The life of a college student is consumed with classes, working and scrapping up a few dollars to eat.
For The University of Memphis men’s basketball team, the added responsibility of winning games increases their worries.
So forgive the Tigers if they don’t know the history of the Louisville/Memphis rivalry as they prepare to play the third ranked team in the nation, the Louisville Cardinals, tonight in Freedom Hall.
If the Memphis players need a quick history lesson, all they have to do is take a short walk to the coach’s office.
Coordinator of basketball operations Milt Wagner wore the scarlet and black of the Cardinals from 1982-86.
Wagner said he remembers the fierce play during the games with the Tigers in Freedom Hall and the Mid-South Coliseum.
“You had all five guys out there on the floor competing,” Wagner said. “We were going at each other. After the game all of us were friends, but you would never know that because of the way the game was being played. How we were out there, giving it our all.”
In the playing days of Wagner, Memphis and Louisville were national powers in college basketball.
During the 1980s, both teams were ranked number one in the nation, made NCAA Final Four appearance and won the Metro Conference champion.
Louisville managed to win two national championships including in 1986, the senior season for Wagner.
Wagner said some citizens of Derby Town are upset about him joining the enemy three years ago.
“Some people (in Louisville) are a little mad I decided to come to Memphis,” Wagner said. “People have to understand that this is a career move. The opportunity wasn’t there in Louisville. So, I decided to come here.”
Wagner said the days of wearing the number 20 jersey for the Cardinals and leading them to three Final Four appearances will always hold a special place for him.
“I will always be a Louisville Cardinal deep inside,” Wagner said. “But this is my job now and we are trying to win games at The University of Memphis. That is the bottom line.”
Memphis (16-5, 7-3 in Conference USA) is looking for its second win over a top ten opponent this season.
Early this season, the Tigers defeated the No. 7 Illinois Fighting Illini 77-74 in The Pyramid.
This game with a highly ranked opponent comes on the road in front of a hostile crowd.
Freshman guard Jeremy Hunt said Memphis is at the same level as Louisville, both are premiere team.
“Right about now, our game is getting better and better,” Hunt said. “We are looking to elevate our game above their’s to win.”
One factor the Tigers have to watch is the outside shooting of the Cardinals. Louisville (19-2, 9-1 in C-USA) leads the conference in three-point shooting making 181 this season.
The top long-range shooter for the Cardinals is freshman forward Francisco Garcia. Garcia makes 41.2 percent of his trey attempts.
Garcia is the third leading scorer for Louisville behind seniors Reece Gaines and Marvin Stone.
Stone averages 11.7 points a game, meanwhile Gaines leads the team with an average of 18.6 points.
Gaines also knows how to pass the ball leading the team in assists with just over five a game.
Head coach Rick Pitino and his bunch are also the leading scorers in the conference with 82.3 points a contest.
Tiger head coach John Calipari said to achieve the tough task of beating Louisville, Memphis has to maintain poise in front of the Cardinal fans.
“Let’s stay in control,” Calipari said of his team. “We may dictate, but if we don’t dictate tempo, lets make sure we are in control of us and how we are going to play.”
