MEMPHIS, Tenn. – When Jeremiah Martin sprinted in for a layup midway through the first half to give the University of Memphis a four-point lead, the crowd at FedExForum sensed something special.
Coach Tubby Smith's second U of M team, stocked with eight scholarship newcomers, had momentum, generated by a mix of accurate outside shooting, aggressive drives to the basket and a flurry of deflections.
Unfortunately for Memphis, it couldn't sustain the success as LSU gradually recovered en route to a 71-61 victory before 9,468. Kyvon Davenport led the U of M with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while guard Jeremiah Martin added 13 points, six assists and three steals.