Terry Davis

Mike Conley following the Western Conference Finals: ‘We will be back’

May 28, 2013 by Terry Davis 1 Comment

Photo by Justin Ford

The historic run by the Memphis Grizzlies came to end after the San Antonio Spurs swept the Grizzlies 4 games to none. Some people will make jokes about how the Grizzlies got swept, but that is not how most of the Grizzlies players and fans are looking at it.

When Lionel Hollins arrived as the head coach, he had to change the attitude and chemistry of the team. This off season will dictate the immediate future of the franchise. The two building blocks of Mike Conley and Marc Gasol will be back on the team next season. However, there are still questions about Tony Allen and Zack Randolph.

Here are the Grizzlies in their own words:

Tony Allen: “I BLEED BLUE”

If you are not back here next year, how do you see the transition for next year?

“It is all in God’s hands, I bleed blue. One thing I have done is, I’ve made a name for myself a lot of teams around the league know who I am. I am focused on being here. I have built relationships with the guys. I mean real bond with the guys. I’ve showed the guys what that grit and grind is all about. It will be hard to leave the city, where they have shown me so much love.”

How special has this year been for you?

“It has been great one. We lost “Double D” (Dana Davis) and I know he was looking down on us. I think everything that took off for us. I am happy with the season we had. There is no reason to hold our heads down. We fought hard. We showed the city what winning is all about. It is just unfortunate to lose four in a row.”

On the Grizzlies fans:

“They are the best sixth man of the year. They have been with us from day one every since I got here. The fans have always shown us love and we would not have been here without them. Salute to the fans.”

Did you get a cut from all of the growl towel slogans you suggested?

“I really did not care about money or nothing like that. I just felt like my presence and laying down the foundation on how to win games on the defensive end. The Grit and Grind should forever live forward in the Grindhouse aka the FedExForum. I’ve got to thank Chris Wallace in showing to give me that vision.”

Mike Conley: “WE WILL BE BACK!!!”

Describe the love that this city gave you and you give them.

“This city has been great. They have to endure the good and the bad and they have stuck with us. They are loyal. They have been there for us. It means the world to us. I am proud of them for being there to push us through and supporting us when we were not good. It is tough on us on letting them down. We will be back.”

This team is known for their defense, why were you not able to contain Tony Parker?

“He was in a zone they play so well together. Any adjustment we made they made another one. We played well for 18 seconds on the shot clock and he would make a play. That is why he is one of the best and they are heading to the finals.”

Zack Randolph, “I WANT TO RETIRE A GRIZZLY”

How does it feel to know that it is over?

“It is difficult. I don’t know what to say they beat us. The two overtime games could have went either way. It could have easily being tied up. We gave it 110 percent. You have got to take your hats off to the Spurs they have a great team from their bench to their starting five.”

“The city has been great. This ride has been great I hate that it ended like this, but we got to keep our heads up for the things we accomplished for the city and the organization. Hopefully this core will stay in place and we are able to add a few more pieces some shooters and some depth.”

Marc Gasol: “TOMORROW WILL BE A BETTER DAY!”

What were the Spurs doing to keep you from cutting their lead?

“They were getting stops and they were executing well offensively. They made some tough stops and ran when they had to.”

What can you take from this series?

“Tomorrow will be a better than it is right now. We wanted to win and play another game. We were not able to put it out. We played and hustled, but we did not have enough to get over the hump. They taught us a lesson on how to execute. We are going to create habits that will work for us”

Coach Lionel Hollins

Question: When you came here came here you were able to put your stamp on this team?

“Every coach tries to establish an identity with a team and try to get a team to buy into it. What I am proud of is I was blessed to have a group that wanted to win. They did not know how, because they were young. They did not know how to work hard, because they have never had to. I tried to show them the way and to put them in an environment that they could be successful. They did not come smiling saying that great, this is great they came they were kicking and scratching not to do it, because it is easier to do it in a manner which is easier. They could have chosen to quit and rebel as well, but they choose to fight and they are reaping the rewards for us right now.”

Terry Davis is a regular contributor for MemphiSport. Follow him @terryd515.

Top 5 Sporting Events That Memphis Has Ever Hosted Besides The Western Conference Finals

May 24, 2013 by Terry Davis 1 Comment

Memphis has a very strong sports history. For decades, the University of Memphis has been an elite team on the national stage. However, Tiger basketball is not the only big time event that Memphis has played host to. The St Jude Classic is an annual event that always has signature moments. But does anything come close to the Memphis Grizzlies hosting the Bluff City’s first ever NBA Western Conference Finals?

Here are a few events that have catapulted to the top of the Memphis sports scene:

Mike Tyson vs. Lennox Lewis, Heavyweight Championship, June 8, 2002 at The Pyramid.

World championship boxing matches always bring out the A-list in the entertainment world and this was no exception. Some of the celebrities in attendance were Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington, Tom Cruise, Britney Spears, Clint Eastwood, Ben Affleck, Hugh Hefner, Halle Berry, Richard Gere, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, LL Cool J. Wesley Snipes and many others.

This fight was originally scheduled for April 6, 2002 in Las Vegas, but Las Vegas and other states refused to issue Tyson a license to box. Tickets sales were slow at first because of the high cost of $2,400, but 15, 327 show to see Lewis defeat Tyson in eight rounds.

Memphis vs. Tenneseee, No. 1 vs. No. 2, February 23, 2008 at FedExForum.

The Tigers entered the game with a 26-0 record and the Vols were 24-2. Memphis was ranked No.1 in the country and Tennessee was No. 2. Justin Timberlake and Peyton Manning were among the stars to show up for this time. There was plenty of tension in the building for an in-state rivalry game on a national stage. John Calipari and Bruce Pearl were opening taking verbal jabs at each other. The Tigers had the longest home active winning streak in the country (47 games). The Vols won the game 66-62. Entertainment Tonight television show was in attendance with the 18,629 fans for the game.

Derrick Rose and Robert Dozier were not able to contain Memphis native J. P. Prince and Chris Lofton off in order to keep their undefeated record alive. The Tigers did go on to play in the National Championship game against the Kansas Jayhawks.

Illinois vs. Alabama, Bear Byrant’s last game, December 29, 1982 at Liberty Bowl Stadium.

After the 1982 season, the legendary coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide decided to end his coaching career. He announced his last game as coach would be at the Liberty Bowl. The Tide lost their final regular season game to the Auburn Tigers. Bryant stated,”This is my school, my alma mater. I love it and I love my players. But in my opinion, they deserved better coaching than they have been getting from me this year.” The Tide won the Liberty Bowl 21-15 over the Illini in front of 54,123 and and what was described as a media “circus” from around the country.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. the Memphis Grizzlies, The Triple OT Game, May 10, 2011 at FedExForum.

The Memphis Grizzlies were coming in off of upsetting the number one seeded San Antonio Spurs and came into this game with a 2 games to 1 advantage over the Thunder. Zach Randolph 34 points and 16 rebounds and Marc Gasol 26 points and 21 rebounds were not event to defeat the Thunder. This133-123 triple overtime thriller won by the Thunder was led by Kevin Durant’s 35 points and Russell Westbrook’s 40 points. The Thunder went on to win the series in seven games. It took three-hours and 52 minutes to play the game. This was the only sporting event ever held in Memphis to be nominated for a ESPY.

Andy Kaufman vs Jerry “The King” Lawler, April 5, 1982 at the Mid-South Coliseum.

Kaufman was a frequent guest on Saturday Night Live (SNL) were he would wrestle women as part of his skits. Kaufman came to Memphis and offered any woman $1,000 if they could beat him. Lawler became tired of his antics and they began a verbal feud. They finally fought and Kaufman won the fight on a disqualification, because Lawler used an illegal move (the piledriver).

The two would meet again on July 28 on the David Letterman show and Lawler would give Kaufman the slap heard around the world. During Lawler’s appearance on the show Kauffman threated to sue Lawler for injuring him in their match and got tired of listening to Kaufman babble and he slapped him. This confrontation between the two actually brought wrestling the national stage. This was the first time wrestling and Hollywood to crossed paths. Memphis was selling out the Mid-South Coliseum every week back then. Lawler vs. Kaufman has been featured in movies (Man on the Moon) and on various TV specials.

These are just a few of the top sporting events that Memphis has hosted. There are plenty of other events that the city has played host to. What are some of your favorite sporting events of all time that has occurred within the city limits of Memphis?

Terry Davis is a regular contriburtor for MemphiSport. Follow him @Terryd515.

Game Preview: Memphis Tigers battle Michigan State in Auburn Hills

March 22, 2013 by Terry Davis Leave a Comment

“Survive and advance” is the theme for March. The University of Memphis Tigers escaped with a narrow two-point win over the Saint Mary’s Gaels 54-52 in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64. With the win, the Tigers earned their first tournament and Top 25 victory under head coach Josh Pastner.

The prize for this accomplishment is facing the Michigan State Spartans in Auburn Hills, MI just 80 miles from the MSU campus. If The Tigers can get on a roll, the Spartans cross-state rival the Michigan Wolverines fans could become temporary Tigers fans. Michigan plays VCU in the same building prior to Memphis-Michigan State.

The Spartans defeated Valparaiso in 65-54 in their opening round game of the NCAA Tournament. Derrick Nix had a monster game scoring 23 points and grabbed 15 rebounds 9 of which were offensive.

The Tigers will enter the game as a prohibitive underdog. The Tigers played their best basketball this season when they played with a chip on their shoulder. The last time Memphis played Michigan State in the tournament the Tigers defeated the Spartans on their way to the Final Four.

Chris Crawford long range shots have to return in order for Memphis to advance. Photo by Justine Ford.

How the Tigers can advance to the Sweet 16:

Exploit the Spartans weakness.

The Tigers are one of the fastest teams in the country. The guard play of Joe Jackson is the reason why. The Spartans biggest weakness is their guard play. If Jackson, Gerron Johnson and Chris Crawford are able to push the tempo and force turnovers it will be a long day for the Spartans.

Play with no fear.

All season the Tigers have been checking items off of their list that they have never accomplished. The latest checked item on their list was never having won a NCAA or Top 25 game under Pastner. In order for the Tigers to advance to the Sweet 16, they will have to play forty minutes of basketball like they play in their first twenty minutes in the Saint Mary’s game.

Team play.

There is no time like the present to have just average games. If Chris Crawford, Johnson and Adonis Thomas can all have just their average game at the same time, the Tigers would win most games in blowout fashion. It has been very rare this season when every member of the team has clicked at the same time. The Tigers are capable of defeating the Spartans, but can they execute their game plan with perfection?

Make free throws.

The Tigers have been a good free throw shooting team for most of the season. However ,they have not been shooting free throws well of late. The Tigers have a history of not receiving favorable calls in most games and the recent history of not shooting free throws well means the Tigers need to take care of business early. The team needs to experience a blowout victory to eliminated any chances of ending their season prematurely.

ON TV: Memphis vs. Michigan State airs Saturday at 1:45 pm on CBS

Terry Davis covers the Memphis Tigers for MemphiSport. To reach Terry, email him at terry@memphisport.com. Follow him @Terryd515.

Game Preview: Tigers open up NCAA play with St. Mary’s

March 20, 2013 by Terry Davis Leave a Comment

The respect that the University of Memphis was looking for from the NCAA Selection Committee was received when the Tigers were placed as a sixth seed in the tournament. However, the Tigers will be at a slight disadvantage in only having only 36 hours to prepare for the 11-seed Saint Mary’s Gaels.

The Tigers will have to do some late night cramming to find out their game plan for the Gaels. St. Mary’s defeated the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders 67-54 in the First Four game in Dayton, OH and will travel to play the Tigers in Auburn Hills, MI at 1:40 Central time on Thursday March 21. The Gaels are 28-6 and three of their losses have been to Gonzaga.

Joe Jackson looks to get the Tigers their first NCAA tournament win under Coach Josh Pastner. Photo by Justin Ford

Memphis’ keys to a their first NCAA Tournament victory with Josh Pastner:

Joe Jackson being the leader.

Jackson has had his best season as a Tiger. He has made other players on the team better. Jackson does not look to be the top scorer every game. Since the tournament in the Bahamas, Jackson has been the motor that has driven the Tigers. Jackson has not complained when he was not in the game and gives the team what it needs at critical times.

Adonis Thomas.

Thomas has the ability to take over a game at any point. In the game at Tennessee, he came out with a killer instinct from the opening tip. He needs to have that commitment for the rest of the season in the opening minutes of every game. Thomas is not dependent on relying on other players to get him the ball in certain spots. Thomas can be effective as a long to mid-range shooter or as a cutter to the basket.

The big men have to play big.

Tarik Black and Shaq Goodwin have got to play more physical, but yet smarter. The Tigers will be bigger than most teams the play. However the Tigers have had a tendency to be out rebounded in most games. Black and Goodwin can be dominating forces for the Tigers, when they are not in foul trouble. Neither player can afford to continue to commit silly avoidable fouls.

Must stop Matthew Dellavdova.

Dellavedova is the heart and soul of the Gaels. If the Tigers are able to disrupt him, they will be able to get the team out of character. Dellavedova is one of the best players in the country and he can score from all parts of the floor. Dellavedova is the leading scorer in the Gaels’ history and is the second leading active assist leader in NCAA with 757.

Control tempo.

When the Tigers play at their pace, they can play with any team in the nation. The Tigers are very explosive and can score points in quickly. When the Tigers are clicking with Jackson, Chris Crawford and Gerron Johnson, their pressure defense will cause turnovers and quick layups or killer 3-pointers.

Vegas has St Mary’s favored over the Tigers by 1.

ON TV: Memphis vs. St. Mary’s airs at 1:45 pm on CBS

Terry Davis covers the Memphis Tigers for MemphiSport. To reach Terry, email him at terry@memphisport.com. Follow him @Terryd515.

What seed will the Memphis Tigers get in the NCAA Tournament?

March 13, 2013 by Terry Davis 2 Comments

No matter what happens in this week’s C-USA Tournament, the Memphis Tigers are expected to receive an invitation to participate in the NCAA basketball tournament this season. The only two questions remaining: Where will the team go? and What seed will they receive?

The three mostly likely destinations that the Tigers will land for the first round are Austin, TX, Lexington, KY or Philadelphia, PA. The other first round sites are Auburn Hills, MI, Dayton, OH, Kansas City, MO, Salt Lake City, UT, and San Jose, CA.

The NCAA selection committee has stated in previous years is that they will try to make every effort to keep teams as close to home as possible. Given the history of how well Tigers fanbase travels, the committee will make an effort to ensure a manageable trip for fans. The Tigers lead Conference USA (CUSA) in total average attendance with over 16,000 tickets sold to each game. This fact will not be lost on the selection committee.

DJ Stephens and the Tigers looks to go Dancing. (Photo by Justin Ford)

As far as seeding goes, a couple of things in the Tigers’ favor are their rankings in the latest polls. The Tigers are ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press poll, No. 17 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, 19 in the ESPN Basketball Power Index and 21 in the more well-known Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).

Hear what some of the Tigers’ faithful feel were the team will land in the 2013 tourney:

The Tigers all-time scoring leader Keith Lee feels the Tigers deserve a sixth seed, but because of the lack of respect for the conference he feels they will be no higher than an eighth seed.

The “Little General” aka Andre Turner jokingly stated that the Tigers will get a 63^rd seed, but came around that said they will probably get a sixth seed.

Bank of Bartlett president Harold Byrd will very high on the Tigers and feels because of what the team did this year they deserve a fourth seed because of the body of their work.

Former Athletic Director for the Tigers RC Johnson thinks the team will receive a sixth seed.

Coach Josh Pastner feels his team deserves to be seeded fourth and at worst a sixth seed. This was said after the Conference USA regular season finale. Pastner reiterated that at this time, because there is still a lot of basketball yet to be played. In the end, Pastner stated it doesn’t really matter we are seeded we will have to take care of business.

Most national experts have the Tigers hovering around the 8^th thru the 11^th seed for the tournament.

The selection committee will meet in Kansas City, MO starting in the next few days to begin the hard deliberations on which teams will be selected and where they will play. Early in the season, some experts had the Tigers seed in the first four in Dayton, OH. It is safe to say even with an early exit in the C-USA tournament that is unlikely to occur.

The final determination will occur on selection Sunday, March 17.

Terry Davis covers the Memphis Tigers for MemphiSport. To reach Terry, email him at terry@memphisport.com. Follow him @Terryd515.

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Filed Under: The Big Features, Tiger Basketball

Memphis Tigers bid farewell to senior class featuring D.J. Stephens

March 8, 2013 by Terry Davis Leave a Comment

The University of Memphis will host the University of Alabama at Birmingham for the final time as a member of Conference USA (C-USA). This will also mark the end of an era for four Tiger seniors. Ferrakohn Hall (Memphis, TN), Charles Holt (Jackson, TN), Stan Simpson (Chicago, IL) and fan-favorite D.J. Stephens (Killeen, TX) will all be honor prior to tip at FedExForum.

The most notable of the class is D.J. Stephens. Stephens has moved from a simple role player to becoming a vital force on the team. Before this season, Stephens had 55 career blocks in three seasons, this season he has 70 blocks.

The final season in C-USA is setting up to be a memorable one for the Tigers. Currently, the Tigers are 15-0 in conference play and have secured the top seed in the post-season basketball tournament. The Tigers have had a few close calls in conference play, but were able to prevail in the end.

Memphis has the respect of its fans and conference foes. They are looking for national attention and respect the only way to get type of respect is to earn it. Barring dramatic events from taking place, the Tigers should make the NCAA tournament and will have an opportunity to earn some RESPECT as a team this season by making a deep run in the tournament.

(Photo by Justin Ford)

4 things to think about as the Memphis Tigers honor their 2013 senior class:

Hall’s energy off of the bench.

On several occasions this season, Hall has given the Tigers a need spark of energy in crucial times. When called upon, Hall always gives full effort to assist the team. Hall has not gripped publicly about his lack of playing time, but has shown that blue collar mentality all season.

From potential redshirt to fan favorite.

At the start of the year there was a chance that Stephens would be redshirted because of his nagging injury. Coach Josh Pastner has held Stephens out of practices all season. Pastner has stated on many occasions that Stephens practices like he plays. Coach Pastner doesn’t want to risk any type of injury, because of Stephens’ hustle in practice.

D.J. has entertained the crowds at the FedExForum with his high energy dunks, and have caused many opponents to have nightmares with his shot blocking ability. In the long run, the redshirt year may have been beneficial to Stephens, but there is no telling where this team would be without the productivity of Stephens.

Career year for Stephens.

Despite the lack of practice time this season, Stephens has had the best season of his career. Stephens will be the odds on favorite to win C-USA defensive player of the year. D.J. has scored a career high of 15 points this season had had two games with double digits points and rebounds including a season high of 13 rebounds in a game.

Could this be the final game for Adonis Thomas?

Coming into this season, Thomas was considered the best player on this team. In off season, Thomas gain weight. Thomas started the year very slowly, but has been on a tear as of lately. While Thomas struggled in the early going, other players have gelled as a team.

Thomas has had a more aggressive attitude in the past few games and the intensity of the Tigers has improved as a result. If this team wants to be considered a great team, they must make a deep run into the NCAA tournament. If this is the last home game for Thomas, he has proved his critics wrong by rising up late to become one of the best players in C-USA this season.

Terry Davis covers the Memphis Tigers for MemphiSport. To reach Terry, email him at terry@memphisport.com. Follow him @Terryd515.

Will Memphis benefit from losing to Xavier?

March 1, 2013 by Terry Davis 1 Comment

The University of Memphis basketball team ran into a road block in the Xavier University Musketeers. The Tigers had their 18 game winning streak snapped in a 62-20 lost in Cincinnati, OH. The Tigers did not play with intensity in the first half of the Xavier game and they looked as if they were just going through the motions. At one point, the Tigers were down by as many as 13 points. Memphis is not a good team when they get away from what they do best, balance scoring, up tempo offense and competing in open spaces.

The Tigers only have a few games left in the regular season before heading off to the Conference USA post season tournament in Tulsa, OK from March 12-16. Memphis has already clinched the regular season championship and will receive a first round bye.

The loss to Xavier should put a chip back on the Tigers shoulder. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Here are 4 reasons why the loss to Xavier will benefit the Tigers:

Sense of urgency is restored.

The Tigers were just beginning to game national respect, being ranked in national polls and off everyone’s NCAA tournament bubble projection. With the loss, the talk will shift to how low the Tigers will be seeded. The critics of Memphis were waiting for a slip up by the team so they could slam the team and the conference (see CBS Sports’ Jeff Goodman).

Learning you can’t win on talent alone.

In most games, the Tigers are the more talented team on the court. In the Xavier game, the Tigers were the more talented team. In the past few games Adonis Thomas, Chris Crawford and Geron Johnson were playing their A-game, neither competed on that level in the loss. Talent alone will not beat an averaged team.

The pressure of a streak is gone.

The Tigers could not have picked a worst time to shoot bricks from the free throw line. The team shot 33 percent for the game making only 6 of 18 attempts in the Xavier loss. Tarik Black and DJ Stephens combined for 1-12 in free throw attempts against Xavier. Free throw shooting had been a respectful 70 percent this season. The Tigers gave a bad defensive effort and allowed Xavier to get 16 offensive rebounds.

Getting back to the basics.

With the national attention turning against the Tigers, this should give the team the edge they had after the team left the Bahamas. The intensity that was missing for 40 minutes in some early season games should be given from the opening tip to the ending horn. Good team work always trumps great individual efforts. Getting back to shooting the season’s average in free throws is a must. If the Tigers are able to right the ship in these areas they should be able to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament in March.

Terry Davis covers the Memphis Tigers for MemphiSport. To reach Terry, email him at terry@memphisport.com. Follow him @Terryd515.

Why the Memphis Tigers are rolling through opponents

February 17, 2013 by Terry Davis Leave a Comment

The University of Memphis men’s basketball team had a tendency to build big leads in games early, but lose the large advantage before the end of the game. The Tigers built double digits leads in many games early in the season, but had to hold on for dear life to pull out a win. That has not been the case the past few weeks. The last two Tigers’ home games have been blowouts by Tigers’ standards. The Tigers are in the middle of a 16 game winning streak. The last loss was to the hated Louisville Cardinals on December 16.

Joe Jackson has led the Tigers to one the best defensive teams in the conference. Photo by Justin Ford.

The Tigers did not play bad in that game and if a few questionable calls had not gone against the Tigers maybe they would have won that game. The Tigers’ black eye of the season came during the three games played in the Bahamas. Despite having one of the most talented teams in the field, Memphis only won one game on that trip. The Tigers learned a lot from that trip and the lessons learned has led to the current streak. The Tigers have returned to the Associated Press and USA Today polls and are slowing rising in the power rankings.

Here are a few reasons why the Tigers are on such a roll:

Respecting the opponents. The Tigers have had a history of playing down to the level of their opponent. Head coach Josh Pastner has been stressing the quality of every opponent the Tigers are playing this year. To the Tigers’ opponents, every game is their Super Bowl. This will be the last chance some members of Conference USA will get to beat the Tigers, because of the move to the Big East next season.

Adonis Thomas consistency has improved. Before the season, it was a given that Thomas would be showcasing his talent for pro scouts on a nightly basis, but then Thomas was invisible for the first half of the season. Recently Thomas has been more aggressive. Against Marshall, Thomas had one of his best games of the season scoring a career high 23 points and he grabbed 10 rebounds. The points and rebounds came within the flow of the game and he didn’t take away from anyone’s game.

The big three play well together. An unlikely trio has formed in the combination of Chris Crawford, Joe Jackson and Geron Johnson. When those three are on the court at the same time a special kind of explosive occurs. The normally fast Tigers appear even faster and are able to push the tempo to an even higher pace and they tend to force opponents turnovers. It hasn’t hurt that Crawford has emerged from his early season slump. The key with these three players is they head up the dangerous Tigers’ defense.

Offense excites, but defense wins games. The explosive dunks of DJ Stephens, the penetrating layups of Jackson and the outside shots of Crawford always seem to get the crowds at FedExForum on their feet. However the Tigers lead Conference USA in blocked shots, are second in steals and have three players ranked in the top ten in steals per game 9-Crawford (1.56), 7-Jackson (1.68) and 3-Johnson (1.8). DJ Stephens is hands down the best shot blocker in the conference with 57 blocked shots on the season and is averaging (2.28 bpg).

Terry Davis covers the Memphis Tigers for MemphiSport. To reach Johnson, email him at terry@memphisport.com. Follow him @Terryd515.

Historic signing day for Ole Miss could be ‘program changer’

February 6, 2013 by Terry Davis Leave a Comment

Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze (Photo by Justin Ford)

The unlikely post season bowl appearance is continuing to bring success to the Ole Miss Rebels football program. National signing day 2013 will go down in history as one of the best recruiting classes of all time to sign a national letter of intent (NIT) with the Rebels.

The major recruiting services rank Ole Miss at No. 2 (247Sports), No. 5 (ESPN), No. 6 (MaxPreps), No. 7 (Rivals) and No. 9 (Scout). These ranking are fluid and will not be finalized until all NIT are received by the institutions.

“I think today has the possibility of being a program changer,” Hugh Freeze said. “Obviously, it’s all on paper right now. We’ll start having to manage expectations now. We’ll still be in the second year of our journey together, but I do think we took a huge step forward today on that journey toward being where we all want to be, and that’s competing for an SEC West championship. We’re thrilled with today.”

Ole Miss reeled in the nation’s No. 1 defensive end in Robert Nkemdiche,, the country’s No. 1 offensive tackle in Laremy Tunsil (Lake City, Fla.), the No. 1 wide receiver in Laquon Treadwell (Crete, Ill.) and the No. 2 safety in Tony Conner (Batesville, Miss.). That quartet highlights a class that includes 16 players rated 4 stars or better by the various recruiting services.

The Rebels pulled in prospects from eight states, including Mississippi (eight), Georgia (six), Tennessee (four), Alabama (three), Texas (three), Florida (two), Illinois (one) and Louisiana (one).

Nkemdiche will join his older brother, sophomore linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche, on the Rebel roster. Denzel earned All-SEC honors as a redshirt-freshman in 2012 while leading Ole Miss to a turnaround 7-6 season and a victory in the BBVA Compass Bowl.

Robert Nkemdiche could become the best player ever in the history of Ole Miss football.

Tunsil is regarded as the third-best overall prospect in the country by 247Sports.com, Treadwell is rated the nation’s fifth-best player by Rivals.com, and Conner is ranked 24th by MaxPreps and ESPN.com. Other signees among the nation’s top 150 include OL Austin Golson (Prattville, Ala.), RB Kailo Moore (Rosedale, Miss.) and RB Mark Dodson (Memphis, Tenn.). The Rebels also signed Marcus Robinson, LB, Herbert Moore, DT, and Jordan Wilkins RB all are from Memphis.

“Derrick Jones may be one of the hidden gems of this class,” Freeze said. “The guy’s a phenomenal athlete. I’ve seen him play basketball. He plays above the rim. I think he can play a lot of places for us from safety to receiver.”

The Rebels received 22 high school signatures on Wednesday to go with three junior college players and three high schoolers that had already signed. One of those junior college recruits, DT Lavon Hooks (Atlanta, Ga.), is rated by 247Sports.com as the top overall JUCO prospect in the country.

Managing expectation will be tough considering Alabama, Florida and LSU also grabbed some impressive recruits in this year’s signing class. If the Rebels are able to combine the talented new additions with the experience they obtained last year, Ole Miss could be playing in a bowl game played on New Year’s Day.

Terry Davis is a regular contributor for MemphiSport. Follow him @Terryd515.

Who would win if Memphis played Ole Miss in basketball this season?

January 25, 2013 by Terry Davis Leave a Comment

The Ole Miss Rebels (15-2) basketball team has been flying under the radar for most of this season. The Rebels are ranked in the Associated Press and USA Today polls (23/24 respectfully) for the first time since 2010.

The University of Memphis Tigers (14-3) were ranked earlier this season. The two teams have had discussions about restarting the series. This year would be an excellent opportunity for the “backyard rivalry” to resume. Both teams are very similar to one another, and there is a slim possibility that the NCAA basketball selection committee may place the Tigers and Rebels in the same bracket for a possible post-season tournament matchup.

Gerron Johnson (55) has given the Memphis Tigers the toughness this season. (Photo by Justin Ford)

Who would win if Memphis played Ole Miss in basketball this season? Let’s break it down…

Strength:

Tigers – The Tigers do many things very well, block shots, the ability to play both half court sets or run an up tempo offense. However, the best attribute for the Tigers is their talent. With the talent of the Tigers, when one player is having a bad game another just steps up and fill that void. Adonis Thomas, Gerron Johnson, Joe Jackson, Shaq Goodwin and Chris Crawford have carried the torch for the Tigers.

Rebels – Marshall Henderson is the heart and soul of the Rebels team. He is a 6’ 2” junior guard from Hurst, Texas and can score in bunches. In his recent game against the Tennessee Volunteers he was in the zone. Henderson went 0-4 in the first half, but finished the game with 28 points and made six 3-pointers in the game.

Advantage: Rebels

Weakness:

Tigers – The Tigers perimeter defense has been an Achilles heel this season. The Tigers have blown big leads this season by allowing teams to convert a high percentage of 3-pointers. The overall defense has been acceptable, but must improve in this area.

Rebels – The lack depth for the Rebels do not leave much room for error. The starters for the Rebels are averaging 58 points and 26 rebounds a game, while the bench is only averaging 24.4 points and 15 rebounds per game.

Advantage: Tigers

Intangibles:

Tigers – The Tigers are ranked 41 in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) while Conference USA is ranked 11 among all conferences in basketball. The Tigers have been to the NCAA tournament the last two seasons and has received national attention despite playing in a perceived weak conference.

Rebels – Ole Miss has not been to the NCAA tournament since 2002. The Rebels have played in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) the past three years. They made it to the NIT Final Four in 2010. The Rebels are poised to make it to the NCAA tournament based on their current play. The Rebels RPI is 35 and the Southeastern Conference is ranked 6^th.

Advantage: Push

Final Verdict:

Both of these teams play an exciting brand of basketball and if the teams were to meet in their current form, the game would most likely be an instant classic. Neither team lacks confidence and feels they would win any game that they lace up for. Who would win this game if it was played in Memphis, the Tad Pad or on a neutral court? Regardless of where this game was played the winners would be the fans. Who do you think would win? Let us know your thoughts.

Terry Davis is a regular contributor for MemphiSport. Follow him @Terryd515.