By Courtney Smith

Tiger Nation was quiet for the most part of Wednesday night's game against the UCF Knights. They weren't as rowdy as they were on Saturday night when ESPN's College GameDay crew was in town for the game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

The fans were watching a sluggish Memphis Tigers team that looked to have a hangover from their recent win over the Zags. 
Before the game got out of control, the Tigers had to get going on offense and defense to satisfy the 15,021 people in attendance at the FedEx Forum.

Despite the Tigers' sluggish start in the first half and midway through the second half, Memphis (19-5, 8-3 AAC) was able to hold off UCF (9-13, 1-10 AAC) for the potential upset with a 76-70 home victory in conference play. With the loss to Memphis, the Knights losing streak extended to nine games.

"It was a good win. We found a way to get the W," Coach Josh Pastner stated to the media. "It was not pretty. We got to give Central Florida credit, but we got the W and that's the bottom line. I didn't think we were sharp in some things. Championship teams got to play the championship level every time you step on the floor. I felt like our energy was fine, but I didn't think some of our execution in some areas we were real good."

 By Margot Pera

Nov. 23 marked the second annual celebration of Cranksgiving in Memphis, with bikers coming from all around the city to participate in the race.

“Cranksgiving was started in New York City as a way for people to raise money for food banks, it usually done as a scavenger hunt, but I decided just to have people donate money,” said Carter Chappell, University of Memphis alumni and founder of the Cranksgiving event.

Court Percer, manager of Peddler Bike Shop and graduate of University of Memphis, participated in the race for first time this year. Last year, he just observed the other cyclists muscle through the 50-mile race.

“I decided on the 12-mile race instead of the 50, the 12-mile race is more fun, the 50-mile race is more for the pros and longtime cyclists,” Percer said.

The race started at the Mid-South Food Bank, located at 239 Dudley in Memphis and ended at Bluff City Sports Print on Cooper. Chappell said the best part about the race is the end.

“At the end of the race, we have a big buffet with turkey legs and stuffing, a keg of beer, and tons of desserts, we just sit around and have a good time and unwind after the long ride," he said.

Last year, Cranksgiving collected around 220 can goods, which equates to about $800 worth of food, according to Lee Curbo, Chappell’s fiancée.

Chappell said it is essential that the riders be prepared to ride in fast traffic and keep up with other cyclists during big races like Cranksgiving, otherwise it is easy to get lost or injured.

“We usually do a neutral start instead of all running to bikes for safety reasons,"Chappell said. "We tried the running approach last year and some people ran into each other and ended up getting injured.”

In addition to a neutral start, Chappell and race leaders had a pre-race meeting to address in safety concerns. Chappell also posted a link online to the route for racers to prepare for the event.

Most of the injuries were minor things like scrapes along the knee and shin.

The participants in Cranksgiving paid a $10 fee to join in the fun and festivities. For every dollar raised by Cranksgiving, the Mid-South food bank tripled the amount.

Percer said the small ride is more important than the 50-mile race because it attracts non-cylists to the event, which draws in more money. Last year, Peddler donated a wheel set and other gear for the winners.

Chappell has been cycling for 18 years and likes the outdoor aspect of the sport. He said he loves trying new trails and seeing different parks and parts of nature.

“A lot of people shy away from cycling because of all the dangers of cyclists running into each other, but it really isn’t that bad if you know what you are doing,” Chappell said.

  As for hosting another event anytime, Chappell is content with just contributing to the philanthropic efforts of Memphis just once a year.

“It was a lot of fun, but a lot of work, especially when people wouldn’t follow through with their obligations,” Chappell said. “I am glad it was successful and more grateful it is done.”

The life of a student athlete can sometimes be a difficult one. Whether it's the pressure to perform on the playing field or in the class room or to simply enjoying all the things that college has to offer.

John Luke Tyner is a member of the University of Memphis golf team. As a Memphis native, Tyner talks about being a student athlete at the U of M, his love for the game of golf, and the lessons it has taught him. The slide show pictures contain shots of Tyner while playing at various golf courses throughout the Memphis area.

By Hassan Allawi

No tickets are required to watch the games; just make yourself comfortable  on the curb and enjoy.

The students from Bangladesh said they prefer playing cricket over any other sport, and the asphalt surface of the parking lot is perfect.

"We need a hard surface and a lot of space," said Kamal Mustafa, one of the players.

The courts at the university are not good for the game, he said. So long its not raining, they are likely playing.

By Grant Milner

Most kids grow up watching the NFL or college football, dreaming of one day wearing the jersey of their favorite team. But for Tom Hornsey, who grew up in Australia playing rugby, college football or the NFL for that matter, never even entered his mind.

“I didn’t even know this existed to be honest,” he said. “It has been a good thing. I would have never thought that I would be here, and I am grateful for it.”

Hornsey was named Monday as the Ray Guy Award Player of the Week for his performance against UT Martin on Saturday. He punted six times, three of which were downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, including a 70-yard rocket that completely flipped the field.

By Grant Milner

Justin Fuente is in the middle of putting together his third recruiting class at the University of Memphis.

So far the Tigers have eight players committed for the class of 2014, none of which are from the junior college ranks. However, over the last two classes, Memphis has taken 14 JUCO players. Of course, Fuente didn’t have many options based on the roster he was handed in December of 2011.

“We didn’t have any choice when we first got here,” Fuente said. “In order to fill out a football team, we had to go to junior college. We’ve filled it with some good players. Antonio Foster has been a two-year starter for us, Anthony Brown has been a two-year starter and a very good player, so we’ll never wholesale the junior college ranks. But I think it is important that we do a good job and make sure that we evaluate everything we can in those areas and see if we can help our team. We’re not going to wholesale it, but we will continue to recruit the junior college ranks.”

The Tigers have had one of the strangest schedules in college football, playing just seven games in the first nine weeks, including a Wednesday night battle with Cincinnati last week. Despite the season ending late, Fuente believes that the schedule has actually helped them overall with recruiting.

By Grant Milner

With three-year starter Paulo Henriques graduating following the 2012 season, Memphis was in search of a kicker. It’s safe to say they found one.

Freshman Jake Elliott connected on his first 11 field goal attempts of his career, with his first miss coming last Saturday against Southern Methodist University.

“The first kick was definitely nerve wracking,” Elliott said. “I adjusted and I just block everything out and it feels like a high school game. I hope they have the confidence to send me out whenever they want. I’ll be up for it and I’ll be ready.”

Elliott took a different route to a college scholarship than most Division I athletes. He didn’t start playing football until his junior year of high school and was more focused on tennis. He had friends who played on the football team who informed the coaches that their search for a kicker needed to end with Elliott.

“I went to practice and kicked a few, and he told me to come back tomorrow if you want,” Elliott explained. “I thought it over, decided to come back and it turned out pretty good. It just came naturally to me.”

By Matthew Schwartz

Students, family and friends in the University District love Memphis basketball as basketball has been a part of the Memphis soul for decades .

One thing that gets lost in the shuffle of the on-court success is the people who do work behind the scenes.

Among this group is a gentleman named Kenneth “Bear” Harden.

Harden is a 42-year-old native of Brownsville, Tenn. He first came to the city of Memphis and the University of Memphis in 2000 as a student.

He graduated from the U of M in 2008 with a bachelor’s and professional studies degree in Sports Management.

“Bear,” as he is commonly called, was the Tiger men’s basketball team manager for six seasons from 2006-2012.

“Kenneth was a fantastic worker for me," Josh Pastner said. "Dedicated, reliable, countable, and dependable.  Plus, he was a very high character human being."

By Grant Milner

One of the most anticipated events every fall in the Bluff City is Memphis Madness. The event gives fans an opportunity to see the Tiger basketball team for the first time before the season gets underway. This year’s team has nine new faces, including seven freshmen and two senior transfers.

“Memphis Madness can’t get here fast enough,” said freshman guard Markel Crawford. “Seeing that I was hurt when I came to the last Memphis Madness, the fans really love it and it’s just a good experience.”

The doors to FedExForum will open Friday, Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. for the event, preceded by a live disc jockey on the outdoor plaza starting at 4:30 p.m.

When the doors open, the first 1,000 fans will receive autograph vouchers, as the men’s team will be signing autographs for fans from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.

Once the autograph session is completed, the agenda for the event inside the arena is unparalleled.

“I know it’s going to be a lot of fun,” added freshman Pookie Powell. “Everybody is going to have a good time. That’s what made me commit here, Memphis Madness.”

By Grant Milner

When Justin Fuente arrived on campus and became the head coach at the University of Memphis, the football program was in shambles. The team had won five games in their last three seasons and needed a complete makeover. 

One of the fastest turnarounds in the Fuente era thus far has been the defense. In 2011, Memphis ranked 117th nationally in total defense, 97th in rushing defense and 108th in total sacks. 

Before he became the defensive coordinator at Memphis, Barry Odom was the safeties coach at his alma mater Missouri and developed quite the reputation over a long period of time. 

“We graduated high school in Oklahoma the same year, so I knew about him when we came out of high school,” Fuente said of Odom. “That name in that part of Oklahoma because of his brothers and everything, you know about the Odom family.”

Still, Odom had spent 15 of the last 16 years in Columbia since arriving as a freshman linebacker in 1996. Fuente knew that he wanted him to be his defensive coordinator, but he didn’t think he’d ever leave Missouri. 

“When he came in for an interview, he had more questions than I did,” Fuente explained. “He was just very thorough and very prepared and very professional. I had never worked with him, but I knew people that had, and he had certainly earned a really good reputation.”