The Houston Cougars, the No. 1 team in the country, and the Memphis Tigers were tied at 65 apiece going into the final seconds of Sunday’s men’s basketball game when the former had a chance to avoid a ball-in-hand upset.
The Cougars did not disappoint.
With five seconds left on the clock, Houston’s star guard Jamal Shead drove to the left wing and went to work. After a teammate’s screen failed to set up correctly, Shead began to drive to the right of him and ran into hard-defending Tigers players.
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Jamal Shead of the Houston Cougars handles the ball during the second half against Elijah McCadden of the Tigers at FedExForum on March 5, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)
But Shead got just enough clearance to plant his feet for a jumper inside the three-point line. When he raised the shot, the Memphis crowd was out of their seats, waiting for overtime.
Shead, with ice in his veins, didn’t let that happen as the ball went through the rim for a 67-65 victory.
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Shed’s teammates approached him on the court, knowing they will still be the best team in Division I basketball ahead of the American Athletic Conference tournament, which Houston is expected to win before the NCAA Tournament begins.
Shead finished the match tied for his team’s top scorer with Tramon Mark. Both players finished with 16 points, while Shead was 6-of-16 from the field with seven assists and three steals as well.
Malcolm Dandridge of the Tigers drives against Jamal Shead of the Houston Cougars at FedExForum on March 5, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Marcus Sasser and Jarace Walker also assisted in the Cougars’ victory, going down 13 and 10, respectively.
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The Tigers were led by Kendric Davis, who scored a game-high 26 points on 6-of-18 shooting from the field with three 3-pointers and 11-of-12 free throws made.
Memphis could get revenge in the conference tournament, as Penny Hardaway’s group is 13-5 now in conference play after losing to Houston.
Jamal Head of the Houston Cougars celebrates after making the game-winning shot against the Memphis Tigers at FedExForum on March 5, 2023. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)
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They are scheduled to be the number two seed in the conference tournament that begins this Thursday for seeds six through eleven.