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HomeSportsNo. 18 Memphis visits Temple, hopes to steer clear of 'sleepwalking'

No. 18 Memphis visits Temple, hopes to steer clear of ‘sleepwalking’

Memphis’ PJ Haggerty (4) drives to the basket as East Carolina’s Jordan Riley (12) guards him all over the sport between East Carolina College and College of Memphis at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on Saturday, January 11, 2025.

No. 18 Memphis did its paintings in non-conference play, beating two-time protecting nationwide champion UConn, Michigan State, Clemson and Ole Leave out, amongst others.

The Tigers personal 9 victories in opposition to Quad 1 or 2 combatants this season.

Now comes the cruel phase, consistent with trainer Penny Hardaway.

“In case you are a ranked workforce and you might be taking part in in opposition to a workforce you might be intended to overcome — at house or at the highway — you simply need to overpower them and beat them,” he mentioned. “We will be able to’t move in simply sleepwalking.”

Hardaway and the Tigers will want to be unsleeping Thursday night time after they shuttle to Philadelphia for an American Athletic Convention check with Temple.

Memphis (13-3, 3-0) just about stepped on a landmine Saturday when it used to be tied 68-68 with 1:11 left in opposition to East Carolina. However PJ Haggerty made two unfastened throws to snap a tie and Texas switch Tyrese Hunter transformed a layup to guarantee a victory, 74-70, that enabled the Tigers to steer clear of a dreaded Quad 4 loss at house.

Haggerty, a 6-foot-3 guard who averaged 20.9 issues a sport remaining season as a freshman at Tulsa, is scoring extra successfully this season for his new workforce. He is averaging 22.4 issues and taking pictures 49.5 % from the sphere, plus 42.3 % on 3-pointers — about 13 proportion issues higher than remaining season.

Hunter provides 15.1 ppg for the Tigers, who rank 9th in Department I in 3-point taking pictures at 40 %. Their primary weak spot is caring for the ball, as they moderate 14.6 turnovers, 325th within the nation. They dedicated 16 on Saturday, costing them 24 issues.

On the other hand, that is but to be a serious problem as a result of Memphis’ talent to pour at the issues in force eventualities, consistent with Hardaway.

“We now have were given guys that may end the sport,” he mentioned of the Tigers, who’ve received 4 contests in a row.

In the meantime, Temple (10-6, 2-1) is coming off a 73-70 win Saturday at Rice as New Mexico switch Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 24 issues, together with a couple of unfastened throws with one moment ultimate.

Mashburn, who averaged double figures in issues the remaining 3 seasons for the Lobos, is at a career-high 20.7 ppg this season. A quantity shooter, Mashburn is hitting a career-best 43.1 % of his field-goal makes an attempt.

“He is a confirmed scorer,” Temple second-year trainer Adam Fisher mentioned.

The Owls are also getting offense from ahead Steve Settle (11.1 ppg) and guard Zion Stanford (10.7). They’re averaging 78.9 issues regardless of no longer getting a large number of manufacturing inside of or taking pictures a excessive proportion from the ground.

It is going to be fascinating to look if they are able to benefit from the Tigers’ incapacity to worth the basketball. Temple holds combatants to 41.2 % taking pictures from the sphere however forces a mean of handiest 11.4 turnovers consistent with sport.

The opposite fascinating development to look at would be the Owls’ talent to shield with out fouling. Memphis has made just about as many unfastened throws (298) as its combatants have attempted (317).

Haggerty has been a foul-shooting gadget, averaging 9 makes an attempt consistent with sport.

–Box Stage Media

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