Tuesday, February 26
Memphis, Tenn.
8 PM
University of Memphis
vs
Temple
Jeremiah Martin, coming off a conference player of the week honor, will lead TIgers vs. Temple.
Men's basketball begins key three-game stretch vs. Temple
Feb 25, 2019 | Men's Basketball
Tigers hope to finish strong, have shot at top-four league tournament seed.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – With three regular-season games remaining for the University of Memphis, each outing is important in the Tigers' quest to capture the No. 4 seed in next month's American Athletic Conference tournament.
The top four seeds receive first-round byes, seen as beneficial in a school's attempt to win a league title and the conference's automatic NCAA tournament bid. Teams finishing outside the top 4 seeds would need to win four games in four days.
Memphis enters Tuesday night's game against Temple at FedExForum with a 9-6 record in The American, a game-and-a-half behind Temple (10-4) and UCF (10-4). Temple and UCF would be the third and fourth seeds if the tournament started today.
As a result, Tuesday's 8 p.m. game – carried by ESPNU – is another must-win for the Tigers, who are coming off a key road victory Saturday at Wichita State. The Tigers (17-11) overcame a 16-point first-half deficit and outlasted the Shockers, 88-85, before 10,506.
The victory, the UofM's second straight and fourth in five games, allowed the Tigers to keep their hopes of being a top 4 seed alive.
"We are headed in the right direction and peaking," said Tiger coach Penny Hardaway. "I feel very confident that we are more than ready to play these games this week (against Temple and Cincinnati)."
It's a difficult schedule to end the season as the UofM plays Temple, Cincinnati and Tulsa, each of whom has defeated the Tigers this season. Temple won, 85-76, in Philadelphia Jan. 24. Cincinnati claimed a five-point win at FedExForum Feb. 7 and Tulsa beat the Tigers, 95-79, Jan. 30 in Tulsa.
Tulsa handed the Tigers their worst league defeat of the season. Temple won behind the play of 6-foot-8 junior guard Quinton Rose, who hit a season-high five 3-pointers against the Tigers and finished with a season-high 26 points. Temple has won three straight and five of six.
"It's not going to be easy (against Temple)," Hardaway said. "But we know that we fought back hard in their building and pulled within three and had an opportunity to win the game after being down by 20 (28-8)."
If the Tigers are to finish strong in league play, it likely will be because of senior guard Jeremiah Martin's input. Martin is averaging 30.7 points in seven February games and scored 37 in Saturday's win at Wichita State. He was named conference Player of the Week and Lute Olson National Player of the Week Monday.
"I'm happy for myself, I'm happy for my team, but I'm basically just trying to do everything for the city," Martin said. "I just want to give back to the hometown."
QUICK FACTS
The top four seeds receive first-round byes, seen as beneficial in a school's attempt to win a league title and the conference's automatic NCAA tournament bid. Teams finishing outside the top 4 seeds would need to win four games in four days.
Memphis enters Tuesday night's game against Temple at FedExForum with a 9-6 record in The American, a game-and-a-half behind Temple (10-4) and UCF (10-4). Temple and UCF would be the third and fourth seeds if the tournament started today.
As a result, Tuesday's 8 p.m. game – carried by ESPNU – is another must-win for the Tigers, who are coming off a key road victory Saturday at Wichita State. The Tigers (17-11) overcame a 16-point first-half deficit and outlasted the Shockers, 88-85, before 10,506.
The victory, the UofM's second straight and fourth in five games, allowed the Tigers to keep their hopes of being a top 4 seed alive.
"We are headed in the right direction and peaking," said Tiger coach Penny Hardaway. "I feel very confident that we are more than ready to play these games this week (against Temple and Cincinnati)."
It's a difficult schedule to end the season as the UofM plays Temple, Cincinnati and Tulsa, each of whom has defeated the Tigers this season. Temple won, 85-76, in Philadelphia Jan. 24. Cincinnati claimed a five-point win at FedExForum Feb. 7 and Tulsa beat the Tigers, 95-79, Jan. 30 in Tulsa.
Tulsa handed the Tigers their worst league defeat of the season. Temple won behind the play of 6-foot-8 junior guard Quinton Rose, who hit a season-high five 3-pointers against the Tigers and finished with a season-high 26 points. Temple has won three straight and five of six.
"It's not going to be easy (against Temple)," Hardaway said. "But we know that we fought back hard in their building and pulled within three and had an opportunity to win the game after being down by 20 (28-8)."
If the Tigers are to finish strong in league play, it likely will be because of senior guard Jeremiah Martin's input. Martin is averaging 30.7 points in seven February games and scored 37 in Saturday's win at Wichita State. He was named conference Player of the Week and Lute Olson National Player of the Week Monday.
"I'm happy for myself, I'm happy for my team, but I'm basically just trying to do everything for the city," Martin said. "I just want to give back to the hometown."
QUICK FACTS
- Memphis guard Jeremiah Martin moved from No. 17 to No. 13 on the school's career-scoring chart by scoring 80 points in two games last week. Martin has 1,449 points in four seasons. He needs 30 points to tie Phillip Haynes (1981-85) for 12th place.
- Martin's 19 points-per-game average leads the American Athletic Conference. Martin finished second in the scoring race last season with an 18.9 average.
- The Tigers will wear their `MEMPHIS STATE' uniforms for the third time this season. They also wore them in wins over SMU and Tulane.
- Temple ranks 15th nationally with 8.9 steals per game.
- This is the 13th and final season at Temple for coach Fran Dunphy. He has guided the Owls to 20 or more wins nine times in his career.
- Shizz Alston Jr., Temples 6-foot-4 senior guard, is shooting 89.4 percent from the free-throw line to leads the conference.
Players Mentioned
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