Tigers Prepare for Wednesday Tilt with SMU, Road Trip to Temple

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis Tigers (10-14, 3-9) will wrap up their five-match homestand Wednesday at 1 p.m. against the SMU Mustangs (12-10, 8-4). The Tigers will then make the quick turnaround and hit the road for Friday's 6 p.m. match with the Temple Owls (5-18, 1-11). Both matches will be available on ESPN+.

SMU comes to town on a three-match winning streak, T-3^rd in the American Athletic Conference standings, with three straight 3-1 victories over USF, Cincinnati, and East Carolina. The Mustangs have won five of their past six matches, with their only loss over that stretch to top-ranked UCF. SMU took the first meeting with the Tigers back in September, a 3-0 shutout for the Mustangs, though both the second and third sets ended 26-24. The Mustangs are third in the conference in hitting percentage (.231) but 10^th in opponents hitting percentage (.236). SMU also ranks third in assists, kills, and blocks. Kaylyn Winkler and Alex Glover sit first and second respectively in the AAC in hitting percentage, while Winkler also ranks fourth in the conference in blocks per set.

The all-time series between the Tigers and Cougars hasn't been friendly to Memphis, as SMU holds a 19-6 edge dating back to 2005. SMU has won four straight and 11 of the past 12 matchups. Memphis last took down the Cougars Oct. 14, 2018, in Memphis, and the Tigers' last four wins in the all-time series have come at home. This season's earlier matchup in Dallas was the first since 2017 to end in a 3-0 sweep for either side.

After the Tigers conclude their five-match homestand, they'll make the trip to Philadelphia to take on the Owls, who sit 10^th in the conference standings ahead of only USF. Temple has dropped five straight matches and 12 of the team's last 13. The Owls' only win over that stretch came in five sets in mid-October vs. USF, the only conference win in total this season between those two programs. Temple is eighth in the conference in hitting percentage and a distant last in opponents hitting percentage. The Owls also rank in the bottom half of the conference in assists, kills, blocks, aces, and digs. Gem Grimshaw and Miray Bolukbasi are seventh and eighth in the conference respectively in kills per set, while Taylor Davenport is third in the AAC in blocks per set.

Memphis took down Temple at home in four sets earlier this season for the Tigers' second consecutive win in the all-time series, but Memphis still trails 10-4 dating back to 2013. The Tigers have won three of the past five meetings, all at home. Memphis' last and only win in Philadelphia came Oct. 12, 2014.

NOTABLES

Memphis has held opponents to a .206 hitting percentage, the fourth best mark in the AAC
The Tigers are third in the AAC with 16.07 digs per set, paced by sophomore Bailey Houlihan, who is third in the AAC with 4.48 digs per set
Senior Sabrina Bianco sits fourth in the conference in assists per set (9.93), while senior Miaya Smith is among the top 12 in the AAC in both hitting percentage and kills per set

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Volleyball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Tigers Prepare for Wednesday Tilt with SMU, Road Trip to Temple

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sabrina Bianco

Bailey Houlihan

Miaya Smith

University of Memphis Athletics