Memphis absolutely rocked No. 10 Louisville on Sunday, roaring back from an 18-point first-half hole to snatch a 98-78 victory. That’s a statement win, period, turning a bleak early outlook into a dominant second-half performance that left Louisville reeling.
Second-Half Surge Blew Louisville Away
You want to talk about a turnaround? Louisville looked like they were running away with it early, starting 11 of 13 from the field and draining 5 of 7 from beyond the arc. Memphis struggled to hold onto the ball, with five turnovers leading directly to Louisville fastbreaks. The Cardinals built up an 18-point lead and went into halftime up 52-41. But man, that completely changed after the break. Memphis came out with a vengeance, immediately dropping a 15-3 run to open the second half and erase Louisville’s entire lead.
The Tigers’ shooting in the second half was absolutely absurd. They shot an incredible 74% overall, including a lights-out 7-of-10 from three-point range in the final 20 minutes. By the 11-minute mark, Memphis was already hitting 75% in the half, including 6 of 8 from deep, seizing a 73-65 lead they wouldn’t give up. They outscored Louisville 57-26 in that second half. That’s not winning, that’s owning the court.
Weeks, Reid Ignite The Comeback Fire
Tylik Weeks and Jayden Reid were absolutely clutch, pouring in 24 points each to lead the charge. Reid wasn’t just scoring either; he dished out 10 assists, orchestrating that second-half offensive explosion. Julius Thetford added 16 points, and Rihards Vavers chipped in 15, showing off some serious depth for the Tigers. This was a team effort that truly gelled when it mattered most, even without second-leading scorer Luke Almodovar, who was sidelined after hitting his head in a tough fall against Vanderbilt on Tuesday.
This massive win puts Memphis at 3-1 on the young season, and get this: it’s already their second victory over a ranked opponent. They took down then-No. 18 Iowa in their season opener. Louisville, now sitting at 2-1, saw Seth Trimble lead their scoring with 16 points, while Jackson Shelstad had 15 and Alvaro Folgueiras added 14. But their strong individual efforts couldn’t hold back the Memphis onslaught.
What a statement for Memphis, proving they can battle back against a Top 10 team even when facing adversity. Louisville has to figure out how to keep that first-half intensity going if they want to live up to that No. 10 ranking. Up next, Louisville hosts Stetson on Thursday, while Memphis will entertain Evansville on Sunday, November 22. Both teams have work to do, but Memphis is definitely riding high on this one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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