DeAndre Williams scored a season-high 20 points and also contributed six assists and three steals as host Memphis halted a four-game losing streak with an impressive 92-78 victory over No. 6 Alabama in a nonconference matchup on Tuesday night.
Jalen Duren added 14 points and six rebounds and Landers Nolley II recorded 13 points, six assists and four steals for the Tigers (6-4), who snapped an eight-game skid against Top 10 programs that dated back to a 72-66 win over then-No. 7 Louisville on March 1, 2014.
Lester Quinones scored 12 points and Tyler Harris added 11 for Memphis, which outscored Alabama by 14 over the first 7 1/2 minutes of the second half to take control.
Keon Ellis scored 19 points for the Crimson Tide (8-2), who had a four-game winning streak halted. Jahvon Quinerly added 12 points and Jaden Shackelford registered 10 points, eight rebounds and three steals for Alabama.
Memphis was ranked as high as No. 9 in the rankings prior to its slide. The Tigers shot 53.3 percent from the field, including 8 of 23 from 3-point range.
The Crimson Tide made 46.2 percent of their shots and were 10 of 33 from behind the arc. JD Davison matched his career best of 10 assists for Alabama.
Harris knocked down two 3-pointers during a 12-0 burst that saw the Tigers open up a 61-42 lead with 12:36 remaining.
Alabama scored the next six points to move within 13 but a dunk by Duren and two free throws by Williams restored the 19-point lead at 72-53 with 8:46 left.
Ellis and Shackelford later made 3-pointers during a 44-second stretch as the Crimson Tide moved within 79-67 with 4:50 remaining.
Alabama moved within single digits when Ellis made two free throws to cut the Memphis lead to 79-70 with 3:37 left.
But Duren answered with a thunderous dunk seven seconds later and Williams added a jumper to make it a 13-point margin with 2:49 left. The Crimson Tide never trailed by fewer than nine the rest of the way.
Malcolm Dandridge scored the last two baskets of the first half to cap an 8-0 run as Memphis led 37-32 at the break.
The Crimson Tide used a 16-4 burst to take an 18-13 lead on Noah Gurley’s dunk with 12:17 left in the half.
Alabama led 32-29 on a dunk by Ellis before going scoreless over the last 3:59.
–Field Level Media
