Memphis To Host UAB in C-USA Championship Game Rematch

In a rematch of the Conference USA Tournament Championship game, the University of Memphis men's soccer team will take on UAB in a spring exhibition on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Sports First 1996 Field in Birmingham, Ala. As part of a doubleheader, the Tigers will also face Furman University at 2 p.m.

"I'm really pleased to have two more games," said Memphis head coach Richie Grant. "We're excited for the opportunity to play Furman who has been traditionally a strong NCAA team. Obviously we are very familiar with UAB's program. We believe those two games will give us the quality that we need to finish out the spring.

`It's nice to play MLS teams, it's nice to play seven sides, it's nice to play Colaiste Ide, but really we need to be preparing to play top 20 quality college competition for next year and that is what UAB and Furman are."

Memphis has never faced Furman in the regular season. The Paladins finished 6-10-2 in 2004 and 2-5-0 in the Southern Conference and has made six NCAA postseason appearances with the most recent coming in 2002. The Greenville, S.C., school is coached by Doug Allison.

The Tigers finished 2-0 against UAB in 2004 in their run for both the C-USA Regular season and Tournament championship. On Oct. 27, Memphis beat a then No. 17 Blazers team at home, 2-0, clinching the No. 1 seed in the C-USA Tournament. The Tigers then faced the No. 2 seeded UAB team in the tournament championship game. Down 2-0 at the half, Memphis pulled off an amazing comeback, scoring three-straight goals to win 3-2 and earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

When the opportunity arose to face the Blazers in the spring along with Furman, Grant said he immediately took it.

"I don't think either coaching is thinking that there is psychology there because we play each other in the fall," Grant said. "I think we both see it as another good, tough spring game. The more opportunities we get to put our players in those situations, the better for us."

The Tigers are enjoying a successful spring, compiling an 8-2 record. Memphis enters the exhibition doubleheader after winning the Fifth Annual Tim McCage 7v7 Tournament last Saturday for the first time in the program's history. After a three-year drought, the U of M also won the Memphis Cup by beating Christian Brothers and Rhoades College in February.

"We've had really solid performances from the team this spring," Grant said. "I think what has been most evident and outstanding is the way the team has gone about their training after their break. I think they look very focused and very hungry for the type of success they got last fall. It's been great to watch a team that works so hard because they want to accomplish more."