athletics communications contact/info: Lamar Chance
Cell: 901-734-9949
Office: 901-678-2349
GAME #15: MEMPHIS (8-6, 1-2) vs. HOUSTON (7-7, 0-3) SUNDay, JAN. 11 • 3 pm (ct) • HOFHEINZ PAVILION • HOUSTON, TEXAS
By The Numbers...
176 69.2 26.4
• Tigers have moved up 176 spots in NCAA stats rankings for assists per game since Dec. 5; Memphis entered Dec. 6 game ranked 298, now ranked 122 • Memphis win pct. versus Houston-based NCAA Division I programs under Josh Pastner (9-4 record) • Tigers’ 3P FG pct. defense, which leads The American; also ranked 7th in nation in 3P FG pct. defense • Number of miles Memphis head coach Josh Pastner grew up from the University of Houston campus in Kingwood, Texas
20 5/5
• Tigers ranked No. 5 in nation in blocks per game (7.1); Austin Nichols ranks No. 5 in nation in blocks per game (3.5)
SETTING THE SCENE • Memphis (8-6, 1-2 The American) wraps up its short two-game road trip through the Lone Star State Sunday, Jan. 11 when it travels to Houston, Texas, to face the Cougars (7-7, 0-3 The American). • The game, to air on CBS Sports Network, is slated for a 3 p.m. (CT) tip from Hofheinz Pavilion. • The Tigers were not ranked in the Jan. 5 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 six of its last nine entering Sunday’s match-up with Houston. • In that stretch, the Tigers’ six 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, Western Illinois 78-51 Dec. 23 and Houston 73-54 Dec. 31. • The three losses in that nine-game span were to Oklahoma State 73-55 Dec. 13, Tulane 74-66 Jan. 3 and SMU 73-59 Jan. 8. • Memphis returns two starters and only five letterwinners from last year’s squad. • Houston is 7-7 and enters Sunday’s encounter on a three-game skid after American Athletic Conference setbacks to Memphis 73-54 Dec. 31, Tulsa 72-54 Jan. 4 and UCF 79-78 in overtime Jan. 6. • Prior to the three-straight losses, the Cougars had won two straight. • The Cougars return two starters and five letterwinners from last year’s squad.
HOUSTON Starters
Memphis Starters
Probable Starters/Top Reserves vs. HOUSTON No. 2 4 0 3 20
Name Shaq Goodwin Austin Nichols Trahson Burrell Pookie Powell Avery Woodson
Pos F F F G G
12 15 40
D’Marnier Cunningham Kedren Johnson Calvin Godfrey
G G F
No. 0 4 5 21 23
Name Danrad Knowles LeRon Barnes L.J. Rose Jherrod Stiggers Eric Weary Jr.
Pos F G G G G
3 11 24
Cavon Baker JC Washington Devonta Pollard
G F F
Yr Ht/Wt Jr. 6-9/228 So. 6-8/228 Jr. 6-6/169 So. 6-1/180 So. 6-2/196 — Reserves — Jr. 5-9/160 Jr. 6-4/229 Sr. 6-8/233
PPG 8.8 12.8 10.5 5.9 8.3
RPG 6.4 5.9 5.8 3.6apg 2.1
Hometown Atlanta, Ga. Collierville, Tenn. Albany, N.Y. Orlando, Fla. Waynesboro, Miss.
4.6 2.6 3.2
2.4apg 1.3 3.5
Chicago, Ill. Lewisburg, Tenn. Milwaukee, Wis.
Yr Ht/Wt r-So. 6-10/190 r-Jr. 6-5/195 Jr. 6-3/200 r-Jr. 6-4/215 Jr. 6-4/210 — Reserves — Jr. 6-1/175 Fr. 6-6/225 Jr. 6-8/200
PPG 9.4 6.0 11.0 17.1 8.9
RPG 6.2 6.9 5.6apg 3.6 4.1
Hometown Nassau, Bahamas Stonewall, La. Houston, Texas Terrell, Texas New Orleans, La.
6.8 3.0 11.9
1.9apg 3.4 6.9
Queens, N.Y. Houston, Texas Porterville, Miss.
Email: Lchance1@memphis.edu
Tigers On TV/Radio/Web Television: CBS Sports Network (Carter Blackburn, play-by-play; Pete Gillen, analyst; Cassie Gallo, sideline reporter) Radio: WREC 600 AM; WKBQ 93.5FM (Dave Woloshin, play-by-play; Matt Dillon, color analyst; Forrest Goodman, studio host) Web: None
Schedule-Results (8-6, 1-2 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)...............................73-54, W
january 3 8 11 15 17 21 24 28 31
TULANE* (ESPNU)....................................66-74, L at SMU* (ESPN2)......................................... 59-73, L 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)