Memphis basketball has lost to Tulane at least once in three of the past four seasons.
But the Tigers (10-10, 5-3 American Conference) have won three straight against the Green Wave (12-9, 3-5) and could make it four in a row on Feb. 1 (2 p.m., ESPN2) at FedExForum.
The odds will be with Penny Hardaway’s team for a number of reasons. First off, Tulane has lost five consecutive games, and its best win was a 3-point decision over FAU on Jan. 4 in New Orleans. Secondly, Memphis is 18 for its last 18 in home games against conference opponents. The last time it lost at home to a team from The American was Jan. 31, 2024 (Rice).
The Tigers are also playing with a point to prove, according to leading scorer Dug McDaniel.
“We were playing a little soft in the beginning, and we’re trying to change that narrative. I feel like today was a step in the right direction,” he said after the Tigers’ 92-65 win over FAU on Jan. 29.
Here are three things we’re keeping an eye on ahead of tip-off.
Memphis basketball injury update
Injuries have been a persistent issue for the Tigers this season, as six players have missed at least one game after being hurt.
Sophomore guard Curtis Givens III and senior forward Hasan Abdul Hakim are the most recent instances.
Givens (third on the team with 9.2 points per game) did not play in the win over FAU after suffering a knee injury in practice leading up to the game. Hakim (averaging 6.2 points and 4.1 rebounds a game) sat out with an illness.
Hardaway classified both players’ situations as “day-to-day.”
“Hopefully, we’ll get those guys back pretty quickly,” he said.
Sincere Parker settling in now with Tigers?
The senior guard has spent the past few weeks making a steady ascension up the scoring average leaderboard, where he now sits in second with 9.9 per game, behind only McDaniel.
That’s largely thanks to his recent work. While he played less than a minute at Tulsa before getting hurt, he has averaged 21.5 points in his last two full games in just 23.5 minutes per game. Parker was 8-of-12 from the field in each game and is a combined 4-for-5 from the 3-point line in the wins over UTSA and FAU.
Parker has now hit double figures in five of his last seven games.
Tulane basketball scouting report
The Green Wave, 10th in The American in scoring offense and ninth in scoring defense, have a net scoring margin deficit of 1.1 points per game – one of only three teams in the league (ECU and UTSA the others) currently in the negative.
Rebounding has also been a problem for Tulane. The Green Wave are outrebounded by an average of 7.6 per game.
Rowan Brumbaugh, the preseason pick to win American Conference Player of the Year, is second in the league in scoring (19.1 per game). He’s also shooting 36.9% from 3-point range.
But it hasn’t been enough to make up for the team’s deficiencies, which include offensive rebounding (354th in the nation), 3-point offense (263rd) and 3-point defense (268th).
Memphis basketball score prediction vs. Tulane
Memphis 83, Tulane 80: You can’t overthink this one.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at [email protected], follow him @munzly on X.
