Memphis Tigers
Conference USA (24-7, 13-3)
Memphis has had a pretty inconsistent 2011-2012 campaign, especially on the road. However, the play of point guard Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir is a big reason for that inconsistency and the 5-4 sophomore has been getting better at controlling the game and keeping the turnovers down. She was asked to do a lot during her first season as a starter and by the end of the year, Abdul-Qaadir turned into a very good floor leader.
Big Wins: 12/4 Tennessee-Martin (90-69), 12/10 at Arkansas-Little Rock (81-66), 1/5 Tulane (61-59)
Bad Losses: 11/15 at Illinois (54-62), 2/2 Southern Miss (54-62), 2/16 at Marshall (54-65)
Coach: Melissa McFerrin (4 seasons at Memphis)
Why They Can Surprise:
The Tigers have three big time scoring threats in guard Brittany Carter, forward Nicole Dickson and center Jasmine Lee. Finding a way to stop all three of them is impossible. Carter, a 5-9 senior, is the heart and soul of this Memphis squad. She is a tough player who will get to the basket and finish and knock down some mid-range jumpers. She is also a scrappy defender. Dickson has emerged as the best outside shooter on the team. The 6-0 forward has a nice enough outside shot that it opens up space for players like Carter to find room in the paint. Dickson is also one of the best rebounders in the conference but Lee is actually a better rebounder. Those two grab just about every ball that comes their direction. Lee is the traditional post scorer on the team and averaged 15.0 points and 10.0 rebounds during the regular season.
Why They Can Disappoint:
While Memphis has some very talented interior players, their biggest problem stems from the lack of a shot blocker. Lee is 6-2 and will rarely block or alter shots from opposing centers. Dickson will be out-muscled by some teams at the power forward spot. That has led to quite a few easy buckets for the opposition. The defense as a whole will create turnovers, but when the opposition gets a shot off, it is usually a pretty good shot. Another issue that may be a problem during the tournament is a lack of depth. Ramses Lonlack is a quality fifth starter who often gets overlooked and fellow guards Danay Collier and Lauren McGraw are decent options off of the bench. But up front, freshman Ann Jones is pretty much all Coach Melissa McFerrin has at her disposal. Jones will have to play at least ten to 15 minutes per game and if foul trouble is an issue for Lee or Dickson, the frontcourt has to become either small or inexperienced.
Probable Starters:
Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, Sophomore, Guard, 7.7 ppg, 3.4 apg, 2.4 spg
Brittany Carter, Senior, Guard, 13.6 ppg, 2.4 apg
Ramses Lonlack, Senior, Guard, 9.4 ppg, 2.6 apg
Nicole Dickson, Junior, Forward, 13.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg
Jasmine Lee, Senior, Center, 15.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Danay Collier, Senior, Guard, 4.9 ppg, 1.7 apg
Ann Jones, Freshman, Center, 2.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg
Lauren McGraw, Freshman, Guard, 2.2 ppg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 69.7 (45th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 58.7 (101, 6)
Field-Goal Percentage: 41.6 (65, 1)
Field-Goal Defense: 37.0 (83, 5)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 3.9 (245, 8)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: na
Free-Throw Percentage: 60.0 (332, 12)
Rebound Margin: 3.1 (91, 6)
Assists Per Game: 14.7 (45, 2)
Turnovers Per Game: 16.0 (87, 3)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
Memphis 2011 NIT Round of 64 loss to Alabama
Memphis 2010 WBI First Round win over UMKC
Memphis 2010 WBI Second Round win over Wichita State
Memphis 2010 WBI Semifinal win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Memphis 2010 WBI Final loss to Appalachian State
Memphis 2004 NIT First Round win over Tulsa
Memphis 2004 NIT Second Round loss to Western Kentucky
Memphis 2001 NIT First Round loss to Alabama
Memphis 2000 NIT First Round win over Arkansas State
Memphis 2000 NIT Second Round loss to Florida
*all team stats through 3/1
