The lowdown
2000-01 record: 21-15; 10-6 in C-USA (2nd in National)
Final Ranking: NR
Postseason: Beat Detroit 86-71 in third-place game of NIT after losing to Tulsa 72-64 in semifinals.
Three Questions for 2001-02
1. How will DaJuan Wagner handle being the shooting guard with Courtney Trask and Antonio Burks at the point? Can he control the game, but not have the ball all the time, a la Allen Iverson? Where does Scooter McFadgon fit into the backcourt rotation?
2. Will Kelly Wise coexist with Wagner? Can he get enough touches? What about Chris Massie? How will he fit in with both?
3. The Tigers will miss the toughness of Shannon Forman, but can Duane Erwin and Earl Barron replace his tenacity?
Three Key Facts
1. Wise returns as one of the top rebounders in the nation, and C-USA's best board man ever. Wise set the conference's single-season record for rebounds last season with 363, averaging 10.1 a game -- the fourth-highest average in C-USA history. He was also the only player in the conference to average a double-double with 15.3 ppg.
2. Memphis was the second C-USA member to advance to the NIT's semifinals before bowing to eventual champion Tulsa at Madison Square Garden. In the conferences debut season (1995-96), Tulane reached MSG and also fell to eventual '96 NIT champion Nebraska.
3. Dajuan Wagner heads a Memphis recruiting class which has been ranked the best in the nation by several organizations, including ESPN.com. Wagner was the recipient of the Naismith Award, presented to the top prep basketball player, as well as named the All-USA boys player of the year by USA Today.
Andy Katz's Scenarios
Best case: The talent is in place for the Tigers to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, with an outside shot at the Final Four if all the stars align for them in March.
Worst case: The Tigers pull a 2000-01 DePaul implosion and can't all get on the same page. If that's the case, they should still make the tournament but will bow out early.
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Key Players Returning
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Player
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Yr.
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Pos.
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Ht./Wt.
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Comment
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Kelly Wise
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Sr.
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F
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6-10/217
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PTS: 15.3 | REB: 10.1 | AST: 1.9
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Scooter McFadgon
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So.
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G
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6-5/190
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PTS: 9.3 | REB: 3.3 | AST: 1.3
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Courtney Trask
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Jr.
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G
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6-3/177
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PTS: 5.2 | REB: 2.8 | AST: 2.4
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Key Losses
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Player
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Pos.
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Ht./Wt.
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Comment
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Marcus Moody
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G
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6-5/185
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PTS: 10.1 | REB: 2.1 | AST: 2.0
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Shannon Forman
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F
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6-5/219
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PTS: 9.8 | REB: 4.4 | AST: 2.1
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Memphis Signings
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Player
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Pos.
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Ht.
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High School/College
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Duane Erwin
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F
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6-9
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Huntsville, Ala./Lee H.S.
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Chris Massie
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F
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6-8
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Arcola, Texas/Oxnard (Calif.) JC
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Anthony Rice
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F
G
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6-4
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Atlanta, Ga./North Clayton H.S.
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Dajuan Wagner
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G
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6-3
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Camden, N.J./Camden H.S.
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