Tigers prepare for road clash with Tulsa

On the heels of a 20-point blowout victory over UCF at home last Sunday, the Memphis Tigers (13-7) now prepare to play against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (12-9) Jan. 30. Despite some struggles while away this season, head coach Penny Hardaway’s team will be looking to notch their second road win over a conference opponent. With the conference tournament looming near, games like these are pivotal to both teams’ standings outlook on the remainder of their run.  

Raynere Thornton looks to continue his momentum 

Just like Kareem Brewton, who shined in the team’s win over SMU, Thornton was one of the seniors who was overlooked due to all the hype surrounding Hardaway’s inaugural freshman class at the school. Since the conference games began, however, Thornton has quietly been a steadying force holding the Tigers together as his rebounding, defense and shot selection have all been bright spots for the team.  

Against the Knights, Thornton recorded an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double that helped the Tigers run away with the game during the second half. In league play, Thornton is averaging a solid 7.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest, and at times he has looked like the best frontcourt player on the roster.

“On the court, Raynere is kind of figuring out who he is,†Hardaway said. “I think he wanted to score more early on, and that’s really not what we need from him right now. He’s going to score within our system, but we need him to defend the way he defends. He’s our best defender.† 

No matter the game, it is critical for coaches to have players they can trust to execute their assignments properly and fill their role. Thornton has done exactly that for his coach, and the senior forward will certainly be tested against some of the best talent the American Conference has to offer.  

Road games still a struggle for the young Tigers 

For any first year coach, winning games on the road is one of the more difficult tasks they will face. At home, the Tigers boast an 11-1 record, but, on the road, Memphis is 1-3 in true away games and 1-3 in neutral site contests. Hardaway thinks this trend doesn’t only impact his group.  

“Our league is a league that if you look at the home records, the teams are playing well at home,†Hardaway said. “And Tulsa is one of those teams. They’re playing really well at home. Their guards are playing well. They have one solid big, and he’s an animal.â€Â 

Although the conference tournament is taking place in Memphis this year, working in favor of the Tigers, at some point Hardaway will be looking to see the road game woes put behind his team. After all, if the goal is to play in the NCAA tournament, which Hardaway has continually insisted that it is, his players must become comfortable playing in hostile environments if they want to experience any degree of success in March.

NCAA Tourney berth becoming more plausible 

When Hardaway was hired as coach, one of the main hopes for the program was a return to the 64-team field that dances for a national title. After stumbling a few times in non-conference play, those hopes appeared to be all but dashed after the Tigers failed to pick up a season-defining win worthy of grabbing national attention.  

Memphis has gone on to string together a quality run of home wins and have suddenly found themselves on the doorstep of tournament contention. While he is surely glad that his team has worked its way back up the standings, Hardaway isn’t losing sight of the work that still must be done.

“The only thing I look at is wins and losses,†Hardaway said. “Our motivation is just wanting to make the tournament. It’s not about what anyone else thinks.† 

Against the Golden Hurricane, the Tigers will face a tough challenge in the form of a varied ofoffense featuring three players posting at least 10 points per game, including freshman forward and leading scorer DaQuon Jeffries and his 13.9 points per game. So far this season, Tulsa held late leads on both Houston and Cincinnati before stumbling in the end, ultimately losing both. With crucial conference implications on the line, both teams will come in extremely hungry to pick up a win. 

Looking ahead  

After the match-up against Tulsa, the Tigers will travel to South Florida for a clash with the Bulls before returning to the confines of FedEx Forum for two straight home games against Cincinnati and UConn. As the better teams start to pull away from the rest of the pack, fans will have a much better idea about where this team is after this upcoming bunch of games.