Memphis and Ole Miss will renew their familiar Mid-South basketball rivalry on Tuesday night in Oxford, Miss., with rosters unfamiliar with the matchup.
The Tigers (1-0) are led by newcomers — in fact, all 15 players are in their first season with the team.
The Rebels (2-0) will counter with a share of transfers and first-year players, including former Kansas standout AJ Storr.
Storr has been solid in two games with Ole Miss.
He finished with 19 points in an 86-65 victory Friday over Louisiana Monroe and had 18 in the season-opening 88-58 win over Southeastern Louisiana. He has made 8 of 11 shots from 3-point range through two games.
“Offensively, (Storr) is a talented player, but I’d like to see him get to the free-throw line more,” Ole Miss coach Chris Beard said. “Defensively, I’d like for him to impose his will on the game. I think the next step for him is to be more consistent and to see (himself) as a guy who can control the game on both ends.”
The Tigers had a players-only meeting before the season opener to address issues that arise from having an entirely new roster. Memphis coach Penny Hardaway expressed concern during a press conference before the opener.
“Whatever it takes,” Hardaway said of the meeting. “The players read that stuff and they go, ‘OK, coach wants us to do this.’ They don’t listen to me in practice, they listen to (the media).”
Hardaway said he was OK with the gathering.
“Going into my eighth year, especially with a new team, I’m only going to take the good,” Hardaway said. “I’m going to take the good out of this.”
There were encouraging signs in the opener vs. San Francisco for Hardaway, whose team dropped lopsided exhibition games to Arkansas and Auburn. Memphis limited San Francisco to 22 first-half points and totaled 17 offensive rebounds in a 76-70 victory.
“I know who we can be,” Hardaway said. “They’re gaining confidence, especially after (Saturday).
“We’ve just got to keep finding ways to keep energy in the ball offensively and then defensively get tougher and tougher with our guards rebounding, our bigs staying out of foul trouble and fighting until the end. If they keep responding to coaching, we’re going to be OK.”
