Tigers Women's Basketball To Play At No. 1 Connecticut Saturday

Saturday, January 30

Hartford, Conn.

11 am CT

University of Memphis

Connecticut

Tickets

Photo by: Brandon Dill

Tigers Women's Basketball To Play At No. 1 Connecticut Saturday

Jan 29, 2016 | Women's Basketball

Memphis-Connecticut game to tip at 11 a.m. (CT) from the XL Center in Hartford.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – For University of Memphis head coach Melissa McFerrin, she is looking for one thing from her Tigers squad Saturday, Jan. 30 when it meets three-time defending NCAA champion and current No. 1 Connecticut. McFerrin wants her team to compete.

"We got into foul trouble early in our previous game with UConn, and had to make a decision," said McFerrin. "They opened up a lead early, and we decided to battle more with our bench because we had to look long term for the season. As for Saturday's game in Hartford, I expect us to compete on every play and that's our goal."

In that Jan. 13 contest at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse, Tigers seniors Ariel Hearn and Asianna Fuqua-Bey both got into foul trouble in the first half. In fact, Hearn had as many fouls (3) as the Huskies had in the first half.

Despite the loss to Connecticut, Memphis has bounced back quite nicely with three wins in the four games since, including an 88-87 overtime upset of No. 15 USF Jan. 20.

The Tigers enter Saturday's game on a three-game win streak, and one reason for the recent success: hitting shots. In the last three games (all wins), the Tigers are shooting 53.3 percent from the field and averaging over 18 assists per game (18.3). Of the last six halves of basketball the Tigers played, they shot 50 percent or better from the field in five of them.

It's the type of play recently that has some eyeing the 2016 postseason, but McFerrin warns against looking too far ahead.

"We don't have a lot of room for error (down the second half of the conference season), and I talk about that with our players all the time," McFerrin said. "We've done a lot work, but we still have a lot yet to do if we want to be a postseason team. It's going to be critical four our seniors to help keep the team focused and also perform down the stretch."

TV: SNY
Radio: 91.7 FM (WUMR)
Internet Video: ESPN3.com/WatchESPN
Live Stats: uconnhuskies.com/gametracker
LiveTweet: @MemphisWBKB, #MEMWBKB, #GoTigersGo

Tigers Tidbits/Five Notes To Know
• The Huskies hold a 5-0 lead in the series with Memphis, including a 2-0 mark against the Tigers when playing in the state of Connecticut. Saturday's game is being played at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. The last time Memphis played the Huskies at the XL Center was the 2013-14 season, and Connecticut posted an 83-49 win.

• Since 1990-91, Memphis has a perfect 3-0 record in games after a win after a win after a victory over a ranked team. The Tigers face that same scenario Saturday. Memphis is playing Connecticut after a win (UCF Jan. 27) after a win (at Tulsa Jan. 23) after a victory over a ranked team (No. 15 USF Jan. 20). This scenario also played out in the 1994-95, 1997-98 and 2000-01 seasons. However, this is the only time that the game after a win after a win after a victory over a ranked team is against another ranked team, this time No. 1 Connecticut.

• Both teams better prepare to take care of the ball Saturday. Memphis and Connecticut are the American Athletic Conference's top-two teams in steals and turnovers forced. The Huskies are first in the league in steals (12.3) and turnovers forced (21.3). The Tigers are second in steals (10.9) and turnovers forced (19.1).

• Senior Ariel Hearn is closing in on history again, and could make it Saturday. The 5-foot-8 guard enters Saturday's game with 496 career rebounds. When she reaches 500 boards, Hearn will become the only player in school history – male or female – to have 1,500 points, 350 assists and 500 rebounds. And, by the way, the Memphis, Tenn., native is only four assists shy of 400. Hearn's career totals stand at 1,799 points, 496 rebounds and 396 assists.

• In the words of former ESPN SportsCenter anchor Dan Patrick, Cheyenne Creighton is "en fuego, on fire." The sophomore is shooting well from the field, and her numbers prove it. Overall, Creighton is hitting a team-best 61 percent from the floor, which also is second in the American Athletic Conference. In league games only (10 games), the 6-foot-1 forward's percentage jumps to 71.4 percent. Creighton, who netted a career-high 17 points vs. UCF Jan. 27, has shot 50 percent or better in 14 of 21 games this season.

Scouting Connecticut
The Huskies bring a perfect 19-0 overall record and a 9-0 American Athletic Conference mark into Saturday's American Athletic Conference encounter. Connecticut is on a 56-game win streak enterinf Saturday's contest. The Huskies are 7-0 overall in home games, including a 5-0 mark in contests played at the XL Center. Connecticut won its last game, a 94-30 victory at Tulsa Jan. 27.

Connecticut returns four starters and nine letterwinners from their 2014-15 team. The Huskies have three starters averaging double figures. Breanna Stewart leads the squad with a 19.6 scoring average. Morgan Tuck (14.9 ppg) and Moriah Jefferson (13.4 ppg) also average double digits scoring for Connecticut. Two Huskies — Stewart (8.4 rpg) and Gabby Williams (6.3 rpg) — average over six boards per game. Jefferson is tops on the team in both assists (97; 5.4 apg) and steals (49; 2.7 spg). Stewart is the Huskies' top three-point threat, hitting 44 percent from the arc.

Connecticut is shooting 52.6 percent from the floor, 36 percent from the three-point arc and 78.9 percent from the free throw line.The Huskies are dominating their opponents on the glass by an average margin of +12.3 boards per game (42.4-30.1).