Tigers, SMU battle each other, injury bug

Wednesday, February 14

Dallas, Texas

8 PM

University of Memphis

SMU

Tigers guard Jeremiah Martin leads the American Athletic Conference in scoring at 19.2 points per game.

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Feb 13, 2018 | Men's Basketball

Memphis Game Notes (vs. SMU)SMU Game Notes (vs. Memphis)

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Perhaps a change of scenery will be the answer.

The University of Memphis men's basketball team will attempt to reverse its fortunes by going on the road, embarking on a two-game trip away from FedExForum starting with Wednesday night's game at SMU. ESPNU will carry the American Athletic Conference game beginning at 8 p.m.

Memphis will continue its road trip with a game Saturday at Tulane.

The Tigers (14-11, 5-7 American) have dropped three straight and five of their past six, but are looking to close the season strong.

SMU (15-10, 5-7 American) has been in a slump, too. The Mustangs have lost three straight, falling in succession to Tulsa, Houston and Cincinnati, teams with a combined record of 56-17.

During their losing streak, the Mustangs have been battling injury issues as well. SMU's Shake Milton, the league's second-leading scorer at 18 points per game, may miss the game with a right hand injury. Milton did not play against Tulsa, Houston or Cincinnati and is listed day-to-day for Wednesday's game against the Tigers. Also, SMU starting forward Ethan Chargois missed Sunday's game against Cincinnati with an ankle injury suffered during the shoot-around.

The Tigers will attempt to recover from a 68-64 home loss Sunday to UCF. Kyvon Davenport led the Tigers with a career-high 23 points and finished just two rebounds shy of his seventh double-double.

Memphis continues to be paced by junior point guard Jeremiah Martin, the Mitchell High graduate who is averaging a league-best 19.2 points per game. Junior forward Mike Parks Jr. is among the conference leaders in field goal percentage (57.1) in American games. Martin scored 17 against the Knights and Parks added 10 points and five rebounds.

The Tigers, however, could be without Martin, who injured his hip in Sunday's game vs. UCF. Tiger coach Tubby Smith said Tuesday Martin did not practice Monday and was limited Tuesday. Smith said he didn't know Martin's status for Wednesday's game.

"SMU has been struggling like we are, they've lost three in a row," Smith said. "And without, Shake Milton, their best player, who could be out (Wednesday) or could be back.

"It's an important game for us and I know it's an important for them."

If Martin doesn't start (or play) for the first time this season, he'll be replaced in the lineup by Kareem Brewton Jr.

QUOTABLE

"That's why you have a bench, that's why you have backup players." – Tiger coach Tubby Smith on how his team will handle matters if Jeremiah Martin can't play.

NOTABLES

The Tigers have a winning percentage of 71.4 percent on Valentine's Day since WWII. Memphis is 15-6 in those games.
The Tigers hit a school-record 16 3-pointers on Valentine's Day in 2004 at Marquette.
SMU's Shake Milton, who has missed the last three games with a hand injury, was selected the league's preseason player of the year.
SMU was picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll.
The Tigers are 2-5 in road games this season. The wins have been American Athletic Conference games at Temple and USF.
In the loss to UCF, the Tigers led by five points (17-12, 19-14, 24-19 and 26-21) on four occasions in the first half, but were undone by allowing the Knights to score 42 points in the paint for the game.