Ducks come out on top of Tigers 82-74

Portland, Oregon:

Despite eventually falling to the Ducks, the Tigers fought hard and proved they can play with some of the best in the country.

The young Tigers made a lot of careless mistakes that end up costing them the game. Down the stretch, it was the costly fouls that put this game out of reach for Memphis.

The Tigers also struggled to contain the pair of Oregon guards, who scored a combined 31 points. Shakur Juiston led the Ducks in scoring with 17 points, followed by, Payton Pritchard who had 14 points, including 4-6 from the charity line.

Memphis was led by Lester Quinones, who put 16 points, and a perfect 6-6 from the free-throw line.

James Wiseman was close behind with 14 points, 4-6 from the free-throw line, and 12 rebounds.

The Tigers shot 37.7 % ( 26-69 FG) from the field and a bleak 4-23 ( 17%) from behind the arc.

Despite losing, this young Memphis team can leave Portland with their head held high and valuable experience for the rest of the season. These are the games that make or break teams come March.

Penny Hardaway and his young Tigers will return to action on Saturday afternoon as the Alcorn State Braves travel to the FedEx Forum. That game will tip-off at 1:00 local time and can be streamed on ESPN3.