The Memphis Lady Tigers Basketball program is on the rise not only in the American Athletic Conference but also on a national level. After a successful 16-11 season in 2021 under first-year head coach Katrina Merriweather, Memphis looks to claw its way through 2022. Memphis would fall in their first contest this season to Columbia 77-69 on November 7th in a hard-fought contest. The Lady Tigers were back on the hardwood on Saturday and would get their first win 101-54over Howard in their second-ever meeting. We will look at the current state of the program, some players who stood out in the win, and what is next on the schedule.
State Of the Program Under Merriweather
Katrina Merriweather made an immediate impact on this program from day one. Last season you could see a team on the court that wanted to be there; the effort and accountability were evident both on the sidelines and on the court. Merriweather has brought a winning attitude to a program that has proven it can win. The talent in the city is enough to fill your roster with top talent yearly in bluff city. Former Tigers coaches Mary Lou Johns {1072-1991}, Joye Lee-Mcnelis {1991-2004}, and Melissa McFerrin {2008-2021} will all attest to this with their tenure on the sidelines.
Winning can happen at Memphis, and Merriweather understands the culture to accomplish this when you look at the above names of Johns and Mcnelis, it’s not a stretch to think that Merriweather can’t be next in line. In the 32 combined years these two were on the sidelines, their Lady Tigers won 20+ games 16 times, including consecutively from the 94-99 seasons under Mcnelis. Under McFerrin, the Tigers won 20+ twice and had five winning seasons in her 13 at the helm.
When you look at what Merriweather has accomplished in just one season, this program’s sky is the limit. From her staff to the wins on the court, it’s clear that the Lady Tigers have a leader. The recruits have taken notice as she has been able to fill her roster with top young talent combined with veterans through the portal. One challenge she is attacking head-on is the attendance of games. In 2021, Memphis averaged 884 people per game at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. So far this season, the Tigers are averaging 661 people in their one home contest. Wins like the one against Howard will help curve the attendance issue.
Who Stood Out?
We mentioned above the talent that Memphis has assembled on its roster. In the game against Howard, the Tigers had six players with double-digit points while shooting 46% from the field and 60% from beyond the arc. The Lady Tigers had 40 points from their bench, 30 in the paint, 30 off-turnovers, and 16 second-chance points in their win. Memphis would lead the game-only trail for 2:30 and lead for 35:39 against the Bison.
Of the six players with double-digit points, the Tigers were led by Jamirah Shutes. Shutes had 18 points, was 4/8 from the field, 0-1 from deep, and 10/11 from the free throw line in 26 minutes of play. Madison Griggs also had 18 points while going 6/15 from the field and 6/8 from three in 27 minutes of play. Leading in rebounding was Alijah Green, who finished with ten rebounds {seven offensive, three defensive} in the game and was key in the victory. Memphis’s roster can score proficiently from multiple positions and will be issued for their opponents this season.
What’s Next?
The Lady Tigers will host the Miami of Ohio RedHawks this Wednesday night, November 16th, with tip-off at 7 pm. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+. The Red Hawks come into the game with a 1-1 record. Their win this past Friday, November 11th, 79-73 over Vermont. The RedHawks would fall at home to Xavier 87-68 on Monday, November 7th, for their lone loss of this early season.
