HawgBeat - Scouting Report: Analyzing the Memphis Tigers
HawgBeat takes a deep dive into the analytics for Arkansas' opponent on Thursday: the Memphis Tigers.
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The No. 20 Arkansas Razorbacks (4-1) will look to advance to the finals of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament with a win against the Memphis Tigers (4-0) at Paradise Island in the Bahamas on Thursday in the Hogs' second of three games.
Arkansas defeated Stanford by a score of 77-74 in double overtime on Wednesday evening, while Memphis had a slightly easier time in a 71-67 win over Michigan.
Led by sixth-year head coach Penny Hardaway, the Tigers finished the 2022-23 season with a 26-9 (13-5 AAC) record. Memphis has an unblemished record to this point with wins over Jackson State, Missouri, Alabama State and Michigan.
"Coach Hardaway does a great job," Musselman said. "They play really, really hard. They've got some size up front and then they've got really good length at the wings. Obviously Hardaway played really good for them shooting the basketball.
"David Jones is a handful, because he can play multiple positions. Jaykwon Walton is a multi-skilled player. Mills. They've got a lot of guys that are kind of position-less players, Memphis does."
Arkansas will also be going up against a familiar face in former Alabama guard Jahvon Quinerly. The senior guard for Memphis scored 16 points and added seven rebounds the last time he faced Arkansas with Alabama on Feb. 25.
Preparing for Memphis on such a short turnaround will be tough. The Tigers rank top-50 nationally in scoring offense, 3-point percentage, rebounds, blocks and steals.
"For the staff, really late (night)," Musselman said. "We'll go eat. We've got our prep ready. But right now, rest and for these (players) getting ready is going to be important."
Arkansas and Memphis met 14 times from 1992-2003, but they haven't met a single time since. The last meeting came on Jan. 2, 2003, when Arkansas suffered a 72-67 defeat in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks have an 11-10 advantage in the all-time series.
Musselman is only one win shy of 100 as Razorback head coach. He is 99-43 in his fifth season at Arkansas and 209-77 in his ninth year as a collegiate head coach.
Here's stats, efficiency ratings, projected lineups and more ahead of Wednesday's game, which is set to tipoff at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU:
Memphis statistical rankings (per game)
~ Scoring offense: 85.3 (41st nationally)
~ Scoring defense: 69.0 points allowed (t-154th nationally)
~ Assists: 16.3 (67th nationally)
~ Field goal percentage: 48.7% (61st nationally)
~ 3-point percentage: 39.7% (27th nationally)
~ Free throw percentage: 66.1% (t-268th nationally)
~ Rebounds: 43.7 (33rd nationally)
~ Blocks: 5.7 (27th nationally)
~ Steals: 9.7 (46th nationally)
Memphis projected starting five
#11 - G Jahvon Quinerly - Jr., 6' 1”, 175 lbs.
Stats per game: 31.0 min, 14.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4..3 assists, 2.0 steals, 3.0 turnovers, 0.3 blocks, 57.7 fg%, 46.2 3fg%
#9 - G Caleb Mills - 5th-Sr., 6'5", 185 lbs.
Stats per game: 26.3 min, 9.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.3 turnovers, 0.7 blocks, 42.1 fg%, 25.0 3fg%
#10 - G Jaykwon Walton - Sr., 6'7", 206 lbs.
Stats per game: 28.7 min, 14.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals, 2.7 turnovers, 0.7 blocks, 57.1 fg%, 53.8 3fg%
#8 - F David Jones - Sr., 6'6", 210 lbs.
Stats per game: 26.0 min, 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.7 steals, 3.0 turnovers, 0.3 blocks, 42.1 fg%, 52.6 3fg%
#3 - C Jordan Brown - R-Sr., 6'11", 225 lbs.
Stats per game: 18.3 min, 10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.0 turnovers, 0.7 blocks, 56.0 fg%,
2023-24 KenPom efficiency ratings comparison (out of 363 teams)
Memphis (27th)
~ Adjusted offensive efficiency: 111.0 points per 100 possessions (39th)
~ Adjusted defensive efficiency: 93.3 points per 100 possessions (26th)
~ Effective field goal percentage: 55.7% (34th)
~ Turnover percentage: 18.9% (227th)
~ Offensive rebounding percentage: 29.2% (193rd)
~ Free throw rate: 31.6% (198th)
~ Adjusted tempo: 72.9 possessions per 40 minutes (37th)
~ Average offensive possession length: 15.6 seconds (46th)
~ Average defensive possession length: 16.2 seconds (66th)
Arkansas (35th)
~ Adjusted offensive efficiency: 110.7 points per 100 possessions (47th)
~ Adjusted defensive efficiency: 94.0 points per 100 possessions (32nd)
~ Effective field goal percentage: 50.3% (157th)
~ Turnover percentage: 14.3% (46th)
~ Offensive rebounding percentage: 29.2% (193rd)
~ Free throw rate: 51.0% (9th)
~ Adjusted tempo: 71.4 possessions per 40 minutes (86th)
~ Average offensive possession length: 16.8 seconds (148th)
~ Average defensive possession length: 16.7 seconds (111th)
*Click here for an explanation on what each rating takes into account.
EvanMiya analytics comparison (out of 363 teams)
EvanMiya Analytics| Category | Memphis | Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rank | 48 | 33 |
| Roster Rank | 46 | 34 |
| Offensive Rank | 67 | 34 |
| Defensive Rank | 37 | 52 |
| Injury Rank (ranking after accounting for injuries) | 47 | 29 |
| Tempo Rank: | 9 | 57 |
