The Memphis Tigers remained perfect against Conference USA foes on Tuesday night, edging the UTEP Miners by a score of 56-54 in front of a rowdy crowd at the Don Haskins Center.
Memphis vs. UTEP final score: Tigers escape with 56-54 win
Memphis improved to 15-0 against Conference USA opponents after squeaking one out on the road in El Paso.
Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
With just three minutes remaining, a goaltending violation against Memphis tied the game at 51-51. The Tigers responded in a big way, hitting back-to-back shots to go up 56-51. Their defense held strong, and four crucial missed free throws in the final minute ended any chance UTEP had at pulling the upset.
Chris Crawford led the Tigers in scoring with 15 points. Adonis Thomas chipped in with 11 points and nine rebounds, while Tarik Black added nine points despite turning the ball over five times.
UTEP big man Julian Washburn scored a game-high 19 points in the losing effort. Cedrick Lang, who had 10 points and seven rebounds, was the only other Miner to reach double-digits in scoring. UTEP had plenty of chances to win but just couldn't get shots to fall when they mattered most.
Memphis will look to complete its perfect run through Conference USA with UAB coming to town Saturday afternoon.
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