When he heard the Tigers would be playing George Washington in their first game of the NCAA Tournament, he couldn't help but smile.
Memphis senior forward David Pellom spent his first three years of eligibility playing for the Colonials before transferring to the University of Memphis last summer.
The Colonials never made the tournament during Pellom's three years in Washington D.C., but both parties made the "Big Dance" this year.
"When we got called, I shed a tear," Pellom, who was nervous the U of M may never get called, said. "But then, 10 seconds later when they said we were playing G.W., I got excited again. It was an emotional day but, at the same time, I was excited to get to face G.W."
The obvious advantage Tiger fans will point out is that Pellom knows the Colonials plays and gameplan. After all, he played under head coach Mike Lonergan for two seasons.
Memphis head coach Josh Pastner swiftly dispelled any notion that the Tigers had an unfair advantage, saying the Colonials have changed over the course of a year. However, he did ask Pellom for his thoughts on the matchup.
In his meeting with the press on Monday, Pellom wasn't yielding any plans to combat G.W. When asked the key to beating them, he simply said, "Score more points."
The 6-foot-7 forward battled injuries throughout his tenure at George Washington. A wrist injury sidelined him for the entirety of his senior campaign, allowing him to gain immediate eligibility at the U of M.
Despite the injuries, Pellom, who graduated from G.W. with a Sociology degree, played in nearly 30 games each season for the Colonials. In 12 starts as a junior, Pellom scored 10.4 points per game and grabbed 6.1 boards. He shot 68.5 percent from the floor to set the Colonials' program record for field goal percentage.
Unfortunately for the U of M, the injuries followed Pellom to the Bluff City. He injured his knee a few days before the start of the regular, requiring arthroscopic knee surgery and missing the first three games.
Pellom bounced back the same way he always has during his career. His numbers don't jump off the page, but he makes hustle plays that go beyond the box score.
The fifth-year senior averaged 4.3 points per game this season, while grabbing 2.9 rebounds per game.
Friday's game in Raleigh, N.C., will also be a homecoming for Pellom, a Wilmington, N.C., native. He expects to have a lot of friends and family in the building for the Tigers' second round matchup.
Pellom said George Washington will always hold a special place in his heart, and he still dawns the Colonials logo on his car. But on Friday, it will be all Blue and Gray for the transfer forward.
