Needing a win in the worst possible way, the Memphis Tigers would welcome New Orleans to the FedEx Forum for a midweek non-conference tilt. Memphis came into the game with a dismal 2-4 record after going winless in the Bahamas before returning home and getting back in the groove with a blowout 74-58 win over Southern Illinois. 

Memphis would open as they did against SIU, racing out to an early commanding lead over the Privateers. At the under-16 first-half media timeout, the Tigers held a 13-10 lead. At the under-12 media timeout, that lead had extended to 20-12. At the under-8, Memphis had dug the hole even deeper with a 29-14 lead over New Orleans. At the final media timeout of the first half, the Memphis lead had grown to 40-21 over New Orleans. At the half, it was all Memphis as they took a 48-28 lead over New Orleans to the break. 

Memphis took the mometum from the game with Southern Illinois and ran with it in the first half against New Orleans. Memphis looked like the Memphis team we all expected Memphis to look like from the start this season. They dominated an inferior team in the first half, taking a massive lead into the break to build on in the second half and maybe even the showdown on Saturday with the Baylor Bears. 

Leading the way in scoring for Memphis in the first half was Julius Thedford with 13 points. 

Memphis opened the second half like they finished the first, strong and dominating New Orleans, maintaining a 57-34 lead at the under-16 second-half media timeout. At the under-12 media timeout, Memphis saw the lead to 19 as the Privateers cut it to 59-40. As the under-8 media timeout rolled around, the Tigers kept a 19-point lead as they led New Orleans 71-52 with 7:09 remaining in the game. At the final media timeout of the game, it was all Memphis as they held a 76-60 lead over New Orleans.

Memphis had six guys score in double figures on Wednesday night, with Quante Berry leading the way in scoring with 17 points. 

Memphis did what it had to put away an inferior team on Wednesday night, setting the stage for a massive opportunity on Saturday as they welcome the Baylor Bears to the FedEx Forum for a tip-off slated for 3:30 on CBS. 

Photo Credits- Memphis Basketball on X