The Memphis Tigers basketball team failed to get a resume’ boosting victory against in-state rival #14 Tennessee Volunteers, as the Tigers were defeated 66-59. A brutal battle took place inside the FedEx forum, as both teams combined for 50 personal fouls just hours before the beginning of a new year, one that will hopefully be a better year for Memphis sports. If anyone felt the Memphis/Tennessee rivalry left with John Calipari, the near max capacity of the FedEx Forum spoke to the contrary. The only disappointing sight apart from the final score was the absence of student support in the partially empty student section.
Archive for December, 2009
Tigers Fall in Rivalry Game – Look to New Year
On December - 31 - 2009
Tigers Face Volunteers in New Year’s Celebration Game
On December - 31 - 2009
New Year’s Eve; it is a time to reflect upon another year passed and the chance to celebrate the expectations of the looming year. For the Tigers, the reflection of this past year’s events should warrant one look, a gut-wrenching reflex and a refusal to glance a second time into that shattered mirror. After a Sweet Sixteen breakdown, two bitter coaching departures and troubles with the NCAA, it would not be out of the question to state that the year of 2009 was not very kind to the Tigers. On the other hand, two new positive head coaches, a bright outlook for both major sports teams and the number one recruiting class in the country have given Memphis fans enough ammunition to make a strong counter argument for a positive year.
Lacey Shines at T-Mobile Invitational Day One
On December - 29 - 2009
Entering its fourth year, the T-Mobile Invitational has become one of the exclusive holiday high school basketball tournaments. Prior to this year, the tournament has featured multiple All-Americans, three national players of the year, and Division 1 student-athletes across the country. This year’s boys team line-up features one of the top big-men in the 2010 class Josh Smith (UCLA commit), a scoring machine in Brandon Peterson (Western Kentucky commit), two elite scoring guards for the 2011 class in Trevor Lacey and Austin Rivers (soft verbal to Florida) and an up-and-coming 2012 jitter-bug point guard in Justin Price.
Tigers Declaw Jaguars
On December - 29 - 2009
The Memphis Tigers basketball team can be something of beauty to watch. They can also look like a hideous deformed monster. IUPUI rolled into town with a 9-4 record and was considered to be the 2nd best team this young Tiger team had faced. There were some concerns prior to the game that the Tigers would be rusty. Another concern was that Memphis would overlook IUPUI with the rivalry game of Tennessee just a few days away. Fortunately these concerns were unfounded. There was only a brief glimpse of that hideous monster that showed in Boston. Instead the Tigers rolled to a beautiful 87-67 victory over the Jaguars. There was no apparent looking ahead to the next opponent either. The team looked well-rested, rust-free and ready for the next opponent.
Feature: Spotlight Has Done Little to Change Ellis
On December - 29 - 2009
by Matt Scott of TheShiver.com
Working toward another Kansas 6-A State Championship has been a long process for the #4 ranked player in the ESPNU Terrific 25, Perry Ellis. Last season, the name was all that was known about the 6′8″, 235 pound swing forward/power forward from Wichita. The hype surrounding the freshman phenom was large, but it left many questioning if Ellis could indeed live up to the hype. Those questions where quickly answered once he took the court and showed everyone why he could be the most talked about Kansas high school basketball player since another Wichita native, Korleone Young.
Cat Fight at the Forum – Memphis vs. IUPUI Preview
On December - 28 - 2009
In their second straight noon-tip, the University of Memphis Tigers (8-2) take the court against the IUPUI Jaguars (9-4). Only three days prior to the New Year’s Eve showdown against the Tennessee Volunteers, the match-up against IUPUI suggests an tightly-contested game based upon their record and RPI. Even head coach Josh Pastner expressed this sentiment after the Tigers’ home win over SEMO last Tuesday.
