer to cut the Tigers’ lead to seven but Davenport responded with a dunk and Harris and Thornton added 3-pointers for a double-digit lead that would endure. The Tigers’ lead reached 23 points late in the second half.
Except for one tie in the opening minutes, Memphis led the entire way, going up by as many as 15 with 7:13 left in the first half after a 13-1 run including 3-pointers by Martin and Harris before going into the break ahead 38-28.
Taylor was the only UCF player to score in double figures with 10.
UCF and Memphis are in a three-way with Temple for second in the conference, a game back of No. 17 Houston and Cincinnati.
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