The Josh Pastner Era started with a win. Over 17,000 University of Memphis fans filled the seats at the FedEx Forum Friday night to watch the men’s basketball team take on Jackson State University. New Tiger head coach Josh Pastner repeatedly said in the off-season, “I am still undefeated.” Using this line as humorous deflection of the summer’s tumultuous events, Pastner will milk this witty line for as long as he is able. After an 82-53 victory against Jackson State, that ability still exists.
The Tigers used tenacious pressure defense to build a 17 point halftime lead and hold Jackson State to just 25% shooting. Memphis’ cold shooting, just 36% from the field, prevented them from putting the game away in the first half. Jackson State fought to within 7 to start the second half, before Memphis turned up the pressure again and pulled away for good. The Tigers successfully contained SWAC Preseason Player of the Year, Grant Maxey, allowing him only 11 points and 3 rebounds.
Elliot Williams led the way for the Tigers with 19 points. Will Coleman was a beast in the post, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks. The big man also hit all four of his free-throws. Wesley Witherspoon added 13 points and 4 rebounds. Witherspoon played with a sustained effort on defense, going into the stands for a loose ball and deflecting several passes. Roburt Sallie had a poor night shooting but was relentless on the boards and defensively. Sallie finished with 7 rebounds and 4 steals in 34 minutes.
After the game, athletic director RC Johnson and the players gave Coach Pastner the gameball. In a gesture of humility and appreciate of his players’ effort, Pastner gave the ball right back. “This has nothing to do with me. This is about the players because the players win the games. This isn’t me. This will never be me… The credit goes to the guys. They stepped it up, they gutted it out. They found a way and did a nice job defensively.”
So for now Josh Pastner is 1-0. “I’m 799 behind Jim Boeheim,” Pastner said with a chuckle, referring to the Syracuse coach who won his 800th game Monday night. Standing between Coach Pastner and win number two is #1 ranked Kansas. The Tigers will definitely be the underdog, but after a week that has seen Pastner pull in the top recruiting class in the nation without ever coaching a game, who knows what will happen.
BOX SCORE
| JACKSON STATE TIGERS | ||||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| Tyrone Hanson, G-F | 14 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Grant Maxey, F | 28 | 5-13 | 0-2 | 1-2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| G Blake | 10 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Rod Melvin, G | 22 | 1-4 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Garrison Johnson, G | 33 | 6-17 | 2-5 | 2-3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| Cason Burk, G | 21 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Jazmonn Major, G | 6 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Christian Williams, G | 7 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Jonathan Lewis, G | 3 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Phillip Williams, G | 14 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| De’Suan Dixon, G | 14 | 1-5 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Oliver Jefferson, C | 3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Davon Jones, F-C | 4 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Kyle Swanier, G | 3 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Ramond Gregory, NA | 18 | 1-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| TOTALS | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | |
| 21-57 | 4-12 | 7-13 | 13 | 29 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 30 | 53 | ||
| 36.8% | 33.3% | 53.8% | ||||||||||
| MEMPHIS TIGERS | ||||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| Pierre Henderson-Niles, F | 18 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 1-4 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Wesley Witherspoon, G-F | 20 | 3-9 | 2-5 | 5-7 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 13 |
| Roburt Sallie, G | 34 | 2-8 | 1-5 | 2-5 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Willie Kemp, G | 33 | 1-3 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Elliot Williams, G | 33 | 5-11 | 2-6 | 7-11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 19 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| Will Coleman, F | 21 | 5-7 | 0-0 | 6-7 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 16 |
| Drew Barham, G-F | 6 | 2-2 | 1-1 | 2-3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| C Holt | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Doneal Mack, G | 20 | 2-4 | 2-3 | 2-2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| D.J. Stephens, G-F | 9 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 1-3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Preston Laird, G | 2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 2-4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Malik Thomas, G-F | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyler Foster, G-F | 1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A Jacques | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTALS | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | |
| 22-51 | 8-24 | 30-48 | 14 | 39 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 13 | 12 | 82 | ||
| 43.1% | 33.3% | 62.5% | ||||||||||
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