Tigers battle USF, seek to extend win streak

Thursday, March 1

Memphis, Tenn.

8 PM

University of Memphis

USF

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Tubby Smith and the Tigers have won four straight and are competing for the No.4 seed in next week's AAC Tournament.

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Feb 28, 2018 | Men's Basketball

Memphis Game Notes (vs. USF)USF Game Notes (vs. Memphis)

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis will attempt to do something Thursday at FedExForum it hasn't accomplished this season.

When the Tigers play host to USF in an American Athletic Conference game at 8 p.m., they will be seeking their fifth consecutive victory. ESPNews will carry the game.

Memphis has had four-game winning streaks on three occasions this season, but hasn't been able to extend any one of them. The Tigers (18-11, 9-7 American) close the regular season with back-to-back road games against USF and East Carolina.

What's been impressive about the latest four-game streak is the fact three of the wins have come on the road: at SMU, Tulane and UConn. The home win during that stretch was the biggest of the year: an upset of No. 23 Houston.

And even more impressive has been the team's ability to put together the streak without Jeremiah Martin, the conference's leading scorer.
Martin missed the SMU game with a bruised hip, returned against Tulane and suffered a broken foot in the 91-85 victory over Houston, the team's first over an Associated Press Top 25 team in coach Tubby Smith's two seasons at the U of M. Martin underwent successful surgery Tuesday and recovery time is expected to be four to six months.

The Tigers were picked in the preseason conference coaches' poll to finish ninth, but have an opportunity to move as high as fourth, depending on how the final few games of the season unfold.

"It helps that we have extra motivation," Smith said of his team's potential to finish fourth and earn a first-round bye in next week's conference tournament in Orlando.

Smith said he frequently told his team they could finish better than what was expected of them in the preseason. Memphis lost three starters via transfers after last season and added multiple junior college stars, several of whom have blossomed deep into the season.

"I'm sure they heard me say, maybe indirectly, that `Fellows, we're better than this; keep improving, keep getting better every day. We've had some bad games and we've had some good games.

"One of the things I try to teach them is never get too high, never get too low. If you teach that type of discipline, they'll come with the same work ethic every day. I've seen that in this group. It's taken them a while to be consistent in their effort, but I've seen it coming."

In Martin's absence, Kareem Brewton Jr., has picked up the point guard duties and has performed admirably. He had seven assists in the Tigers' 83-79 win at UConn Sunday.

And junior forward Raynere Thornton has been a spark from long range. The reigning league player of the week has made 11 of his last 15 3-pointers.

Against USF, which has lost eight straight and 15 of 16, the Tigers play a team they defeated, 86-74, in Tampa on Jan. 31. The Bulls (8-21, 1-15 American) are led by guard Stephan Jiggetts, who averages 12.3 points.

QUOTABLE
"We haven't talked a lot about goals (as the regular season nears completion). We just want to win." – Tiger forward Jimario Rivers.

NOTABLES

Memphis is 11-0 when it finishes with 15 assists or more. The Tigers had 20 in the Feb. 14 win at SMU and 18 in the 91-85 upset of Houston.
USF is 1-13 in 2018 with its lone victory coming Jan. 25 at Tulane.
The Tigers are 13-4 in home games this season. Two of their four home losses have been to ranked opponents: No. 21 Wichita State and No. 8 Cincinnati.
Memphis returns only 8.5 percent of its scoring from last season now that junior point guard Jeremiah Martin is out for the season with a broken left foot.