Tulsa @ Memphis preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 7, 2017 ) Tulsa 44, Memphis 66

Memphis will try to reverse course when it hosts red-hot Tulsa on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers have lost three straight and are struggling on offense while the Golden Hurricane are off to a 3-0 start in American Athletic Conference play.

The Hurricane, who have won six of seven games, have several offensive weapons. Senior Corey Henderson Jr. took his turn with a 30-point performance, hitting eight of the team's AAC-record 17 3-pointers in an double-overtime win against Connecticut. The Tigers have averaged 52.0 points in their first two league games as leading scorer Jeremiah Martin has hit 9-of-34 from the floor during a three-game losing streak. Co-captain Jimario Rivers (8.8 points) played two minutes in Wednesday's loss to Central Florida due to a team violation.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPNews

ABOUT TULSA (10-5, 3-0 AAC): Senior forward Junior Etou, who leads the Hurricane with 17.4 points and 7.1 rebounds, has double-doubles in two league games. Sterling Taplin (12.1 points) and Martins Igbanu (7.6 points) have scored in double figures in back-to-back games. Tulsa has been solid defensively, holding league opponents to 65.7 points with a plus-12 rebounding margin.

ABOUT MEMPHIS (9-6, 0-2): Martin leads the Tigers with 16.5 points and Kyvon Davenport adds 12.7 points and a team-best 6.1 rebounds. Coach Tubby Smith told The Commercial Appeal he installed a new offensive scheme recently with freshman David Nickelberry (3.3 points) and junior Kareem Brewton (9.4 points) starting the offense in the hopes of allowing Martin to move off the ball. The Tigers are averaging 14.7 turnovers during their losing streak and allowing opponents to hit 45.2 percent from the 3-point line during that stretch.

TIP-INS

1. Memphis coach Tubby Smith built a 79-43 record in four seasons (1991-95) at Tulsa.

2. Memphis is 9-1 at home, losing to LSU in non-conference action.

3. Tulsa's 3-0 start in league play is its best since the 2014-15 team went 10-0 in first AAC season.

PREDICTION: Tulsa 75, Memphis 62