'Nation's toughest schedule'
Memphis skeds home-and-home with Georgetown
Posted: Thursday June 14, 2007 7:26PM
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Memphis coach John Calipari heard enough about how weak his Tigers' schedule became once they began Conference USA play. He is doing everything possible to counter that complaint.
Memphis announced Thursday a four-game, home-and-home series with Georgetown over the next five years with the first game being played at the Tigers' FedExForum.
The Tigers will postpone a game with Mississippi one season so the series can begin this year. Memphis won't play the Rebels again until 2008-09 in Memphis and 2009-10 in Oxford.
"This Georgetown game adds to what was already a great home schedule," Calipari said in a statement. "I, too, want to thank Mississippi head coach Andy Kennedy for working with us, and I appreciate his help."
Georgetown lost to Ohio State in the Final Four and finished 30-7 last season. Memphis went 33-4, losing in the regional semifinals for a second straight season.
Memphis will visit Georgetown in the 2008-09 season with the series taking a break in 2009-10 before the Hoyas visit Memphis in 2010-11 with the Tigers going back to Georgetown the next season.
"This Georgetown game is a big event, and I'm sure it will be on national television, which allows us to showcase our university, city and basketball program," Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson said.
The Tigers already will be hosting Arizona, Tennessee and Gonzaga this season, which should seriously boost a strength of schedule that ranked 39th nationally at the end of last season. Calipari said it may be the best home schedule in Memphis history.
"With our home games along with playing in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic and the Jimmy V Classic, we quite possibly have the nation's toughest schedule," Calipari said.
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