Tigers Host UAB in Stripe Out Showdown at FedExForum

Sunday, February 22

Memphis, Tenn.

11:00 AM

University of Memphis

UAB

Tigers Host UAB in Stripe Out Showdown at FedExForum

Feb 21, 2026 | Men's Basketball

Watch Live Stats Listen Memphis Game Notes (PDF)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Sunday morning in downtown Memphis won't ease into anything. It'll tip at 11 a.m., national TV cameras rolling, stripe-out shirts draped over lower-bowl seats and a league race that suddenly feels urgent.

Memphis welcomes UAB back to town for a rematch that carries weight in the standings and in the tone of the stretch run. The Tigers handled business in Birmingham earlier this month, 90-80, fueled by Sincere Parker's 40-point eruption. Since then, the margin for error has thinned and the message is simple: protect home floor.

The setting inside FedExForum will carry a retro edge, but the stakes are fully present tense. Memphis enters the weekend navigating unfamiliar territory - below .500 this late in February for the first time in more than two decades. The last time it happened was the 1999-00 season, when the Tigers were 10-15 on Feb. 20 before responding with a 5-1 finish in their final six games. History doesn't guarantee anything, but it does offer perspective: seasons can flip quickly when urgency meets opportunity.

Opportunity is exactly what Sunday provides.

UAB arrives confident and protective of the basketball, rarely giving opponents extra chances. That means Memphis must defend with purpose and execute in the half court. Dug McDaniel (12.6 ppg, 4.7 apg) sets the tempo, and when he controls pace, the Tigers find flow.

Sincere Parker's 40-point outburst decided the first meeting, but balance will matter again. Aaron Bradshaw's 57.7 percent shooting anchors the paint, while Julius Thedford's versatility brings production on both ends.

Rebounding could quietly decide the rematch. UAB ranks among the nation's stronger teams on the glass and limits second-chance looks. For Memphis, finishing defensive possessions and matching physicality will be as important as any scoring run.

Sunday will also pause for something bigger than standings. At the under-four media timeout in the first half, Memphis will recognize and thank Dr. Barry Phillips for 39 years of dedicated service as our head team physician. Generations of players have relied on his steady presence behind the scenes. The recognition will serve as a moment of gratitude for a career devoted to student-athletes and the program.

GAME DETAILS
Memphis Tigers (12-14, 7-6 American) vs. UAB Blazers (18-8, 10-3 American)
Sunday, February 21, 2026 | 11 a.m.
FedExForum (18,400); Memphis, Tenn.
Television: ESPN2 (Pete Sousa, pxp; Chris Spatola, analyst)
Radio: 98.9 THE ROAR OF MEMPHIS (Dave Woloshin, pxp; Ken Moody, analyst)
Fans be sure and get over to Alfred's On Beale immediately following each home game to catch the live postgame show by the Memphis Tiger Radio Network.

BY THE NUMBERS

1^st: Aaron Bradshaw is shooting 57.7 percent from the field and 78.3 percent at the free-throw line this season. He is the only American Conference player meeting those marks (minimum 100 FGA). In league play he's been even better, averaging a conference high 63.1 percent clip from the floor.
5: Memphis' five-game winning streak against UAB is its longest active against any current conference opponent.
16: The Tigers rank 16^th in the country in three-point defense, allowing opponents to just shoot 29.7 percent from distance. It's the best mark for Memphis in a season since 2020-21 (27.7%) and the Tigers have held 15 opponents to under 30 percent from long range this season.
16.9: Over the last month since Jan. 18, Sincere Parker ranks second in Division I in scoring off the bench (min. six games played) with 16.9 points per game. Ole Miss' AJ Storr is first at 17.0 points per game.
18: Memphis has won 18-straight home games against UAB, with the last loss coming Jan. 2, 1999 by a score of 91-83. Overall, the Tigers are 25-2 all-time against UAB in Memphis and 44-12 in all meetings.
22-2: Memphis owns a 22-2 (.916) record against UAB over the last 20 seasons (since 2006-07), its third-best winning percentage against any opponent faced at least 10 times in that span. Only Southern Miss (.944) and Marshall (.917) rank higher.
35: Sincere Parker enters Sunday having made 35-straight free throws after a 10-for-10 night last weekend at Utah State. His last miss came on Jan. 18 vs. UTSA.

SCOUTING THE BLAZERS

UAB continues to value the basketball, ranking 32nd nationally and first in the American with a 1.58 assist-to-turnover ratio.
The Blazers are at their best in the open floor, sitting 18th nationally and No. 1 in the league at 15.6 fastbreak points per game. They scored 23 off turnovers in the first meeting with the Tigers.
Ball security remains a staple for Andy Kennedy's group, as UAB ranks fifth nationally and first in the conference with just 8.9 turnovers per game. They coughed it up 13 times against Memphis earlier this month.
UAB controls the glass on both ends, ranking 16th nationally and second in the American at 40.9 rebounds per game, including 22nd nationally and first in the league with 27.6 defensive boards per contest.
The Blazers create extra possessions, posting a +3.2 turnover margin that ranks 30th nationally and second in the conference.
Physical play shows up at the stripe, where UAB ranks 52nd nationally and third in the American at 23.9 free-throw attempts per game.
Chance Westry leads four players in double figures with 15.0 points, 4.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Jacob Meyer (13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds), Daniel Rivera (11.7 points, 6.8 rebounds) and Kyeron Lindsay-Martin (11.0 points, 6.5 rebounds) are just behind Westry.
Evan Chatman is the team's leading glass cleaner with 8.9 rebounds and 8.4 points per game.

UP NEXT
Memphis returns to split action next week as the Tigers host Wichita State on Thursday at 8 p.m. (ESPN2) before making the trip to East Carolina on Sunday for a 1 p.m. tip on ESPN+. It will be two of the last four regular season games for Memphis.

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.