University of Memphis Athletics
Thursday, February 22
Memphis, Tenn.
8 PM
University of Memphis
vs
Houston
Tubby Smith has 592 career coaching wins.
Photo by: Joe Murphy
Tigers await No. 23 Houston
Feb 21, 2018 | Men's Basketball
Cougars have won five straight, seven of eight
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – For the fifth time this season – and the third time at home -- the University of Memphis will find itself opposite a nationally ranked opponent.
Thursday night at 8 at FedExForum, the Tigers (16-11, 7-7 American Athletic Conference) will play host to the Houston Cougars (21-5, 11-3), a team that moved into the Top 25 earlier this week.
The Cougars have earned their way into the spotlight. Houston knocked off fifth-ranked Cincinnati a week ago and upset No. 4 Wichita State Jan. 20. Houston has won five straight and seven of its last eight games.
By virtue of also being No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, the Cougars find themselves ranked in both polls for the first time in 34 years
In what will be the only regular-season meeting between the programs, Houston presents a radically different makeup. The Cougars' lineup is filled with veterans. Rob Gray and Devin Davis are redshirt seniors. Guards Galen Robinson Jr., and Corey Davis Jr., are juniors along with Breaon Brady.
Gray, recruited by Memphis coach Tubby Smith when he was leading the Texas Tech program, leads the Cougars with a 17.1 scoring average. Davis is averaging 13 points. Gray is one of only three players in the conference ranked among the top six in scoring and assists (4.2).
What makes Houston a challenge is its overall play the past month. The Cougars' only loss in slightly more than a month came on the road at No. 8 Cincinnati. Houston dropped an 80-70 decision.
The Tigers are on a roll of their own. They are coming off back-to-back conference road wins for the first time in four years following victories at SMU and Tulane. In the win at SMU, Tigers' guard Kareem Brewton filled in for injured point guard Jeremiah Martin – the league's scoring leader – and directed Memphis to a 70-67 victory. Brewton finished with 16 points, six assists and five rebounds.
In the win at Tulane, Martin returned and led the Tigers with 22 points, four assists and four steals in a team-high 35 minutes.
The Tigers being a season-ending stretch in which they play three of their final four regular-season games at home. The only road game will be Sunday at UConn.
NOTABLES
+ Memphis forward Mike Parks earned his second American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll mention Monday for his role in the road wins at SMU and Tulane. Parks averaged 16 points in the victories.
+ By reaching 20 wins with a 67-62 upset of No. 5 Cincinnati last week, Kelvin Sampson became the first Houston coach in school history with three 20-plus win seasons in his first four seasons.
+ Houston will be playing in Memphis as a ranked team for the second time, but the first as a ranked team against the Tigers. The last time the Cougars were ranked and playing in Memphis was a 1984 NCAA Tournament second-round game at the Mid-South Coliseum against Karl Malone's Louisiana Tech team.
+ Memphis freshman Jamal Johnson has 18 points and 14 rebounds in his past two games, wins at SMU and Tulane. He amassed those totals in 53 minutes.
Thursday night at 8 at FedExForum, the Tigers (16-11, 7-7 American Athletic Conference) will play host to the Houston Cougars (21-5, 11-3), a team that moved into the Top 25 earlier this week.
The Cougars have earned their way into the spotlight. Houston knocked off fifth-ranked Cincinnati a week ago and upset No. 4 Wichita State Jan. 20. Houston has won five straight and seven of its last eight games.
By virtue of also being No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, the Cougars find themselves ranked in both polls for the first time in 34 years
In what will be the only regular-season meeting between the programs, Houston presents a radically different makeup. The Cougars' lineup is filled with veterans. Rob Gray and Devin Davis are redshirt seniors. Guards Galen Robinson Jr., and Corey Davis Jr., are juniors along with Breaon Brady.
Gray, recruited by Memphis coach Tubby Smith when he was leading the Texas Tech program, leads the Cougars with a 17.1 scoring average. Davis is averaging 13 points. Gray is one of only three players in the conference ranked among the top six in scoring and assists (4.2).
What makes Houston a challenge is its overall play the past month. The Cougars' only loss in slightly more than a month came on the road at No. 8 Cincinnati. Houston dropped an 80-70 decision.
The Tigers are on a roll of their own. They are coming off back-to-back conference road wins for the first time in four years following victories at SMU and Tulane. In the win at SMU, Tigers' guard Kareem Brewton filled in for injured point guard Jeremiah Martin – the league's scoring leader – and directed Memphis to a 70-67 victory. Brewton finished with 16 points, six assists and five rebounds.
In the win at Tulane, Martin returned and led the Tigers with 22 points, four assists and four steals in a team-high 35 minutes.
The Tigers being a season-ending stretch in which they play three of their final four regular-season games at home. The only road game will be Sunday at UConn.
NOTABLES
+ Memphis forward Mike Parks earned his second American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll mention Monday for his role in the road wins at SMU and Tulane. Parks averaged 16 points in the victories.
+ By reaching 20 wins with a 67-62 upset of No. 5 Cincinnati last week, Kelvin Sampson became the first Houston coach in school history with three 20-plus win seasons in his first four seasons.
+ Houston will be playing in Memphis as a ranked team for the second time, but the first as a ranked team against the Tigers. The last time the Cougars were ranked and playing in Memphis was a 1984 NCAA Tournament second-round game at the Mid-South Coliseum against Karl Malone's Louisiana Tech team.
+ Memphis freshman Jamal Johnson has 18 points and 14 rebounds in his past two games, wins at SMU and Tulane. He amassed those totals in 53 minutes.
Players Mentioned
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