Both Florida Atlantic and Memphis advanced in their respective tournaments on Thanksgiving Day, November 23.
No. 19 Florida Atlantic 91, Butler 86 - Box Score
KISSIMMEE. Fla. (AP) Vladislav Goldin scored 19 points and Johnell Davis added 15 as No.19 Florida Atlantic beat Butler 91-86 in a first-round matchup at the ESPN Events Invitational on Thursday.
Jalen Gaffney added 14 points as six FAU players scored in double figures. The Owls (3-1) rebounded from a 60-51 home loss to Bryant last Saturday.
“Anytime you face adversity, we have this week, you learn and grow from it,” FAU coach Dusty May said. “If it causes you to splinter at all, then it's catastrophic.”
Butler (3-2) got 19 points from Jahmyl Telfort. The Bulldogs had five player in double figures.
“When you play a team like Florida Atlantic, that is an unbelievable basketball team, when you deviated and you make mistakes they make you pay,” Butler coach Thad Matta said. “I thought that was the difference in the game.”
After Posh Alexander's 4-point play got Butler within 78-77 with 4:40 remaining, Gaffney's long-range jumper then keyed an 8-1 run for FAU.
FAU trailed by four points before using an 11-1 run to take a 77-71 lead with six minutes to play. Goldin, Davis and Tre Carroll all had three-point plays.
Carroll finished with 11 points off the bench
“There's no way we win this game without the things he brought to the table," May said. “He settled us down.”
FAU led 46-42 after an up-tempo first half.
Memphis 84, No. 20 Arkansas 79 - Box Score
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) David Jones had a career-high 36 points and five steals to help Memphis beat No. 20 Arkansas 84-79 on Thursday in a semifinal game at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Memphis (5-0) will face Villanova in the title game on Friday. Arkansas (4-2) faces No. 14 North Carolina for third place.
Jones was 10 for 14 from the field, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range, and 12 of 14 at the line. The 36 points tops the 33 he scored against Louisville on Dec. 10, 2021, while playing for DePaul. Jones became the second Memphis player since 2010 with 34-plus points and four-plus steals in a game, joining Jeremiah Martin.
Nick Jourdain added 12 points for Memphis, and Jaykwon Walton scored 11.
Khalif Battle scored 21 points for Arkansas. Davonte Davis added 15 points, Trevon Brazile had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Tramon Mark scored 12.
Memphis was called for an administrative technical foul with 2:07 left for having six players on the floor. Battle made two free throws to get within 76-69, but the Razorback turned it over on the ensuing possession.
Battle sank a 3-pointer in transition as Arkansas pulled within 76-72 with 1:07 left. After a timeout, Jourdain was left open for a driving layup, extending the lead to six points. Jayhlon Young, Jones and Walton combined for six straight free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal it.