Tigers, UConn put AAC winning streaks on the line

Tuesday, January 16

Memphis, Tenn.

8 PM

University of Memphis

UConn

Tickets

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Jan 15, 2018 | Men's Basketball

Memphis Game Notes (vs. Connecticut)Connecticut Game Notes (vs. Memphis)

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Something will have to give Tuesday night at FedExForum.

The streaking University of Memphis men's basketball team – winners of three straight American Athletic Conference games after an 0-2 league start – plays host to UConn – winners of three straight AAC games after an 0-2 league start – in a contest that tips off at 8 p.m.

CBS Sports Network will carry the game with John Sadak doing play-by-play and Pete Gillen serving as color analyst.

Memphis (12-6, 3-2 AAC) is coming off its first road victory in nearly a year, an impressive 75-72 victory at Temple in overtime Saturday. The Tigers were led by junior guard Jeremiah Martin, who was named the AAC Player of the Week Monday. Martin scored 26 points with six rebounds, an outing that followed a career-high 31 points in a win earlier in the week at home against Tulane.

The Tigers won at Temple when junior guard Kareem Brewton ran down his deflected pass and tossed in a 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds remaining for a 73-72 lead. Jimario Rivers added two free throws for the final margin.

"(Brewton's) shot was an uplifting thing for our entire team," Tiger coach Tubby Smith said.

Martin said the Tigers have regrouped since suffering back-to-back league road losses (at Cincinnati, at UCF) to start conference play.

"We are more locked in and focused now as a collective group," Martin said.

Martin is the first Tiger in six seasons to score at least 27 points in three straight games. Before his outbursts against Tulane and Temple, he scored 28 versus Tulsa. He also is shooting 54.2 percent from the floor in those three games and has made 25 of 27 free throws.

UConn (10-7, 3-2 AAC) is coming off a 67-57 road win at Tulane Saturday. Point guard Jalen Adams leads the Huskies with an 18.9 scoring average, which is slightly ahead of Martin (18.5). Redshirt junior Terry Larrier is scoring at a 15.3 points-per-game clip followed by sophomore Christian Vital. Vital is the mid-season leader for Sixth Man of the Year. He has had games of 30 points (vs. Boston University) and 29 points (Columbia).

But Adams is the biggest challenge for the Tigers. Not only does he lead UConn in scoring, he paces the team in rebounding (5.1 per game) and assists (4.3 per game).

"Connecticut is playing very, very well," Smith said. "They've won three in a row now (after) being in the same boat we were in. I know they'll be ready."

NOTABLES

Memphis guard Jeremiah Martin is the only player in the AAC averaging more than 18 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals.
After playing the Tigers, UConn will return home and play top-ranked Villanova, a former Big East rival, Saturday at the XL Center in Hartford.
Martin has seven games with 20 or more points this season. In those seven games, the Tigers are 6-1.
Memphis reserve guard Kareem Brewton has been productive off the bench. He started the team's first seven games and averaged 7.3 points while shooting 33.3 percent. In 11 games as a reserve, he is averaging 10 points and shooting 51.3 percent.