No. 11/16 Memphis Welcomes Western Kentucky Friday Night

Friday, November 19

Memphis, Tenn.

7 p.m.

University of Memphis

Western Kentucky

Tickets

Memphis vs. St. Louis Men’s Basketball Penny

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

No. 11/16 Memphis Welcomes Western Kentucky Friday Night

Nov 18, 2021 | Men's Basketball

Buy Tickets 3-Game Pick 'Em Pack FedExForum Policies and Procedures Watch on ESPN+Memphis Game Notes (PDF)Western Kentucky Game Notes (PDF)AAC Notes (PDF)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The No. 11/16 Memphis Tigers play their fourth home game in 11 days to open the season Friday night at 7 p.m. against Western Kentucky.

The Tigers are fresh off a 90-74 win against Saint Louis Tuesday night, where Tyler Harris stole the show with four 3-pointers on his way to 18 points in 19 minutes off the bench. Memphis has led by at least 24 points in each of its three wins so far this season, and the Tigers' scoring average of 89.7 leads the American Athletic Conference.

One of the most historic programs in NCAA history, entering this season Western Kentucky ranks third all-time in regular season conference championships (43), seventh in 20-win seasons (47), eighth in winning percentage (.660) and 15th in all-time total victories (1,836).

The Hilltoppers are 1-2 so far this season after losses to Minnesota and South Carolina last week in the 2021 Asheville Championship in North Carolina. Memphis Assistant to the Head Coach Shawn Forrest, a 25-year veteran of college basketball, was an assistant coach at Western Kentucky for three seasons from 2013-16.

The Tigers have won 10-straight games at FedExForum and are 46-7 at home under head coach Penny Hardaway. The home winning streak is currently tied for 17th-longest in the nation.

Following Friday's game, the Tigers head to Brooklyn, N.Y., for two games in the NIT Season Tip-Off. Memphis will face Virginia Tech Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and either Iowa State or Xavier next Friday.

Friday's game is presented by Kroger.

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 (3-0) vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (1-2)
Friday, Nov. 19, 2021 | 7 p.m. CT
FedExForum (18,400); Memphis, Tenn.
Television: ESPN+ (Greg Gaston, pxp; Jon Albright, analysis)
Radio: 98.9 THE ROAR OF MEMPHIS (Jeff Brightwell, pxp; Matt Dillon, analysis)
Satellite: Sirius 132 / XM 201 / SXM App 964

BY THE NUMBERS

13.9: Memphis' average possession length this season in seconds, which is ninth-fastest in the nation.
1st: Jalen Duren's national rank among freshmen in blocked shots (14), one ahead of Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren; Duren (12.7) is ahead of Holmgren (9.0) in points per game and tied in rebounds per game (8.0).
7: Different Tigers have recorded a 10-point game this season.
2: Father-son tandems will be on the floor Friday, as Memphis' Penny and Jayden Hardaway face Western Kentucky's Rick and Noah Stansbury; there are 21 father-sons in NCAA Division I this year.
4: KenPom top-55 games in the next six for Memphis (Virginia Tech, 27; Ole Miss, 53; Alabama, 19; Tennessee, 11).

THE LAST TIME OUT

Tyler Harris hit four 3-pointers on his way to 18 points, Emoni Bates added 16 and Jalen Duren had 13 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots in a 90-74 Memphis win over Saint Louis Tuesday night in Memphis, Tenn.
No. 11/16 Memphis also saw 10 rebounds and seven points from Landers Nolley II, and Josh Minott added 12 on a perfect 5-for-5 showing from the field.
The Tigers shot 54.4 percent as a team in the game (31-57) and 60.0 percent in the second half (15-25).
Memphis blocked 14 shots in the game, tied for the second-most all-time in a game in school history.
After Saint Louis took a 13-10 lead, the Tigers regrouped and rattled off nine-straight points to take a 19-13 advantage.
Minott had five points during the spurt.
Three minutes later, Memphis rattled off 10-straight points, highlighted by back-to-back 3s by Jayden Hardaway and Harris, and the lead was 31-16.
In all, that was a 21-3 Memphis run, while the defense limited the Billikens to 1-for-15 shooting during the stretch.
After the Tigers led by 15 at the half, 42-27, the lead ballooned to as many as 24 points midway through the second 20 minutes.
Saint Louis was paced by Terrence Hargrove Jr.'s 20 points and 11 rebounds.

NOTING THE HILLTOPPERS

Western Kentucky brings back two starters and five letterwinners from last season's 21-8 squad that finished first in Conference USA with an 11-3 mark.
The Hilltoppers also played in the 2021 National Invitation Tournament, defeating Saint Mary's in the first round, 69-67, before bowing out with a 72-65 quarterfinal loss to Louisiana Tech.
One of its departed starters is Charles Bassey, who was a third-team All-American after averaging 17.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game and was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Hilltoppers welcome nine newcomers to the roster in 2021-22, including the third-ranked junior college player in the country and tallest player in Division I basketball in 7-foot-5 Jamarion Sharp.
WKU added a major influx of experience with Division I transfers Keith Williams (Cincinnati), Jairus Hamilton (Maryland) and Jaylen Butz (DePaul).
The trio has played a combined 6,514 career minutes and scored 2,388 points at the college level.
Williams played eight games against Memphis while at Cincinnati and scored in double figures four times.
He scored 19 to go along with six assists, five rebounds, three blocks and two assists most recently in an 80-74 Memphis win in Ohio on Feb. 28, 2021.
Western Kentucky defeated Alabama State in the 2021-22 season opener Nov. 9, who Memphis will face Dec. 21, 79-74.

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.