Memphis plays its Conference USA opener, at home, Saturday against Rice.

And here’s what’s amazing about that sentence.

The Tigers will be playing a C-USA opener, at home, for the first time since 1996, the first year of C-USA football. Since beating Tulane in its inaugural league game, Memphis has opened on the road 11 consecutive seasons.

In those 11 openers, the Tigers have gone 2-9, winning only the 1999 game at UAB and the 2000 game at Army. Last year’s opener was a 56-20 loss at Central Florida and its new Bright House Networks on-campus stadium.

Another day, another Grizzly defection.

Shawn Bennett, director of promotions and event presentations, will leave in two weeks to work as Vice President of Event Presentations for the New York Knicks. Strength and conditioning coach Mike Curtis left last week to work for the University of Michigan.

Bennett served the Grizzlies well over the past two seasons, bringing energy and creativity to the position. He joined the Griz in 2006 after spending three seasons with the Orlando Magic.

Some people may remember Bennett, an Indiana native, for his work with the Redbirds from 2000-03.

“It’s a great opportunity to perform in the world’s most famous arena,” Bennett said, referring to Madison Square Garden. “That’s the attraction for me. It’s a great opportunity to be on that stage.”

- - - RUMOR MILL KEEPS CHURNING: Any potential Memphis deal involving New York forward Zach Randolph is now in the Knicks’ court from what I’m told. The Griz will agree to a package that includes Darko Milicic and Marko Jaric going to the Knicks for Randolph. But Griz brass apparently wants the Knicks to pick up more of the deferred payments owed Randolph in the latter year of his contract.

New York executives supposedly are deliberating. Randolph is owed $14.6 million, $16 million and $17.3 million over the next three seasons.

In short, this seems to be a 50/50 proposition – a scenario that bears watching until the start of the regular season.