Sunday, January 6
Houston, Texas
5 PM
University of Memphis
at
#19 Houston
Kyvon Davenport has emerged as one of the conference's top sixth men for the Tigers.
Photo by: Joe Murphy
Men's basketball travels to No. 17 Houston for Sunday challenge
Jan 05, 2019 | Men's Basketball
Tigers face unbeaten Cougars, winners of 27 straight home games
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Off to a 1-0 start in American Athletic Conference play, the University of Memphis will face a difficult challenge attempting to remain unbeaten.
Sunday at 5 p.m., the Tigers (9-5) will travel to Houston to meet a Cougars' team protecting its No. 17 ranking and a couple of impressive streaks. The Cougars (14-0) are not only on a 14-game winning streak this season, they have won 27 consecutive home games, the longest such streak in the nation.
Tiger coach Penny Hardaway expects Houston to be a formidable opponent. They are the fourth ranked team the UofM has faced in 15 games.
"Houston is playing some exceptional basketball," Hardaway said. "They're shooting the ball at a high clip. They're getting after people. They're very tough and they're a very physical team that hangs its hat on its defense."
The Cougars entered the week in a virtual tie with Cincinnati for the league's top scoring defense at 58 points per game. Opponents are shooting only 35.4 percent against Houston, also tops in AAC play, and 25.9 percent from 3-point range.
Senior Corey Davis Jr. and junior Armoni Brooks lead a veteran backcourt for the Cougars. Davis is averaging 15.8 points and Brooks 14.4.
"They have some really good guards, good scorers, and everybody excels in their roles," Hardaway said. "Coach (Kelvin) Sampson has done a really good job with what he has. He's worked his (tail) off to get the roster that he's wanted and they're playing good basketball."
The Tigers are playing at an impressive clip, too. In Thursday's win against Wichita State, the UofM shot 50 percent or better for the sixth time in seven games. Senior Kyvon Davenport came off the bench to score a team-high 25 points, 17 of which came after halftime.
Memphis has scored 90 or more in five of its last six games and is averaging 85 points per game, tops in The American.
The UofM also has stepped up defensively. They are forcing more than 18 turnovers per game to rank in the top nationally.
It sets the stage for an intriguing matchup at the newly renovated Fertitta Center on the UH campus. Memphis has won four straight.
"We've just got to stay locked in," said Tiger freshman guard Antwann Jones, who scored a career-high 16 points against Wichita State.
Davenport said the Tigers need to "stay focused and bring our own energy; on the road you don't have a lot of fans to support you, so the bench has to get involved."
QUICK FACTS
Sunday at 5 p.m., the Tigers (9-5) will travel to Houston to meet a Cougars' team protecting its No. 17 ranking and a couple of impressive streaks. The Cougars (14-0) are not only on a 14-game winning streak this season, they have won 27 consecutive home games, the longest such streak in the nation.
Tiger coach Penny Hardaway expects Houston to be a formidable opponent. They are the fourth ranked team the UofM has faced in 15 games.
"Houston is playing some exceptional basketball," Hardaway said. "They're shooting the ball at a high clip. They're getting after people. They're very tough and they're a very physical team that hangs its hat on its defense."
The Cougars entered the week in a virtual tie with Cincinnati for the league's top scoring defense at 58 points per game. Opponents are shooting only 35.4 percent against Houston, also tops in AAC play, and 25.9 percent from 3-point range.
Senior Corey Davis Jr. and junior Armoni Brooks lead a veteran backcourt for the Cougars. Davis is averaging 15.8 points and Brooks 14.4.
"They have some really good guards, good scorers, and everybody excels in their roles," Hardaway said. "Coach (Kelvin) Sampson has done a really good job with what he has. He's worked his (tail) off to get the roster that he's wanted and they're playing good basketball."
The Tigers are playing at an impressive clip, too. In Thursday's win against Wichita State, the UofM shot 50 percent or better for the sixth time in seven games. Senior Kyvon Davenport came off the bench to score a team-high 25 points, 17 of which came after halftime.
Memphis has scored 90 or more in five of its last six games and is averaging 85 points per game, tops in The American.
The UofM also has stepped up defensively. They are forcing more than 18 turnovers per game to rank in the top nationally.
It sets the stage for an intriguing matchup at the newly renovated Fertitta Center on the UH campus. Memphis has won four straight.
"We've just got to stay locked in," said Tiger freshman guard Antwann Jones, who scored a career-high 16 points against Wichita State.
Davenport said the Tigers need to "stay focused and bring our own energy; on the road you don't have a lot of fans to support you, so the bench has to get involved."
QUICK FACTS
- Memphis forward Mike Parks has been accurate from the field over the past three games. Parks has connected on 13 of 15 field goal attempts in wins over Tennessee State, Florida A&M and Wichita State. He is shooting a team-leading 69 percent.
- Tiger freshman guard Tyler Harris has made 23 consecutive free throws dating to the team's home game Dec. 8 against UAB. Harris is shooting 93 percent (39-of-42) from the line.
- The game will feature the league's top two free throw shooters. Houston's Corey Davis Jr. is shooting 95 percent (36 of 38).
- Memphis guard Jeremiah Martin, with 11 points against Wichita State Thursday night, has scored 1,121 points. He ranks 39th in school history, one point behind Ernest Smith.
- Houston coach Kelvin Sampson is one of just 10 coaches in NCAA history to lead three or more schools to NCAA tournament wins.
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