MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Interstat) — In a game defined by gritty defense and critical plays in the final minute, the Memphis women’s basketball team edged Wichita State 65-61 in an American Athletic Conference contest Saturday at FedExForum.

The Tigers, who led for nearly the entire game, saw a late double-digit advantage nearly vanish before securing the victory in front of 704 fans to close the regular season.

Memphis established control early, using an 8-0 run to build a 20-11 lead in the first quarter. The Tigers’ interior presence, led by forward Tamya Smith and center Amauri Williams, provided a consistent offensive threat. Wichita State guard Abby Cater kept the Shockers within reach, scoring 19 points, but Memphis took a 35-29 lead into halftime.

The Tigers extended their lead to 13 points midway through the third quarter, but the Shockers mounted a persistent comeback. A 10-2 run by Wichita State, capped by a Cater 3-pointer and a driving layup, cut the deficit to 50-47 by the end of the third period.

The fourth quarter became a tense back-and-forth affair. Memphis repeatedly pushed its lead back to six or seven points, only to see Wichita State answer. With just over a minute to play, Cater converted two free throws to bring the Shockers within two points at 62-60. On the ensuing possession, Memphis’s Cori Allen found Smith for a crucial layup to restore a four-point cushion with 28 seconds left.

The most important sequence of the game followed immediately. Cater was fouled and made one of two free throws, making it 64-61 with 17 seconds remaining. Memphis inbounded the ball to Jordan Hunter, who was fouled. Hunter, under pressure, sank both free throws to extend the lead to 65-61 with 19 seconds left. Wichita State’s final possession ended in a turnover, sealing the outcome.

Smith, a 6-foot-2 forward from Pleasant Grove, Alabama, led all scorers with 21 points, adding two blocks in 34 minutes. Williams, the Memphis center, was a force inside with 17 points. Allen, a guard from Nashville, Tennessee, contributed 10 points and three assists, including the key late pass to Smith.

For Wichita State, Cater, a 5-foot-7 guard from PG County, Maryland, played 36 minutes and spearheaded the comeback attempt with her game-high 19 points. Guard Jaila Harding, from Wichita, Kansas, added 10 points.

Memphis finished the game shooting from the floor, while Wichita State shot from the floor. The Tigers also held advantages from 3-point range and the free-throw line.

With the win, Memphis improved its season record to 10-21 overall. Wichita State fell to 8-23. The game was the regular-season finale for both teams.

The victory gave Memphis a season split with the Shockers, who had won the previous meeting 66-59 in Wichita on Jan. 20. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Memphis entered the game with a 66.70 percent probability to win.