Tigers, USF set for 3 p.m. tip in Tampa

Sunday, January 12

Tampa, Fla.

3 PM

University of Memphis

USF

Tickets

Lester Quinones and the Tigers play at 3 p.m. Sunday at USF.

Photo by: Kelly Ross

Jan 11, 2020 | Men's Basketball

Memphis Notes (vs. USF)USF Notes (vs. Memphis)

UofM looking to win its second American Athletic Conference game

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – After suffering back-to-back losses for the first time this season, the University of Memphis will attempt to reverse its fortunes in Tampa Sunday against USF.

The American Athletic Conference game tips off at 3 p.m. at the Yuengling Center. USF is 8-8 overall and 1-2 in the conference.

The No. 21 Tigers (12-3 overall, 1-1 AAC) had won 10 straight games before encountering difficulty in the form of losses Jan. 4 at home to Georgia and Thursday at Wichita State.

One area in which the Tigers could help themselves would be by boosting their assist numbers. They had only 10 against both Georgia and Wichita State after dishing out 24 in a win over Tulane Dec. 30.

"You've got to share the basketball . . . 10 assists," said Tigers coach Penny Hardaway, referring to the total at Wichita State. "I think because these kids are so young – and because they carried their high school teams the last few years – they think it's going to happen that way on this level.

"When you are winning it kind of gets overlooked a little bit, but you are still preaching it. Everything we are preaching now is what we were preaching when we were on a 10-game winning streak. The kids think they can win the game by themselves. But you've got to share the basketball. You've got to do it together."

Memphis has gotten All-American contributions recently from 6-foot-9 freshman forward Precious Achiuwa. Achiuwa had 22 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots against Wichita and has strung together four straight double-doubles. He has eight on the season.

The Tigers also have been impressive on the defensive end. They lead the conference and are ranked second nationally in field goal percentage defense (35 percent). They held Wichita State to 32.8 percent shooting.

Memphis also is tied for the conference lead in steals (8.9) and is second in blocked shots (6.9).

"Defensively, we're doing what we're supposed to do," Hardaway said.

USF's strength is defense, too. The Bulls are forcing opponents into making 17 turnovers per game.

Days before the season began, the Bulls suffered a key personnel loss when Alexis Yetna, the league's Freshman of the Year, sustained a knee injury. Yetna, a fierce rebounder, will miss the season.