Men's basketball travels to No. 23 Cincinnati

Saturday, March 2

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 PM

University of Memphis

Cincinnati

Tickets

Jeremiah Martin averaged 30.6 points in eight February games.

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Mar 01, 2019 | Men's Basketball

Memphis Notes (vs. Cincinnati)Cincinnati Notes (vs. Memphis)

Tigers have won 5 of 6; Bearcats have won 12 of 13

By: Phil Stukenborg

CINCINNATI – A streaking University of Memphis men's basketball team will face a substantial obstacle as it attempts to match a season-high win streak in the toughest of places to play in the American Athletic Conference.

The Tigers (18-11, 10-6 The American) will try to win their fourth straight game – and for the sixth time in seven games -- but the University of Cincinnati is going to make it difficult. The 23^rd-ranked Bearcats are 24-4 overall, 13-2 in league play and 15-1 at renovated Fifth Third Arena.

Earlier this season, the Bearcats came to FedExForum and beat the Tigers, 69-64. Memphis led, 35-29 at the half before Cincinnati recovered from 32 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes to win by five. The Bearcats' Jarron Cumberland scored nine of his 17 points in the final 2:16 to preserve the UC win.

Since then, the Tigers have gone 5-1, riding the record-setting scoring pace of senior guard Jeremiah Martin. Martin averaged more than 30 points a game in February, highlight by games of 43 and 41 points.

Tiger coach Penny Hardaway has been pleased with how his team has responded in the closing stages of the regular season.

"We've been saying every single game – since there were five (regular-season) games (left) – is a playoff game," Hardaway said.

Before the season began, one of the team's goals, according to Hardaway, was to finish in the top four of the regular-season standings and earn an opening-round bye in the conference tournament. The Tigers are in fifth place entering Saturday's game, but only one-half game out of fourth.

"We thought it was reachable and it is right now, it's right there in our grasp," he said. "That's all we wanted was an opportunity to have that, that chance to finish in the top four. It's right there. We just have to go get it."

Hardaway admitted it was difficult losing three straight (at Tulsa, at USF and to Cincinnati) at the season's midway point, but he was encouraged by how the Tigers responded.

"We bounced back really strong," Hardaway said. "I always thought the goals were very reachable because if guys just put their heads together, believed, and worked their tails off, anything (was) possible."

After playing the Bearcats, the Tigers will return home to complete the regular season with an 8:30 p.m. home game against Tulsa. It will represent the UofM's longest stretch between opponents (seven days) since late December.

QUICK FACTS

In its past nine games, the Tigers have shot 50 percent or better in the second half in all but one (39.3 percent Feb. 7 vs. Cincinnati). The Tigers shot 61.5 percent in the second half of a victory at Wichita State Feb. 23 during the stretch.
In their last five games, UC's trio of Jarron Cumberland, Keith Williams and Cane Broome have been extremely accurate from the free throw line. Cumberland has gone 20-of-22 (91 percent), Williams has gone 19-of-20 (95 percent) and Broome has made 8-of-10 (80 percent).
Memphis did not play at Fifth Third Arena last season. While the building was undergoing renovation, the UofM played the Bearcats at Northern Kentucky.
Jeremiah Martin leads The American conference in scoring with a 19.4 points-per-game average. He is attempting to become the fifth Tiger in school history to claim a conference scoring title. The others were Will Barton (2011-12), Penny Hardaway (1992-93), Elliot Perry (1990-91) and Keith Lee (1984-85).
Martin finished the month of February with a 30.6 scoring average in eight games. Only three NCAA Division 1 players averaged 30 or more during the month. Campbell's Chris Clemons (33.8) and South Dakota State's Mike Daum (30.0) were the others.
Cincinnati is dominating opponents on the glass. The Bearcats have a rebounding margin of 6.0 (36.3 to 30.3).