Mailbag: Would 2 home games vs. Temple be good for Memphis?
The Tigers did not ask for what has become a 15-day break mid-way through the season.
But, in the age of COVID-19, anything is possible. The Memphis basketball team can only practice and put in work behind the scenes since it has had backto-back games postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests within opposing programs.
The next time the Tigers (6-4, 2-1 AAC) are scheduled to play is 8 p.m. Thursday at home against SMU, which kicks off a stretch of three games featuring a Quadrant 1 opponent (Tulsa) and a pair of Quad 2 opportunities (SMU and Wichita State).
Will we get those 2 canceled games back?? We need every win we can get — @memphismack23
The two games that were postponed were road dates with Temple and UCF. A couple of days after a positive test for the Knights nixed the Jan. 5 game in Orlando, the AAC announced it was being rescheduled for Feb. 1 at Fedexforum. That means the Tigers will host UCF twice in three days (also on Feb. 3).
The game against Temple remains in limbo. After speaking with AAC associate commissioner of basketball Brian Thornton last week, my sense is they will make a similar attempt to resched
ule. Temple is set to visit Memphis on Feb. 21. Thornton said the league is not opposed to scheduling games on backto-back days (which is almost certainly what it would take to get it done in this instance), but if the AAC can avoid it, it will.
As far as Memphis needing as many wins as possible, I'm not completely sold on that. Temple is No. 152 in the NCAA'S NET rankings, which is a Quad 3 home game. It's possible the Owls could slip further in the NET rankings by the end of the season and if they finish below 161st, those two games become Quad 4 opportunities. Quad 4 wins do nothing for a team's NCAA Tournament résumé. A Quad 4 loss would torpedo it.
So, I don't think anybody would sweat it very much if Memphis only gets to play Temple once.
Are they working on the install of the new offense in this off period? It would appear to a silver lining to the postponement of games — @Terrence_taylor
Absolutely. If there is indeed a silver lining in all of this, it's that Memphis has ample opportunity to completely install Penny Hardaway's "lion" offense.
Hardaway switched schemes after losing to Tulsa on Dec. 21. He said he wanted something he was more familiar with than what the Tigers had been running.
Since Hardaway arrived as coach, he has always emphasized defense. In games. In news conferences. But especially in practices. It sounds like the coaching staff is devoting a bit more time (not a ton) in recent practices to working on the offensive side of the ball and the results have been encouraging.
If there's another silver lining, perhaps it is that the layoff gives guard Alex Lomax's injured thumb more time to heal.
Do you think ANY new offense will work well without a capable facilitator? — @memphogrtg
Memphis' struggles at point guard certainly don't help matters. I've said multiple times that the Tigers' lack of a dependable, traditional point guard is the biggest reason why they've been a disappointing team thus far. But, I believe there are ways to compensate and game plan accordingly.
The concepts within Hardaway's "lion" offense are designed to do exactly that. Take the pressure off the point guard by bringing the big men up to the high post area and keep everyone on the floor moving while keeping the ball moving as well.
They ran it well at times against South Florida and when they did, the deficiencies at point guard weren't as obvious. When they didn't, things devolved because the Tigers don't have a high-level point guard to help bail them out.
The bottom line is until someone – Lomax, Damion Baugh, Lester Quinones – can be the bailout guy when things break down, Memphis will have to work extra hard to stay one step ahead of the defense.
All that said, a capable point guard has little to do with a team that's been one of the worst in the AAC on layups, 3-pointers and free throws – where the Tigers are shooting a combined 46.2%.
Do you think they are having any chemistry issues? — @JSTURDIVANT1985
Do nerves fray from time to time and players squabble on occasion? Sure.
But that's nowhere near out of the ordinary and it doesn't mean there are chemistry issues. Based on conversations I've had with people close to the program, chemistry is not a problem. When the Tigers stick to the game plan and are properly coached, things go smoothly.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.