Shooting guard Anthony Rice missed a three-point shot from the left wing off a curl play.
Rodney Carney got the rebound and missed the put back.
After another Memphis rebound, Carney, the basketball team’s starting small forward, missed a three pointer.
Point guard Antonio Burks missed a lay up on the next possession.
The next time down the floor, Rice missed another three from the same spot on the floor.
Again Carney got the rebound and again he missed.
Power forward John Grice rebounded Carney’s miss and missed a tip in.
Those were the first seven shots Memphis attempted in Tuesday’s exhibition game against the Universal All-Stars.
Though Memphis won the contest 72-68, Tiger fans were waiting and wondering if Memphis would ever put the ball in the hole until Earl Barron connected on a tip in off Grice’s miss after two-and-half minutes of play.
Head coach John Calipari knows this year’s team, which will play without shooters like DaJuan Wagner, now with NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, and Scooter McFagden who transferred to Tennessee, won’t be as strong from the perimeter.
“This team will score between 70 and 73 points a game,” Calipari said. “Last year we were getting 80 points. It’s gonna be a streaky team.”
The Tigers didn’t show any streakiness early in the game. Memphis shot 31 percent in the first half on 11-35 shooting and only made two baskets in a row once in the first 27 minutes.
Calipari said his team must make up for its shooting disparity by playing well in other facets of the game.
“This is not gonna be a great shooting team,” Calipari said.
“We’re gonna go spells when we’re not making baskets,” Calipari said. “The key is defending.”
The Tigers did a good job defensively in the first half. Memphis held the All-Stars to 27 points and 33 percent shooting. In the second half roles reversed for the Tigers, though.
Memphis allowed 41 points on 14 of 30 shooting to the All-Stars in the second half, but combated with a 44 point second half.
Barron, one of only two Tigers to shoot 50 percent from the field, led the second half charge. The senior center scored 17 of his 23 points in the last 20 minutes. Grice was the other Tiger to shoot even from the field. He scored 10 points of 4-8 shooting.
Carney had more misses than any player in the game. The freshman missed 12 shots and missed each of the seven three-pointers he took. Though the first-time Tiger had an awful shooting night, he said he doesn’t plan to change his approach.
“(My shot) is there as long as I concentrate,” Carney said.
He said a combination of things threw his shooting off.
“Some of (my shots) felt funny,” Carney said. “Some would feel like my real shot, but on those I would hit the front of the rim because I wasn’t arching it enough.
“Then it’s like you miss one (shot), then you miss another one — and you know you can hit, so you get frustrated.”
Calipari said he knew Carney and fellow freshman Clyde Wade were upset with themselves after the game. Wade missed both of the shots he attempted in eight minutes of play.
Calipari, however, wasn’t unhappy with what he got from his new guys. The coach said he understands that you have to take shots to make shots.
“We go and miss five in a row, and nobody wants to shoot,” Calipari said. “If it’s your job to shoot—shoot. And don’t look at me when you miss five in a row.”
Coach Cal also said he has a quick fix lined up to help his team’s shooting percentage.
“Add Jeremy Hunt to the line up and we’ll be fine,” Calipari said.
Hunt, a freshman, proved he could shoot and earned Calipari’s respect in early practices. He also averaged 21.5 points per game at Craigmont High school last season.
Hunt didn’t play Tuesday because he was recovering from a root canal but said he expects to add more than a shooting threat when he gets back on the floor.
“If I’m open, I can shoot,” Hunt said. “If not, I can get a good dribble drive and find one of the big men so they can score. I want to go in and help the team.”
Hunt said his team’s shooting 34 percent for Tuesday’s game was probably nervousness. He said he’s going to have to forfeit his nervous game to be on point for Syracuse on Nov. 14.
“Once I get used to (playing) I’ll be alright,” Hunt said. “But you can send this to Syracuse — they’d better not let me get on. If I do, it’s gonna be trouble.”
