LAHAINA, Hawaii — In an exhilarating first round of the Maui Invitational, Tyrese Hunter delivered a stellar performance, scoring 17 of his total 26 points after halftime, propelling Memphis to a narrow 99-97 overtime victory over UConn, the two-time defending national champions currently ranked second.
Hunter proved to be a force from beyond the arc, successfully landing 7 of 10 three-point attempts, as the Tigers (5-0) showcased their shooting prowess by going 12 of 22 as a team from long range. Other standout contributors for Memphis included PJ Haggerty, who netted 22 points alongside dishing out five assists, while Colby Rogers added 19 points and Dain Dainja scored 14.
On the other side, the Huskies (4-1) had a remarkable outing from Tarris Reed Jr., who came off the bench to tally 22 points and 11 rebounds. Key performances also came from Alex Karaban with 19 points and six assists, and Jaylin Stewart, who contributed 16 points.
Memphis held a commanding 13-point lead with four minutes left in regulation; however, UConn staged a comeback, ultimately evening the score with a three-pointer from Solo Ball with just 1.2 seconds left on the clock.
Key takeaways from the match include Memphis’s impressive shooting percentage, ranked second nationally for field goals at the start of the game, as they maintained a 54.7% shooting mark throughout. For UConn, the defeat marked the end of their remarkable 17-game winning streak that dated back to February.
A pivotal moment occurred late in overtime when both teams were tied at 92. UConn coach Dan Hurley received a technical foul following a controversial over-the-back call on Liam McNeeley. This gave PJ Carter the opportunity to convert four consecutive free throws—two from the technical foul and another two from the personal foul—granting Memphis a 96-92 advantage with just 40.3 seconds remaining.
Another significant statistic was the foul trouble faced by the Huskies, who had three players foul out. Memphis took full advantage of their opportunities at the charity stripe, attempting 40 free throws and sinking 29 of them.
Looking ahead, Memphis is set to face the winner of the matchup between Colorado and Michigan State in the second round of the invitational. Meanwhile, UConn will compete against the losing team from that game in the consolation bracket.
