The University of Memphis men’s basketball team squares off tomorrow against Southeast Missouri State and is looking to rebound, in more ways then one. The Tigers, who were dominated by UMass on the glass and in the paint, hope to bounce back after a tough road loss. The Tigers (7-2) look to improve their record at home against the Redhawks of SE Missouri State (4-7) at noon on Tuesday.
Hopes were high and the Tigers were on the verge of becoming a ranked top twenty-five team before Saturday’s loss to UMass. The Tigers struggled to keep the Minutemen off the boards and battled with foul trouble most of the game. The Tigers were out-rebounded 44-24 against UMass, yet they still led the game by one point with only a few seconds left in the game. Freshman DJ Stephens lost a defensive rebound that was put up and in by UMass, resulting in the Tigers’ second loss of the season.
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks
The Redhawks are coming off a 116-60 victory over Williams Baptist, a game in which all fourteen Redhawks players scored. The Redhawks are led in scoring by a pair of talented guards: Anthony Allison (10.5 ppg) and Dereck Thompson (10.2 ppg). Southeast Missouri State is quite undersized compared to the Tigers, with their tallest player being 6’8” 230 lbs. With a heavy guard-led offense and lean big men, look for the Redhawks to try to penetrate the Tiger defense and find the open shot. Despite boasting a 38% three-point percentage for the season, the Redhawks do not attempt many outside shots.
What to Expect
Fortunately for the Tigers, the Redhawks’ strengths are not in the low post. Although SE Missouri State is not a bad rebounding team, the Tigers win the height and weight battle down low. If the Tigers are out-rebounded Tuesday afternoon, it will not be because of personnel.
Look for the Tigers to get out in front early, pushing the ball up the court and forcing turnovers with pressure defense. The Tigers average five turnovers a game less than SE Missouri State, and four blocks more than the Redhawks.
The Tigers will look to see if senior Doneal Mack’s hot hand continues against the Redhawks. Mack led the Tigers with 23 points against UMass and will need to remain a key offensive threat this season to accompany Elliot Williams. Also worth watching is Will Coleman and Pierre Henderson-Niles’ aggressiveness on the boards on Tuesday and how the big men will respond after a disappointing loss. Barring a mental lapse and a total lack of focus, the Tigers should handle SE Missouri State with ease. Although most believe Tuesday’s game is a sure-fire win, there will be many things to watch for from the Tigers, which should provide for an entertaining game.
Memphis connection
-SE Missouri State assistant coach Jamie Rosser played at Overton High School in Memphis and is a former coach of the Memphis Magic 16-17 year olds.
-Another assistant coach for the Redhawks, Jeremy Case, was a member of the Kansas Jayhawks 2008 National Championship team who beat the Tigers in the finals.
A Tribute to Bartow
The Tigers will pay tribute to Coach Gene Bartow during Tuesday’s game. Bartow was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in November and was the head coach of the Tigers from 1970-1974. Bartow led the Tigers to the NCAA national championship game in 1973 and also won consecutive Missouri Valley Conference championships (1971-1972, 1972-1973).
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