FORT WORTH, Texas − Kendric Davis not only looked like the best player in the AAC, the Memphis basketball All-American looked like one of the best players in the country.
In the blink of an eye, Davis sent a pair of heat-seeking torpedoes right through No. 1 Houston’s heart. His back-to-back 3-pointers that came 11 seconds apart in the first half let everyone inside Dickies Arena how this Championship Sunday might play out.
The Tigers (26-8) avenged a pair of regular-season losses to the Cougars (31-3), claiming a 75-65 victory – the first AAC Tournament title in program history – and sending the Big 12-bound program out on a sour note. Penny Hardaway’s team led by as many as 19 points, the largest deficit Houston has faced at any point this season. It is the first league title of any kind for the Tigers since 2013, when they won Conference USA.
Davis finished with 31 points.
Memphis will soon find out exactly where it will begin the NCAA Tournament, as the selection show begins at 5 p.m. on CBS.
Houston made a very Houston-like comeback, cutting the lead to 55-50 with 11:03 left in the game. But, if the first half belonged to Davis, a series of second-half clutch moments from senior guard Alex Lomax’s snuffed out any and all hope the Cougars had left.
Up 65-55, Lomax picked Terrance Arceneaux's pocket around mid-court, took off toward his goal (injured groin and all) and got the ball to go down despite being fouled by Jamal Shead. Lomax, after strutting his stuff for a few seconds, added the ensuing free throw for good measure. Lomax also secured a pair of key rebounds (including one offensive board that led to a Malcolm Dandridge field goal) and two assists.
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