Tigers Return to AAC Action in Storrs, Connecticut

Saturday, January 9

Storrs, Conn.

6 pm CT

University of Memphis

#23 Connecticut

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Jan 07, 2016 | Men's Basketball

GAME INFORMATION
Memphis (10-4) vs. #23/24 UConn (10-4)
When: Saturday, January 9, 2016
Tip-Off: 6 p.m. (CT)
Location: Storrs, Connecticut
Arena: Gampel Pavilion
TV: ESPN2 / WatchESPN
Mike Patrick, play-by-play
Doris Burke, analyst
Radio: Memphis Radio Network / 600 WREC
Dave Woloshin, play-by-play
Matt Dillon, analyst
Forrest Goodman, pregame/postgame host
Live Stats: UConn GameTracker
Game Notes: Memphis | UConn
Rosters: Memphis | UConn
Schedules: Memphis | UConn
Media Guide: Memphis | UConn

SETTING THE TABLE

•     The Tigers rank 17th in NCAA Division I in KenPom's Defense Effeciency Rating (UConn ranks 22nd)
•     Memphis swept the Huskies a season ago, including a 54-53 win in Storrs
•     Memphis is 4-4 all-time against teams from the state of Connecticut, including 1-0 records over Fairfield and Yale and a loss to Central Connecticut
•     Memphis is 115-31 under head coach Josh Pastner when the team scores more bench points
•     Memphis ranks second in NCAA Division I in blocked shots per game (7.0), and is just two total blocks behind the top ranked team (Washington)
•     Memphis seniors Kedren Johnson and Trahson Burrell average 15.5 and 12.5 points per game, each, in their careers against UConn
•     Memphis freshman Dedric Lawson ranks fifth among NCAA Division I freshman in rebounding and double-doubles and ranks sixth in blocked shots
•     Memphis senior Shaq Goodwin needs four points to move into 36th in school history in career scoring
•     With a win, Memphis head coach Josh Pastner will move into sole possession of fourth place in the school's career wins record book, moving out of his current tie with Dana Kirk
•     Memphis is 16-10 all-time on January 9 - also the date in 1788 that Connecticut became the fifth state to be admitted to the United States

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES

UConn, which comes into the game ranked 23rd in the AP poll and 24th in the USA Today Coaches Poll, fell in its most recent game by a 57-55 score ato Temple in Hartford.

In the game, Shonn Miller scored a game-high 18 points, hitting 7-of-13 shots from the field, while Rodney Purvis scored 11. Daniel Hamilton pulled down a team-best nine rebounds, as he and Miller each dished out a team-best two assists.

On the season, Purvis leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game, while Miller (13.3), Hamilton (12.9), and Sterling Gibbs (11.5) each average in double figures.

Hamilton pulls down an average of 8.5 rebounds per game to lead the team, while also leading the squad with 72 assists. Amida Brimah, who is injured and will likely not play in the game, continues to lead the team with 27 blocked shots.

ADJUSTED DEFENSE EFFICIENCY

According to the website kenpom.com, the Memphis Tigers rank 17th in the country in adjusted defense, which is a calculation that gives an estimate of the defensive efficiency (points allowed per 100 possessions) a team would have against the average D-I offense. Memphis' opponent for the game, UConn, ranks 22nd.

TRANSITIONING TO BASKETBALL

Memphis junior guard Sam Craft is the second player on the 2015-16 team to change sports to basketball, as Craft joins Caleb Walingford, who is playing basketball after playing four years of collegiate baseball. Craft does not come without a history of basketball, as he was recruited to play basketball out of college by Memphis, Auburn, Tennessee, and Cincinnati. He played with current Tiger forward Shaq Goodwin at the Atlanta Peach Jam, and his high school AAU team featured current Oklahoma City Thunder player Cameron Payne (Craft started ahead of Payne in the point guard position).

SWITCHING STARTERS

After using the same starting lineup through the first 10 games of the season, the last four have seen four different combinations, due to a mix of injuries and internal team penalties.

MEMPHIS VS. THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT

There are seven schools in NCAA Division I that reside in the state of Connecticut, with Memphis having played just over half (four) of those schools. Overall, the Tigers are 4-4 against teams from the Nutmeg State, while current head coach Josh Pastner is 2-3 (all against UConn).

RANKED OPPONENTS

With Memphis facing UConn in the 15th game of the season, it marks the fourth time in Josh Pastner's seven seasons where the Tigers have faced three or more ranked opponents within the first 15 games of the season (it had happed just seven total times in the previous 17 seasons).