MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After escaping several games with last-second shots, No. 10 Memphis finally caught fire.
Kasean Pryor made a go-ahead free throw with four seconds left, and South Florida rallied from a 20-point deficit to stun the Tigers 74-73 on Thursday night.
Pryor finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and reserve Selton Miguel led USF with 23 points, going 5 of 10 from 3-point range. The Bulls (10-4, 3-1 American Athletic Conference) won eight of nine and ended a 10-game winning streak for the Tigers (15-3, 4-1), who had not lost since a close defeat in Mississippi on December 2. Memphis moved into the top 10 this week.
“This hurts because we worked so hard to get to this level,” Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said.
South Florida became the fourth team since 2010-11 to come back from a 20-point deficit to beat an AP Top 10 opponent, and the first unranked team to do so since February 2011, when Colorado defeated No. 5 Texas, according to ESPN Stats. & Information.
Thursday's win snapped the Bulls' 38-game losing streak against AP-ranked opponents, including 31 straight losses against ranked conference opponents.
Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim was doused with a bucket full of water in celebration as he entered the post-match locker room.
“It's not about us,” Abdur-Rahim said. “This is about the University of South Florida…This is a big win for the University of South Florida and for this group of kids that they allow us to push them forward.”
With the score tied at 73, Pryor took a pass alone in the paint and went up for a dunk, but was fouled hard by Nae'Qwan Tomlin. Pryor made the first free throw but missed the second.
Jahvon Quinerly, who hit two game-winning 3-pointers during Memphis' winning streak (against SMU and Tulsa) had a chance to do it again, but this time he missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Asked if Memphis became complacent with the big early lead and breakaways in close games, Tomlin responded: “Probably.”
“[South Florida] “They came out and played very hard, so you have to give them credit,” he said.
David Jones led Memphis with 25 points and Quinerly finished with 15. Chris Youngblood scored 13 points for USF.
Memphis led 52-32 early in the second half, but USF responded with a 9-0 run with Pryor, Kobe Knox and Brandon Stroud each scoring three. The Bulls inched closer throughout the period, and Jayden Reid tied it with a goal. layup with 37 seconds left, his only basket of the game. A Quinerly turnover helped set up USF for Pryor's decisive free throw.
Jones scored 18 points in the first half, including a streak of 11 in a row, and Memphis led 47-32 at halftime. The Tigers were effective in transition, finishing the half with a 17-0 advantage in fast break points and scoring 14 points off eight Bulls turnovers.
“Bad loss,” Hardaway said. “National TV. Scoring 26 points in the second half after scoring 46 in the first. But when you're not playing team basketball, that can happen.”
Abdur-Rahim said he believes the Bulls have the potential for more impressive wins this season.
“We are not going to get drunk with success,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
