No. 11/16 Tigers Host Long-Standing Rival Saint Louis Tuesday Night

Tuesday, November 16

Memphis, Tenn.

7 p.m.

University of Memphis

Saint Louis

Tickets

Memphis vs. North Carolina Central Men’s Basketball Tyler Harris

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

No. 11/16 Tigers Host Long-Standing Rival Saint Louis Tuesday Night

Nov 15, 2021 | Men's Basketball

Buy Tickets FedExForum Policies and Procedures Watch on ESPN+Memphis Game Notes (PDF)Saint Louis Game Notes (PDF)AAC Game Notes (PDF)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The 11th-ranked Memphis Tigers are set to face two fellow 2021 National Invitation Tournament participants this week at FedExForum, starting Tuesday against Saint Louis at 7 p.m.

Last season Saint Louis bowed out in the first round of the NIT to Mississippi State, 74-68, with Memphis ending up beating the Bulldogs for the championship. Memphis and Saint Louis are longtime conference rivals, with Tuesday's meeting the 59th in the all-time series with the Tigers leading 32-26.

Memphis moved up one spot in this week's Associated Press Top 25 poll after going 2-0 in the season's first week, defeating Tennessee Tech and North Carolina Central to start the year. Tiger forward Emoni Bates was named the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Week for his efforts. He started both games for the Tigers, and he poured in 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting against Tennessee Tech before scoring 15 points against North Carolina Central.

The Billikens are 3-0 on the year, with former Tiger Jordan Nesbitt averaging 13.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Nesbitt enrolled at Memphis at the semester break last year and played in three games for a total of 11 minutes before transferring. Additionally, first-year Memphis Strength & Conditioning Coach Robb Hornett was the strength coach for Saint Louis for three years before joining the Tigers.

Although he hasn't yet faced the Billikens as a head coach, Penny Hardaway enjoyed success against Saint Louis as a Tiger player. He and the Tigers went 2-0 against Saint Louis in 1991-92 and 3-0 in 1992-93. In all, Hardaway averaged 22.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game in the five contests against the Billikens.

Following Tuesday's game, the Tigers host Western Kentucky Friday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Brooklyn, N.Y., for the NIT Season Tip-Off the week of Thanksgiving. The Hilltoppers also played in the 2021 NIT, where they defeated Saint Mary's, 69-67, before losing to Louisiana Tech in the quarterfinals, 72-65.

The Tigers have won nine-straight games at FedExForum and are 45-7 at home under Hardaway.

Tickets for 2021-22 are available online at www.GoTigersGoTix.com or by phone at (901) 678-2331.

FEDEXFORUM COVID-19 POLICIES
FedExForum has implemented a policy requiring fans 12 and older to present proof of a COVID-19 vaccination OR proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours to attend all scheduled Tigers and Memphis Grizzlies games at the venue through at least Nov. 19. Fans have to have at least started the vaccine series but do not have to yet be fully vaccinated.

There are three ways to present proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test:

CLEAR App Health Pass (fully vaccinated only)
Physical vaccination card or test result
Digital photo of vaccination card or test result

For more information, visit THIS LINK.

In accordance with the latest Shelby County Health Department Directive No. 27, as of Oct. 28 masks are no longer required – but are highly recommended – for all events at FedExForum. Children ages 2-11 will need to follow the current attendance policy and be masked while inside FedExForum for Tigers and Grizzlies games.

GAME DETAILS
#11/16 Memphis Tigers (2-0) vs. Saint Louis Billikens (3-0)
Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021 | 7 p.m. CT
FedExForum (18,400); Memphis, Tenn.
Television: ESPN+ (Greg Gaston, pxp; Jon Albright, analysis; Cassie Carlson, reporter)
Radio: 98.9 THE ROAR OF MEMPHIS (Dave Woloshin, pxp; Matt Dillon, analysis)
Satellite: Sirius 138 / XM 207 / SXM App 969

BY THE NUMBERS

4: Conferences over the years in which Memphis and Saint Louis have been rivals (Missouri Valley, 1967-73; Metro, 1975-82; Great Midwest, 1991-95; Conference USA, 1995-05).
35: Straight wins by the Tigers when shooting 50.0 percent or better in a game, dating back to shooting 54.4 percent (31-57) in an 87-74 loss at Cincinnati on Feb. 23, 2017.
0:00: Time Memphis has trailed in games this season.
2nd: Memphis' national rank in block percentage this season (.300), as the Tigers have blocked 24 of their opponents' 80 two-point tries.
2: 3-pointers needed by Tyler Harris to enter the top-10 in a Memphis career (143).

THE LAST TIME OUT

The No. 12/16 Memphis Tigers turned a 15-point halftime lead into an advantage as big as 49 late in the second half en route to a 90-51 win over North Carolina Central Saturday night at FedExForum.
Memphis was led by Emoni Bates' 15 points, and Jalen Duren added a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Duren was held scoreless and had three rebounds in the first half.
Josh Minott contributed nine points and nine rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench, and Tyler Harris buried 11 points in just eight minutes as a reserve.
Landers Nolley II and Lester Quinones were also in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Earl Timberlake turned in a well-rounded stat line of six points, six assists, five rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot in 19 minutes of action.
After leading 38-23 at the break, Memphis scored the first 10 points of the second half and 15 of the first 17 to take a 53-25 lead.
The Tigers limited North Carolina Central to 26.2 percent shooting in the game (17-65) and 12.0 percent from 3-point range (3-25).
The Tigers went 31-of-47 from the free throw line, which was their third-most attempts from the charity stripe since 2010-11 and most in eight seasons.
North Carolina Central was paced by Eric Boone's 13 points.

NOTING THE BILLIKENS

Saint Louis enters the game with wins over Central Arkansas, Harris Stowe and Eastern Illinois by an average of 50.0 points per game.
The Billikens were picked to finish third in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll, behind St. Bonaventure and Richmond and ahead of VCU, Dayton, Davidson and Rhode Island.
Javonte Perkins (first team) and Yuri Collins (third team and All-Defensive) were honored as preseason All-Conference selections.
Perkins suffered a torn ACL in Saint Louis' exhibition opener and will miss the entire season.
The Billikens went 14-7 a season ago and finished 6-4 in A-10 action.

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.