Golden Hurricane Travels to #15 Memphis for Wednesday Evening Showdown

Wednesday, February 5

Memphis, Tenn

7 p.m.

Tulsa

Memphis

Golden Hurricane Travels to #15 Memphis for Wednesday Evening Showdown

2/4/2025 4:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball

GAME #23: Tulsa (9-13, 3-6 AAC) at #17/15 Memphis (18-4, 8-1 AAC)
Date/Time:	Wednesday • February 5, 2025 • 7:00 p.m. (CT)
Site:	FedExForum (18,400) • Memphis, Tenn.
Coaches:	Tulsa – Eric Konkol (Wisconsin-Eau Claire, '00), 3rd Season Memphis – Penny Hardaway (Memphis'03), 7th Season
TV:	ESPN+ \| Greg Gaston (PxP) and Trey Draper (Analyst) Matt Infield (Reporter)
Radio:	Big Country 99.5 FM / Varsity Sports App (Bruce Howard & JR Rollo)
Live Stats:	Live Stats
Series:	55th Meeting \| Memphis Leads Series 33-21
Twitter:	@TUMBasketball \| @TulsaHurricane
Instagram:	TulsaMBasketball
Notes:	Tulsa Notes \| Memphis Notes \| The American Notes

MEMPHIS, Tenn. –– The University of Tulsa heads to Tennessee for the final leg of a two-game road trip as the Golden Hurricane faces the 15^th-ranked Memphis Tigers in FedExForum on Wednesday night.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and will air on ESPN+ with Greg Gaston and Trey Draper on the call, and Matt Infield as the sideline reporter. Fans can also catch the contest on Big Country 99.5 FM and the Varsity Network app. Bruce Howard will bring fans the action alongside analyst JR Rollo.

Wednesday's meeting is the 55^th in the series between the Golden Hurricane (9-13, 3-6 The American) and the Tigers (18-4, 8-1 The American). Memphis leads the series 33-21 and the Tigers are 18-8 against the Hurricane in Memphis and 13-3 in FedExForum.

Tomorrow night's contest is the first Tulsa has played in Memphis since the 2021-22 season. The past two years were single meetings in the Donald W. Reynolds Center. This is the lone matchup between the two schools this regular season.

Tulsa is looking to get off a two-game skid after coming up just short 59-56 at Tulane. The Golden Hurricane had an opportunity to take the lead late, but a Braeden Carrington's 3-point attempt rimmed out and the Green Wave scaped with the win.

Sunday was Tulsa's first game to have every player available this season. The next goal is for everyone to get to full strength. Dwon Odom leads four Hurricane who average double figures in scoring, putting up 13.8 per contest. Odom has shot above 40 percent from the field in all but two games this season. Tulsa is 9-4 this year when Odom has shot 50 percent or better from the field.

Keaston Willis is averaging 13.4 points and leads The American with 68 made 3-pointers. Jared Garcia is averaging 11.8 points through his six games played this campaign. Tyshawn Archie (10.1) is the last to average double figures in scoring. Isaiah Barnes (9.7) just misses the mark. Freshman Ian Smikle leads the team on the glass, pulling down 5.8 rebounds per contest.

Under the direction of 7^th-year head coach Penny Hardaway, the Tigers are ranked 17^th in the AP Poll and 15^th in this week's Coaches Poll, and Memphis tops The American standings. Wednesday's contest will be the first time the Golden Hurricane has faced former TU guard PJ Haggerty, who is one of the nation's leading scorers. Haggerty averages 21.6 points per game, which ranks fourth nationally and second in The American. In his lone season at Tulsa, Haggerty recorded averages of 21.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists, setting a freshman scoring record at TU and earning National Freshman of the Year honors.

The Tigers have three others average double figures in scoring. Tyrese Hunter (14.7), Dain Dainja (11.8) and Wichita State transfer Colby Rogers (11.0) all meet the mark. Dainja leads the team in rebounding, pulling down 6.5 per contest. Haggerty and Moussa Cissee tie for second on the team, pulling down 5.7 per game.

Memphis has two guards with more than 50 made 3-pointers this season in Hunter (56) and Rogers (50). Hunter is knocking down his 3-pointers at a 41.8 percent clip and is one of three to shoot above 40 percent from deep, joining PJ Carter, who has knocked down 42.9 percent (27-of-63) of his efforts, and Haggerty, who has connected on 41.5 percent of his treys (27-of-65). Individual 3-point shooting translates to a good team percentage as the Tigers lead the nation, knocking down 40.1 percent of its efforts, collectively.

Following tomorrow night's contest, the Golden Hurricane returns home to the Reynolds Center to face FAU for Legend's Day on Saturday. Tipoff against the Owls is set for 11 a.m. on ESPNU.