Memphis holds off Boise State rally for first-round win

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Lessons from a tough start to the season helped Memphis weather a second-half challenge by Boise State on Thursday.

DeAndre Williams had 14 points, Jalen Duren made a crucial basket down the stretch and the ninth-seeded Tigers survived their first-round game against the Broncos with a 64-53 victory in the NCAA Tournament.

The Tigers (22-10), whose poor start to the season had coach Penny Hardaway dropping expletives in a press conference, are into the second round in the West Region and will play top-seeded Gonzaga on Saturday. The Bulldogs downed No. 16 seed Georgia State, 93-72.

“I just felt like (Hardaway) did a great job of preparing us for that moment. Just throughout my past and my history, I’ve always been in games where I could be up 20 or down 20, and the game is never over,” Duren said. “Coach Penny put us in the right spots, that always help us get through every time.”

Duren finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Tigers, who were 9-8 after 17 games but went on a late-season charge to reach the tournament for the first time since 2014. The Tigers have now won 13 of their past 15 games.

Abu Kigab had 20 points to lead the eighth-seeded Broncos (27-8), the Mountain West regular-season and tournament champs, who were making their first appearance in the tournament since 2015.

Boise State trailed by 19 at the half but, taking advantage of a cold snap by the Tigers, narrowed the gap to 42-35 with 9:45 left. The Tigers had scored just four second-half points before Williams’ dunk with 9:18 left got them going again.

Kigab hit a 3-pointer and a short jumper to get Boise State within 49-43 with 5:55 remaining, but Williams answered again with a 3-pointer for the Tigers. And when the