The Memphis Tigers used their athleticism and quickness to knock off the St. Mary's Gaels on Thursday afternoon, 54-52.
March Madness 2013 scores, Memphis vs. St. Mary’s: Tigers escape Gaels, 54-52
Memphis’ athleticism was the difference against Saint Mary’s as they advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
Jonathan Daniel
With just seconds on the clock, Eividas Petrulis banked in a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to two. Memphis then turned the ball over on the inbounds play, giving SMC one final chance. Senior guard Matthew Dellavedova got a decent look from the corner with 1.9 seconds left, but it went long as the buzzer sounded.
Memphis really dug in on the defensive end. As a team, they blocked 12 shots, including eight from 6'5 guard D.J. Stephens. The Gaels shot just 33 percent from the field and went 3-for-15 from behind the arc.
Here is just one example of the athletic display Memphis put on at Auburn Hills this afternoon. Stephens can really get up:
Memphis moved out to an early lead and never really looked back. Joe Jackson played a great game scoring 14 points, bringing down six rebounds and dishing out seven assists. Tarik Black had 12 points and seven boards, while Adonis Thomas chipped in with 12 points while controlling the paint.
Brad Waldow was the leading scorer for St. Mary's with 17 points. Dellavedova, who played a great opening round game against Middle Tennessee, struggled with the Tigers' quickness and turned the ball over six times. It was a rough day for the Gaels, and they were clearly feeling the effects of a hectic travel week.
With the win, Memphis advances to likely take on Michigan State in the third round. That game will be played on Saturday afternoon, with the winner moving on to the Sweet 16. You can find an updated, printable bracket here, courtesy of your friends at SB Nation.
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