Memphis Basketball: Tigers, Tubby Smith have work to do

By Andrew Nostvick | Dec 19, 2016

Dec 10, 2016; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Tigers guard Jeremiah Martin (3) and Memphis Tigers head coach Tubby Smith during the second half against the UAB Blazers at FedExForum. Memphis Tigers defeated the UAB Blazers 62-55. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports /

Memphis basketball upset Oklahoma 99-94 in overtime on Saturday afternoon.

Challenges still exist for Tubby Smith and his Memphis Tigers. However, their 99-94 overtime win Saturday against Oklahoma can help Memphis get on the right track as the ACC season fast approaches.

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The win on Saturday had importance for Memphis and Smith, who were coming off an 82-79 home loss on Dec. 13 against Monmouth. Memphis has additional losses versus both Providence and Ole Miss. The Oklahoma win gives the Tigers a chance to put the previous losses, including the Monmouth one, behind them.

Against, Oklahoma, Memphis didn’t take the lead for the first time until late in the second half and at one point trailed by 13 to the Sooners.

Shooting 60 percent from the field and 14-for-16 from the free throw line in the second half helped keep Memphis in the game long enough to force the overtime.

Memphis can build off of this comeback win, especially with the conference season just around the corner.

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It’s Smith’s first season at Memphis, as he previously spent three seasons at Texas Tech. Smith has plenty of youth to turn to in order to help the Tigers stay focused, including the Lawson brothers, Dedric and K.J.

Both forwards stepped up big for Memphis in their win against the Sooners. Dedric Lawson, the Tigers leading scorer, finished with 26 points, six of which came during the overtime period. K.J. Lawson scored 19 in the Oklahoma win.

Both Lawson brothers, as well as Markel Crawford and Jeremiah Martin, will play key roles in helping Memphis return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2013-14 season, their first in the AAC.

Smith has found ways to make the NCAA Tournament. He made four appearances (two with Minnesota, two with Texas Tech) in nine seasons since Kentucky fired him after the 2006-07 season.

It wouldn’t be the first time if Smith guided a program to the NCAA Tournament in his first season as coach. In ‘95-96, Smith led a Georgia Bulldogs team that hadn’t made it to the tourney in five seasons to the Sweet 16. Just two seasons later, Smith inherited a talented team from Rick Pitino and led the Kentucky Wildcats to a 35-4 record and a seventh national title.

Smith narrowly missed out on leading Minnesota to the Big Dance in 2007-08. An 8-10 record in conference play kept the Gophers out. He would lead them to the tournament the next season, however.

Smith’s stays in the NCAA Tournament haven’t lasted long though. His last Sweet 16 appearance came when he coached Kentucky to the Elite Eight in 2003-04.

The Tigers have work to do, but it will be worth it in the end if they go dancing.

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Memphis has three remaining games left in the 2016 calendar year. Fortunately for the Tigers, all those games, including Wednesday’s against Incarnate Word, will take place at home.