athletics communications contact/info: Phil Stukenborg Cell: 901-490-4612 Office: 901-678-4780 Email: [email protected] Tigers On TV/Radio/Web GAME 15: MEMPHIS (9-5, 1-0) vs. HOUSTON (14-0, 1-0) Television: ESPNews (Matt Schick, play-by- SUNday, JAN. 6 • 5 Pm (ct) • FERTITTA CENTER • HOUSTON, TEXAS play; Sean Harrington, color analyst) SETTING THE SCENE Radio: Rock 103 (102.7 FM)/NewsRadio 600 By The Numbers... • After spending the last 34 days at home, Mem- phis takes to the road Sunday, Jan. 6 to face No. AM (Dave Woloshin, play-by-play; Matt Dil- • Memphis’ scoring avg after 14 19/17 Houston in an American Athletic Confer- lon, color analyst; Jeff Brightwell, studio host) 85.1 games in 2018-19; ranks 17th ence showdown. nationally and 1st in The Amer- • Memphis and Houston tip at 5 p.m. (CT) at the Web: WatchESPN.com/ESPN3.com ican; highest scoring avg after renovated Fertitta Center on the University of 14 games by a UofM team in Houston campus. Schedule-Results last 15 seasons • Sunday’s game is the Tigers’ first contest out- side the Memphis city limits since Dec. 1. That (9-5, 1-0 American) • Tigers’ assists-on-made-baskets Dec. 1 game was a neutral-site tilt against Texas percentage the last five games November Tech in Miami, Fla. 62.7 (99 assists on 158 FGM); dished 6 TENNESSEE TECH (ESPN3.com) .........76-61, W • Memphis opened the program’s 98th season out 20 or more assists in four of 13 at #22 LSU (SEC Network) ....................85-76, L last five games of basketball Nov. 6 with a 76-61 home victory 17 YALE (ESPN3.com) ................(2ot) 109-102, W over Tennessee Tech. 22 vs. Oklahoma State^ (ESPN2) ...............84-64, L • Memphis defense forces foes • The game — as well as the victory — was the 23 vs. Canisius^ (ESPN3.com) ................. 71-63, W into 18.4 turnovers/game, first of the head coach Penny Hardaway era. 25 vs. Charleston^ (ESPNU) .......................78-75, L 18.4 which is 6th in nation; Houston • Memphis put the wraps on a seven-game December averages only 11.6 turnovers/ homestand Jan. 3 with an 85-74 victory over 1 vs. #20 Texas Tech% (ESPNU) ...............78-67, L game Wichita State in the American Athletic Confer- 4 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (CW30) .........88-80, W ence opener for both teams. 8 UAB (ESPN3.com) .............................94-76, W • Tigers are playing their ninth • The Tigers posted a 6-1 record in their seven- 15 #3 TENNESSEE (ESPN2) .....................102-92, L 19 LITTLE ROCK (CW30) ........................99-89, W foe that earned a 2018 post- game homestand that stretched from Dec. 22 TENNESSEE STATE (ESPN3.com) ........99-41, W 9th 4-Jan. 3. season berth; Houston played 29 FLORIDA A&M (ESPN3.com) .............96-65, W in the 2018 NCAA Tournament • Memphis returns seven players from its 2017- January 18 roster, including five that started at least 10 3 WICHITA STATE* (CBS SN) .................85-74, W • Memphis is the only team in games. 6 at #19 Houston* (ESPNews) ......................5 pm only the conference to open league • The Cougars return three starters and seven 10 ECU* (ESPNU) ........................................ 8 pm 1 play against two teams that letterwinners from last season’s squad. 13 at Tulane* (ESPNU) ...................................5 pm qualified for the 2018 NCAA • Five of Houston’s seven returnees played in 33 19 SMU* (ESPN2/U) .................................... 3 pm Tournament (WSU, Houston) or more games in 2017-18. 24 at Temple* (CBS SN) ..................................6 pm Probable Starters/Top Reserves 27 UCF* (CBS SN) ........................................ 3 pm 30 at Tulsa* (ESPNews) ..................................7 pm vs. HOUSTON (based on previous game) February No. Name Pos Yr Ht/Wt PPG RPG Hometown 2 at USF* (ESPN2/U) ..................................11 am 4 Raynere Thornton G/F Sr. 6-6/230 6.0 5.2 Marietta, Ga. 7 CINCINNATI* (ESPN/2) ............................. 6 pm 10 Mike Parks Jr. F Sr. 6-8/250 6.8 2.8 Cleveland, Ohio 10 CONNECTICUT* (CBS SN) ........................ 1 pm 1 Tyler Harris G Fr. 5-9/150 14.1 2.3apg Memphis, Tenn. 13 at ECU* (ESPN3.com) ................................6 pm 3 Jeremiah Martin G Sr. 6-3/185 14.6 4.1 Memphis, Tenn. 16 at UCF* (ESPN2/U) ....................................5 pm Memphis Starters 11 Antwann Jones Jr. G Fr. 6-6/205 7.4 2.9 Orlando, Fla. 20 TULANE* (ESPN2/U) ............................... 6 pm — Reserves — 23 at Wichita State* (ESPN2/U) .....................7 pm 0 Kyvon Davenport F Sr. 6-8/215 15.3 7.8 Gainesville, Ga. 26 TEMPLE* (ESPNU) .................................. 8 pm 5 Kareem Brewton Jr. G Sr. 6-2/195 7.5 1.9 Claxton, Ga. March 2 at Cincinnati* (ESPN2/U) ...........................7 pm No. Name Pos Yr Ht/Wt PPG RPG Hometown 9 TULSA* (ESPNU) ................................ 8:30 pm 23 Cedrick Alley Jr. F r-Fr. 6-5/230 6.7 4.4 Houston, Texas 14-17 American Athletic Conference Championship 24 Breaon Brady F Sr. 6-8/260 6.8 5.0 Akron, Ohio (Memphis, Tenn.) 3 Armoni Brooks G Jr. 6-3/195 14.4 7.4 Round Rock, Texas 5 Corey Davis Jr. G Sr. 6-1/190 15.8 3.5 Lafayette, La. HOUSTON Home games in blue CAPS * American Game Starters 25 Galen Robinson Jr. G Sr. 6-1/190 8.9 5.4apg Houston, Texas # Exhibition — Reserves — ^ Advocare Invitational (Orlando, Fla.) 11 Nate Hinton G Fr. 6-5/210 6.8 4.4 Gastonia, N.C. % Hoophall Miami Invitational (Miami, Fla.) 13 DeJon Jarreau G r-So. 6-5/185 8.3 3.4 New Orleans, La. game 15/aac ROAD opener: Memphis vs. HOUSTON • Page 2 National Polls Memphis/HOUSTON Memphis/HOUSTON Series Information statistical comparison Associated Press (Dec. 31) Overall series ....................Memphis leads 32-15 Statistic UofM UH 1. Duke (35) .................................. 11-1 Current Streak .....................Memphis won last 1 Record 9-5 14-0 2. Michigan (9) ............................. 13-0 As conference foes ...........Memphis leads 29-12 3. Tennessee (12) .......................... 11-1 (since 1996-97) Conference Record 1-0 1-0 4. Virginia (4) ................................ 11-0 NCAA NET (as of 1/4) 77 4 5. Kansas (4) ................................. 11-1 Hardaway vs. Houston ...................First meeting 6. Nevada ..................................... 13-0 Sampson vs. Memphis ....................................2-6 Scoring Offense 85.1 74.4 7. Gonzaga .................................... 12-2 (0-2 at Oklahoma/2-4 at Houston) Scoring Defense 77.0 57.9 8. Michigan State .......................... 11-2 Gms played in Houston ............ UofM leads 12-7 Scoring Margin +8.1 +16.5 9. Florida State ............................. 11-1 Last year’s meeting........................ Feb. 22, 2018 10. Virginia Tech ............................. 11-1 UofM 91 • UH 85 Free Throw Percentage .704 .724 11. Texas Tech ................................. 11-1 FedExForum • Memphis, Tenn. Field Goal Percentage .467 .434 12. Auburn...................................... 11-2 (game boxscore on page 3) 13. Kentucky ................................... 10-2 Field Goal Pct. Defense .444 .354 14. Ohio State ................................. 12-1 Last Memphis win ......................... Feb. 22, 2018 3-Point Field Goal Pct. .340 .330 UofM 91 • UH 85 15. North Carolina ............................ 9-3 3-Point FG Pct. Defense .351 .259 16. Marquette ................................ 11-2 FedExForum • Memphis, Tenn. 17. Mississippi State ....................... 12-1 Last UofM win in Houston .............Jan. 19, 2017 Rebounding Offense 38.1 43.2 18. NC State .................................... 12-1 UofM 70 • UH 67 (ot) Rebounding Defense 33.6 34.6 19. Houston .................................... 13-0 Hofheinz Pavilion Rebounding Margin +4.5 +8.6 20. Buffalo ...................................... 12-1 Last Houston win ........................... Feb. 26, 2017 22. Indiana ...................................... 11-2 Blocked Shots 3.6 4.7 UH 72 • UofM 71 22. Wisconsin ................................. 10-3 Assists 16.4 15.2 23. Oklahoma ................................. 11-1 FedExForum • Memphis, Tenn. Steals 9.3 6.9 24. Nebraska ................................... 11-2 Last UH win in Houston................. Feb. 10, 2016 25. Iowa .......................................... 11-2 UH 98 • UofM 90 • The Tigers finished fifth in the league’s regular Hofheinz Pavilion season. ARV: No. 31 Cincinnati Most Notable Meeting(s) ........... UofM, UH met • Memphis made a thrilling run to the American in back-to-back NCAA Tournament Athletic Conference Championship semifinal USA Today Coaches Sweet Sixteens in 1983, 1984; round with wins over USF and Tulsa. (Dec. 31) UH won both games and advanced • The Tigers fell to eventual league tournament 1. Duke (35) .................................. 11-1 champion Cincinnati in the semifinals. 2. Virginia (4) ................................ 11-0 to NCAA Final Four • Jeremiah Martin earned All-American Athletic 3. Tennessee (12) .......................... 11-1 • The Cougars are off to their best start at 14-0 4. Michigan (9) ............................. 13-0 Conference second team honors. since the 1967-68 team began that season 31-0 • Memphis did not earn a postseason berth. 5. Nevada ..................................... 13-0 and included a 71-69 victory over top-ranked 6. Kansas (4) ................................. 11-1 UCLA and Lew Alcindor in the “Game of the 7. Michigan State .......................... 11-2 WHAT THE COUGARS DID A Year Ago Century” played in the Astrodome. 8. Gonzaga .................................... 12-2 • Houston