Golden Eagles visit Memphis in second game of Hall of Fame Showcase
One night after knocking off in-state foe Lipscomb in Nashville, the Tennessee Tech men’s basketball team will face another challenging task, visiting 2008 national runner-up Memphis in the second of four games for the Golden Eagles in the Hall of Fame Showcase.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – One night after knocking off in-state foe
Lipscomb in Nashville, the Tennessee Tech men’s basketball
team will face another challenging task, visiting 2008 national
runner-up Memphis in the second of four games for the Golden Eagles
in the Hall of Fame Showcase. The game will be played in
Memphis’ FedEx Forum, an 18,400 seat arena that also the
houses the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies. Tip-off is scheduled for
7 p.m.
The Golden Eagles improved to 2-1 with a 92-89 win over the Bisons,
and will look to improve to 2-0 in the Hall of Fame Showcase. Tech
won at Central Arkansas to open up the showcase earlier in the
week. The Golden Eagles will also face Oakland and No. 1 Kansas in
the event.
With career-high scoring efforts from sophomore Kevin Murphy, who
scored 24 points, and junior Alfred Jones who added 16, the Golden
Eagles scored a season-high 92 points against Lipscomb. Tech also
got double-figure points from senior Frank Davis with 20, senior
Elijah Muhammad who had 11, and freshman Jud Dillard with 10.
Entering the game against Memphis, Tech has three players averaging
double-figures. Murphy is putting up 16.7 per game, Davis has
scored 13.0 per contest and Muhammad is averaging 12. Davis is a
perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line on the season, and
8-for-13 (61.5) from three-point distance.
The Golden Eagles are led in rebounding by Murphy as well, with 5.7
boards per game. Jones and Barnes are each averaging 5.0 rebounds,
and Muhammad has grabbed 4.3 per game and added 4.7 assists.
The Tigers are led by first-year head coach Josh Pastner. The 32
year-old is the third youngest coach in the country, and was an
assistant for the Tigers last season. Pastner spent the previous 12
years in the program at Arizona, first as a player, then as a staff
member before eventually becoming an assistant coach.
Pastner has his team at 1-1 on the season, after beating Jackson
State in the season opener and falling by two points to the No. 1
team in the country Kansas 57-55.
Memphis is led by Elliot Williams so far in the young season.
Williams is averaging 20.0 points per game in the Tigers two
contests. Will Coleman has chipped in 12 points per game and leads
the team with 7.5 rebounds. In vast contrast to Tech’s last
opponent Lipscomb, which gave up 93 points per game before Tech
scored 92 against the Bisons, Memphis has allowed its two opponents
to score just 55 points per game.
The Golden Eagles and Tigers have met 46 times on the hardwood
all-time, and Tech has a 22-24 record against Memphis. The two
teams last met during the 2002 NIT quarterfinal, when Memphis
escaped with a 79-73 victory. Dajuan Wagner scored 19 points for
the Tigers in that game and Memphis took the lead in the final two
minutes to top the Golden Eagles.
Tonight’s game can be seen live online at gotigersgo.com.
Tech fans can catch all the action on the radio on WHUB1400 AM as
Roger Ealey calls the action. Live stats will be available online
at gotigersgo.com.
The Golden Eagles will return to Cookeville for their home opener
on Nov. 23 when Oakland University visits Eblen Center.
For ticket information visit TTUsports.com or contact the Golden
Eagle ticket office at 372-3940.
