athletics communications contact/info: Lamar Chance
Cell: 901-734-9949
Office: 901-678-2349
GAME #12: HOUSTON (7-4, 0-0) vs. Memphis (7-4, 0-0) WEDNESDay, DEC. 31 • 1 pm (ct) • FEDEXFORUM • MEMPHIS, TENN.
By The Numbers...
90.0 82.4 75.0 40.2 20
• Tigers’ win pct. in league regular-season games at FedExForum since 2004-05 (72-8 record); 36-5 record under Josh Pastner • Memphis’ win pct. in its last game of calendar year since 1997-98 season (14-3 record); won 11 of last 12 • Tigers’ win pct. when playing on New Year’s Eve since World War II (9-3 record); won 3 of last 4 New Year’s Eve games • Memphis rebounds per game avg. leads The American; Houston is 2nd at 40.0 rpg • Number of miles Memphis head coach Josh Pastner grew up from the University of Houston campus in Kingwood, Texas
SETTING THE SCENE • Memphis (7-4, 0-0 The American) continues its nine-game homestand Wednesday, Dec. 31 when it hosts Houston (7-4, 0-0 The American) at FedExForum. • The contest is the 2014-15 American Athletic Conference opener for both the Tigers and Cougars. • The game, to air on ESPNU, is slated for a 1 p.m. (CT) tip. • The Tigers were not ranked in the Dec. 29 polls and also did not appear in the Also Receiving Votes category of either poll. Houston was not ranked in either poll. • Memphis has won four straight and five of its last six entering Wednesday’s match-up with Houston. • In that stretch, the Tigers’ five wins came over Bradley 73-45 Dec. 6, N.C. Central 81-47 Dec. 15, USC Upstate 83-73 Dec. 17, Oral Roberts 78-63 Dec. 20 and Western Illinois 78-51 Dec. 23. • The lone loss in that six-game span was a 73-55 setback to Oklahoma State Dec. 13. • Memphis returns two starters and only five letterwinners from last year’s squad. • Houston is 7-4 and brings a two-game win streak into Wednesday’s game. The victories came over Texas Tech 82-69 Dec. 23 and Mississippi Valley State 80-53 Dec. 28. • The Cougars return two starters and five letterwinners from last year’s squad.
Memphis Starters
Probable Starters/Top Reserves vs. HOUSTON
HOUSTON Starters
No. Name 2 Shaq Goodwin 4 Austin Nichols 0 Trahson Burrell 3 Pookie Powell 20 Avery Woodson
5 Nick King 12 D’Marnier Cunningham 23 Kuran Iverson
No. Name 0 Danrad Knowles 24 Devonta Pollard 3 Cavon Baker 4 LeRon Barnes 21 Jherrod Stiggers 5 L.J. Rose 11 JC Washington 23 Eric Weary Jr.
Pos F F F G G F G F Pos F F G G G G F G
Yr Ht/Wt Jr. 6-9/228 So. 6-8/228 Jr. 6-6/169 So. 6-1/180 So. 6-2/196 — Reserves — So. 6-7/226 Jr. 5-9/160 So. 6-9/205
PPG RPG 9.1 6.2 11.4 5.5 10.8 6.1 6.6 3.1apg 7.6 2.0
Hometown Atlanta, Ga. Collierville, Tenn. Albany, N.Y. Orlando, Fla. Waynesboro, Miss.
8.0 3.6 5.3
Memphis, Tenn. Chicago, Ill. Hartford, Conn.
Yr Ht/Wt r-So. 6-10/190 Jr. 6-8/200 Jr. 6-1/175 r-Jr. 6-5/195 r-Jr. 6-4/215 — Reserves — Jr. 6-3/200 Fr. 6-6/225 Jr. 6-4/210
PPG RPG 9.1 6.5 12.3 7.6 7.8 2.1apg 5.7 7.1 17.4 3.5
Hometown Nassau, Bahamas Porterville, Miss. Queens, N.Y. Stonewall, La. Terrell, Texas
11.5 5.5apg 3.9 4.1 10.3 4.4
Houston, Texas Houston, Texas New Orleans, La.
6.0 2.6apg 2.2
Email: Lchance1@memphis.edu
Tigers On TV/Radio/Web Television: ESPNU (Mike Couzens, play-byplay; Len Elmore, analyst); WKNO Replay (Greg Gaston, play-by-play; Jon Albright, analyst) Radio: WREC 600 AM; WKBQ 93.5FM (Dave Woloshin, play-by-play; Matt Dillon, color analyst; Forrest Goodman, studio host) Web: WatchESPN/ESPN3.com
Schedule-Results (7-4, 0-0 American) November
18 24 27 28
vs. #11 Wichita State% (ESPN).................... 56-71, L PRAIRIE VIEW A&M^ (ESPN3)...............77-49, W vs. Baylor# (FOX Sports 1)........................... 47-71, L vs. Indiana State# (FOX Sports 1).............. 72-62, W
december
2 6 13 15 17 20 23 31
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN^ (ESPNews)..............52-64, L BRADLEY (ESPNU)..................................73-45, W OKLAHOMA STATE (ESPN2)...................... 55-73, L N.C. CENTRAL (ESPN3)............................81-47, W USC UPSTATE (ESPN3).............................83-73, W ORAL ROBERTS (CBS SN)........................78-63, W WESTERN ILLINOIS (ESPN3)....................78-51, W HOUSTON* (ESPNU)..................................... 1 pm
january
3 8 11 15 17 21 24 28 31
TULANE* (ESPNU)........................................ 5 pm at SMU* (ESPN/2)............................................8 pm at Houston* (CBS SN).......................................3 pm CINCINNATI* (ESPN/2)................................. 6 pm UCF* (ESPNews)........................................... 1 pm at Tulsa* (ESPNU).............................................6 pm at Tulane* (ESPNU)..........................................7 pm EAST CAROLINA* (CBS SN)........................... 8 pm at Gonzaga (ESPN2)..........................................9 pm
february
4 7 10 14 19 22 26 28
JACKSONVILLE STATE (ESPN3)...................... 7 pm TEMPLE* (ESPNews)................................... 12 pm at East Carolina* (ESPNU)................................6 pm at USF* (ESPNU).............................................11 am CONNECTICUT* (ESPN/2)............................. 8 pm at UCF* (CBS SN)..............................................1 pm SMU* (ESPN/2)............................................ 8 pm TULSA* (ESPNU)........................................... 7 pm
march 5 8 12-15
Connecticut* (ESPN/2)....................................8 pm Cincinnati* (CBS)............................................11 am American Athletic Conference Tournament (Hartford, Conn./XL Center)
Home games in bold blue CAPS * American Athletic Conference Game % Game played at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. ^ Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational (non-bracket) # Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational (bracket)