Coming off its first American Athletic Conference loss of the season, No. 6-ranked Houston returns home to face Memphis on Saturday afternoon.
The Cougars (20-3, 9-1 AAC) saw their 12-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday at league rival SMU, 85-83. Houston gave up a 15-point, second-half lead in its first loss since Dec. 11.
“We’re going to be every team in this league’s biggest game,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said after the loss. “We have a bullseye on our back. It’s not going to go away. I’d rather have a bullseye on my back than not.”
Houston reached its first Final Four in 37 years last season. Despite losing key 2020-21 contributors Dejon Jarreau and Quentin Grimes in the offseason, and Marcus Sasser to a season-ending toe injury in December, the Cougars have amassed one of the nation’s best records and been in the conversation for a No. 1 seed in next month’s NCAA Tournament.
Following the loss to SMU, however, Sampson said Houston is “a good team,” but not top-five caliber and “probably not” top 10.
The Cougars aim to start a new winning streak against a Memphis squad that has won four straight. The Tigers’ past three victories have been by at least 11 points.
The Tigers (13-8, 7-4) struggled earlier this season amid lofty expectations, going 4-8 after a 5-0 start. The end of that lull came in a three-game conference losing streak, the last of which was a 70-62 defeat at home to SMU.
Memphis coach Penny Hardaway went on a tirade in his postgame press conference following that Jan. 20 loss, for which he later apologized. The Tigers haven’t lost since.
Jalen Duren scored 15 points while DeAndre Williams and Tyler Harris added 14 each in Wednesday’s 80-69 defeat of Tulane. The Tigers held the Green Wave to 33.3 percent shooting from the floor.
Duren and Williams playing key roles is a promising development for the Tigers’ late-season NCAA Tournament push. Duren has missed four games and Williams missed seven this season.
“I’m happy we have our full roster back and able to show the world what we can do,” Duren said in the postgame press conference on Wednesday.
The Memphis roster still faces some uncertainty, as Emoni Bates — one of the most highly rated freshmen in the 2021 signing class — deals with back pain. Bates’ father told ESPN.com on Feb. 1 that his son plans to rejoin the Tigers this season.
In the meantime, Duren’s availability provides a boost to Memphis on both sides of the floor. He averages 11.1 points on 63.4 percent shooting with a team-high 7.8 rebounds per game.
Houston counters with one of the nation’s most effective offenses, posting 13 games with more than 75 points.
The Cougars have been tough defensively, as well, holding opponents to 28.9 percent shooting from 3-point range and 42.4 percent from the interior.
–Field Level Media
