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Memphis routs Rutgers

Feb 5, 2014 - 3:50 AM Memphis, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Austin Nichols led six Memphis scorers in double figures with 18 points, as the 24th-ranked Tigers routed Rutgers, 101- 69, on Tuesday at FedExForum.

Joe Jackson contributed 16 points and eight assists, Michael Dixon, Jr. scored 15, and Shaq Goodwin netted 13 points with six rebounds for the Tigers (17-5, 7-3 AAC), who bounced back from Saturday's 87-72 setback at SMU.

Chris Crawford donated 12 points, 11 boards and five assists, while Geron Johnson supplied 12 points and five helpers for Memphis, which knocked down a season-high 12 3-pointers on 63.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

"I feel like we're a great shooting team, and the further we get into the season the more it's going to show," Johnson said. "I think this is one of the best shooting nights we've had on the season."

Kadeem Jack scored 12 points and grabbed six boards to pace Rutgers (9-14, 3-7), which has lost five of its last six games.

Memphis shot the lights out in the first half, going 8-of-11 from 3-point range (72.7 percent) and 22-of-33 from the field (66.7 percent) overall over the opening 20 minutes to build a 56-21 lead at the break.

After Nichols and Jack exchanged buckets to open the game, the Tigers used a 29-3 outburst to create some separation. Nichols netted 11 in the surge, which Goodwin capped for a 31-5 lead just past the midpoint of the first half.

Nichols finished the half a perfect 7-of-7 from the floor for 16 points to help the Tigers take a 35-point spread into the break.

"I told our guys at halftime that it doesn't mean we can't win the game just because they're better, but you have to play a very good game, and we didn't do that," Rutgers head coach Eddie Jordan remarked.

The Scarlet Knights never threatened in the second half, as Memphis moved the margin as high as 41 before cruising to victory down the stretch.

Game Notes

Crawford recorded his first double-double of the season and third of his career ... Rutgers shot just 25 percent (6-of-24) from the field in the first half, including 1-of-11 from 3-point range ... Memphis recorded more assists (26) than Rutgers had made field goals (23) ... The Tigers tallied 32 points off turnovers, compared to just 12 from Rutgers.