SFA To Close Road Swing At Memphis
12/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game 7: Stephen F. Austin (3-3) at Memphis (2-2)
Date/Time: Tuesday, Dec. 2 • 6 p.m. CT
Site: FedExForum (Memphis, Tenn.)
Radio: Q107.7 FM (listen online at Q1077.com)
TV: ESPNews/WatchESPN
Talent: Marc Ketecher (PXP), Malcolm Huckaby (Color)
Live Stats | @SFA_MBB (#AxeEm/#DreamBigger)
SFA Game Notes 
Team Information
Stephen F. Austin
Head Coach: Brad Underwood (Kansas State, 1986)
Career Record: 35-6 (2nd season), Record at SFA: Same
Memphis
Head Coach: Josh Pastner (Arizona, 1998)
Career Record: 132-46 (6th season), Record at Memphis: Same
STORY LINES
• The Stephen F. Austin men’s basketball will look to continue their two-game win streak and open the month of December on Tuesday, Dec. 2, playing at Memphis in a 6 p.m. (CT) tip inside FedExForum. The game will air on ESPNews and the WatchESPN app with Marc Ketecher on call the game, while Malcolm Huckaby will serve as the color analyst.
• The Lumberjacks (3-3), making their first meeting against the Tigers (2-2) on the hardwood, are playing their final contest of a five-game road swing. SFA is 2-2 through its first four games of the trek and recently closed out the month of November with a 3-3 record after 73-61 and 83-62 wins over Prairie View A&M and Austin Peay to win its bracket in the 2014 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. Senior Jacob Parker was named to the all-tournament team for his efforts.
• SFA is looking to continue its success under second-year head coach Brad Underwood. Last season, the ‘Jacks became the first Southland Conference team to win 29 games in the regular season and then became the first 30-plus win team in conference history with two wins in Katy, Texas, host site of the league’s tournament, and one in the NCAA Tournament to finish 32-3. The 32 wins surpassed the 1985 Louisiana Tech team that finished 29-3 after reaching the “Sweet 16” and set a new school record for most wins in a single season, passing the 1971-72 ‘Jack squad that went 31-3 and advanced five games in the NAIA Tournament, and picked up the program’s first win in the NCAA Tournament.
• In 2013-14, SFA finished a perfect 15-0 at home for a second consecutive year, while the team’s 29-game overall win streak obliterated the former conference record of 19 set by Louisiana Tech in 1992-93 and 1993-94 and ranked led the nation for the ‘Jacks entering the third round of the NCAA Tournament, following Wichita State’s 78-76 loss to Kentucky the same afternoon.
THE LAST TIME OUT
• Senior Jacob Parker recorded 19 points and six rebounds to lead SFA to an 83-62 win over Austin Peay on Friday afternoon inside Orleans Arena and win its bracket of the 2014 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. (See SFA’s Last Time Out on Pg. 3 for more).
UP NEXT
• Following the trip to Memphis, the ‘Jacks will return to William R. Johnson Coliseum and embark on a five-game homestand beginning with Long Beach State on Wednesday, Dec. 5.
OTHER NOTES
• SFA vs. MEMPHIS: The ‘Jacks will meet Memphis for the first time on the hardwood when the two teams meet on Tuesday, Dec. 2 inside FedExForum.
• SCOUTING MEMPHIS: Memphis enters Tuesday’s tip 2-2 on the season. The Tigers have traded wins and losses across their first four games. After opening with a 71-56 loss against then 11th-ranked Wichita State, Memphis downed Prairie View A&M 77-49, before posting a 1-1 record in the 2014 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. In Las Vegas, the Tigers dropped a 71-47 decision to Baylor and most recently beat Indiana State 72-62.
Memphis, 1-0 at home this season, has scored over 70 points in both its wins.
The Tigers are led offensively by junior Shaq Goodwin, who is averaging 10.3 points per game. Memphis has four other players who are averaging just under double figures, as Avery Woodson (9.5), Nick King (9.5), Trahson Burrell (9.3) and Austin Nichols (9.0) are scoring nine points or over per game.
King and Goodwin lead the Tigers under the glass averaging 6.3 and 6.0 rebounds per contest.
Nichols overwhelming leads the team with 12 blocks on the season. Goodwin, the next closest for Memphis, has five through the team’s four games.
• SFA’s LAST TIME OUT: Parker was one of three SFA players to finish in double figures, as junior Thomas Walkup and senior Tanner Clayton joined the native of Bixby, Okla. Walkup recorded 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while Clayton finished with 12 points, hitting 5-of-6 shots from the floor. Both Walkup and Clayton were 2-of-2 from the free throw line. Clayton also pulled down six boards.
All 15 ‘Jacks saw action against AP, as SFA finished 31-of-49 (63.3%) from the field, 4-of-11 (36.4%) from 3-point land and 17-of-19 (89.5%) from the free throw line, their most efficient shooting performance from the charity stripe on the season.
Specialty Stats:
In Paint - SFA 46-26 Off Turnovers - SFA 23-16 2nd Chance - SFA 14-13
Fast Break - SFA 6-0 Bench - SFA 23-19
• FROM DOWNTOWN: Over 26% of SFA’s made field goals this season have come from beyond the arc. The ‘Jacks have made 40 of 129 (.310) attempts from 3-point land, while shooting 151-of-340 (.444) from the floor. The ‘Jacks 3-point shooting is almost double their opponent in both converted attempts and overall shots. When facing SFA, the opponent is 24-of-70 (.343) from deep.
• COMFORT IN HALFTIME LEAD: When leading at halftime, the ‘Jacks are 31-1 all-time under head coach Brad Underwood. SFA’s lone loss when taking a lead into the lockerroom was at Texas on Friday, Nov. 15, 2013, just the third game of Underwood’s tenure both with the ‘Jacks and as a head coach at the Division I level. SFA has won 29 consecutive games under Underwood since then when on top after the first 20 minutes.
• PERFECT FROM THE LINE: Senior Tanner Clayton has enjoyed steady success at the free throw line so far this season. The native of San Diego, California, is 6-for-6 from the charity stripe, while the ‘Jacks are 80-of-117 (.684) on the year.
• PARKER’s ALL-TIME WINS: Senior forward Jacob Parker recorded the 82nd win of his Lumberjack career after posing a 2-0 record in the 2014 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. The native of Bixby, Okla., is 15 wins away from tying former teammate Desmond Haymon as the program’s all-time winningest player at the Division I level. Haymon recorded 97 wins across four seasons at SFA.
• WINNINGEST TWO-YEAR PLAYERS: Senior Connor Brooks and Tanner Clayton picked up their 35th win of their Lumberjack careers after posing a 2-0 record in the 2014 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. The two are 24 wins away from tying former teammates Nikola Gajic and Deshaunt Walker as the program’s all-time winningest players in a two-year span. Gajic and Walker are also the only two ‘Jacks to go undefeated inside William R. Johnson Coliseum across their careers, posting 30 wins (15 - 2012-13; 15 - 2013-14). Brooks and Clayton are 16-0 in the coliseum.
• NEW STARTERS: SFA had a consistent starting five across the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. From the first game to the last of both campaigns, the ‘Jacks rolled with the same guys during those spans. With new additions to this season’s squad, Underwood will have different options for lineups, depending on the matchup, and in the second game of this season, he changed his lineup, ending a SFA’s streak of 68 games without changing the starters midseason.
2011-12 Starters (final 2 gms) - Darius Gardner, Antonio Bostic, Desmond Haymon, Jonathan King and Jereal Scott
2012-13 Starters (32 gms) - Hal Bateman, Antonio Bostic, Desmond, Haymon, Jacob Parker and Taylor Smith
2013-14 Starters (35 gms) - Trey Pinkney, Desmond Haymon, Thomas Walkup, Nikola Gajic and Jacob Parker
2014-15 Starters (1 gm) - Trey Pinkney, Dallas Cameron, Connor Brooks, Thomas Walkup and Jacob Parker
2014-15 Starters (3 gms) - Trey Pinkney, Dallas Cameron, Thomas Walkup, Clide Geffrard and Jacob Parker
2014-15 Starters (2 gms) - Trey Pinkney, Jared Johnson, Thomas Walkup, Jacob Parker and Tanner Clayton
• SFA IN UNDERWOOD OPENERS: The ‘Jacks improved to 2-0 in season and home openers under head coach Brad Underwood in a 75-49 win over Mississippi College inside William R. Johnson Coliseum. SFA kicked off the Underwood era last season with a 90-64 win over Texas-Tyler, also coming at home.
• DOMINANT SENIOR CLASS MOVES ON: After last season, SFA saw the departure of one of the most dominant senior classes to ever come through Nacogdoches in Haymon (starter), Nikola Gajic (starter) and Deshaunt Walker (sixth-man). Haymon left SFA as the program’s all-time winningest player at the Division I level with 97 victories, tied for the fourth winningest class overall in program history, while Gajic and Walker were the program’s winningest players in a two-year span with 59 wins. Gajic and Walker also became the first two players in program history to close their careers undefeated at home, posting 30 wins inside William R. Johnson Coliseum.
• RETURNERS/NEWCOMERS: The `Jacks returns three of their starters from last season in senior forward Jacob Parker, junior forward Thomas Walkup and junior guard Trey Pinkney. The `Jacks also return Connor Brooks (Sr., G/F), Tanner Clayton (Sr., F), Dallas Cameron (So., G), Justin Dotson (So., SG) and Jason Martin (So., G). Underwood welcomes six newcomers from his early signing class in Ty Charles (Fr., G), Demetrious Floyd (Jr., G), Clide Geffrard (Jr., F), Jared Johnson (Jr., G), Jaxon Holden (Fr., G) and Caleb Johnston (Fr., G/F), along with Bobby King, a senior transfer from Florida A&M.
• WIN STREAKS ENTERING 2014-15: SFA will enter the 2014-15 season with several national win streaks still intact - consecutive home, true road and conference wins. Entering the season, the `Jacks were tied with Duke for the nation’s longest active home win streak at 33 games. SFA has not dropped a game inside William R. Johnson Coliseum since a 51-47 loss to Texas-Arlington (2/15/12) during the 2011-12 season. The `Jacks also boast a 12-game true road win streak that is tied with No. 11 Wichita State for the nation’s lead, while their 14 overall road wins led the country.
In conference play, SFA sits third nationally, behind Florida and Wichita St., with a 20-game win streak. The `Jacks finished a perfect 18-0 last season, becoming just the 18th team to go unbeaten in a league schedule of 18 games or more in NCAA history.
• VOTE OF CONFIDENCE: SFA received one vote in the AP Top 25 Poll entering the season. The `Jacks continued receiving one vote in week two. SFA was also ranked fifth in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll in week two, moving up one spot from the opening week of the season (tabbed sixth).
• PRESEASON HYPE: CBSSports.com’s Sam Vecenie concluded the website’s 2014-15 college basketball conference preview with a “Best of the Rest” on Thursday, Oct. 23, and the ‘Jacks were tabbed sixth out of the 23 conferences not covered during the website’s preseason series, while NBCSports.com College Basketball Talk’s Rob Dauster had SFA ninth in his mid-major power ranking. USA Today had the ‘Jacks at No. 53 in its preseason countdown of the top teams.
• PICKED TO 3-PEAT: SFA, the two-time defending SLC regular-season and reigning tournament champion, was named the preseason favorite to repeat in a vote by the league’s coaches and sports information directors, the conference office announced Wednesday, Oct. 29. The `Jacks received 11 first-place votes from the coaches for 143 total points while picking up 10 first-place nods from the SIDs and 144 total points.
• PARKER, WALKUP NAMED PRESEASON All-SLC: SFA’s Parker and Walkup were named to the 2014-15 Preseason All-SLC teams, the league office announced on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Parker was tabbed to the first team for the `Jacks, while Walkup earned second team recognition.
LEFTOVERS FROM 2013-14
• NCAA TOP 10 BEST STARTS: Head coach Brad Underwood picked up his 28th win at the helm in a 83-72 victory over Oral Roberts (Mar. 6) to crack into the NCAA’s top 10 best career starts. Underwood, then added four more wins in 2013-14, to move into sole possession of third in the NCAA’s top 10 best career starts at the Division I level. Underwood passed Steve Prohm (Murray State - 31-2, 2012) and Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh - 31-5, 2004) with SFA’s win over VCU. Only Bill Guthridge (North Carolina - 34-4, 1998) and Bill Hodges (Indiana State - 33-1, 1979) recorded more wins in their first season as a head coach.
• PERFECT IN CONFERENCE: With the win over Central Arkansas in the season finale, SFA closed out the season out their conference schedule undefeated for just the third time in program history. The ‘Jacks finished the season 18-0 in conference to become the third team to do so this season, joining No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Wichita State and just the 18th team to go unbeaten in a league schedule of 18 games or more in NCAA history. SFA also finished 18-0 (29-1 overall) in the Lone Star Conference in 1969-70 and 10-0 (22-8 overall) in the Gulf Star Conference in 1886-87.
• ROAD WARRIORS: With the win at Southeastern Louisiana, SFA closed its Southland Conference road slate undefeated at 9-0, the first time the `Jacks have done so in the Division I era. The last conference team that was truly recognized for going undefeated on the road was Arkansas State in 1966-67 when it was 8-0 SLC and 4-0 on road. In 1972-73 Louisiana-Lafayette finished 6-0 (12-0 SLC), but all wins were later forfeited due to NCAA sanctions. Louisiana Tech is listed as 8-0 in league play in 1971-72, but it technically was 6-2 in conference and 3-1 on the road. It was later awarded two league wins (one road win) when ULL forfeited all eight-league games that season.
QUICK HITS
• The ‘Jacks opened the 2014-15 season 1-3 on the season, SFA’s worst start since the 1998-99 season when the team opened up 0-4.
• The ‘Jacks three-game losing streak earlier this season was their since 2011-12 season, when SFA dropped three consecutive in non-conference play (Prairie View A&M, 53-50; North Carolina Central, 65-57; Oregon, 55-45.).
• SFA’s 34-game win streak ended in a 79-77 overtime loss to Northern Iowa on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
• SFA’s 12-game true road win streak ended in a 81-63 loss at Xavier on Friday, Nov. 21.
• At the Division I level, senior forward Jacob Parker ranks 10th all-time at SFA with 102 starts. The native of Bixby, Okla., needs 10 more to tie former teammate Desmond Haymon (2010-14) for second all-time. Josh Alexander (2005-09) holds the Div. I mark with 116 starts.
• Junior guard/forward Thomas Walkup recorded his fifth double-double of the season in SFA’s season-opening 75-49 win over Mississippi College.
• In 2013-14, SFA closed the regular season 15-0 inside William R. Johnson Coliseum for a second straight year.
• SFA led the country with 14 true road wins in 2013-14, posting a 14-2 (.875) mark.
• SFA is coming off a record-setting 32-3 campaign in 2013-14. The ‘Jacks won the Southland Conference’s regular season and tournament titles, and picked up the program’s first-ever win the NCAA Tournament, upsetting fifth-seeded VCU 77-75 in overtime.
• The 2013-14 Southland Conference regular season title marks the second time the ‘Jacks have won back-to-back titles. SFA won the SLC in 2007-08 and 2008-09. The year after won their first consecutive titles, the ‘Jacks were eliminated in the championship game of the league’s tournament.
• The ‘Jacks are 2-5 all-time in postseason tournaments. SFA is 1-2 in the NCAA Tournament and 1-3 in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
• SFA is 2-0 in season openers, home openers and vs. non-Division I programs in the Brad Underwood era.
• Brad Underwood became the 11th head coach in SFA history on April 23, 2013.
Series vs. Memphis: 0-0, first-ever meeting
Last Five Meetings:
Season (H/A/N) W/L Score
2014-15 (A) TBD TBD
Last time vs. Memphis - (Dec. 2, 2014 - FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee)
TBD
Series Notes
• Tuesday’s game at Memphis will be the first meeting between SFA and the Tigers.
-SFA-
