When Memphis basketball visits Tulsa, strength versus strength will likely be prominently displayed.
The Tigers (9-8, 4-1 American Conference) boast one of the best 3-point defenses in the country (26th), allowing just 29.6% of their opponents’ attempts to hit. The Golden Hurricane (15-3, 3-2) are the leading 3-point shooting team in the nation with a 41.2% success rate.
The two will clash Jan. 21 (7 p.m. CT, ESPN+) at the Donald W. Reynolds Center in Tulsa. Penny Hardaway’s team has not lost there (3-0) since Dec. 21, 2020, but two of those three games were decided by three points or fewer.
Apart from its 3-point prowess, Tulsa is in a far different place than it has been in recent years. Eric Konkol’s team has already won more games than it did all of last season, most recently blasting UAB in Birmingham, Alabama on Jan. 18. Its 15 victories is more than the program’s total in four of the past five seasons.
Here are three things we’re keeping an eye on ahead of tip-off.
Memphis basketball guards improving their rebounding game
Hardaway recently brought his guards together and explained to them — in no uncertain terms — that he needs them to get more involved on the rebounding front.
“Coach brought all the guards in a room and just challenged us — intensely challenged us — to rebound more,” point guard Dug McDaniel said after the team’s 95-69 win over UTSA on Jan. 18.
“He showed us a few clips, myself included, where we were just being lazy. Leaving it up to the bigs. Sometimes it would be the point guard didn’t crash or we just stood around instead of going to help the bigs rebound. Just taking pressure of them — he didn’t use those words, but that was kind of the moral of the story.”
Whatever Hardaway said worked. In the Tigers’ past two games, McDaniel has 15 rebounds. Curtis Givens III has eight (four in each, a career-high). Quante Berry grabbed a season-high five against UTSA.
“You have to win in a variety of ways on this level. It just can’t be about shots,” Hardaway said. “You’ve got to have your guards rebound and definitely on the defensive end. We talk about it every day that our guards need to rebound, and they’re doing a very good job of it right now.”
Penny Hardaway does not care how it looks, as long as he wins
The Tigers’ blowout win over UTSA notwithstanding, they have grown accustomed to close, relatively low-scoring games.
In Memphis’ first three conference wins this season, the team averaged 62.7 points per game and won by an average margin of 6.3 points.
The game at Tulsa could be another nip-and-tuck affair, which is OK by Hardaway.
“I don’t care about pretty wins, just as long as it’s a win,” he said after Memphis’ 55-53 win over Temple on Jan. 14. “When you grind it out like this, these are the types of (games) you’re going to have to win in the (conference tournament and NCAA tournament). This is what gets you past the first round. When you can win games like this — tough games you’re not scoring, you’re not making shots, (but) you’re holding the other team to a certain percentage and not letting them make 3’s and winning tough games.”
Tulsa basketball scouting report
The Golden Hurricane started strong, winning 13 of their first 14 games. The only loss was a one-point setback on the road against Kansas State.
Since then, however, Tulsa is 2-2. But it’s still a potentially tricky matchup for the Tigers.
Sixth-year senior forward David Green (who previously spent time at Hofstra, Louisiana Tech and Rhode Island) is the Golden Hurricane’s leading scorer (16.7) and top rebounder (5.1). Junior guard Tylen Riley is tied for second in scoring (14.3) and top playmaker (3.8 assists per game).
Miles Barnstable (14.3 points per game) leads Tulsa’s 3-point shooting efforts, connecting on 45.6% of his attempts.
The Golden Hurricane also excel at the free-throw line, where their 79.5% clip ranks fourth in the country.
Memphis basketball score prediction vs. Tulsa
Tulsa 81, Memphis 73: The Tigers have struggled on the road this season.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at [email protected], follow him @munzly on X.
