Let’s be positive.
Saturday’s 107-104 double-overtime loss to UCF isn’t season-ending. The opportunities for Memphis to boost its resume with quality wins still exist. Elijah McCadden had his best game of the season with 18 points (8-of-10 from the field), seven rebounds, one steal and one block. Keonte Kennedy provided energy on both sides of the ball. Last but not least, Kendric Davis was masterful with 42 points, four assists, five rebounds, and two steals.
Efficiency has been an issue for Davis recently. But in both overtimes, Davis was 4-of-6 from the field, 10-of-11 from the free throw line and 1-of-1 from three. He scored 19 points and played with an intensity unmatched by anybody else in the gym.
Now, let’s reflect on the negatives before we preview the matchup against Temple. The three-point defense and the three-point shooting for the Tigers were abysmal. UCF outscored Memphis by 30 points from deep as the Knights went 16-of-35 compared to the Tigers’ 6-of-18. Familiar foul issues reared their ugly head in crunch time. The offense was stagnant for the final 4:11 of regulation allowing UCF to come back from 11 points down. Further, Memphis was out-rebounded again 41-36. Not good. The Tigers have a chance to right the ship in Philadelphia against the Temple Owls, ranked third in the AAC.
Matchup: Memphis Tigers (12-5, 2-2 in AAC) vs. Temple Owls (10-8, 4-1 in AAC)
Time: 2 p.m. CST
Location: The Liacouras Center, Orlando, FL
TV/Stream/Radio: ESPN+/FM: 98.9
Injury Report: Jayden Hardaway (Day-to-day, hip); Malcolm Dandridge (Out, ankle); Alex Lomax (Out, groin)
Keys to the Game
- Disciplined three-point defense.
Temple is not a three-point shooting juggernaut. The Owls rank 203rd shooting 33 percent from three. With that said, Memphis ranks 143rd in three-point defense allowing teams to shoot 33 percent from deep. Holding Temple to below its three-point shooting average will take defensive communication, sharp rotations and trust, which is a very underrated aspect of defense. There were too many instances of over-help and leaving shooters open that cost Memphis the UCF game. Those are issues that pop up when players don’t trust one another to either stop their man or defend at the rim properly. The loss of Malcolm Dandridge hurts the interior defense. But having an elite shot blocker at the rim can allow others to close out opposing three-point shooters with intensity and control knowing an enforcer is at the rim.
2. Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu.
As the conductor of the Kao hype train, it’s only fitting he makes an appearance after his presence was sorely missed after the first half of the UCF game. But there’s no excuse not to play him in pivotal defensive possessions down the stretch. This is not hyperbole. Kao is an elite rim-protector. Each game he gets more adjusted to the speed and athleticism at this level of college ball and improves on his timing. His ability to finish any lob is also very valuable to the Memphis offense that has multiple players that can get downhill and draw help. It’s bewildering why Kao only averages 10 minutes per game. Obviously, per-40 minutes numbers don’t tell the whole story. But he averages 11.4 points, 6.9 blocks and 6.7 rebounds per-40. That’s absurd. Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu must get more playing time.
3. DeAndre Williams bounce back.
Wednesday night wasn’t DeAndre Williams at his best. The heartbeat of the Memphis Tigers was uncharacteristically quiet against the Knights with only 10 points, four assists and five rebounds, while only going 3-of-11 from the field. Credit the UCF defense for frustrating him all night by throwing him different looks and defensive matchups. Williams’s importance to Memphis cannot be overstated, though. He must positively impact games for the Tigers to reach their potential. Expect a bounce-back effort for DeAndre against Temple.
Prediction: Temple may not be a household college basketball name, but the Owls cannot be overlooked as they rank third in the conference. After an early season loss to Wagner, they responded beating Villanova at home proving Temple has real talent.
Memphis Tigers 73 – Temple Owls 68