Memphis travels to LSU to play in road opener

Tuesday, November 13

Baton Rouge, La.

6 PM

University of Memphis

LSU

Tickets

Memphis coach Penny Hardaway takes his team on the road to LSU.

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Nov 12, 2018 | Men's Basketball

Memphis Notes (vs. LSU)LSU Notes (vs. Memphis)

Coach Hardaway will face early season challenge from nationally ranked opponent.

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis men's basketball team will do something it rarely does in November Tuesday night at LSU. The Tigers will play a 'true' road opener.

In the past 50 seasons, the Tigers have only played four other road openers involving opponents at their arenas. The UofM has had its share of neutral site first games away from home, including a host of early season tournament appearances.

But nationally ranked LSU will be a formidable opponent for more than playing at the Maravich Assembly Center. LSU is 2-0 and led by sophomore Tremont Waters and freshman Naz Reid. Reid leads the team with a 23-point scoring average.

First-year Tigers' coach Penny Hardaway is coming off a career-opening 76-61 victory last week over Tennessee Tech at FedExForum. He understands how challenging LSU will be with three starters back and six players averaging double figures.

"There's been a lot of film work," Hardaway said. "I've watched the Tennessee Tech game over and over again to see our tendencies. I've watched both of LSU's games – against Southeastern Louisiana and North Carolina Greensboro. I've watched those games three times.

"The (one) thing that is constant with (LSU). They are just going to crash the glass and be tough all night. We just have to do the same thing. You can't go on the road and not fight. We have to fight."

Hardaway said he expects senior forward Mike Parks to make his season debut after missing the team's exhibition games against LeMoyne-Owen and CBU and the regular-season opener against Tennessee Tech. Parks had been slowed by an injury.

Last season, Parks started each of the team's 34 games and averaged 8.1 points and 4.5 rebounds. He will not start. Hardaway said he use the same lineup he employed in the team's previous three games: Jeremiah Martin, Tyler Harris and Alex Lomax at the guard spots and Kyvon Davenport and Isaiah Maurice at the forward positions.

Parks, however, will be counted on to be a factor in the low post.

"Mike can definitely make a difference," Hardaway said. "I watched the game against them last year against LSU and he was very dominant against them on the glass. He had a really good game.

"What he does consistently is he hustles. He brings that energy every day."

In last season's 71-61 loss to LSU at FedExForum, Parks had eight points and four rebounds in 22 minutes. Davenport led the UofM with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Martin scored 13 with six assists.

"It is fun playing on the road because every thing is against you," Martin said. "If you can get a win on the road, it's a good feeling. It shows toughness."

Davenport scored a career-high 30 points in the season-opener against Tennessee Tech and earned a spot on the American Athletic Conference's weekly honor roll. Martin finished with 18.

"This game gives us a test," Martin said. "It will let us know who we are."

QUICK FACTS

The UofM's last trip to Baton Rouge came in March 1986 in the NCAA Tournament. Memphis was the Southeast Region's No. 3 seed, but played on the homecourt of LSU, the No. 11 seed.
LSU's 6-foot-10 freshman forward Naz Reid played in the McDonald's All-Star Game and posted a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Reid had 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting against UNC Greensboro including four treys.
Memphis coach Penny Hardaway scored 20 points vs. LSU in the 1992 Maui Invitational Third-Place Game. He also had eight rebounds and four blocks and made the go-ahead basket with 17 seconds left.
The UofM is playing its earliest 'true' road opener in school history. The previous earliest came Nov. 14, 1990 at Boston College.