The first month of competition among the teams in the American Athletic Conference is ending. The crucial month of February is near for programs that aspire to clinch an NCAA tournament berth. So, what does that mean for Memphis? It means they must take their performance on the court to a different level. But they have been in the same situation before, right? So, what is different about this season? Despite incurring a two-game losing streak, the Tigers maintained their standing among the top 25 teams in college basketball in both the Associated Press and USA Today’s weekly polls.
There was fear among the Memphis fanbase and local media that the Tigers would also fall out of favor with the committee and the top 25 rankings. But voters gave the Tigers the grace that so many other well-known programs in college basketball have awarded when it comes to losing multiple times in the same week. During interviews with the media, head coach Penny Hardaway mentioned what the team is doing to correct the issues plaguing them during their recent two-game losing streak.
“The one thing I did wrong, I accepted in winning what I wouldn’t accept in losing,” he said. “And it caught up to us. Every team has guys on the court that can’t defend, but you’ll never know (it from) the way the schemes are,” said Hardaway. “It’s basically just identifying your weaker defenders versus your top defenders. And what we need to do to protect in certain areas. I believe in packing the paint, then getting out (to the perimeter). We weren’t packing the paint (and) we were giving (opponents) both options. Now, we’re getting back to what we do. This is Memphis basketball moving forward. I hate it had to be a loss to get there.” Hardaway stated.
If that’s the plan from now on, the players need to show that they took the initiative to follow through with the process in their next matchup. After losing a winnable game against conference foe Tulane, the Tigers head back on the road to face the UAB Blazers.
Heading into Sunday’s matchup, UAB had won in eight of their last nine games but fell short recently to Charlotte on Tuesday. Like Tulane, South Florida, and SMU, the Blazers sit in the same bubble of trying to stay afloat in a league filled with parity. Also, the Tigers will deal with another program that has encouraged its fanbase to pack the arena when the game tips off on Sunday.
“Boy, we need some people in this building,” head coach Andy Kennedy said. “What are we doing? We made this push to get into the American Conference. We got Memphis. I know our people; our people feel a certain sort of way toward the Tigers. Man, I hope they show that, come in here and make this thing rocking like Steve (Mitchell) and I have both seen this thing in the past. We’re going to desperately need it and I hope they show up for it.” The Tigers should be numb to heading into this type of environment by now. How the perform on the court is what really matters. The crowd is a factor only when a road team gives them opportunity to be involved.”
The battle down in the paint must be the Tigers’ primary concern in Sunday’s matchup with UAB. Center Yaxel Lendeborg is one of college basketball’s top big men this season. His rebound percentage places him 26th in the country, and his 2.1 blocks per game ranks second in the AAC. For Memphis to succeed against the two-time junior college All-American, they will need another stellar outing from center Malcolm Dandridge. Last Sunday against Tulane, Dandridge recorded the best game of his career with the program when he scored 13 points, blocked eight shots, and grabbed eight rebounds.
If Jordan Brown can spark the Tigers’ interior presence, it could pay huge dividends this Sunday. Brown returns to the team after missing 11 games this season. Other UAB personnel that Memphis must account for on Sunday are leading scorer Eric Gaines and teammate Alejandro Vasquez. While UAB may not be recognized among the best shooting teams in the country, talents like Gaines and Vasquez can aggressively attack the basket and produce points.
Score Prediction
With a week to prepare, Memphis rights the ship and returns to the winning side of things. Tigers win by seven.
Memphis 84, UAB 77
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