Jayden Reid has already made a habit of big nights at FedExForum, but nothing quite like this.
In his first home game as a Memphis player on Nov. 7, Reid delivered the kind of finish that turns a good performance into a memorable one.
He scored 32 points and capped a furious comeback with the game-winning free throws, lifting the Tigers to an 89-88 win over VCU. Memphis trailed late, but Reid took over when it mattered most, scoring the team’s final six points and five of them in the last 1:19.
With 5 seconds left, he stepped to the line, hit both free throws to tie the game, then gave Memphis the lead for good.
The scene afterward matched the moment. Reid was emotional in his ESPN+ interview, wiping away tears as fans roared around him.
By the time he made it off the floor, he was still being congratulated and hugged by teammates and others. Memphis had its 2-0 start, and Reid had the kind of night he clearly felt deeply.
“You know, I prayed every day for moments like this, to be in positions like this,” Reid said. “I was just so thankful.
Everybody’s story is different. My story is unique for me.
God has never failed.
“This is my third school and just trusting (God). Once I got in the portal, I prayed a lot.
I ended up at Memphis and we’re starting off 2-0. Big-time win.
Just a lot of emotions. Just super thankful and blessed.”
The Tigers needed every bit of that late composure because the free-throw line had been a problem for most of the night. Memphis missed 13 foul shots and finished at 66%, but when the pressure spiked, the Tigers answered.
They made six of their final eight and three of their last four, and Reid’s pair at the end was the biggest of them all. Memphis also made the front and back ends of its trips to the stripe just seven times overall.
VCU spent much of the first half putting Memphis on its heels from deep. The Rams hit 10 of 17 3-pointers before halftime and carried a 48-44 lead into the break.
Sammy Jackson delivered one of the more painful makes for Memphis, knocking down a late shot with a hand in his face and just 6 seconds left before halftime. A lot of VCU’s damage came when the Tigers were slow to close out, but Memphis tightened up after the break and allowed only three 3-pointers on seven attempts in the second half.
There was also a noticeable shift in the Tigers’ rotation. Memphis native Julius Thedford, who did not play in the win over Iowa State on Nov. 2, got an early look against VCU.
The junior guard, one of only two holdovers from last season, contributed with five rebounds and defense even though his shot wasn’t falling, as he went 1 of 5. His fifth rebound came on VCU’s final shot of the game.
On the other side of that decision, 6-foot-9 forward Jerry Deng did not play after logging six minutes in the opener against Iowa State, when he finished with five points, one rebound and one block.
And then there was Rihards Vavers, who looked exactly like the kind of shooter Memphis brought him in to be. The Washington State transfer knocked down four 3-pointers on five tries, with two makes in each half, accounting for four of Memphis’ 10 triples. Through two games, he’s shooting 58.3% from beyond the arc and has made seven of his last eight.
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Memphis comes home carrying a real early-season jolt after opening with an 80-74 win over Iowa State in South Dakota on Nov. 2. The Tigers now get their first chance to play in front of the FedExForum crowd on Nov. 7, when VCU visits in a matchup that should tell a little more about how quickly this group can turn a strong neutral-site start into something sustainable.
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Memphis Faces An Early Test That Could Say A Lot
Saturdays slate brings an early-season measuring stick to Memphis, where VCU comes in for a matchup that should tell a little more about where the Tigers stand right now. The broader schedule around the country has its own intrigue, from Marylands trip to Georgetown to Morehead State at Louisville and Colgate against Drexel, but this one has a particular edge because it puts Memphis in a game with real tone-setting value this early.
For a Tigers team trying to establish itself in November, the challenge is less about the calendar and more about what kind of response it gets when tested at home. The rest of the days board offers plenty of other watchable spots, and broadcast details will make it easy for fans to keep tabs on the action, but Memphis-VCU feels like the one that could reveal the most about how quickly this group is coming together. [Read more 🡒]