MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jalen Duren had 22 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks as Memphis beat Western Kentucky 74-62 in a sloppy game on Friday night.
Deandre Williams added 13 points and Early Timberlake finished with 10 for the Tigers (4-0).
Camron Justice led the Hilltoppers (1-3) with 18 points, while Jairus Hamilton scored 14. Dayvion McKnight had 11 points and eight rebounds as Western Kentucky lost its third straight.
Memphis shot poorly from 3-point range and committed 26 turnovers, keeping Western Kentucky in the game even when the Tigers stretched their second-half lead to double digits.
The Hilltoppers gave Memphis by far its toughest challenge this season, leading by as many as 10 points in the first half. Memphis went 1 of 7 from 3-point range in the first half against the Western Kentucky zone defense. A late rush by Memphis left the game tied at 38 at the break.
Western Kentucky had its own turnover issues in the first half, preventing any kind of flow to the game.
BIG PICTURE
Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers can give opponents plenty of trouble with their zone defense, along with busy hands swatting away passes. Western Kentucky's 3-point shooting kept the game close until it closed the game by missing six of its last seven shots.
Memphis: Turnovers continue to plague the Tigers as their competition gets tougher. The 14 first-half turnovers resulted in 19 points for the Hilltoppers. And the ballhandling was even worse in the second half. Duren’s control of the inside helped the Tigers avoid the upset.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
It wasn’t pretty, but it was a win and Memphis should at least hold onto its spot in the AP Top 25.
UP NEXT
Western Kentucky: Hosts Alabama A&M on Wednesday.
Memphis: Faces Virginia Tech on Wednesday in the NIT Season Tipoff in New York.
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