Takeaways from Memphis’ one-point win over VCU

Memphis improved to 2-0 on Saturday with a one-point win over VCU. The Tigers trailed for most of the game, but they made enough plays in the final minutes to secure the 89-88 victory.

After the Rams started the game with a triple, Penny Hardaway’s team went on an 9-0 run to take a six-point lead. They led for about four minutes before VCU went on a quick 9-0 run to regain the lead.

VCU led for most of the game, and a huge reason was its three-point shooting. The Rams made 13 threes, shooting 54.2 percent from deep. 

Blake Harper led the way with 22 points on 50 percent shooting and 5-for-9 from deep.

Memphis was able to get some stops late, and Jayden Reid made shots late to secure the one-point win.

Jayden Reid if for real:

Jayden Reid put together another impressive game, and like the first game against Iowa State, he stepped up when his team needed him the most. He scored 12 of the team’s final 17 points, including the final six.

With 1:19 left in the game, the point guard drilled a three to tie the game before he took the Tigers’ first lead of the second half with a pair of clutch free throws with five seconds remaining.

The guard finished with 32 points, seven assists, a rebound, three steals and two turnovers in 35 minutes of action. He shot 52.3 percent from the field and went 3-for-9 from deep.

Reid has been the team’s leader through two games, and there’s a good chance he’s named the conference player of the week on Monday after two impressive outings.

Rollercoaster at the charity stripe:

It was an interesting day at the free-throw line for the Tigers. They couldn’t find any consistency at the stripe, and shot only 65.8 percent from the line. 

For most of the game, VCU was automatic at the line, and it felt like the charity stripe would be what would lose the game for Memphis. While they struggled for most of the game, the Tigers made the free throws when it counted.

The Tigers went 8-for-11 over the last six minutes of the game. With five seconds left in the game, Reid went to the line trailing by one, and he knocked down both free throws to win the game.

Through the first two games, Memphis is shooting 70.4 percent from the line, and it must do a better job at the charity stripe moving forward.

Tigers capitalize on turnovers:

The Tigers were extremely active on the defensive end of the court, and when the Rams weren’t knocking down threes, they had some issues creating offense. They turned the ball over 13 times, and Hardaway’s team turned that into 21 points off turnovers.

Memphis finished with eight steals, and Reid led the team with three takeaways. Rihards Vavers and Maxim Logue both added two. 

The best defense to offense play of the game came in the first half. Logue poked the ball away, Luke Almodovar saved it before it went out of bounds, and Vavers got fouled on a layup. 

Memphis’ roster flashes a ton of athleticism, and it should be able to turn teams over a ton this season.