Virginia (6 - 5) faced a tough battle against No. 21 Memphis (9 - 2) on Wednesday night at John Paul Jones Arena. The game was a nail-biter, with Memphis emerging victorious with a 64 - 62 score. Let's take a closer look at the key moments of this intense contest.

Final Moments and Key Plays

In the final seconds, Rogers made the second free throw to give Memphis a four-point lead. Dai Dai Ames drove to the rim but his layup rolled off. Cofie managed a putback, narrowing the gap to 62 - 60 with 8.9 seconds left. Saunders fouled PJ Haggerty, who made both free throws to restore the four-point lead. Ames took too long driving inside and made a pointless layup with 0.2 seconds remaining. Memphis quickly inbounded the ball to end the game.

Second Half Struggles and Comebacks

In the second half, Memphis took the lead and extended it to nine points at one point. But Virginia fought back, with Ames hitting a fadeaway jumper to get within four. Memphis answered with a three-pointer from Hunter. Moussa Cisse slammed home a putback dunk. Taine Murray had a huge play, driving baseline and scoring with a reverse layup plus a foul on Cisse. Saunders made both free throws to bring Virginia back within four again.

First Half Highlights and Turnovers

In the first half, Taine Murray exploded to the basket for a two-hand dunk. Ames drew a foul on Colby Rogers and made 1/2 free throws. Virginia had excellent defensive possessions and Taine Murray drove past his defender for a layup. Memphis entered as the second-best three-point shooting team but was 1/13 from beyond the arc. Virginia spread the floor and let Jacob Cofie attack in the post. Memphis committed six turnovers and Taine Murray knocked down a three.

Early Game Dynamics and Steals

Memphis won the tip and got the first possession. After three minutes without a score, Elijah Saunders scored with a putback. Memphis committed its third turnover and Virginia cashed in with a corner three from Saunders. Dain Dainja scored off the glass plus a foul on Cofie. Dai Dai Ames made a steal on the first possession.Throughout the game, both teams had their moments of brilliance and struggles. Virginia showed resilience in coming back from deficits, while Memphis maintained their lead at crucial times. It was a game filled with drama and excitement, leaving fans on the edge of their seats.