(3) Missouri 102, (2) Memphis 91
No. 3 Missouri appeared destined to rout No. 2 Memphis after leading by 24 points early in the second half. But Memphis pulled as close as six points and seemed on the cusp of pulling off a stunning comeback. However, the Tigers ran out of time, and Missouri advanced with a 102-91 win.
Everything seemed to be falling right for Missouri for the first 25 minutes, including a 60-foot buzzer-beater before halftime from Marcus Denmon. However, after coach John Calipari, who drew a technical foul in the game, called a timeout when Memphis fell behind by 24, the Tigers showed signs of life and went on a 9-0 run in less than a minute. Freshman point guard Tyreke Evans led Memphis with 33 points, five rebounds and four assists. For Missouri, junior guard J.T. Tiller had his best game of the season with 23 points, four rebounds and three steals. Senior forward Leo Lyons had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
