BITTER TASTE
Look to regain form after loss
The Tigers are hoping to return to their winning ways after Tuesday’s loss in Saturday’s game at Central Florida.
University of Memphis junior forward Tarik Black believes that win or lose, every game offers a learning experience.
“We learn something that we can do better or what’s going to make us a better team altogether,” Black says.
The Tigers’ latest lesson came in the form of a bitter 64- 62 loss at Xavier on Tuesday that left some in the national media questioning No. 19-ranked Memphis’ legitimacy as one of the nation’s top teams.
After the loss, CBSSports.com college basketball columnist Jeff Goodman called Memphis a fraud that earned its way back into the top 25 by beating up on a weak Conference USA.
ESPN. com blogger Eamonn Brennan wrote that doubters have every right to question the NCAA tournament credentials of a Tigers team that has just two top-50 RPI victories this season, having knocked off Southern Miss (36) twice.
The negative reviews of Memphis only added to the bad taste left in the mouths of the players, who hadn’t swallowed defeat since a Dec. 15 loss to Louisville.
On Saturday, against a Central Florida team it beat 93-71 at FedExForum on Feb. 13, Memphis (244, 13- 0 in C-USA) has an opportunity to show what it learned from its lethargic performance at Xavier. The Tigers were outplayed in just about every facet in a season-low 20-point first half.
“We got out-physicaled. We got outworked. They wanted the game more than we did,” junior guard Geron Johnson said.
“You gotta be able to dish it out, man. If you can take in wins, you have to take in losses sometimes; get the bad taste in your mouth, get humbled and keep working hard. It’s not the end of the road. We’ve got UCF Saturday, and I’ll see them Saturday to get a W.”
Playing the second of three straight road games, Memphis will be the first ranked team to play in UCF Arena since it was opened in 2007 when it meets the Knights (19-9, 8-5) at noon.
It’s Senior Day for UCF — the first of two straight Senior Day/Night games on opposing courts for Memphis — and added to the fact that the Knights are ineligible for the postseason due to a one-year ban handed down by the NCAA for recruiting violations, it’s likely the Tigers will be facing an inspired team and opposing crowd.
While coach Josh Pastner is highly complimentary of this UCF team led by senior forward Keith Clanton and junior Isaiah Sykes, he acknowledged the Tigers’ focus the past two days of practice has been on themselves and the lackluster way they answered the bell Tuesday against Xavier.
“They’re a very good basketball team,” Pastner said of the Knights, who earned their first win in the series against Memphis last season at UCF, edging the Tigers 68-67 on a Clanton three-point play with three seconds left.
“I don’t care if it’s Senior Day or Freshman Day, they’re good. We have no other option but to bring our A-game. This is their Super Bowl/World Series and we have to play great. Good’s not going to cut it on Saturday. Great will have to get it done.”
Pastner said he believes his players have gotten the message after an intense two days of practice.
“The first half versus Xavier was not acceptable, but that’s not an indicator of who we are as a team. That’s not us,” he said.
“We’re all held accountable for our first half. I expect we got that out of our system.”