Memphis returns to action Thursday night at FedExForum for a rematch against Florida Atlantic. The Tigers will look to bounce back after suffering back-to-back road losses against Tulsa and Wichita State, and avenge the 12-point road loss they experienced earlier this month.
In that game, FAU shot better than 50 percent from the field, and it won the rebounding battle 46-to-29. It’s the worst rebounding performance Memphis has had all season.
Since that game, the Owls have gone 3-1 in conference games, but they’re coming off a road loss against USF on Sunday. In that game, FAU led for most of the first half before allowing the Bulls to go on a 12-2 run in the second half, which led to a 14-point victory.
Despite the loss, FAU sits at the top of the conference standings with a 6-2 record, but five teams, including the Owls, only have two losses in conference play.
Three players currently average more than 10 points per game, and sophomore Devin Vanterpool leads the team with 16 points per game. Vanterpool has recorded back-to-back 20-point games, and he recorded a double-double in the first meeting against the Tigers.
The guard finished with only 12 points, on 4-for-11 shooting, 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals in 34 minutes during the game in Boca Raton.
Devin Williams also finished the game with 12 points in the first meeting, but he added seven blocked shots. Since that game, Williams has struggled shooting the ball, and he has only combined to block six shots in the four games since the first matchup.
The leading scorer in the first game was Canaan Carlyle, who is second on the team in scoring, and finished with 17 points on 8-for-16 from the field. Carlyle has finished with double-digit points in all but one conference game this season.
As a team, the Owls shot 51 percent from the field and 29 percent from three-point range. Defensively, John Jakus’ team held Memphis to 45 percent from the field and 43 percent from deep, and they forced 14 turnovers.
FAU is 9-1 at home this season, but it has struggled on the road and the team is currently 5-6 in games away from its home court and 3-4 in true road games.