• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Memphis dominates Nicholls State

Nov 24, 2013 - 1:35 AM Memphis, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Freshman big man Austin Nichols turned in the best game of his young career with 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting as the 11th-ranked Memphis Tigers rolled past Nicholls State, 98-59, at FedExForum on Saturday.

Joe Jackson sank 14-of-15 from the foul line en route to 18 points for Memphis, which bounced back after getting routed by Oklahoma State on Tuesday.

Missouri transfer Michael Dixon, Jr. also enjoyed his best game as a Tiger, as the senior hit 5-of-6 shots and all three from behind the arc for 16 points off the bench. Nick King and Chris Crawford added 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Jeremy Smith was the lone Nicholls State (0-4) player in double figures with 16 points. Liam Thomas pulled down nine rebounds in defeat.

Memphis grabbed a quick 16-4 edge on Dixon's three-point play at the 14:09 mark, but Nicholls refused to quit early on. Luke Doyle's steal and 3-pointer in transition midway through the first had the Colonels down just 29-22.

Memphis led by 10 when Nichols sparked a 17-5 run to close out the half. His layups around four Jackson free throws pushed it to 42-24 before the final media timeout. Another Nichols layup and a Jackson three-point play extended the lead to 23 points, and Crawford made it 51-29 at the break with his layup in the final minute.

Geron Johnson's only made field goal came early in the second half following a Colonels' turnover. Shaq Goodwin fed Johnson slashing through the lane and the senior guard finished with authority to set the tone for the rest of the contest.

Game Notes

Memphis shot 52.5 percent from the floor to NSU's 35.9 percent ... Nicholls State has lost by 14 points or more in all four games this season ... Memphis will meet Siena next Thursday in the opening round of the Old Spice Classic.