Memphis, Cincinnati Renew Rivalry Sunday Afternoon at FedExForum
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis Tigers go for a third-straight win Sunday afternoon at FedExForum against longtime rival Cincinnati. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., and the game will be televised on ABC.
Sunday’s game is a Blue Out, with fans encouraged to wear blue while the Tigers are wearing blue Memphis State uniforms. Additionally, Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act will be performing at the game.
Memphis is fresh off wins at Wichita State and against Tulsa, and improving to 3-1 in American Athletic Conference play would keep the Tigers in the upper ranks in the league standings in the early goings of the conference season.
But who will be available to play for Memphis?
After allowing 85 points in a loss at Tulane Dec. 29, the Tiger defense has rebounded in the past two wins. Memphis held Wichita State and Tulsa to just 33.9 percent shooting (39-115) and a 26.2 percent mark from 3-point range (16-61). On the offensive end, the Tigers have been near 50.0 percent from the floor in the two victories (.496; 57-115).
Cincinnati enters the game with an 11-4 record and a 1-1 mark in AAC action with a win over SMU and a loss to Tulane. The Bearcats are coached by first-year head man Wes Miller, who went 185-135 with four conference championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances in 10 seasons at UNC Greensboro from 2011-21. On the floor, Cincinnati is led by David DeJulius' 12.8 points per game and Jeremiah Davenport's 12.5 per contest.
Following Sunday's game, the Tigers hit the road to face UCF Wednesday night at 6 p.m. CT and East Carolina next Saturday, Jan. 15, at 3 p.m. CT. Memphis' next home game is Jan. 20 against SMU.
Sunday’s game is presented by FedEx.
GAME DETAILS
Memphis Tigers (8-5, 2-1 AAC) vs. Cincinnati Bearcats (11-4, 1-1 AAC)
Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022 | 2:30 p.m. CT
FedExForum (18,400); Memphis, Tenn.
Television: ABC (Kevin Brown, pxp; Jon Crispin, analysis)
BY THE NUMBERS
83rd: All-time meeting between Memphis and Cincinnati is Sunday, which is the third-longest running series in Tiger history.5.4: Rebounds per game by Earl Timberlake in the last five games, all starts, to go along with 9.6 points and 3.0 assists per outing and a 64.3 percent shooting clip from the field (18-28).6: Consecutive games with a new starting lineup for the Tigers; Memphis has used nine different starting lineups overall with 11 different players making a start.6-1: Record this season for Memphis when holding oppoents to 69 points or fewer; the Tigers were 17-4 when limiting foes to 69 points or fewer last year.8: Straight AAC home wins for the Tigers, dating back to a 56-49 loss to Tulsa on Dec. 21, 2020; Memphis has won 13 of its last 14 games overall at FedExForum.
THE LAST TIME OUT
A game where each team had double digit leads finished in Memphis' favor, as the Tigers earned their eighth-straight American Athletic Conference home win with a 67-64 win over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane Tuesday night at FedExForum.Memphis fell behind 10-0 to start the game, then scored 25 of the next 30 points, led by 18 at the start of the second half, and held off the Golden Hurricane when they got within a point with three seconds left.Malcolm Dandridge and Earl Timberlake led the Tigers with 12 points apiece, and Lester Quinones added 11.Reigning AAC Freshman of the Week Josh Minott grabbed 11 rebounds to go along with seven points, five assists and two steals, and DeAndre Williams contributed nine points and seven rebounds.After falling behind 10-0 and then 12-3, the Tigers ripped off 15-straight points to lead by six on their way to having a 10-point advantage of their own on two occasions the rest of the half.The Tigers' lead ballooned to as large as 18, 46-28, before Tulsa whittled away and had the game within single digits for the final 3:21.A Golden Hurricane 3-pointer brought the contest within one point with three seconds remaining, but Landers Nolley II made two free throws and sealed the victory for Memphis.Memphis had 17 assists on its 24 field goals, and the Tigers turned over the Golden Hurricane 19 times.Tulsa (6-7, 0-2 AAC) got 25 points from Sam Griffin and 20 from Jeriah Horne.
NOTING THE OPPONENT
A season ago, Cincinnati reached the championship game of the American Athletic Conference Tournament before bowing out to eventual Final Four participant Houston.The Bearcats finished 12-11 on the season, and from that squad they bring back three starters and seven letterwinners.Two of the starters back this season are Davenport, who averaged 11.7 points per game last season, and DeJulius, who was fifth in the league with 4.2 assists per game.Davenport was a Preseason All-Conference Second Team pick this year and was named to last year's All-Tournament Team.The Bearcats were picked to finish sixth in this season's preseason coaches poll.Cincinnati started 5-0 under a new head coach for the first time in program history.Miller is the nation’s winningest coach under 40 years old, with his 185 wins entering the season ranking ahead of LSU’s Will Wade (177) and New Mexico’s Richard Pitino (159).The fifth victory was a stunning 71-51 win over No. 14 Illinois in the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, where the Bearcats trailed by 15 in the early goings.The next night, the Bearcats narrowly lost to No. 12 Arkansas, 73-67.