Tigers face improving Tulane at 6 p.m. Tuesday at FedExForum

Tuesday, January 9

Memphis, Tenn.

6 PM

University of Memphis

Tulane

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Photo by: Matthew Smith

Tigers face improving Tulane at 6 p.m. Tuesday at FedExForum

Jan 08, 2018 | Men's Basketball

Memphis Game Notes (vs. Tulane)Tulane Game Notes (vs. Memphis)

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis men's basketball team is 10-1 at home this season and unbeaten in its only American Athletic Conference game at FedExForum.

The Tigers (10-6, 1-2 AAC) will attempt to carry the momentum from Saturday's 76-67 victory over Tulsa at FedExForum into Tuesday night's 6 p.m. game against a fast-improving Tulane Green Wave (11-4, 2-1).

The Green Wave has already won five more games than it did a year ago, benefiting from the experience of veteran coach Mike Dunleavy Sr., in his second season at Tulane after 17 seasons in the NBA. Led by Cameron Reynolds and Melvin Frazier, two of the AAC's top scorers, the Green Wave has won four of five, including an upset Thursday at home of reigning league champion SMU.

Frazier is averaging 16.9 points per game, while Reynolds is slightly behind at 16.7 Reyolds had 20 in the win over SMU.

Last season, Memphis swept the season series, winning by 30 at New Orleans and by 22 at FedExForum.

As for the Tigers, they got a career-best 28 points from point guard Jeremiah Martin in the win over Tulsa. Martin bettered his career-high by two points and added eight assists, a season high, to help the U of M snap a three-game losing streak.

"Obviously we had a great performance by Jeremiah Martin," said Tiger coach Tubby Smith said. "That's what he's capable of. Jeremiah is that talented."

Martin was particularly effective in the second half. He paced an 18-3 run that allowed the Tigers to overcome a 55-47 deficit and grab a 65-58 advantage by scoring, or assisting on, 17 consecutive points.

Memphis also got a season-best effort from big man Mike Parks Jr., who finished with 16 points. Parks, a junior college transfer in his first season with the Tigers, tied a career-high with seven rebounds.

"I had to buy into what coach was saying and work harder," Parks said, referring to how he has improved. "Coach has been at this level for a long time."

Tuesday's game will be carried by ESPNews. Richard Cross will handle the play-by-play and Mark Adams will be the analyst. Locally, the radio broadcast will be carried by Newsradio 600 WREC/Rock 103FM with Dave Woloshin doing the play-by-play, Matt Dillon handling the color analysis and Forrest Goodman serving as studio host.

NOTABLES

Memphis coach Tubby Smith and Tulane coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. have combined for 1,216 wins. Smith's 586 wins have all been at the college level. Dunleavy's 630 have mostly come in the NBA (613).
In eight career 20-point games, Memphis point guard Jeremiah Martin is averaging 4.6 assists. In his two single-digit games this season, he is averaging 1.5 assists.
In its upset of SMU Thursday, Tulane made 18 of 20 free throws. Samir Sehic was 8 of 8.
Tubby Smith is one of 48 college basketball coaches participating in the INFINITI Coaches' Charity Challenge. Smith is representing the Tubby Smith Foundation. Fans have the opportunity to vote once per day for Coach Smith and his foundation by visiting: http://infinititimeout.com/. The first round of voting concludes Jan. 21.