MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Kasean Pryor made a go-ahead free throw with 4 seconds left, and South Florida rallied from a 20-point deficit to stun No. 10 Memphis 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) have won eight of nine and ended a 10-game winning streak for the Tigers (15-3, 4-1), who hadn't lost since a narrow defeat at Mississippi on Dec. 2.
With the game tied at 73-all, Pryor took an inbound pass alone in the paint and elevated for dunk but took a hard foul from Nae’Qwan Tomlin. Pryor made the first free throw but missed the second, and Memphis’ Jahvon Quinerly missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
David Jones led Memphis with 25 points and Quinerly finished with 15. Chris Youngblood had 13 points for USF.
Memphis led 52-32 early in the second half and USF responded by going on a 9-0 run with Pryor, Kobe Knox and Brandon Stroud each making a 3. The Bulls inched closer throughout the period and Jayden Reid tied it with a layup with 37 seconds left - his only basket of the game. A turnover by Quinerly helped set up USF for Pryor's decisive free throw.
Jones had 18 points in the first half - including a run of 11 straight - for Memphis, which led 47-32 at the break. 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.
BIG PICTURE
South Florida: The Bulls upped their intensity in the second half and didn't panic when Memphis took its big lead.
Memphis: The Tigers shot poorly after the break. As they've done many times this season, they let an opponent stay close, making the game more interesting than it appeared it would be. This time, it cost them at the finish.
UP NEXT
South Florida: Hosts Wichita State on Sunday.
Memphis: At Tulane on Sunday.