How did Penny Hardaway's Memphis pull off an upset vs Dan Hurley's UConn? Tactics and referee decisions analysed
Memphis pulled off a stunning 99-97 overtime upset win over UConn in the quarterfinals of the Maui Invitational at the Lahaina Civic Center in Hawaii on Monday afternoon. The unseeded Tigers, who led by as many as 13 points, held off the spirited rally by the No. 2 Huskies and remained unbeaten in five games.
Memphis broke UConn's 13-game winning streak that sparked the Huskies' 2024 NCAA Tournament run. It also gave Tigers' coach Penny Hardaway his first win against a Top 10 squad since Feb. 12, 2022 when they beat No. 6 Houston, 69-59.
Tyrese Hunter topscored for 26 points for Memphis, which improved to 5-0. The 6-footer punished UConn's perimeter defenders, making 7-of-10 attempts from the 3-point line. PJ Haggerty contributed 22 for the Tigers, including an 11-of-14 clip from the free throw line before fouling out.
But Memphis couldn't have won the game without PJ Carter's heroics in overtime. Carter scored all nine points in the five-minute extension, which included burying six pressure-packed foul shots that separated the Tigers in the crucial moments of the encounter.
Michigan transfer Tarris Reed led UConn's offense with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Alex Karaban and Jaylin Stewart added 19 and 16 points for the Dan Hurley-coached squad, which is now relegated to the consolation round.
Let's dive deep into Memphis' upset over UConn that would lead to a major shakeup in next week's Top 25.
How did Memphis pull off a king-sized upset over UConn in Hawaii?
#1. Memphis shot well from the field
Memphis, which has a 47.5% clip in four games, continued its excellent shooting from the field. The Tigers made 29-of-53 attempts, or 54.7%, for this encounter, including a hot 54.5% clip from the 3-point area.
Dain Dainja shot 7-of-10 while Tyrese Hunter made 8-of-13 attempts, including 7-of-10 from the 3-point line. Colby Rogers went 5-of-9 (3-of-6 from 3-pointers) for 19 points.
UConn's defense should have closed down and challenged Memphis' shooters. This could have prevented the Tigers from getting clear looks at the basket.
#2. Dan Hurley's technical foul broke UConn's backs
Dan Hurley was charged with a technical foul after complaining about Liam McNeeley's over-the-back foul in overtime. The T on Hurley proved costly for the Huskies, allowing Memphis' PJ Carter to make four foul shots to break the 92-92 standoff.
ESPN's Seth Greenberg criticized Hurley's act, saying he overreacted on a 50/50 call.
“He’s a brilliant coach, he’s a savant. He’s an incredible teacher, he loves his players, he’s passionate about the game. You cannot get that T in that moment in time. You cannot interject yourself into the game. Was that a foul? I don’t know if that’s a foul right there," Greenberg said per On3.
“That’s a 50/50 ball, maybe you don’t call that but they did call it. When they do call that, you got to get to the next play. Unfortunately for UConn, he overreacted."
#3. Foul disparity gives Memphis the edge, destroys UConn
More on the officiating part of the game. UConn committed 31 fouls as compared to 21 fouls called against Memphis. Huskies players Tarris Reed, Solo Ball and Samson Johnson fouled out while Liam McNeeley and Aidan Mahaney had four fouls each.
The 31 fouls resulted in the Tigers having more trips to the free-throw line. They attempted 40 foul shots, making 29 for a 72.5% clip. The Huskies, on the other hand, made 19 of 24 for 79.2%.
The free-throw disparity also showed how Penny Hardaway's squad took it to UConn aggressively in the paint. Their attacks resulted in UConn players getting called for the fouls, costing the defending champions mightily in the game
Crazy two days saw both UConn and South Carolina's winning streaks coming to an end
The past two days saw the winning streaks of national champions South Carolina and UConn come to an end. On Sunday, erstwhile No. 1 seed South Carolina had its 43-game winning streak snapped after losing to No. 5 UCLA, 77-62.
The Gamecocks couldn't get their game going against the Bruins, who punished Dawn Staley and her wards with excellent 3-point shooting. Six-foot-seven center Lauren Betts also showed what South Carolina missed this season — a dominant center — as she came up with a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds plus four blocks.
A day later, back-to-back men's college basketball defending champions UConn fell to a gritty Memphis squad which kept fighting in the fourth quarter and overtime despite the Huskies showing their championship poise late in the game.