With the University of Memphis men's basketball team's season opener less than two weeks away, Tiger nation is readying itself for the last year in Conference USA. What has been considered an immature roster the past two seasons is now stacked with 10 upperclassmen, including three McDonald's All-Americans.
Frontcourt
Over the last few seasons, the frontcourt has been the Achilles heel for the Tigers. Since the departure of rebounding guru Joey Dorsey, Memphis has struggled to rebound the ball with consistency. The departed Will Barton, a 6'6" combo guard, led the team in rebounding last season.
The hopes among coaches and the Tiger faithful are that junior forward Tarik Black will rebound the ball with more consistency. Black was second on the team last year, averaging 4.9 boards a game. In some games, Black rebounded the ball with authority, while in other matches he seemed to disappear. Behind Black and Barton, the Tigers could not find someone to come into games and clean the glass.
That was key for head coach Josh Pastner when recruiting for the class of 2012. To help shore up the rebounding woes, he signed Shaq Goodwin from Southwest DeKalb High School in Decatur, Ga. Goodwin is expected to immediately provide a low-post presence alongside Black. Goodwin played for Team USA over the summer in the FIBA U18 Championship and showed he can score the ball, netting 30 points against the Virgin Islands.
Also expected to play vital roles in the frontcourt this year are senior Ferrakohn Hall and sophomore Adonis Thomas, who decided to forgo the NBA Draft after an ankle injury put a damper on his freshman year. Thomas has the ability to be an all-conference selection, barring any more injuries.
Backcourt
The guards are where Memphis holds its greatest strength. Junior Memphians Chris Crawford and Joe Jackson anchor the backcourt. Jackson, who has won the C-USA Tournament MVP award the past two seasons, averaged 11.0 points and a team-leading 3.9 assists per game last year. Jackson is the floor general and much of the Tigers' success starts and ends with him.
His counterpart, Crawford, averaged 9.1 ppg and was second on the team with 3.8 apg. Crawford provides a three-point threat for the Tigers, as well as pure passing. The junior has made 95 three-point field goals in his first two seasons and increased his three-point percentage by almost 10 percent from his freshman to sophomore year.
The key reserves will be juniors Antonio Barton and Geron Johnson and senior D.J. Stephens.
Barton has played key minutes for the Tigers over the past two seasons and will be expected to continue that this year. Stephens, though he is not a scorer, provides much needed energy off the bench and is considered one of the best defenders on the team.
Johnson could be the X-factor of the group. Many recruiting services rated him as the best junior college prospect in the country, but his legal problems have many people skeptical of whether he can stay within the guidelines set forth by the team. As long as he stays out of trouble, expect Johnson to provide a nice addition to the roster.
Final Overview
Though Pastner has not gotten past the opening game in the NCAA Tournament, he has kept the tradition of Memphis basketball alive and well, compiling a 75-29 record in his first three seasons, better than his predecessor John Calipari.
With 10 upperclassmen, the Tigers have the talent and experience to compete for a conference and national championship. If the players buy into the "One City. One Team. One Goal," this year's Memphis squad has a chance to etch its mark in history.
