Memphis Survives Mississippi Two-Step With Statement Win Over Ole Miss
The FedEx Forum was packed with 15,643 fans, donned in mainly white, as the Memphis Tigers dominated Ole Miss, 87-70, on Saturday afternoon. The “White Out” game was a national statement from head coach, Penny Hardaway, and the Tigers as they are now 7-1 against ranked AP teams in his 7 seasons. In addition, Memphis slotted their second win over the Southeastern Conference of the season and fifth against a power conference program.
We will analyze what went well, who stood out in the win, and what is next on the schedule for Memphis.
What Worked In The W
Well Rounded Effort
We witnessed a well-rounded effort from Memphis against a stingy Ole Miss program. They shot 47.5 percent {29-61| from the field while completing the game with 36.8 percent from three. In addition to the consistent shooting from the field, Memphis finished 22 of 31 at the free throw line in one of the more complete efforts of this season. The Tigers outrebounded the Rebels, 45-34, in what was a major factor in the win as well as the 15 assists and a season-high nine blocks.
With this, we would see players find their stride within the offense in the big home win.
Colby Is Cold No More
Entering today’s contest we saw Colby Rogers on a cold spell from long range. In the last two contests, Rogers shot 0 for 12 but this would change on Saturday afternoon in the Bluff City. Tiger Nation witnessed Rogers come alive and out of this slump as he connected on 6 three-pointers which assisted his 28-point performance. On the day Rogers shot 10 of 16 from the field, as well as, a perfect 2 of 2 from the free throw line. While Rogers would foul out on the night his 35 minutes of play would lead the Tigers to the win.
Big Man Game
In pregame, we spoke of keys for Memphis, with the paint play being one of these. With this, Memphis saw Moussa Cisse record his first double-double in 41 games as he amassed 13 points along with 11 rebounds and a team-high 3 blocks. The last performance of this stature for Cisse was March 12, 2023, and the 15th of his career. In the win, Cisse snagged 11 offensive rebounds which is the most by a Tiger since 2022.
Along with Cisse, fellow big man Dain Dainja also had a stellar game. Dainja scored 16 points along with 3 rebounds and 2 blocks. In his 18 minutes of play the second half is where Dainja made an impact. He scored 11 of his 16 points on 4 of 4 shooting in the final stanza and was a large key in the win over another SEC opponent.
Catch Me If You Can
It is tough to lose a game that you never tried. This is precisely what the Tigers would do as they led for 39:47 in the win. In fact, the game would only be tied for 13 seconds as Memphis dominated Ole Miss.
A New Tiger
There was an addition to the roster this week as we saw former Virginia Dante Harris come to Memphis. After a season with Virginia, Harris entered the portal and was swiftly vetted by Hardaway and Memphis. The 6-foot, 170-pound guard began his career with Georgetown, playing two seasons.
Harris saw action on Saturday as he played 7 minutes while scoring one point in the win. We expect Harris to play a more vital role as the season matures. Harris has been with the program and practicing with them this week in preparation for this game.
What Is Next?
Next on the schedule for the Tigers is the American Conference slate of games. The Tigers will hit the road for a testy road trip as they face the Owls of Florida Atlantic on January 2nd for a 6 pm tip. The game will be streamed on ESPN2.
