The Magic of the University of Memphis: A Journey Through Knowledge and Inspiration

No. 21 Tigers Aim to Sustain Momentum Sunday Afternoon Against North Texas
 
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The No. 21 Memphis Tigers aspire to maintain their momentum and increase their two-game winning streak this Sunday afternoon as they welcome North Texas to FedExForum for an American Athletic Conference battle on ESPN at 4 p.m.
Memphis (11-3, 1-0 AAC) dominated Florida Atlantic 90-62 Thursday night in Boca Raton during its conference opener, with contributions of 20 points from Tyrese Hunter, 19 from PJ Haggerty, 16 from Dain Dainja, and 11 from Colby Rogers, while Moussa Cisse secured 11 rebounds for the second consecutive game.
 
This 28-point win marked the largest for the Tigers since a 94-54 triumph over Tulane in the 2023 AAC Championship and the biggest in a conference opener since defeating East Carolina 99-58 on January 9, 2008.
 
The Tigers return to the venue where they have seen immense success under head coach Penny Hardaway. In his seven seasons at the forefront, Memphis holds an 85-14 record inside FedExForum and has not suffered three losses at home since the 2019-20 season. Currently, the Tigers are 4-2 at home this season.
 
In a rivalry that traces back to 1959, Sunday marks the 25th encounter between Memphis and North Texas, with the Tigers holding a 17-7 edge.
 
Notably, the two institutions have not clashed in the Bluff City since November 26, 1983. Both teams were part of the Missouri Valley Conference from 1966 to 1974.
 
At home, the Tigers lead the series 10-3 and have outscored the Mean Green 85.4 to 73.2 in those matchups.
 
Last season, North Texas triumphed over Memphis, 76-66, in Denton during their only encounter and the first as AAC foes.
 
North Texas is seeking its first road victory over an AP Top 25 adversary since February 27, 1971, when the Mean Green defeated No. 15 Louisville on the road, 79-73.
 
GAME DETAILS
No. 21/25 Memphis Tigers (11-3, 1-0 AAC) vs. North Texas (10-3, 1-0 AAC)
Sunday, January 5, 2025 | 4 p.m. CT
FedExForum (18,400); Memphis, Tenn.
Television: ESPN (Kevin Brown, pxp; Jon Crispin, analysis)
Radio: 98.9 THE ROAR OF MEMPHIS (Dave Woloshin, pxp; Matt Dillon, analysis)

BY THE NUMBERS

• 1: PJ Haggerty is the sole player in Division I averaging no less than 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
• 4: Memphis heads into Sunday having netted at least 100 points in four consecutive home matches against North Texas. The Tigers have a home record of 10-3 in the series and have not lost at home since 1970.
• 5th: According to KenPom.com, Memphis ranks as the fifth most experienced team in the nation with an average of 3.17 years of Division I experience. Only Kansas (3.54), Xavier (3.47), Ole Miss (3.38), and Kentucky (3.27) possess more experience. The Tigers collectively have participated in 860 career games at the Division I level, with four players having played in at least 120 games and six with 80+.
• 7: Consecutive games with 5+ rebounds for Nicholas Jourdain, marking his season tally at 10. Over the last seven contests, he averages 6.3 points and 6.3 rebounds.
• 9: Total number of Quad 1 & 2 victories for Memphis this season, which is the highest in the nation. Marquette ranks second with seven wins. The Tigers also lead the country with a 6-0 Q2 record. No other team has more than four victories.
• 9-1: Record this season when Memphis wins the tip-off. The only defeat occurred against Mississippi State. The Tigers boast a 40-12 record over the last three seasons when winning the tip.
• 11.0: Average rebounds for Moussa Cisse over the past two games, pulling down 11 in each against Ole Miss and FAU. This signifies the first instance in 58 games that Cisse achieved double-digit rebounds in consecutive match-ups (Dec. 17-20, 2023).
• 14th: Tyrese Hunter‘s national rank in three-point shooting percentage (46.7), which leads the AAC. He has recorded six games this season with at least four three-pointers. Before this season, he only had four such games in his first 106 career appearances.
• 20: The amount of points PJ Haggerty requires on Sunday to surpass 1,000 for his career. He has scored 306 this season after accumulating 657 at Tulsa last year and 17 at TCU in 2022-23. He would join Tyrese Hunter and Colby Rogers as 1K scorers on the Tigers.
• 29-5: Record in the last 34 home contests against AAC opponents dating back to December 2020.
• 55.9: Field goal shooting percentage at FAU on Thursday, marking the sixth instance this season shooting at least 50%. Memphis achieved only seven such performances last year. The 55.9% is the 13th best shooting percentage under Coach Hardaway and the seventh best against AAC competition.
• 57-3: Record under Penny Hardaway when shooting 50% in a game, including a perfect 36-0 on their home court. The Tigers have triumphed in 20 of their last 21 overall, with their sole defeat against No. 4 Auburn in Maui this season.
• 2016: The 28-point win at FAU on Thursday was the largest road victory for Memphis since March 6, 2016, at East Carolina (83-53). It also ranks as the fifth-largest road win for the program since 1938-39.

 
SCOUTING NORTH TEXAS

• North Texas enters this fight with a 10-3 overall record after making a comeback from an 18-point deficit to prevail against UAB, 78-75, in their conference opener on Tuesday.
• Senior Atin Wright nailed the game-winning shot at the buzzer to secure the Mean Green’s fourth consecutive victory.
• Head coach Ross Hodge is in his second season at the helm of the Mean Green.
• UNT’s roster includes 10 newcomers (seven transfers and three freshmen).
• The Mean Green are replacing their top six scorers from the previous season and four starters.
• Moulaye Sissoko is the team’s leading returning performer (103 points) and its only returning starter (34 starts).
• Over the past five seasons, the Mean Green has established one of the country’s premier defenses. Since 2020, North Texas has allowed an average of just 59.1 points per game. Only Houston has yielded fewer points per game in that timeframe (57.8).
• They currently stand fifth in the nation this season, permitting 57.9 points to their opponents. Only two teams have managed to exceed 70 points in a game – High Point (76) and UAB (75).
• Wright leads the team in scoring (13.5), minutes (27.6), three-pointers (32), and free throws (41).
• Sissoko is the team’s top rebounder at 5.5 boards per game, along with 4.9 points.

 
UP NEXT
Memphis has a week off before hosting East Carolina next Sunday (Jan. 11) at FedExForum for a 1 p.m. face-off on ESPN+.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS

For comprehensive information on Memphis Tiger Men’s Basketball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team’s social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.