Tigers escape Samford at home 65-54

 

photo by Spruce Durden

Junior guard Antonio Barton drives to the bucket for two points against a Samford defender

 

     In a more tightly contested game than most expected, the No. 16/17-ranked University of Memphis Tigers (2-0) survived a scare at home from the Samford Bulldogs (1-3) Saturday night, 65-54. 

Though the Tigers held a nine-point lead at the break, it was the Bulldogs who used the intermission as a reset - and it would prove helpful as they fought back and kept the Tigers on the brink of an upset all night with their zone defense and deft three point shooting.

"I was disappointed in our lack of everything," said Josh Pastner, head coach of the Tigers. "I thought we played slow. We were slow in all areas, offensively and defensively. Nobody (from Memphis) deserves game balls in this one."

Memphis looked disinterested from the tip. The Tigers weren't getting back in transition, weren't scrapping for rebounds or loose balls, and constantly left Samford shooters wide open around the perimeter, resulting in 52.9 percent field goal shooting for the Bulldogs in the first half alone. 

"Our strength is getting up and down the floor," junior forward Tarik Black said. "But things happen like this in the flow of the game. Not too many rebounds coming off if they're shooting 52.9 percent."

One bright spot for the Tigers was sophomore guard and forward Adonis Thomas. Thomas shot 50.0 percent from the field, 4-for-4 from the free throw line and had 16 points - while playing a game-high 39 minutes.

"I was just trying to be aggressive on the perimeter," Thomas said. "We're an uptempo team, and it seemed as though we played down to their zone which slowed us down tonight. They were making stops and doing what their coach told them to do. They executed their game plan."

What Thomas left unsaid was the fact that the Memphis Tigers did not execute their game plan.

The Bulldogs closed their deficit to 54-51, and missed a three-pointer to tie, but Tigers' Antonio Barton made huge threes to keep the Tigers from suffering yet another early upset at home to a lesser opponent, following a home loss to Murray State last season. Barton finished the game with 14 points, including 4-of-7 from three-point range, with two steals.

"Just getting in the gym working on my shot (helped me convert threes)," Barton said. "I'm a shooter, but I feel as though I can be a better shooter. Some of the shots I missed, I know I can make, it's just a matter of getting in there and working."

Overall, only three Tigers finished in double figures. Black and Thomas were joined by sophomore guard Joe Jackson, who chipped in with 13 points, four assists and no turnovers, while going 7-of-8 from the line. However, Pastner insists this Tigers team can do better.

"I don't want make excuses, we've got to mature as a team," Pastner said. "We're not a methodical team. Maybe last year or the year before I can say we may have overlooked an opponent, but not this year. They (Samford) dictated pace. We have to dictate pace - we work on it all week during practice, I don't know what it was tonight."

The Tigers return to action Thursday evening to take on VCU in the next round of a tournament dubbed "The Battle 4 Atlantis" in the Bahamas. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CDT).

Should Memphis win, they would then challenge the winner of the Duke-Minnesota contest in the semifinals on Friday, November 23. The championship is set for Saturday, and should the Tigers make it that far in the winners' bracket, they would potentially face either Louisville, Missouri or Stanford.

Tigers trounce North Florida in season opener

Junior guard Antonio Barton slashes to the hole for two points against North Florida.

 

     Though it wasn’t pretty throughout, No. 16/17 University of Memphis Tigers basketball team (1-0) defeated a scrappy University of North Florida team (1-1) 81-66 in their season opener in front of a crowd of 15,668 at FedExForum.

“Overall I loved our effort for the first 30 or so minutes,” said Josh Pastner, head coach for the Tigers. “First part of the of the game we gave up some threes, but that’s going to happen – we played hard with great energy. There’s some good things we did, some things we’ve got to work on, but the important thing is we got the W.”

The Tigers did get tested from UNF the first 10 minutes of action due to the Tigers’ inability to close out shooters from behind the arc. But once former McDonald’s-All American and freshman forward Shaq Goodwin entered the contest, the whole complexity and energy of the Tigers’ game changed. They responded with a 19-0 run to open the game up and lead thereafter.

“I thought Shaq energized Tarik Black, Pastner said. “I thought he energized our whole team. Guys were all over the floor – I had no issue with their effort whatsoever. I am really proud of the guys for the effort that they gave”

Memphis dove for loose balls, grabbed offensive rebounds and got out into transition for easy buckets, while junior guard Antonio Barton, drained three pointer after three pointer. Memphis dominated the offensive glass in the first half, grabbing 31 rebounds to UNF’s 15. The Tigers’ defense also held the Ospreys to 26.9 percent shooting during that dominating stretch.

“Coach said for me to be physical out there,” Goodwin said. “Being scrappy, diving for balls and grinding is what I’m supposed to do. The only thing that I didn’t know about tonight was the speed of the game – I was prepared for everything else.”

Goodwin and the hot shooting Barton weren’t the only Tigers to have an impact on the game. Junior forward Tarik Black and junior guard Joe Jackson also gave the Tigers a lift. Black led Memphis with 18 points, seven rebounds, while shooting 60 percent from the field. Jackson chipped in with 14 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals.

“I’m just trying to limit turnovers and slow down,” Jackson said. “I know once I do that, and then help out the big men in rebounding, that’s what we need this year. And Shaq was beasting out there. Once they started trapping inside, it left wide-open shots for everybody else.”

Up next for the nationally ranked Tigers will be the Samford Bulldogs this Saturday at FedExForum. Tipoff is 7pm.

Tigers BLow Past Green Wave 37-23

     A second half led by blistering defense and turnovers helped propel The University of Memphis Tigers (2-8, 2-4 in Conference USA) to a 37-23 victory over the Tulane Green Wave (2-8, 2-4 in C-USA) Saturday night in front of 18,976 paid attendance at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

The stifling Tigers' defense, led by junior defensive tackle Johnnie Farms and his 1.5 sacks and forced fumble, created turnovers that led to points and sealed the second victory of the season for the Tigers and first-year Tigers football head head coach Justin Fuente.

"I would like to thank Tiger Nation for showing up, supporting us and being vocal tonight," Fuente said. "I'm awfully proud of our guys and the way they played. Defensively and offensively we made some big plays. In the passing game, Jacob (Karam) was pretty efficient tonight."

Though it wasn't very gaudy numbers, Karam, a junior transfer quarterback, completed 14-of-18 passes for 270 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The biggest play of the game, a 52-yard touchdown strike to redshirt freshman receiver Tevin Jones, broke open a 16-16 stalemate in the third quarter. 

"It was a fun night," Karam said. "We focused all week on trying to execute better than they did. Personally, I wish I could have taken care of the ball better, but at the end of the day we got the win. That's all that matters."

The Tigers ground game out-rushed Tulane 110 yards to 80. Memphis also gained more total yards than the Green Wave, amassing 386 to Tulane's 291. But the story of the night was the Tigers defense, intercepting Tulane four times, one for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

"It was a good game all the way around," Farms said. "The defense played good, the offense came around. I knew we were going to have a good game. We practiced really tough all week."

The Tigers travel to Birmingham (AL) to take on rival Alabama-Birmingham next Saturday in the annual Battle for the Bones game. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.