Reid Leads Memphis Past VCU 89-88

Jayden Reid scored 32 points, including two free throws with 5 seconds left, as Memphis rallied from a halftime deficit to win its home opener.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Basketball

Memphis beat VCU 89-88 on November 7 at FedExForum after trailing 48-44 at halftime. Jayden Reid scored 32 points, including the team's final six points, and his two free throws with 5 seconds left tied the game and put Memphis ahead for good.

Why it matters

The win gives Memphis a strong start to its season in its first home game for Reid, who transferred in from South Florida. The game also showed how a late run from a single scorer can decide a close contest.

Memphis shot 66% from the free-throw line and missed 13 attempts, while VCU made 10 of 17 three-pointers, including 3 of 7 after halftime. Vavers made four of five three-pointers, a 58.3% mark over Memphis's first two games.

The players

Jayden Reid

Reid is a Memphis guard who transferred from South Florida and scored 32 points in his first home game with the Tigers.

The details

Reid scored the team's last six points, five of them in the final 1:19, and his pair of free throws with 5 seconds left gave Memphis the lead. Memphis trailed 48-44 at halftime and used the late run to finish 89-88 over VCU.

November 7: Memphis beats VCU 89-88 at FedExForum in its home opener.
March 7, 2025: Reid scored 20 points for South Florida at FedExForum.

Season Trajectory

Memphis's home opener win over VCU gives the Tigers an early marker in a season built around newly arrived transfers. Reid's late scoring shows how transfer rules have changed the way mid-major and conference programs assemble their rotations.

Reid's 32-point game makes him a key scorer to watch on fantasy rosters for Memphis's next games. Fans should track the team's free-throw shooting, which fell to 66% in this win.

The takeaway

Memphis showed it can recover from a halftime deficit by making its late free throws, a skill that often decides close college games. Reid's performance is a reminder that a single hot scorer can carry a team through a tight finish.