University of Memphis Athletics
Saturday, February 29
New Orleans, La.
7 PM
University of Memphis
at
Tulane (Powerful Minds Game)
Damion Baugh (10) dished out six assists in Tuesday's game at SMU.
Photo by: George Walker/DFWsportsonline
Tulane is next for Tigers
Feb 28, 2020 | Men's Basketball
UofM to play Green Wave at 7 p.m. Saturday in New Orleans
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Three American Athletic Conference games remain, two on the road.
For the University of Memphis men's basketball team, a 3-0 regular-season finish will be the goal beginning with Saturday's conference game at an improved Tulane team. The Green Wave has won 12 games, or eight more than they did a season ago.
After a home game next Thursday against Wichita State, the Tigers close the 2019-20 season March 8 at nationally ranked Houston, where the CBS top broadcast team of Jim Nantz, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson will be courtside.
But, initially, the Tigers (19-9, 8-7 AAC) will have to stop a formidable Tulane team, which has won two of its last three, including an eight-point win over SMU, and is stocked with graduate transfers. The Tigers are coming off a loss at SMU, which owns two victories over the Tigers this season.
Tulane (12-16, 4-12 AAC) is led by former Memphis and Kansas player K.J. Lawson, who is averaging 13.5 points and 5.4 rebounds. Christion Thompson is averaging 13.3 points and a team-leading 6.4 rebounds. He attended Rhode Island last season.
Earlier this season, the Tigers opened conference play with an 84-73 win over the Green Wave at FedExForum. Recent wins by Tulane over UCF and SMU have Tigers coach Penny Hardaway's attention.
"Tulane is a team that is very capable and they are showing it right now," Hardaway said. "They have a coach (Ron Hunter) who is in his first year in the league who's had a lot of success in other leagues.
"He came into this league and was very fired up to get going. He hasn't had the season he wanted to have, but they have fought every single game. They are going to look at this as an NCAA tournament game. They are going to play extremely hard."
Memphis also has won two of its past three – wins over ECU and a No. 22 Houston – and will be attempting to shake off the effect of a 58-53 loss Tuesday night at SMU. Achiuwa played only 19 minutes in that game because of foul trouble, but finished with 17 points and seven rebounds to lead the Tigers in both categories.
The Tigers have been led by freshman forward Precious Achiuwa, who will be a candidate for player of the year in the conference. Achiuwa is averaging 15.3 points and 10 rebounds.
TIGERS NOTEBOOK
For the University of Memphis men's basketball team, a 3-0 regular-season finish will be the goal beginning with Saturday's conference game at an improved Tulane team. The Green Wave has won 12 games, or eight more than they did a season ago.
After a home game next Thursday against Wichita State, the Tigers close the 2019-20 season March 8 at nationally ranked Houston, where the CBS top broadcast team of Jim Nantz, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson will be courtside.
But, initially, the Tigers (19-9, 8-7 AAC) will have to stop a formidable Tulane team, which has won two of its last three, including an eight-point win over SMU, and is stocked with graduate transfers. The Tigers are coming off a loss at SMU, which owns two victories over the Tigers this season.
Tulane (12-16, 4-12 AAC) is led by former Memphis and Kansas player K.J. Lawson, who is averaging 13.5 points and 5.4 rebounds. Christion Thompson is averaging 13.3 points and a team-leading 6.4 rebounds. He attended Rhode Island last season.
Earlier this season, the Tigers opened conference play with an 84-73 win over the Green Wave at FedExForum. Recent wins by Tulane over UCF and SMU have Tigers coach Penny Hardaway's attention.
"Tulane is a team that is very capable and they are showing it right now," Hardaway said. "They have a coach (Ron Hunter) who is in his first year in the league who's had a lot of success in other leagues.
"He came into this league and was very fired up to get going. He hasn't had the season he wanted to have, but they have fought every single game. They are going to look at this as an NCAA tournament game. They are going to play extremely hard."
Memphis also has won two of its past three – wins over ECU and a No. 22 Houston – and will be attempting to shake off the effect of a 58-53 loss Tuesday night at SMU. Achiuwa played only 19 minutes in that game because of foul trouble, but finished with 17 points and seven rebounds to lead the Tigers in both categories.
The Tigers have been led by freshman forward Precious Achiuwa, who will be a candidate for player of the year in the conference. Achiuwa is averaging 15.3 points and 10 rebounds.
TIGERS NOTEBOOK
- Precious Achiuwa and Cincinnati's Tre Scott are the only players in the American Athletic Conference averaging a double-double. Scott leads the American with a 10.4 rebounds-per-game average. Achiuwa averages 15.3 points and 10 rebounds.
- The Memphis bench scored only nine points in Tuesday's loss at SMU after scoring 28 in the previous game against Houston. The Tigers' bench is averaging 26.6 points.
- Former Tiger K.J. Lawson is shooting 43.3 percent from 3-point range for the Green Wave in conference games.
- Nine of the UofM's past 10 games have been decided by single digits.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G/F
/ Men's BasketballMen's Basketball: Penny Hardaway, Dain Dainja and Coby Rogers Press Conference-March 21, 2025
Friday, March 21
Men's Basketball: Penny Hardaway Press Conference-March 20, 2025
Thursday, March 20
Men's Basketball: Coby Rogers, PJ Haggerty and Dain Dainja Press Conference-March 20, 2025
Thursday, March 20
Men's Basketball: PJ Haggerty and Nicholas Jourdain Press Conference- March 18 2025
Tuesday, March 18