athletics communications contact/info: Lamar Chance
Cell: 901-734-9949
Office: 901-678-2349
GAME #14: MEMPHIS (8-5, 1-1) vs. SMU (10-4, 1-1) THURSDay, JAN. 8 • 8 pm (ct) • MOODY COLISEUM • DALLAS, TEXAS
By The Numbers...
188
• Tigers have moved up 188 spots in NCAA stats rankings for assists per game since Dec. 5; Memphis entered Dec. 6 game ranked 298, now ranked 110
91.5
• Memphis win pct. following a loss in Josh Pastner era (43-4 record); last time Tigers suffered consecutive losses was near start of 2012-13 season
26.7
• Tigers’ 3P FG pct. defense, which leads The American; also ranked 7th in nation in 3P FG pct. defense
2nd 1st
• Tigers ranked No. 2 in nation in blocks per game (7.5); Austin Nichols No. 4 in nation in blocks per game (3.5) • Tigers are playing their 1st true road game of season Thursday at SMU; latest Memphis road opener in last 50 seasons
SETTING THE SCENE • Memphis (8-5, 1-1 The American) goes from FedExForum for its first true road game of the 2014-15 season Thursday, Jan. 8 when the Tigers travel to Dallas, Texas, to face SMU (10-4, 1-1 The American). • The game, to air on ESPN2, is slated for an 8 p.m. (CT) tip from Moody Coliseum. • The Tigers were not ranked in the Jan. 5 polls and also did not appear in the Also Receiving Votes category of either poll. SMU was not ranked in either poll. • Memphis has won six of its last eight entering Thursday’s match-up with SMU. • 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 two losses in that eight-game span were to Oklahoma State 73-55 Dec. 13 and Tulane 7466 Jan. 3. • Memphis returns two starters and only five letterwinners from last year’s squad. • SMU has a 10-4 overall record. • The Mustangs split their first two American Athletic Conference games with a win over USF 83-49 Dec. 31 and a loss at Cincinnati 56-50 Jan. 3. • Before its Jan. 3 setback to Cincinnati, SMU had won eight straight from Nov. 26-Dec. 29. • The Mustangs return three starters and eight letterwinners from last year’s squad.
Memphis Starters
No. Name 2 Shaq Goodwin 4 Austin Nichols 0 Trahson Burrell 3 Pookie Powell 20 Avery Woodson
12 D’Marnier Cunningham 15 Kedren Johnson 40 Calvin Godfrey
SMU Starters
Probable Starters/Top Reserves vs. SMU
No. 0 2 1 4 11
Pos F F F G G G G F
Name Ben Moore Yanick Moreira Ryan Manuel Keith Frazier Nic Moore
Pos F C G G G
5 Markus Kennedy 15 Cannen Cunningham 21 Ben Emelogu
F C 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 — Jr. 5-9/160 Jr. 6-4/229 Sr. 6-8/233
PPG RPG 9.1 6.7 12.9 6.2 10.5 5.8 6.2 3.8apg 8.5 2.2
Hometown Atlanta, Ga. Collierville, Tenn. Albany, N.Y. Orlando, Fla. Waynesboro, Miss.
3.9 2.9 2.9
Chicago, Ill. Lewisburg, Tenn. Milwaukee, Wis.
Yr Ht/Wt So. 6-8/205 Sr. 6-11/220 Sr. 6-4/185 So. 6-5/190 r-Jr. 5-9/170 — Reserves — r-Jr. 6-9/245 Sr. 6-10/225 So. 6-6/205
PPG RPG 9.0 6.4 12.1 6.5 5.5 3.1 10.9 4.0 14.6 4.8apg
Hometown Bolingbrook, Ill. Luanda, Angola Houston, Texas Dallas, Texas Winona Lake, Ind.
4.8 5.8 3.0
Philadelphia, Pa. Arlington, Texas Grand Prairie, Texas
2.4apg 1.4 3.5
4.5 3.5 1.9
Email: Lchance1@memphis.edu
Tigers On TV/Radio/Web Television: ESPN2 (Dave O’Brien, play-byplay; Doris Burke, 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 (8-5, 1-1 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)..............................................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)