Memphis returns to action on Thursday for a home game against FAU. The Tigers are looking to bounce back after losing back-to-back road games and improve to 9-2 inside FedExForum.
This will be the second time that Memphis has played the Owls this season, and Penny Hardaway’s team is looking to get revenge after losing the road game earlier this month against FAU. On Jan. 11, the Owls beat the Tigers by 11 points, handing Memphis its first conference loss of the season.
Since then, the Owls are 3-1 and sitting first in the conference, while the Tigers have gone 2-2 and sit in seventh in the conference.
FAU is averaging 82.7 points per game, shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from three-point range. Three players are averaging more than 10 points per game, and Devin Vanterpool is still leading the team in scoring, averaging 16 points per game.
Defensively, the Owls allow 73.7 points per game, and opposing teams shoot 42.6 percent from the field and 34 percent from deep. John Jakus’ team averages 39.1 rebounds per game, and they have a plus-five rebounding margin.
Here’s a look at how to watch Memphis’ matchup against the Owls:
TV: ESPN2
Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: 98.9 The Roar of Memphis
Line: Memphis -1.5
Time: 7:00 p.m. CT
What to expect from the Tigers against FAU:
In the first meeting, FAU dominated for most of the game, leading for nearly 37 minutes of game time, and Memphis will need to play significantly better on Thursday.
Hardaway’s team shot 45 percent from the field and made 12 three-pointers, but they had no answer for the Owls defensively. While Jakus’ team shot only 29 percent from deep, they shot 65.9 percent inside the three-point range and scored the third-most points against the Tigers this season.
Memphis was out-rebounded by 17 in the first game, and they must do a better job on the boards this time around. The Owls grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and scored 19 second-chance points.
Rebounds have been a big issue for most of the season, especially in conference play, but they must start being more aggressive on the boards.
The Tigers also had nine shots blocked, including seven blocked shots from Devin Williams. Williams made a huge impact in the game in Boca Raton, and it will be interesting to see how the Tigers attack FAU’s defense on Thursday.
The Tigers have struggled over the last two games, and they’re searching for some confidence after back-to-back losses and being stuck in Wichita for multiple days. A win against the Owls won’t fix everything, but it will give Memphis some confidence ahead of some important conference games.