Tigers still stinging from ’11 loss to SMU
This time, Pastner wary of Mustangs’ long-range eye TIGERS VS. SMU
If seeing its six-game winning streak snuffed out Wednesday by UCF wasn’t enough incentive for the University of Memphis today against SMU, ask sophomore guard Will Barton how the Tigers felt after a 64-58 loss to the Mustangs last January.
Barton and Co. were left sickened When, where: Noon, today, Fedexforum TV, radio: Sportsouth, WREC-AM 600, WKBQ-FM 93.5 after going nine minutes without scoring in the second half and allowing SMU to rally from an 11-point hole with 11 minutes to play at Moody Coliseum in Dallas.
The 2,000 or so Mustangs fans rushed the court, celebrating their sec-
ond home win over Memphis in as many seasons.
A disgusted Barton didn’t mince words after the game.
“Pathetic,” he said. “This is the dumbest thing I ever saw in my life.”
Asked this week if he remembered the feeling in the locker room after the game, Memphis’ first of six losses in Conference USA last season, Barton recalled it as if the defeat was still fresh in his mind.
“It’s always sick when you don’t play as hard as you want; you don’t play as good as you want to. Last year we just didn’t give a goodenough effort,” said Barton, whose Tigers (12-6, 3-1 CUSA) host SMU today at noon at Fedexforum. “They took full advantage of it and beat us, and they’ll do the same (today) if we do that again. We can’t come out there lackadaisical because they’re SMU or anything like that because they’ll beat us again.
“... I’m definitely taking this game very personal. It’s another conference game. We need the win. We can’t fall back any further (in the C-USA standings).”
Memphis’ 68-67 loss at UCF in Orlando, Fla., on Wednesday dropped the Tigers into a two -way tie for third in the C-USA standings with Southern Miss.
Although no one expects Memphis to struggle in CUSA play like it did a season ago, when it finished fourth in the regular season, SMU coach Matt Doherty’s 2-1 record against Josh Pastnercoached Tigers teams should provide cause for concern.
Though SMU (10-8, 2-2 in C-USA) doesn’t have the game - changing post presence it had the last four seasons in 2010-11 ALL-C-USA first-teamer Papa Dia, who’s now playing overseas, Doherty’s Mustangs employ a slowdown, grind-it- out style that has opponents averaging less than 60 points per game.
G Chris Crawford (So., 6-4, 205, 8.4 ppg, 3.9 apg) vs. G London Giles (Jr., 6-3, 185, 11.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg): Crawford appears to have regained his 3-point shooting touch, having made seven of his last 12. He had four of Memphis’ 12 turnovers against UCF on Wednesday, but he scored in double figures for the second straight game (12 points), had five assists and was a major factor on the glass with eight rebounds. Crawford ranks second in C-USA in steals with 31. Giles, a transfer from Nevada who sat out last season, ranks second in C-USA in 3-point field-goal percentage (41.5). He made five 3-pointers in the Mustangs’ 70-54 home win over Houston on Wednesday.
F Ferrakohn Hall (Jr., 6-8, 224, 4.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg) vs. F Robert Nyakundi (Sr., 6-8, 220, 15.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg): Hall picked up two fouls over the first 4:28 of the first half against UCF and went on to play just six minutes. He played only 16 minutes last Saturday against Houston. The common denominator was that Hall was defending athletic big men who could operate outside the paint offensively in Houston’s Alandise Harris and UCF’S Keith Clanton. Nyakundi is a similar challenge in that he can operate both on the block and outside the 3-point line, where he leads C-USA in shooting proficiency (44.7 percent). Nyakundi is third on SMU’S career 3-pointers list with 229.
After playing three of its first four C-USA games on the road, Memphis begins a three-game homestand today and will play four of its next five at Fedexforum. The Tigers also host Rice and C-USA leader Marshall during this homestand. ... With Wednesday’s 68-67 loss at UCF, the Tigers fell to 3-3 this season in games decided by five or fewer points. Memphis was 13-2 last year in such games. ... Memphis is facing a third straight C-USA opponent set to begin play in the Big East in 2013-14. Houston and UCF are also headed to the Big East after accepting invitations last month. ... SMU has played eight contests this season that were one-possession games in the final minute. The Mustangs have gone 3-5 in those games. ... Memphis is shooting a league-best 51 percent in C-USA play.
Senior forward Robert Nyakundi, who had 15 points in SMU’S win over Memphis last season, leads a perimeter-based Mustangs offense averaging a C-usa-best 8.1 3-pointers per game. SMU made 9 of 16 3-pointers in the win over the Tigers last January and made 11 of 22 in a 70-54 home win over Houston on Wednesday.
“The main thing is we can’t have any hangover from (Wednesday’s loss to UCF) as we go into SMU. We’ve gotta try to start another streak,” said Pastner, whose Tigers gave up 28 points off 18 turnovers to SMU a season ago.
“Obviously we have great respect for SMU. They run a style and a defense that’s not always easy to play against.
— Jason S mith This team can really shoot the ball. We’re gonna definitely have to take the 3 out (of the game).”
Memphis also has to find a consistent option at the 4 position, where it got a combined five points and two rebounds against UCF from junior starter Ferrakohn Hall and senior reserve Wesley Witherspoon. The pair will have a tough defensive assignment today in the versatile Nyakundi, a career 44.5-percent shooter from 3point range.
“Our 4 spot is critical for us to be able to get the job done,” Pastner said. “It doesn’t have to be one guy. It can be by committee. We’ve just gotta have good numbers out of that spot.”
— Jason S mith: (901) 529-5804