Tigers Women's Basketball Hosts No. 1 Connecticut Wednesday

Wednesday, January 13

Memphis, Tenn.

5 pm CT

University of Memphis

Connecticut

Tickets

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Tigers Women's Basketball Hosts No. 1 Connecticut Wednesday

Jan 12, 2016 | Women's Basketball

Game time is 5 p.m. (CT) at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – For the University of Memphis women's basketball team, you finished playing four games last week and posted a 3-1 record in those contests, so what's next? How about playing current No. 1 and three-time defending NCAA champion Connecticut.

That's what the Tigers (9-7, 3-2 The American) face Wednesday, Jan. 13 when the undefeated Huskies (14-0, 4-0 The American) visit the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. It is Connecticut's first visit to the Elma Roane Fieldhouse, as the previous two Tigers-Huskies match-ups held in the Bluff City were at FedExForum.

"We playing UConn at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse this year, and this is something our players have wanted," said Tigers head coach Melissa McFerrin. "But, that doesn't mean everything is going to be rosy. We still have to play UConn.

"We're focusing on not beating ourselves. We have to take care of the basketball. Their transition game is absolutely phenomenal, so we're going to have to get back and protect the basket. We can't afford live-ball turnovers. Their defensive rebounds turn into transition. We need to try to get them to settle into a half-court game."

In Sunday's loss to Tulsa, Memphis could not find its shooting touch late, and some of that can be attributed to fatigue – both physical and mental – from playing the four games in a week.

"Our players have not had a day off since they returned from Christmas break," said McFerrin. "We need to manage the mental fatigue probably more than the physical fatigue. It was nice to come away with three wins last week, and it would have been great to get that fourth one.

"We're excited about the UConn game, and we know the challenge the game presents."

TV: SNY
Radio: 91.7 FM (WUMR)
Internet Video: ESPN3.com/WatchESPN
Live Stats: memphis.statbroadcast.com
YouTube Interviews: Available on the SIDMemphis channel
LiveTweet: @MemphisWBKB, #MEMWBKB, #GoTigersGo

Tigers Tidbits • Five Memphis Notes to Know
• Memphis welcomes the nation's No. 1 team to the Elma Roane Fieldhouse Wednesday, and it's a rare occasion. In fact, Wednesday is only the third time in the facility's history that Memphis hosts the nation's No. 1 team at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. The Tigers have a 1-1 record against No. 1 teams at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Memphis defeated Louisiana Tech 72-69 in February of 1984 and lost to Tennessee 91-65 in February of 1998.

• Wednesday's contest also is only the second time a defending NCAA champion visits the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. The last time occurred in the 1997-98 season when Tennessee, the 1997 NCAA champion, came to the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. The Lady Volunteers won that match-up, 91-65.

• Connecticut holds a 4-0 lead in the series with Memphis. The Huskies' previous two visits to the Bluff City were played at FedExForum, including last season's 80-34 victory Feb. 7, 2015.

• Wednesday's game continues Memphis' WNBA-like schedule since conference season tipped Dec. 30. The encounter with Connecticut is the Tigers' sixth game in 15 days. This busy, compressed schedule began Dec. 30 at Temple. Then, starting Jan. 3, Memphis played four games in a week with home games against Tulane Jan. 3, Houston Jan. 5 and Tulsa Jan. 10. The Tigers played at Cincinnati Jan. 7. After Wednesday's game, Memphis wraps up the compressed schedule Jan. 16 at SMU, making it seven games in 18 days.

• Sophomore Cheyenne Creighton can't seem to miss a shot recently. In the last five games, the 6-foot-1 forward is shooting 71.9 percent from the field (23-of-32). Overall, she is hitting 58.5 percent from the floor and is ranked second in field goal percentage in the American Athletic Conference.

Scouting Connecticut
The Huskies, the three-time defending NCAA champion, bring a perfect 14-0 overall record, a 4-0 American Athletic Conference mark and the nation's No. 1 ranking into Wednesday's league encounter. Connecticut is riding a 51-game win streak. The Huskies have more road wins (7) than home victories (5) this season. Breanna Stewart, the 2014-15 National Player of the Year, leads four Huskies averaging double figures with a 19.9 scoring average. She also leads the team on the glass (8.2 rpg). Moriah Jefferson is tops on the team in both assists (75) and steals (34). Geno Auriemma is in his 31st season as Connecticut's head coach.