Players to watch: No. 11 Louisville takes on rival Memphis

Louisville and Memphis revisit an old-school rivalry this Saturday. The Cards are looking to build off a ranked win against Indiana, while the Tigers ride a three-game winning streak into the KFC Yum! Center. 

Sitting at 4-4, coach Penny Hardaway hasn’t had the start he envisioned in his eighth season leading his alma mater. Losing key games to Ole Miss, Wake Forest, UNLV, and No. 1 Purdue, the Tigers’ strength of schedule is one of the hardest in the country. Riding a winning streak starting in late November, Memphis is turning the corner. 

Led by Kansas State transfer Dug McDaniel, his recent performance has boosted this program’s morale. Being the only player averaging double-figure points, this Memphis team relies on its depth to help carry the load. 

Bouncing back after a road loss to No. 25 Arkansas, the Cards put on an 87-point effort to get back on track against a ranked Indiana team. Memphis’s numbers might not jump out on paper, but Louisville can’t sleep on this matchup. 

Louisville players to watch 

All freshmen go through a rough patch. Louisville guard Mikel Brown‘s first four games of the season were amazing, but his scoring has since slowed down. Shooting 30 percent from the field through his last five games, Brown hasn’t been playing up to his normal offensive numbers. 

Against Indiana, Brown hit 2 of 8 shots from the field in 27 minutes. This is his fewest attempts since the first game of his career, when he played 18 minutes. 

Brown averages 5.3 assists per game, but has been significantly below that in three of the last four contests. Fortunately for Louisville, his turnover rate has decreased during this stretch. 

Memphis gives up 74.1 points per game, 208th in the country. They are also ranked 144th in three-point defense. Brown has shot the ball best at home, and this positive matchup is a great opportunity to break out of his scoring slump.

Sananda Fru is aging like fine wine. Averaging 10.6 points on 76.6 percent shooting and 6.2 rebounds, Fru has been involved a lot in the past two games. Fru followed up a 14-point and season-high eight rebound performance with 12 points and three steals against Indiana.

Memphis grabs 14.12 offensive rebounds per game, good for 33rd in the nation. Leading the Cards in rebounding, Fru will need to be on his A game against this aggressive Memphis squad.

Aaron Bradshaw could be the primary defender on Fru. Standing at 7 feet 1, Bradshaw only averages one block per game while fouling 3.5 times per game. Constantly getting into foul trouble, the 22-year-old Fru needs to expose this weakness.

Memphis players to watch

Veteran point guard Dug McDaniel has been around the block. Averaging 16.3 points at Michigan two years ago before making a stop at Kansas State, where he put up 11.4 points along with 4.9 assists per game.

This season, McDaniel is averaging 13.9 points and 6.4 assists per game, ranking 14th in the nation. Playing his best ball the past five games, his shooting numbers have increased, while also showcasing a 10-assist night against New Orleans. McDaniels has dominated on the road, averaging 16.5 points, 6.5 assists, and 6.5 rebounds through two games. 

McDaniels has struggled with turnovers, averaging 3.1 per game. Standing under 6 feet, Louisville can disrupt the flashy guard by utilizing its size advantage.

Memphis averages 34 bench points per game, good for 32nd in the nation. Three of the Tigers’ top four leading scorers have come off the bench in 50% or more games. Zach Davis averages 9.1 points per game, while Sincere Parker and Julius Thedford both average 9 points per game.

Starting 12 different players this season, this trio has been consistent in scoring the ball for coach Hardaway. Averaging only 3.8 assists between them, Louisville will try to put pressure on McDaniel to let his other guards facilitate the offense.

Unlike Memphis, Louisville’s bench ranks 178th in scoring. Kobe Rodgers has been a great spark as of late, coming off a 12-point outing against Indiana, where he was perfect from the field. Adrian Wooley has also been heating up, having 15 points off the bench three games ago against NJIT, but was limited to zero points against the Hoosiers.

If Louisville doesn’t want a drop off when checking in the backups, players like Rodgers and Wooley will need to maintain their recent presence.

Louisville can take care of business if it sticks to its game plan and limits mistakes. Coach Pat Kelsey will take a much-needed win before traveling to No. 20 Tennessee on Tuesday.