Dec. 21, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
NOTE: The Tigers' Dec. 22 game will not be televised. Fans can watch the game on-line via the Tigers' athletic web site at www.gotigersgo.com if they have purchased the All-Access subscription.
TIGERS TO HOST DREXEL IN NON-LEAGUE MATCH-UP ON MONDAY AT FEDEXFORUM
The University of Memphis squad (6-3, 0-0 C-USA), ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press poll and No. 21 in ESPN/USA Today poll, continues its seven-game homestand at FedExForum on Monday, Dec. 22 when it hosts Drexel (2-5, 0-0 CAA). Game time is 12 p.m. (CT).
The Tigers' homestand continues over the Christmas and New Year holidays with games against Cincinnati Dec. 29, Northeastern Dec. 31, Lamar Jan. 3 and Marshall Jan. 7. Memphis opened this seven-game homestand Dec. 17 with a 59-51 victory over Arkansas-Little Rock and followed with a 72-65 setback to No. 11/11 Syracuse Dec. 20. The Tigers' next road game is Jan. 10 at UCF in Orlando, Fla.
Prior to its Dec. 17 victory over Arkansas-Little Rock, Memphis dropped its road opener of the 2008-09 campaign with a 79-70 overtime setback at No. 19/19 Georgetown Dec. 13. The loss ended the Tigers' 19-game road win streak that stretched back to the middle of the 2006-07 season. Before the Georgetown loss, the Tigers were off 10 days for fall semester final exams.
Drexel brings a 2-5 record into Monday's contest, which is the second of three-consecutive road games for the Dragons. Drexel fell at Bucknell 81-75 on Dec. 20, and following Monday's encounter, the Dragons travel to Rider Dec. 27. Drexel opened 2008-09 with wins in two of its first three contests with victories over Penn and Cal State Northridge. Since then, the Dragons have dropped four straight to George Mason, Fairfield, Niagara and Bucknell.
SCOUTING THE DRAGONS
Drexel brings a 2-5 record into Monday's contest, which is the second of three-consecutive road games for the Dragons. Drexel fell at Bucknell 81-75 on Dec. 20, and following Monday's encounter, the Dragons travel to Rider Dec. 27. Drexel opened 2008-09 with wins in two of its first three contests with victories over Penn and Cal State Northridge. Since then, the Dragons have dropped four straight to George Mason, Fairfield, Niagara and Bucknell.
The tandem of Scott Rodgers (14.6 ppg) and Gerald Colds (11.3 ppg) paces the Dragon offense. Samme Givens comes off the bench to lead Drexel on the boards with an 8.1 rebounding average. Evan Neisler is the team's second-leading rebounder at 7.4 rpg. Jamie Harris is tops on the squad with 23 assists (3.3 apg).
Drexel is shooting 33.9 percent from the floor, 23.4 percent from the arc and 65 percent from the free throw line. The Dragons are out-rebounding their opponents by an average margin of +6.7 boards per game (43.6-36.9). Drexel also protects the ball well, averaging only 13 miscues per contest.
HIDE YOUR EYES
Memphis and Drexel are having shooting woes from the arc early in 2008-09. The Tigers are hitting 26.3 percent from the three-point line, which is 12th in Conference USA. The Dragons are shooting 23.4 percent from the arc, which is also 12th in the Colonial Athletic Association.
BOARD WARRIORS
While the two squads are having their troubles shooting it from the arc, Memphis and Drexel both are doing great jobs on the glass. The Tigers out-rebound their opponents by an average margin of +5.6, which is third in Conference USA. The Dragons are just as good on the glass with a +6.7 rebounding margin, which is second in the Colonial Athletic Association.
THE BATTLE FOR THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE
City pride for Philadelphia, Pa., will be on the line in Monday's Memphis-Drexel contest. The Tigers have one player on their roster from the Philadelphia area in Tyreke Evans (Chester, Pa.).
The Drexel (which is located in Philadelphia) roster features five players that call Philadelphia home. They are Bobby Jordan, Scott Rodgers, Bill Lally, Chris Mohl and Samme Givens.
ANOTHER CITY PRIDE BATTLE GOING ON MONDAY
There is another city encounter in Monday's game when the Tigers and Dragons meet. It will be a battle for bragging rights in the city limits of Charlotte, N.C.
Memphis' Doneal Mack and Drexel's Leon Spencer both call Charlotte home. Mack played his high school ball at Statesville Christian School, while Spencer prepped at Hopewell High School in Huntersville, N.C., a northern suburb of Charlotte.
A ST. PATRICK REUNION
Monday's game will be a reunion for two former St. Patrick High School players in Memphis' Jeff Robinson and Drexel's Yannick Formbor.
Both players played their final season of high school basketball for St. Patrick's in 2006-07. The Celtics posted a 30-2 overall record that year and finished the campaign ranked No. 2 in the USA Today Boys High School national poll. St. Patrick's won the New Jersey state title that year and also had a 7-1 record against other teams ranked in the USA Today Boys High School national poll.
TIGERS VERSUS THE CAA
Memphis has an all-time record of 17-2 (.895 winning percentage) against members of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). The Tigers have played Drexel (0-1), George Mason (1-0), Georgia State (7-0), James Madison (1-0), Northeastern (1-0), Old Dominion (1-0), UNC Wilmington (1-0), VCU (4-1) and William & Mary (1-0). Delaware, Hofstra and Towson are the only CAA foes the Tigers have not played.
The last time Memphis played a CAA opponent was the 2004-05 season. The Tigers played two CAA foes that year, facing George Mason and Northeastern. Memphis defeated Northeastern 90-65 in the first round of the postseason NIT (Mar. 16, 2005) and George Mason 75-58 in the Coaches vs. Cancer/Memphis Regional title game (Nov. 13, 2004). Both games were played at FedExForum.
CALIPARI VERSUS THE CAA
John Calipari has a 6-1 record (.857 winning percentage) versus members of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Calipari has coached against George Mason (1-0), Northeastern (2-1), Old Dominion (1-0), UNC Wilmington (1-0) and Towson (1-0).
Calipari has a 3-0 record against the CAA during his tenure as the Tigers' head coach. As Memphis' head coach, Calipari led the Tigers to wins over George Mason (2004-05), Northeastern (2004-05) and Old Dominion (2001-02).
TIGERS' WINNING WAYS IN PRE-CHRISTMAS GAMES UNDER CALIPARI
Call it giving their fans an early Christmas present or just heading home for a holiday break on a good note, the Tigers have usually fared well in their final game before Christmas. In the John Calipari era, Memphis has a 6-2 record in their last contest before Christmas.
Entering Monday's game, the Tigers have won their last three pre-Christmas contests with victories over Georgetown in 2007-08, Middle Tennessee in 2006-07 and Louisiana Tech in 2005-06.
The last time Memphis lost its final game before Christmas was in the 2004-05 campaign. The Tigers dropped a 72-59 decision to Providence on Dec. 23, 2004. That contest was played before an estimated crowd of 2,400 as a result of an ice storm that hit the Mid-South the night before.
CALIPARI VERSUS FORMER ASSISTANTS
John Calipari doesn't like to play former assistants, but one couldn't tell that from the Tigers' schedule in 2008-09. Monday's game against Drexel is the third of five games in which Calipari will match wits versus a former assistant.
Calipari already faced Derek Kellogg (UMass) and Chuck Martin (Marist) this year. Following Monday's encounter against Drexel's James "Bruiser" Flint, Calipari will face Steve Roccaforte (Lamar) on Jan. 3 and Tony Barbee (UTEP) on Feb. 21.
Prior to this season, Calipari had coached against Roccaforte in 2006-07 and Barbee in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
ONE HAS JOINED; ANOTHER CLOSING IN
The Memphis 1,000-point club was already 43 players strong entering 2008-09, and on Dec. 20, it added a 44th member when senior Robert Dozier joined the group. The 6-foot-9 forward scored five points versus Syracuse to give him 1,002 for his career. The Tiger 1,000-point club will have another player join soon when senior Antonio Anderson reaches the milestone. The 6-foot-6 guard now has 966 career points and needs 34 to reach 1,000.
DOZIER LOOKS TO JOIN ELITE GROUP
Robert Dozier scored five points versus Syracuse Dec. 20 to become the 44th member of the Memphis 1,000-point club. And, he is also closing in on another Tiger elite group. With three more boards, Dozier will be a member of the Tiger 1,000-point, 750-board club, and will be the seventh player in Memphis history to do so. The following shows that group:
Player Points Rebounds
Keith Lee 2,408 1,336
Kelly Wise 1,487 1,075
Ronnie Robinson 1,150 1,066
David Vaughn 1,305 903
Don Holcomb 1,118 870
Robert Dozier 1,002 747
SALLIE FOR THREEEEEE!
When Roburt Sallie signed with the Tigers, the scouting report said the 6-foot-5 guard had shooting range to the parking lot outside the arena. After a period of learning and adjustment to the NCAA Division I level, Tiger Nation may start seeing that pinpoint shooting touch from the perimeter.
Sallie came off the bench versus Syracuse Dec. 20 and began lighting up the nets. The Sacramento, Calif., native shot 4-of-7 from the field with all four field goals made coming from the arc. Sallie finished the game with a season-high 12 points and added two blocks and two steals.
HENDERSON-NILES SCORES CAREER HIGH VERSUS SYRACUSE
Junior Pierre Henderson-Niles came to play against Syracuse Dec. 20 and showed a national television audience what he can do. The 6-foot-8 forward scored a career-high 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field. Henderson-Niles' previous career best was eight points in an early December win over Marist.
The Memphis, Tenn., native also pulled down five boards versus the Orange in 23 minutes of action. The 23 minutes played tied a career high.
For more notes on the Memphis-Drexel game, click on pdf link at the top of the page.
