Did everybody think this game started at 8? It’s strangely empty here in FedExForum for being 10 minutes to tip-off. Maybe it will fill in, but I have to think a bunch of people got the time confused because orignally I believe this game was listed as an 8 p.m. start.

Lots of subplots tonight for the Tigers. How will they bounce back from the Tennessee loss? Certainly seems like there’s a letdown with the crowd, I’m sure there will be one with the Tigers too. Who will step up to pull them through it?

By the way, Joey Dorsey has let out his braids and is going with the Ben Wallace look tonight. Looks like he’s trying anything to snap himself out of his funk. We’ll see if it works.

With a win tonight, the Tigers can clinch the C-USA championship for a third year in a row. Not surprising by any means, and I wouldn’t expect Memphis to do much celebrating aftwards. Tulsa will be a tough opponent. It’s a solid team playing much better now than it was when the teams first met on Jan. 23. Doug Wojcik does a great job scouting the Tigers and putting in a gameplan to slow down their offense. I would expect a fairly ugly game, and it will be difficult for Memphis to get to the 70s.

Strike King Lure Company, Sportsman’s Warehouse and the Memphis Grizzlies are teaming up once again to hold “Sportsman’s Night with the Memphis Grizzlies” - and this year, they’re doing it twice.

Before this Saturday’s game between the Grizzlies and the Utah Jazz, BASS Elite Series pro Mark Menendez will conduct a seminar on springtime fishing in the TDEC Green room at FedExForum. The seminar will begin at 6 p.m., and the game will tip off at 7:05.

Menendez, a pro-staff member for the Collierville-based Strike King Lure Company, is a vastly successful pro from Paducah, Ky., who specializes in fishing jerk baits.

On March 24, fellow Elite Series pro and Strike King pro-staffer Denny Brauer (pictured), will conduct a seminar before the Grizzlies’ matchup with the Denver Nuggets. Brauer, one of the most successful anglers in the history of pro fishing, will talk specifically about fishing a jig. The seminar and tip-off times will be the same as this Saturday’s event.

Both Mark and Denny will spend the afternoon prior to their seminars visiting with patients and their families at St. Jude Children’s Hospital and the Grizzlies House.

To purchase tickets to either event, click on this link. Each participant will receive a free Grizzlies camo hat, two Strike King Lures and VIP access to the seminars.

First let me thank y’all for the kind comments. I really appreciate it.

As painful as the loss was Saturday it still wasn’t the most painful in my basketball memory. That pain (pain being relative) was January 10th, 1983. Tigers fans reached the pinnacle of college basketball for the first time in the school’s history. That night the Tigers went into Blacksburg, VA and lost to VA Tech. Five hours after the greatest feeling we experienced the pain of being knocked off the top of the pile. It hurts, a lot. It is a miserable place for a fan knowing that you are just waiting for the new poll to come out and your team will drop off the highest spot. I remember that gut wrenching feeling. We Tigers fans know what the Tennessee fans are going through. And now I can smile again.
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