- Mar 19, 2006
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Gonzaga University steps out of the West Coast Conference to head to new No. 1 University of Memphis this Saturday. The Tigers moved into the top spot in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN polls after previous No. 1 University of North Carolina fell 82-80 to the University of Maryland on Saturday. It will be the Bulldogs first meeting against a No. 1 team since losing to the University of Cincinnati 75-68 Dec. 4, 1999, at the Rock-N-Roll Shootout in Cleveland, Ohio, Gonzaga's only meeting against a top-ranked team to date. Cincinnati featured consensus Player of the Year Kenyon Martin, currently a 7th-year pro with the Denver Nuggets. The Bulldogs knocked off No. 2 UNC last year in the semifinals of the NIT Tip-Off Classic in New York's Madison Square Garden. Gonzaga lost to then No. 8 Memphis 78-77 in overtime last season in the Spokane Arena.
Gonzaga University brings a 6-game winning streak into Saturday's game, the Bulldogs longest of the season and the best streak since 2006 when Gonzaga won 20 straight games to tie the school record. The Bulldogs won five straight three times last season.
The University of Memphis leads the overall series with Gonzaga University 2-1. The Tigers took last year's meeting in the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena 78-77 in overtime and claimed an 83-72 victory at the FedEx Forum in Memphis the previous season. Gonzaga won the inaugural meeting between the teams, taking an 88-73 win in The Pyramid, the former home of the Tigers, in the Pre-Season Chase NIT Nov. 16, 1998.
Gonzaga University is off to a 4-0 start in West Coast Conference play for the fourth time in the last six years. The Bulldogs return to WCC action Monday at home when the University of Portland visits the McCarthey Athletic Center for a 5 p.m. start. The Bulldogs have been picked by the WCC coaches to win an eighth straight West Coast Conference crown, the Bulldogs edging Saint Mary's College in the pre-season poll. Gonzaga has won nine of the last 10 WCC regular-season crowns.
Head coach Mark Few picked up his 225th career victory last Saturday against the University of San Diego. Few is third on the all-time Gonzaga victories chart behind Hank Anderson (290-275 in 21 seasons) and Dan Fitzgerald (252-171 in 15 seasons). Few is the active winningest coach in West Coast Conference games at 104-12 and fourth on the all-time WCC wins list behind Carroll Williams, Santa Clara University (165-137), Dick Davey, SCU (122-88) and Fitzgerald (112-88).
The University of Memphis has the edge over Gonzaga University on paper as the Tigers are ranked in the Top 25 in seven NCAA categories according to the latest statistics as of Jan. 20. The Tigers are second in scoring margin (+22.6), eighth in field goal percentage defense (37.1) and blocked shots/game (6.6) and 13th in scoring offense (82.4 ppg).Over the last three games Gonzaga has 65 assists for an average of 21.7 assists/game and 35 steals for an average of 11.7 steals/game. The Bulldogs had 25 assists at Loyola Marymount University and 24 at Pepperdine University, and had 16 steals at Pepperdine and 13 Saturday against the University of San Diego. For the season the Bulldogs are averaging 14.7 assists/game and 6.8 steals/game.
Both Gonzaga University and the University of Memphis have players among the national statistical leaders through games of Jan. 20. Gonzaga's Austin Daye is sixth in free throw percentage (91.0) and 80th in blocked shots/game (1.7), while the Bulldogs Jeremy Pargo is 21st in assists/game (6.1). The Tigers Chris Douglas-Roberts is 75th in field goal percentage (53.1); Joey Dorsey is 19th in rebounds/game (9.9) and blocked shots/game (2.3); Robert Dozier is 52nd in blocked shots/game (1.9), and Antonio Anderson is 42nd in assist/turnover ratio (2.17).
Gonzaga University is in search of its 10th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs current streak of nine straight appearances ranks the Bulldogs tied for sixth for consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with the University of Florida, University of Texas and University of Wisconsin.
After shooting 50.0 percent or better in four of its previous five games, Gonzaga University had its worst shooting night from the field in West Coast Conference play this year and its fifth worst night from the field this season in Monday's 72-64 win over the University of San Francisco. The Bulldogs connected on 25-of-58 shots from the field for 43.1 percent. The only games Gonzaga has shot worse that Monday were 38.9 percent in a loss to Texas Tech University at the Great Alaska Shootout, 37.3 percent in a road win over Saint Joseph's University, 25.9 percent in a home loss to Washington State University and 39.3 percent in a neutral-court loss in Seattle to the University of Tennessee.
There's no place like home, and the McCarthey Athletic Center has become quite the home for the Bulldogs since it opened for the 2004-05 season. Gonzaga is 47-2 in the new facility, winning its first 38 games in the McCarthey Athletic Center. Santa Clara University halted the streak with an 84-73 victory Feb. 12, 2007. That loss also snapped a 50-game home winning streak for the Bulldogs, at the time the longest streak in the nation, as Gonzaga left the old Kennel with 12 straight home victories.
Jeremy Pargo has had quite a 12-game run in the
TOP-RANKED TIGERS TO HOST GONZAGA IN NON-CONFERENCE SATURDAY SHOWDOWN
The University of Memphis squad (18-0, 5-0 C-USA), ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll and No. 1 in ESPN/USA Today poll, returns to the friendly confines of FedExForum Saturday, Jan. 26 when it hosts Gonzaga (15-4, 4-0 WCC) in a non-conference match-up. The game, to be televised by ESPN, is slated for an 11:00 a.m. (CT) start.
The Tigers moved to the top spot in both national polls for only the second time in school history Jan. 21. The previous time Memphis was No. 1 came in the 1982-83 campaign, and the Tigers remained there for one week.
Memphis comes back home after a hard-fought 56-41 Conference USA road win at Tulsa Jan. 23. In addition to that win, the Tigers defeated East Carolina Jan. 9, Marshall Jan. 12, Rice Jan. 16 and Southern Miss Jan. 23 in C-USA play. Prior to opening league play, Memphis posted late December/early January wins over No. 5/4 Georgetown Dec. 22, No. 17/18 Arizona Dec. 29, Siena Jan. 3 and Pepperdine Jan. 5.
The Bulldogs are on a six-game win streak entering Saturday's encounter. Gonzaga posted wins over Utah, Georgia, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, San Diego and San Francisco in that stretch.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Gonzaga enters Saturday's non-conference encounter with a 15-4 overall record. The Bulldogs are a perfect 4-0 in West Coast Conference action. Gonzaga brings a six-game win streak into the game with victories over Utah, Georgia, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, San Diego and San Francisco. The Bulldogs' last loss was an 82-72 setback to Tennessee on Dec. 29.
Matt Bouldin leads four Bulldog players in double figures with a 14.7 scoring average. Josh Heytvelt (11.9 ppg), Austin Daye (11.1 ppg) and Jeremy Pargo (10.6 ppg) also are averaging double figures for Gonzaga. David Pendergraft (5.3 rpg) and Heytvelt (5.0 rpg) lead the Bulldogs on the glass. Pargo is tops on the team with 115 assists (6.1 apg). Steven Gray (52 percent) and Daye (46.9 percent) are Gonzaga's top three-point threats.
The Bulldogs are shooting 47.6 percent from the field, 37.9 percent from the three-point line and 70.8 percent from the charity stripe. Gonzaga is out-rebounding its foes by an average margin of +5.4 boards per contest (37.9-32.4).
TIGERS AT THE TOP
For only the second time in school history, Memphis is the top-ranked team in the nation. The Tigers occupy the No. 1 spot in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today coaches polls released Jan. 21.
The last time Memphis was the nation's No. 1 team came in the 1982-83 season. The Tigers were voted No. 1 in the Jan. 10, 1983, poll, but then lost at Virginia Tech later that day. Memphis bounced back with a win over Cincinnati later that week, but the Tigers dropped to No. 6 in the Jan. 17 poll.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
For those in attendance at FedExForum Saturday, they will witness history for the Memphis Tiger basketball program. When they take the floor Saturday, the Tigers will play their first home game as the No. 1 team in the nation in the program's history.
Memphis moved to the No. 1 spot in both national polls Jan. 21 and played its first game as the No. 1 team at Tulsa Jan. 23. The Tigers defeated the Golden Hurricane 56-41.
The last time Memphis was No. 1 came in the 1982-83 season, with the Tigers earning the top spot on Jan. 10. However, Memphis lost at Virginia Tech that same day and then played at Cincinnati later that week (an 80-63 win). The Tigers returned home Jan. 19, but had dropped to No. 6 in the polls when they took the court for that contest.
TIGERS MADE HISTORY
With its win over Tulsa Jan. 23, the 2007-08 Memphis squad made program history when it posted its first-ever victory as the nation's No. 1 team. The Tigers defeated Tulsa 56-41. The last time Memphis earned the No. 1 national ranking was Jan. 10, 1983, and later that same day, lost at Virginia Tech.
CALIPARI IN MORE ELITE COMPANY
Memphis head coach John Calipari is considered among the best active coaches in the country. But, with him guiding the Tigers to the No. 1 national ranking in the Jan. 21 Associated Press (AP) poll, Calipari can place his name among the top coaches historically.
Calipari is one of only five coaches in NCAA Division I history to guide two different schools to the No. 1 ranking (according to AP poll). The Moon, Pa., native directed UMass to the No. 1 spot in 1995 and 1996, and has now taken this year's Tigers to the No. 1 spot. The following lists the five coaches that have accomplished this feat (NCAA Record Book and AP poll; coaches listed in alphabetical order):
Coach Year(s)* No. 1 Rank
Schools
John Calipari
Massachusetts 1995, 96 No. 1
Memphis 2008 No. 1
Frank McGuire
St. John's 1950, 52 No. 1
North Carolina 1957, 58, 59 No. 1
South Carolina 1970 No. 1
Ralph Miller
Wichita State 1964 No. 1
Oregon State 1981 No. 1
Eddie Sutton
Arkansas 1978 No. 1
Kentucky 1988 No. 1
Roy Williams
Kansas 1990, 93, 94, No. 1
95, 96, 97, 2002
North Carolina 2007 No. 1
* year 1982-83 is listed as 1983 and so on
Gonzaga University brings a 6-game winning streak into Saturday's game, the Bulldogs longest of the season and the best streak since 2006 when Gonzaga won 20 straight games to tie the school record. The Bulldogs won five straight three times last season.
The University of Memphis leads the overall series with Gonzaga University 2-1. The Tigers took last year's meeting in the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena 78-77 in overtime and claimed an 83-72 victory at the FedEx Forum in Memphis the previous season. Gonzaga won the inaugural meeting between the teams, taking an 88-73 win in The Pyramid, the former home of the Tigers, in the Pre-Season Chase NIT Nov. 16, 1998.
Gonzaga University is off to a 4-0 start in West Coast Conference play for the fourth time in the last six years. The Bulldogs return to WCC action Monday at home when the University of Portland visits the McCarthey Athletic Center for a 5 p.m. start. The Bulldogs have been picked by the WCC coaches to win an eighth straight West Coast Conference crown, the Bulldogs edging Saint Mary's College in the pre-season poll. Gonzaga has won nine of the last 10 WCC regular-season crowns.
Head coach Mark Few picked up his 225th career victory last Saturday against the University of San Diego. Few is third on the all-time Gonzaga victories chart behind Hank Anderson (290-275 in 21 seasons) and Dan Fitzgerald (252-171 in 15 seasons). Few is the active winningest coach in West Coast Conference games at 104-12 and fourth on the all-time WCC wins list behind Carroll Williams, Santa Clara University (165-137), Dick Davey, SCU (122-88) and Fitzgerald (112-88).
The University of Memphis has the edge over Gonzaga University on paper as the Tigers are ranked in the Top 25 in seven NCAA categories according to the latest statistics as of Jan. 20. The Tigers are second in scoring margin (+22.6), eighth in field goal percentage defense (37.1) and blocked shots/game (6.6) and 13th in scoring offense (82.4 ppg).Over the last three games Gonzaga has 65 assists for an average of 21.7 assists/game and 35 steals for an average of 11.7 steals/game. The Bulldogs had 25 assists at Loyola Marymount University and 24 at Pepperdine University, and had 16 steals at Pepperdine and 13 Saturday against the University of San Diego. For the season the Bulldogs are averaging 14.7 assists/game and 6.8 steals/game.
Both Gonzaga University and the University of Memphis have players among the national statistical leaders through games of Jan. 20. Gonzaga's Austin Daye is sixth in free throw percentage (91.0) and 80th in blocked shots/game (1.7), while the Bulldogs Jeremy Pargo is 21st in assists/game (6.1). The Tigers Chris Douglas-Roberts is 75th in field goal percentage (53.1); Joey Dorsey is 19th in rebounds/game (9.9) and blocked shots/game (2.3); Robert Dozier is 52nd in blocked shots/game (1.9), and Antonio Anderson is 42nd in assist/turnover ratio (2.17).
Gonzaga University is in search of its 10th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs current streak of nine straight appearances ranks the Bulldogs tied for sixth for consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with the University of Florida, University of Texas and University of Wisconsin.
After shooting 50.0 percent or better in four of its previous five games, Gonzaga University had its worst shooting night from the field in West Coast Conference play this year and its fifth worst night from the field this season in Monday's 72-64 win over the University of San Francisco. The Bulldogs connected on 25-of-58 shots from the field for 43.1 percent. The only games Gonzaga has shot worse that Monday were 38.9 percent in a loss to Texas Tech University at the Great Alaska Shootout, 37.3 percent in a road win over Saint Joseph's University, 25.9 percent in a home loss to Washington State University and 39.3 percent in a neutral-court loss in Seattle to the University of Tennessee.
There's no place like home, and the McCarthey Athletic Center has become quite the home for the Bulldogs since it opened for the 2004-05 season. Gonzaga is 47-2 in the new facility, winning its first 38 games in the McCarthey Athletic Center. Santa Clara University halted the streak with an 84-73 victory Feb. 12, 2007. That loss also snapped a 50-game home winning streak for the Bulldogs, at the time the longest streak in the nation, as Gonzaga left the old Kennel with 12 straight home victories.
Jeremy Pargo has had quite a 12-game run in the
TOP-RANKED TIGERS TO HOST GONZAGA IN NON-CONFERENCE SATURDAY SHOWDOWN
The University of Memphis squad (18-0, 5-0 C-USA), ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll and No. 1 in ESPN/USA Today poll, returns to the friendly confines of FedExForum Saturday, Jan. 26 when it hosts Gonzaga (15-4, 4-0 WCC) in a non-conference match-up. The game, to be televised by ESPN, is slated for an 11:00 a.m. (CT) start.
The Tigers moved to the top spot in both national polls for only the second time in school history Jan. 21. The previous time Memphis was No. 1 came in the 1982-83 campaign, and the Tigers remained there for one week.
Memphis comes back home after a hard-fought 56-41 Conference USA road win at Tulsa Jan. 23. In addition to that win, the Tigers defeated East Carolina Jan. 9, Marshall Jan. 12, Rice Jan. 16 and Southern Miss Jan. 23 in C-USA play. Prior to opening league play, Memphis posted late December/early January wins over No. 5/4 Georgetown Dec. 22, No. 17/18 Arizona Dec. 29, Siena Jan. 3 and Pepperdine Jan. 5.
The Bulldogs are on a six-game win streak entering Saturday's encounter. Gonzaga posted wins over Utah, Georgia, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, San Diego and San Francisco in that stretch.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Gonzaga enters Saturday's non-conference encounter with a 15-4 overall record. The Bulldogs are a perfect 4-0 in West Coast Conference action. Gonzaga brings a six-game win streak into the game with victories over Utah, Georgia, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, San Diego and San Francisco. The Bulldogs' last loss was an 82-72 setback to Tennessee on Dec. 29.
Matt Bouldin leads four Bulldog players in double figures with a 14.7 scoring average. Josh Heytvelt (11.9 ppg), Austin Daye (11.1 ppg) and Jeremy Pargo (10.6 ppg) also are averaging double figures for Gonzaga. David Pendergraft (5.3 rpg) and Heytvelt (5.0 rpg) lead the Bulldogs on the glass. Pargo is tops on the team with 115 assists (6.1 apg). Steven Gray (52 percent) and Daye (46.9 percent) are Gonzaga's top three-point threats.
The Bulldogs are shooting 47.6 percent from the field, 37.9 percent from the three-point line and 70.8 percent from the charity stripe. Gonzaga is out-rebounding its foes by an average margin of +5.4 boards per contest (37.9-32.4).
TIGERS AT THE TOP
For only the second time in school history, Memphis is the top-ranked team in the nation. The Tigers occupy the No. 1 spot in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today coaches polls released Jan. 21.
The last time Memphis was the nation's No. 1 team came in the 1982-83 season. The Tigers were voted No. 1 in the Jan. 10, 1983, poll, but then lost at Virginia Tech later that day. Memphis bounced back with a win over Cincinnati later that week, but the Tigers dropped to No. 6 in the Jan. 17 poll.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
For those in attendance at FedExForum Saturday, they will witness history for the Memphis Tiger basketball program. When they take the floor Saturday, the Tigers will play their first home game as the No. 1 team in the nation in the program's history.
Memphis moved to the No. 1 spot in both national polls Jan. 21 and played its first game as the No. 1 team at Tulsa Jan. 23. The Tigers defeated the Golden Hurricane 56-41.
The last time Memphis was No. 1 came in the 1982-83 season, with the Tigers earning the top spot on Jan. 10. However, Memphis lost at Virginia Tech that same day and then played at Cincinnati later that week (an 80-63 win). The Tigers returned home Jan. 19, but had dropped to No. 6 in the polls when they took the court for that contest.
TIGERS MADE HISTORY
With its win over Tulsa Jan. 23, the 2007-08 Memphis squad made program history when it posted its first-ever victory as the nation's No. 1 team. The Tigers defeated Tulsa 56-41. The last time Memphis earned the No. 1 national ranking was Jan. 10, 1983, and later that same day, lost at Virginia Tech.
CALIPARI IN MORE ELITE COMPANY
Memphis head coach John Calipari is considered among the best active coaches in the country. But, with him guiding the Tigers to the No. 1 national ranking in the Jan. 21 Associated Press (AP) poll, Calipari can place his name among the top coaches historically.
Calipari is one of only five coaches in NCAA Division I history to guide two different schools to the No. 1 ranking (according to AP poll). The Moon, Pa., native directed UMass to the No. 1 spot in 1995 and 1996, and has now taken this year's Tigers to the No. 1 spot. The following lists the five coaches that have accomplished this feat (NCAA Record Book and AP poll; coaches listed in alphabetical order):
Coach Year(s)* No. 1 Rank
Schools
John Calipari
Massachusetts 1995, 96 No. 1
Memphis 2008 No. 1
Frank McGuire
St. John's 1950, 52 No. 1
North Carolina 1957, 58, 59 No. 1
South Carolina 1970 No. 1
Ralph Miller
Wichita State 1964 No. 1
Oregon State 1981 No. 1
Eddie Sutton
Arkansas 1978 No. 1
Kentucky 1988 No. 1
Roy Williams
Kansas 1990, 93, 94, No. 1
95, 96, 97, 2002
North Carolina 2007 No. 1
* year 1982-83 is listed as 1983 and so on
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