Memphis vs Virginia Basketball Preview
By Josh Burton
Fresh off exams and a 59-41 victory over Bethune-Cookman last week, the UVA Men’s Basketball team is now 6-4 (0-1 in ACC play) and will look to pick up a win in their last real non-conference test as they host the Memphis Tigers Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 7 pm and will air on ESPN2.
About Memphis
The University of Memphis Tigers of the American Athletic Conference are led by 6th-year head coach Penny Hardaway. Penny has amassed a 141-64 record overall, going 8-2 so far this season. In their last contest, Memphis picked up a major road victory over #16 Clemson, 87-82 (OT).
The Tigers play a heavy pressure defense and have so far been one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, connecting on over 44% as a team. This is mostly a product of only having their best shooters taking the shots. Three Tigers have attempted 22 or more 3’s, all of them hitting 39% or better on the season.
Lining Up
Memphis has a very experienced lineup, with six of eight regular rotation players being Seniors. They generally start:
G - #11 Tyrese Hunter (6’ Senior, Texas transfer, averages 16 points while hitting 51.6% from three-point range)
G - #4 PJ Haggerty (6’3” Redshirt Sophomore, Tulsa transfer, averages 21.9 points and 6 rebounds per game)
G - #3 Colby Rogers (6’3” Covid Senior, Wichita State transfer, averages 13.4 points while hitting 44.6% from three-point range)
F - #2 Nicholas Jourdain (6’7” Covid Senior, averaging 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game)
C - #32 Moussa Cisse (6’11” Covid Senior, Ole Miss transfer, averages 5.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game)
6 '9 " Illinois transfer Senior Dain Dainja plays a key role off the bench, averaging 10.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
Under Pressure
As mentioned above, Memphis is mainly known for their pressuring defense. The Hoos will absolutely have to value each possession to have a chance in this one.
Some of the concern could be eased if guard Dai Dai Ames is able to play. Ames sat out the last contest with an ankle issue. The continued development of first-year guard Ishan Sharma will also be crucial here. Sharma is coming off his best performance of his young career, going for 12 points and 3 assists in the win over Bethune-Cookman.
The Hoos will need as many capable ball handlers as possible for this one. Having the two dynamic guards both available and playing at a high level would go a long way in determining the outcome of the contest.
Hitting Shots
While Memphis plays a pressure style, the strength of their halfcourt defense is on the interior. They've been vulnerable from three-point land, with opponents hitting 36% on high volume. Memphis is also a smaller team than last season when they only started one player under 6’6”.
The three-point shot has been known as the great equalizer in basketball for awhile, but this is truly a contest where being able to connect from outside would help the Hoos overcome deficits in experience and athleticism.
Look for both Isaac McKneely and Andrew Rohde to try and bounce back from poor shooting performances last week. Although both are over 44% on the year from distance, they combined to go 1-8 against Bethune-Cookman. That will need to change in a major way for the Hoos to find success.
Orange Out
🟠🔶🔸Re-Release: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐎𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞🔸🔶🟠
— Virginia Men's Basketball (@UVAMensHoops) December 15, 2024
🎟️ https://t.co/smR3pGTt8p
🔶⚔️🔷#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/hbKXhDI0zs
The anticipation for this game is high in part because it's an opportunity for a marquee non-conference victory, but also because of the Orange Out scheduled. The program has been hyping the event, with a video released on Sunday revealing the “Retro” orange uniforms the Hoos will be wearing. You can get an orange retro jersey in the UVA Sports Shop.
This is a tough game for the Hoos but also a major opportunity. Be sure to follow along with Locker Room Access, pregame coverage will begin at 6:30.
(Featured Image Credit: Jamie Holt/UVA Athletics)