Bradley @ Memphis preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 6, 2014 ) Bradley 45, Memphis 73

No. 18 Memphis passed tough tests against Power 5 conference teams in the last two games and won’t have it much easier when they host dangerous Bradley in a non-conference matchup Tuesday night. The young Tigers edged Ole Miss 87-86 at home on Nov. 23 before knocking off North Carolina State 83-78 at the Barclays Center Classic last Thursday in Brooklyn, N.Y.

“We’ve seen them grow right before our eyes,” Memphis coach Penny Hardaway told reporters of his team, primarily made up of freshmen and sophomores. “I thought it was going to be around January. We’re not where we need to be but we’re growing. To see this in November is big.” The Tigers won’t have All-American candidate James Wiseman (19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.0 blocks) until mid-January due to suspension and fellow freshman Lester Quinones (10.3 points) is out approximately another three weeks with a broken hand, but they shot 51.9 percent from the field and 8-of-12 from 3-point range against N.C. State. Memphis will try to extend its winning streak to five against the Braves, who are coming in off an impressive 73-60 victory over Kansas State in the consolation game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida last week. Senior guard Darrell Brown, who leads Bradley in scoring (14.0), assists (5.3) and steals (1.4), is Hardaway’s godson.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network

ABOUT BRADLEY (5-2): Brown scored 16 against Kansas State and leads a balanced offense for the Braves, who have lost to Northwestern and St. Joseph’s and were picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll. Junior forward Elijah Childs chips in 12.9 points and a team-high 9.0 rebounds per contest while senior guard Nate Kennell (12.7 points) is 19-for-40 from 3 point-range after connecting on 6-of-8 and scoring a season-best 22 versus Kansas State. Sophomore forward Ja’Shon Henry shoots 52.5 percent from the field and adds 9.5 points per game.

ABOUT MEMPHIS (6-1): Freshman forward Precious Achiuwa leads the active players in scoring (15.0) and rebounding (8.7) after registering his third straight double-double with 15 points and 11 boards versus N.C. State. Freshman forward D.J. Jeffries averages 12.6 points on 53.6 percent shooting and freshman guard Boogie Ellis adds 9.9 per game after pouring in 21 - his second highest output this season - against the Wolfpack. Tyler Harris raised his game against Ole Miss and N.C. State, averaging 14.5 points, while fellow sophomore guard Alex Lomax leads the team in assists (5.1) and shoots 62.5 percent from the floor.

TIP-INS

1. Memphis freshman C Malcolm Dandridge had two points in seven minutes Thursday in his season debut after returning from a knee injury.

2. Bradley’s 6-11 senior F Koch Bar from Sudan averages 8.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and shoots 56.1 percent from the field.

3. The Tigers started the week ranked 241st in the nation in free-throw shooting percentage (67.2).

PREDICTION: Memphis 82, Bradley 70