Tigers back home to face ECU

Tyler Harris (1) scored 16 points and knocked down four 3-pointers Sunday at UConn.

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Feb 18, 2020 | Men's Basketball

Memphis Notes (vs. ECU)ECU Notes (vs. Memphis)

UofM seeking to finish regular season on a strong note

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Perhaps a return home will change the fortunes for the University of Memphis men's basketball team.

The Tigers, who have lost three straight – their longest losing streak of the season -- will play host to East Carolina at 6 p.m. Wednesday night in an American Athletic Conference game at FedExForum. It will be the annual Coaching for Literacy Game.

While the UofM has dropped three in a row, two have come on the road. Memphis fell in overtime to league co-leader Cincinnati last week and dropped a 64-61 decision Sunday at UConn before a soldout crowd of 15,564 at the XL Center.

ECU has struggled this season, but the Pirates will present a challenge. Led by AAC Player of the Year candidate Jayden Gardner, ECU took Cincinnati to overtime last weekend before falling. Gardner leads the conference with a 20-point scoring average.

Wednesday's game will be the only time the Tigers (17-8, 6-6 AAC) and Pirates (10-16, 4-9 AAC) will meet during the regular season.

The Tigers have six games remaining in the regular season, including road games at SMU and Tulane next week and the regular-season finale March 8 at Houston. After Wednesday's game against ECU, the Tigers have home games left against Houston on Saturday and Wichita State March 5.

"If we finish these next six games right, we could put ourselves in a good (seeding) position (in the conference tournament)," Tigers coach Penny Hardaway said.

Although the Tigers dropped difficult back-to-back road games, they got outstanding efforts from several players, including freshman forward Precious Achiuwa. Achiuwa earned honorable mention accolades from the American Athletic Conference for his play against Cincinnati and UConn.

During the two-game road stretch, Achiuwa averaged 19 points and 15 rebounds. He collected a season-high 17 rebounds in the 92-86 overtime loss at Cincinnati.

Guard Boogie Ellis scored 19 points at Cincinnati for his fifth double-digit game during a six-game stretch, while Tyler Harris came off the bench at UConn to score 16 points. He dropped in four 3-pointers to keep the Tigers in contention until the final buzzer.

Hardaway said the Pirates will play tougher than their record indicates.

"We just got to fight and scrap (playing) at home," Hardaway said. "There are no more excuses. The Pirates are a team that went out and got a lot of new players. They almost revamped their entire team (and) Jayden Gardner is arguably the best player in our league. He's really, really good. They will not lay down."

COACHING FOR LITERACY GAME

The annual Coaching for Literacy game raises awareness about the problem of illiteracy and helps generate financial support for literacy programs nationwide. Nearly 64 percent of American fourth-graders do not read at grade level. Every $10 raised helps give two books to aspiring readers in a community. Coaches will be wearing green to support the cause (#Fight4Literacy). To donate text: TIGERS4LITERACY to 71777.

TIGERS NOTEBOOK

ECU took league co-leader Cincinnati to overtime Sunday before falling, 70-67, in Greenville, N.C.
The Tigers have held four of their last six opponents to less than 39 percent shooting. Only one opponent – Tulsa – has shot 50 percent or better against the Tigers this season.
ECU sophomore Jayden Gardner is averaging 9.6 rebounds, just shy of being the third player in the conference averaging a double-double. He averages 20 points per game.
The two players averaging a double-double this season in the AAC are Memphis forward Precious Achiuwa (15.1/10.2) and Cincinnati senior forward Tre Scott (10.8/10.0).
Achiuwa and Gardner rank 1-2 in the AAC in double-doubles. Achiuwa leads with 14 and Gardner has 12
A familiar face will roam the ECU sideline. Former UofM assistant Steve Roccaforte is serving as an assistant on coach Joe Dooley's staff. He was a Tigers assistant from 2000 to '03.