Losing Two Back-to-Back Games, What’re the Major Issues Plaguing Memphis?

The Memphis Tigers looked like a strong team. Up until December, they beat formidable teams like the Clemson Tigers, the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Virginia Cavaliers and the Michigan Wolverines. But going by their recent performances, their fans aren’t too happy and with back-to-back losses, they have only weakened their resolve.

How’ve the Memphis performed?

In recent times, the Tigers have had two consecutive contests against the South Florida, and the Tulane. Both of these teams didn’t beat the Memphis comprehensively, but what stood out and is a cause of concern is how the Tigers lost. While the Memphis forward David Jones smashed a game-high 25 points in their match against the Bulls, the Memphis was backed by only two other players.

They didn’t come together as a team when it was needed the most. Their guard Jahvon Quinerly and forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin scored 15 and 10 points respectively. But other than these two the entire Memphis team was a setback. Another interesting thing to note in this game was that the Memphis had trumped the Bulls by a 47-32 margin in the first half whereas during the second the South Florida team got the better of the Memphis by a 42-26 tally.

The Memphis team looked complacent. The game was a late turnover by the South Florida which caused a lot of confusion among the veterans. Experts had declared it to be a one-off instance where the Memphis couldn’t stand tall to their name. But history repeated itself.

During their next game, the Memphis once more lost by a close margin of 79-81. While Jones looked to dominate, sousing a game-high 32 points that had all the fans stunned. But again the Memphis team couldn’t provide him the much-needed support. The other three players who contributed in parts were the forward Malcolm Dandridge, Quinerly, and guard Jaykwon Walton.

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While Dandridge smoked 13 points, the others could only pot 11 each. Nonetheless, the first half ended on both the teams at level with 34 points each. It was the next half in which the Green Wave edged past the Memphis by a 47-45 margin. Overall, this was a humiliating defeat for the Memphis and that got the excerpts concerned. The problems with Memphis only start here.

What is the problem with Memphis?

The problem with the Memphis is that they haven’t corrected their mistakes even though they are mostly a bunch of seniors. They rarely have freshmen who have participated in this season leaving their forward Ashton Hardaway, guard Carl Cherenfant and forward JJ Taylor. While Ashton has played 19 games, the amount of time he has got is extremely less with a meagre 9.5 minutes per game.

Other than him the two have rarely been consistently let off the bench and when they have they haven’t participated much. This makes the Memphis a team of veterans. And with such performance coming off the veterans is definitely a thing to ponder over. 

They haven’t been up to the mark in these two games and have disappointed their fans. They have made basic errors that weren’t foreseen by a team as experienced as them. They have made errors in inbounds from the ball side. While against the South Florida they could only convert 27-for-65 field goals and 6-for-28 three pointers, against the Tulane they had 28-for-60 field goals and 9-for-24 three-pointers. These stats tell a story of their own, how the Memphis have been careless with their shooting. While most might think it’s just the offensive end, their defense too doesn’t look good.

A host of other problems

Another point of concern for this team is that they are not good with zone. They need to decipher how to play it and form strategies accordingly. This is where their senior guard Caleb Mills could have come in. Unfortunately, he is suffering from a knee injury and has been sidelined for the entire season. Mills was one player who could come in and take charge of the offense. He was a player of clutch moments and big games. The Memphis relied on him a lot. He could only play 14 games this season and with his absence, the Memphis will have to fill that gap as early as possible.

The Memphis are also not performing to the top of their defensive abilities. At one time they used to create havoc on the floor and create a lot of turnovers, but in their recent games, they haven’t done enough of them. This has put a lot of pressure on their offense which falters in crucial moments because they know they don’t have a chance to make mistakes and it might be getting to them mentally. 

Their opponents have also noted their poor tactics against the zone defense and they have applied it at different stages to contain the Memphis. If they want to make something of their campaign, it isn’t too late. They need to access and can come out of this situation with their defensive possessions. Plus, they also take care of their three-pointers and make sure they nail them whenever the situation arises.

Another mistake that the Memphis have committed is relying too much on the transfer portal. They have brought in superstars who can rake in big scores on their day, but this has also left the team astray. Since managing stars is a difficult thing and there seems to be no pecking order in their team. If the Memphis solve these issues they can still be the formidable team that they were and hammer their opponents.

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