Tigers Travel to Tampa for Meeting with Bulls

Saturday, February 20

Tampa, Fla.

10 am CT

University of Memphis

USF

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Feb 19, 2016 | Men's Basketball

GAME INFORMATION
Memphis (15-11, 6-7 AAC) vs. UCF (6-21, 3-11 AAC)
When: Saturday, February 20
Tip-Off: 10 a.m. (CT)
Location: Tampa, Florida
Arena: USF Sun Dome
TV: ESPNU
Ted Emrich, play-by-play
Mark Wise, analyst
Radio: Memphis Radio Network / 600 WREC
Dave Woloshin, play-by-play
Matt Dillon, analyst
Forrest Goodman, pregame/postgame host
Live Stats: Memphis Stat Broadcasty
Game Notes: Memphis | USF
Rosters: Memphis | USF
Schedules: Memphis | USF
Media Guide: Memphis | USF

SETTING THE TABLE

•     Memphis has won its last nine games within the state of Florida, and 17-of-18 inside of the Sunshine State, including wins this season over Ohio State in Miami and at UCF
•     Dedric Lawson has four straight double-doubles, the 18th-longest such streak in program history
•     The game features two head coaches (Josh Pastner and Orlando Antigua) and an assistant coach (Rod Strickland) who were on the same coaching staff at the University of Memphis for the 2008-09 season
•     The game will feature a battle of the two leaders for the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year award in Memphis' Dedric Lawson and USF's Jahmal McMurray
•     The last time these two teams met (January 16 in Memphis), the Tigers committed just three total turnovers, the program's lowest single-game total since 1983, and the eighth-fewest in the NCAA this season
•     The tandem of Shaq Goodwin and Dedric Lawson combine to average 17.5 rebounds per game, which is not only the highest total in the AAC, but the seventh-highest in the NCAA this year
•     Shaq Goodwin is 44 points away from passing Robert Dozier and climbing into 15th all-time in program history in scoring with 1,337 points
•     Dedric Lawson ranks fourth among all freshmen in NCAA Division I in rebounding average (9.3) and double-doubles (12), and ranks 10th in blocked shots per game (1.8)
•     Shaq Goodwin ranks 23rd in program history in career double-doubles (14) and is two away from 24th, and Dedric Lawson 30th (12), and one away from climbing into 27th

SCOUTING THE BULLS

USF comes into the game after snapping a four-game losing skid with a 69-52 win at East Carolina on February 16.
In the win over the Pirates, Jahmal McMurray scored a game-high 21 points with Nehemias Morillo scoring 18. Jaleel Cousins recorded a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double as the Bulls out-scored East Carolina 34-22 in the second half.
For the year the Bulls have just one player (McMurray) averaging in double figures at 15.7 points; however, the balanced USF offense has five others - Roddy Peters (9.8), Angel Nunez (9.6), Chris Perry (9.5), Cousins (8.5), and Morillo (8.4) - that score at least eight points per game.

SNOW BIRDS (OR TIGERS)

Memphis has had a strong run of games in the Sunshine state. The last time the Tigers have lost a game played in Florida was on January 18, 2012. Since then the Tigers have won nine games in the state, including a tournament win in the Old Spice Classic in Orlando during the 2013-14 season, and an exciting overtime win over Ohio State in Miami earlier this season. Since 2001, the Tigers are 17-1 in Florida, and also worth noting, the 2016 American Athletic Conference Tournament will be played in Orlando.

MEMPHIS VS. SCHOOLS IN THE SUNSHINE STATE

Of the 13 NCAA Division I schools within the state of Florida, Memphis has a strong 89-34 overall record against teams from the Sunshine State, while Memphis head coach Josh Pastner is 21-2 all-time in such games.

CONSECUTIVE DOUBLE-DOUBLES

Over the last four games, Memphis freshman forward Dedric Lawson has been putting up double-doubles, including a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double against UCF on February 17. Lawson's total puts him in a tie for the 18th-longest such streak in program history.

FAMILIAR FACES

When Memphis and South Florida battle on Saturday morning, Tiger fans will see a pair of familiar faces on the broadcast. The head coach of USF is former Memphis assistant coach Orlando Antigua, and he brought along Rod Strickland - another former Tiger assistant - as an assistant coach at South Florida. Memphis head coach Josh Pastner, Antigua, and Strickland were all on staff for Memphis during the 2008-09 season, and helped the program to a 33-4 record and a 16-0 mark in the Conference USA Tournament.

BIG GROUP

Just three days after Memphis' last game against UCF, who has the seventh-tallest roster in NCAA Division I, the Tigers face off against USF, who have one of the tallest projected starting lineups in the game. USF averages a height of 6-7 among its starting players, as the Bulls start guard Jahmal McMurray (6-0), forwards Angel Nunez (6-8) and Bo Zeigler (6-6), and centers Ruben Guerrero (6-11) and Jaleel Cousins (6-11). As a point of reference, Memphis' projected starting group averages a height of 6-5.

YOUNG BATTLE

The game on Saturday will feature two of the top freshman in the race for the American Athlhetic Conference Rookie of the Year in Memphis' Dedric Lawson and USF's Jahmal McMurray. Lawson leads the AAC in rebounding, is third in rebounding, ninth in steals and ninth in points per game. McMurray stands fifth in the league in scoring (15.7 per game) and seventh in three-point field goals made per game (2.2).

BIRTHDAY GAME

On Saturday, USF head coach Orlando Antigua - the second-youngest head coach in the AAC behind only Josh Pastner - celebrates his 43rd birthday.

SAME DATE

Memphis and South Florida have met on this exact date, in the exact location, 14 years ago on February 20, 2002. In that game, the teams went into the locker room tied at 36; however, the Tigers out-scored the Bulls 35-to-23 in the second half to run away with the 12-point win. Antonio Burks scored a game-high 26 points for the Tigers, while Dajuan Wagner scored 16 points, Kelly Wise scored 12 points, and Scooter McFagdon 10. USF was led by Altron Jackson who scored 16 points, as Reggie Kohn dished out a game-high 12 assists.

LOW TURNOVERS

In the first meeting between the two teams on Saturday, January 16, the Tigers committed just three turnovers, including none in the first half. That is tied for the lowest total in program history dating back to the 1983-84 season. Below are the ten fewest turnovers allowed in a game (along with some ties at No. 8) in program history from 1983-present.
Additionally, the three turnovers stands tied for the eighth fewest turnovers in a game in NCAA Division I this season.

PRIZED ROOKIE

Through the first 14 weeks of the 2015-16 season, Memphis freshman Dedric Lawson has been named American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week six times, the highest single-season total in AAC history. Below are the all-time leaders in the number of Rookie of the Week honors.