Memphis Opens Conference Play Thursday Hosting South Florida

Thursday, December 29

Memphis, Tenn.

7 p.m.

University of Memphis

South Florida

Tickets

Memphis Opens Conference Play Thursday Hosting South Florida

Dec 28, 2022 | Men's Basketball

Live Stats Watch Live Buy Tickets Memphis Game Notes (PDF)USF Game Notes (PDF)AAC Weekly Notes (PDF)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – After a few days off for Christmas break, the Memphis Tigers return to action and begin American Athletic Conference play Thursday night when South Florida visits FedExForum. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.

The Tigers (10-3, 0-0 AAC) are coming off an 83-61 win over Alabama State their last time out, giving the program its 10^th win of the nonconference season. The victory marked the second-most victories for the program before its conference season in the last 12 years. Memphis won 11 games before its AAC debut in 2019.

South Florida (7-6, 0-0 AAC) brings a five-game win streak into Thursday after having not lost a game since Nov. 29 against UMass. The Bulls are coming off a 92-73 win over NJIT on Dec. 22.

It will be a homecoming for sharpshooter Tyler Harris, who makes his return to Memphis after playing three seasons for the Tigers before transferring to USF in May. Harris helped lead the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament last season, averaging 8.9 points in 18.9 minutes per game.

He had 50 double-figure scoring games for the Tigers, including 13 against Gonzaga in last season's NCAA Tournament.

After Thursday's game, the Tigers go back on the road to play Tulane Sunday at 4 p.m. The showdown with the Green Wave will be televised on ESPN.

Memphis then returns to FedExForum to host East Carolina on Jan. 7 at 1 p.m.

GAME DETAILS
RV/RV Memphis Tigers (10-3, 0-0 AAC) vs. South Florida (7-6, 0-0 AAC)
Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022 | 7 p.m. CT
FedExForum (18,400); Memphis, Tenn.
Television: ESPN+ (Greg Gaston, pxp; Jon Albright, analysis)
Radio: 98.9 THE ROAR OF MEMPHIS (Dave Woloshin, pxp; Matt Dillon, analysis)

BY THE NUMBERS

12: Straight wins for Memphis at FedExForum, dating back to a 70-62 loss to SMU on Jan. 20, 2021.
15.6: Memphis' block percentage, according to KenPom.com, which is the 9^th-best mark in Division I. Block percentage is the percentage of an opponent's shots a team blocks. The Tigers have 21 blocks in their last two games combined.
51.0: Memphis' field goal percentage over the last five games (160-314) where they are outscoring the opponents 84.6 to 75.0 each time out. Eleven Tigers are averaging at least 5.5 points per game over the stretch.
16.4: Points per game by DeAndre Williams during his current nine-game double-digit streak; the senior is also averaging 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 58.1 percent from the floor.
2: Kendric Davis' rank nationally in free throws made with 77, just four behind the national leader (81). He has nine games this season with five or more makes and has converted 33 more at the stripe than any of his Tigers teammates have even attempted.
1-of-2: Kendric Davis is one of only two players in Division I averaging at least 19.0 points and 5.5 assists per game this season. Rayj Dennis of Toledo is the other (19.0 ppg, 6.0 apg).
3.14: Average Division I years of experience on Memphis' roster, which is 11^th-most in the nation.
5: Memphis has scored 80+ points in five-straight games for the first time since doing so in seven consecutive from Dec. 4, 2018 to Jan. 3, 2019.
22: Memphis' defensive rank in allowing opponents to score just 43.4 percent of its points from two-point range.

THE LAST TIME OUT

Memphis took care of business heading into the break, defeating Alabama State 83-61 behind fifth-year forward DeAndre Williams' 25-point effort on 11-of-14 shooting.
On his 20^th point of the night, Williams recorded his 1000^th-point of his career.
Fifth-year guard Kendric Davis tallied 14 points and a season-high 12 assists, just two shy of his AAC record of 14. Redshirt-senior forward Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu had his best game in a Memphis uniform with 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting to go along with seven blocks, both matched his career highs.
Fifth-year guard Elijah McCadden made his first start as a Tiger and nearly produced a double-double with season highs of 10 points and eight rebounds in 33 minutes. He grabbed his 500^th-career rebound in first half.
Memphis shot 55.0 percent as a team (33-60) and held a 76-50 lead with 6:58 to play in the game.
The Tigers blistered the nets in the first half and led 47-37 at the break. Memphis shot 58.1 percent from the floor (18-31) in the opening 20 minutes, with Davis and Williams combining for 25 points.
The team swatted a season high 14 blocks in the win, the most by the Tigers since also blocking 14 against Saint Louis last season on Nov. 16, 2021.

NOTING THE OPPONENT

USF brings a 7-6 record to Memphis on Thursday for the conference opener after winning its last five games.
The Bulls have three players averaging double figures, led by Tyler Harris' 15.5 points per game. He leads the team and ranks second in the AAC with 36 made three-pointers behind a 37.1 percent mark.
Selton Miguel is producing 12.4 points each time out and is the team's top assist man with 44.
Russel Tchewa is averaging 10.5 points and paces USF with 7.2 rebounds and a 63.9 percent mark from the field.
USF is averaging 69.8 points per game, while allowing 66.3 by its opponents.
The Bulls are shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from deep.
South Florida returns 10 players from its 2021-22 roster, including Jamir Chaplin, Russel Tchewa, Corey Walker Jr., Bay area native Serrel Smith Jr., along with Sam Hines Jr. and Trey Moss.
Chaplin is the Bulls' leading returning scorer (8.7 ppg) while Tcewa and Walker Jr. thrived in the frontcourt over the final months of the season.

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