MEMPHIS, Tenn. – After getting a week off between games, the Memphis Tigers are finally back in action Tuesday when they travel to take on Saint Louis at 8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
The Tigers (1-0) are coming off a 76-67 win at Vanderbilt on Nov. 7, the program's first true road win to open a season since Dec. 2, 1992 at Arkansas. They shot 50.9 percent from the field in Nashville, their fourth-best shooting performance in a game since the beginning of the 2020-21 season.
The Billikens are 2-0 on the year with a pair of impressive outings to open the season, defeating Murray State (91-68) and Evansville (83-65). Gibson Jimerson leads a trio of Billikens who average double-figures in scoring at 19.0 ppg. He also has a team-high nine 3-point makes and is shooting .429 percent from distance. Yuri Collins leads Division I in total assists (27) and assists per game (13.5).
Although he's only face the Billikens once as a head coach, Penny Hardaway enjoyed success against Saint Louis as a Tiger player. He and the Tigers went 2-0 against Saint Louis in 1991-92 and 3-0 in 1992-93. In all, Hardaway averaged 22.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game in the five contests against the Billikens.
GAME DETAILS
Memphis Tigers (1-0) at Saint Louis Billikens (2-0)
Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022 | 8 p.m. CT
Chaifetz Arena (10,600); St. Louis, Mo.
Television: CBS Sports Network (Dave Ryan, pxp; Bob Wenzel, color)
Radio: Full analysis on 92.9 FM ESPN, Memphis' Sports Station
BY THE NUMBERS
4: Conferences over the years in which Memphis and Saint Louis have been rivals (Missouri Valley, 1967-73; Metro, 1975-82; Great Midwest, 1991-95; Conference USA, 1995-05).1: Memphis leads the nation in free-throw percentage this season (.895), as the Tigers have drained 17-of-19 at the stripe this season.9: steals needed by Alex Lomax to enter the top-10 in a Memphis career (166).75: Kendric Davis recorded his 75th-career game with 10-plus points at Vandy. In 113 career games, Davis is reaching double figures in 66.4 percent of his career outings.
THE LAST TIME OUT
The 102nd season of Memphis Tiger Basketball got under way last Monday as the Tigers visited Music City and knocked off Vanderbilt 76-67 at Memorial Gymnasium after leading wire-to-wire.DeAndre Williams led the team with 17 points while adding 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.Kendric Davis added 16 points and a game-high six dimes with three boards and two steals in his Tiger debut.Alex Lomax pulled down his first-career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, complimenting three assists and three steals in a game-high 34 minutes.The Tigers won the battle on the boards, 35-28, to go along with 14 assists and eight steals.All nine players who saw the floor for Memphis were seniors or fifth-year players.
NOTING THE BILLIKENS
The Billikens return four starters from last year's team that went 23-12 and made the postseason NIT.Led by Atlantic 10 preseason first-team selection Yuri Collins, Saint Louis was tabbed to finish second in the A-10 coaches poll.Collins was joined by Gibson Jimerson, Javonte Perkins and Francis Okoro on the all-conference teams. Collins and Okoro were also picked to the five-man All-Defensive team.Saint Louis ranks 14th in the nation in assists per game (22.0) and assist/turnover ratio (2.10).On the glass, they rank 12th in country in defensive rebounding with 34.5 per contest and 19th overall at 46.0.Javon Pickett ranks sixth nationally in rebounding (13.0) while Francis Okoro ranks eighth (12.5).
UP NEXT
Memphis returns to Bluff City to host VCU at 4 p.m. on Sunday in its home opener at FedExForum.
