Memphis holds historic edge in series with Bulldogs

PORTLAND – Mark Few flashed a smile when asked about the former midseason games between Gonzaga and Memphis.

“Those were fun games,” Few said. “Remember that Adam Morrison game? That was crazy stuff.”

Between 2005 and 2015, the Bulldogs and Tigers battled eight times, with Memphis winning six .

The Bulldogs averaged 67 points per game in those eight matchups and the Tigers averaged 70 a game.

The series was originally born out of a friendship between Few and John Calipari, before the latter moved to Kentucky in 2009.

Josh Pastner continued the series when he took over for Calipari.

With the Bulldogs and Tigers set to play each other in the postseason for the first time on Saturday in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament, here are the previous matchups between the programs:

Nov. 16, 1998: Gonzaga 88, Memphis 73 – Five years after Penny Hardaway – current Memphis head coach – was a one-and-done player for the Tigers, the first game between GU and Memphis took place at the Pyramid Arena, the former home of the Tigers.

It was the second game of the season for the Zags, who were coming off a 14-point season-opening loss to Kansas.

GU junior Richie Frahm scored a career-high 37 points, connecting on 14 of 20 shots, and going 8 of 11 from behind the arc.

Dec. 27, 2005: No. 4 Memphis 83, No. 8 Gonzaga 72 – The Tigers responded in their new FedEx Forum home by handing the Zags their worst loss since a 13-point setback the prior season against Illinois.

Morrison starred in the classic red Bulldogs jerseys, scoring 34 points – including 12 for 12 from the free-throw line – a career high at that point.

“I think Memphis and us are in the top five in the country,” Morrison said after the game.

“We are pretty solid, and Memphis is as talented as any team in the country.”

GU’s J.P. Batista added 15 points with eight rebounds.

“That was a heck of a game,” Calipari said. “I told their coach, ‘Let’s hope we are playing in April. Let’s hope we are the last two standing.’ ”

In the 2006 tournament, GU lost in heartbreaking fashion to UCLA in the Sweet 16 while Memphis fell in the Elite Eight to UCLA.

Feb. 17, 2007: No. 17 Memphis 78, Gonzaga 77 (OT) – A season later, the two foes met up at the Spokane Arena.

Memphis’ Chris Douglas-Roberts cut into the key and tossed up a runner with 5.6 seconds left in overtime to top GU.

Derek Raivio led the Zags with 21 points and Jeremy Pargo added 17.

Five Tigers scored in double figures, including Douglas-Roberts’ 13.

The Bulldogs were without second-leading scorer and top rebounder Josh Heytvelt for their second game after the sophomore was suspended indefinitely eight days prior.

The loss was GU’s 10th of the season, the first time it had lost that many games since the 1997-98 season.

Jan. 26, 2008: No. 1 Memphis 81, Gonzaga 73 – An unranked Bulldogs team pushed the top-ranked team for 40 minutes.

But the Tigers prevailed, helping Calipari win his 200th game as Memphis head coach.

It was also the first and only time the Zags would see Derrick Rose, the future No. 1 overall draft pick, who scored 19 points and dished out nine assists.

Douglas-Roberts was problematic for GU again, scoring 21 points. After the game, Few called him a potential player of the year candidate – he finished as a first-team All-American.

Memphis was the national runner-up that season, falling 75-68 to Kansas.

Pargo led the Bulldogs with 25 points and seven assists. Matt Bouldin had only six points on 2-of-9 shooting.

Feb. 7, 2009: No. 14 Memphis 68, No. 18 Gonzaga 50 – One of the more lopsided defeats under Few came at the hands of future No. 4 overall pick Tyreke Evans at the Spokane Arena.

Evans scored 22 points and bookended the first Memphis run of the game with 3-pointers on either side.

It was a difficult game for the Bulldogs on offense as Pargo – the reigning West Coast Conference Player of the Year – Bouldin and Steven Gray went a combined 4 for 20 from the floor.

Micah Downs had the only efficient game for GU, scoring 13 points while knocking down three 3-pointers.

Both teams went undefeated in conference play during the season.

Feb. 6, 2010: No. 17 Gonzaga 66, Memphis 58 – For the first time in four tries, and since 1998, the Bulldogs knocked off the Tigers in a road game.

It was also the first game for first-time head coach Josh Pastner, who replaced Calipari.

Bouldin bounced back with 19 points and redshirt sophomore Robert Sacre controlled the paint, scoring 10 of his 13 points down low.

Freshman Elias Harris struggled against the physical Memphis squad, going 2 for 14 from the field.

The Zags held the Tigers to 23 first-half points.

Feb. 5, 2011: Memphis 62, Gonzaga 58 – In the second-to-last Ronald McDonald Charity House Classic at Spokane Arena, the Zags gave the Tigers their lone nonconference road win of the 2010-11 season.

For Memphis, Antonio Barton scored 17 points, including three 3-pointers.

Gray couldn’t find his shot, going 4 for 14 from the field. Sophomore Kelly Olynyk scored 10 points. His career-altering redshirt season happened the following season.

Drew Barnham attempted his 100th shot as a Tiger in the game before transferring to GU for the 2012-13 season.

Feb. 8, 2014: No. 24 Memphis 60, No. 23 Gonzaga 54 – A frustrating final 3 minutes caused the Bulldogs to drop another game to the Tigers.

A Kevin Pangos jumper at the 3:18 mark were the final points for GU .

Sam Dower led the Zags with 18 points. Sophomore Przemek Karnowski and transfer Gerard Coleman added 12 points apiece.

For Memphis, a Michael Dixon Jr. layup with 1:12 left turned out to be the winning shot.

The difference-maker was at the line, where the Tigers converted 18 and GU made six.

Jan. 31, 2015: No. 3 Gonzaga 82, Memphis 64 – In the most recent head-to-head fight, the three Bulldogs big men provided 45 points.

Karnowski scored 17 points, Kyle Wiltjer – who transferred away from Calipari and Kentucky – added 15 and Domantas Sabonis finished with 13 points with 11 rebounds – his second consecutive double-double.

The Zags were off to their best start in program history (22-1) and boasted the nation’s best field-goal percentage.

Nick King came off the bench to lead the Tigers with 13 points.

This was the first time in four tries that the Bulldogs beat Memphis in Spokane. The three previous games happened at the Spokane Arena, but this as at the Kennel.

It was also GU’s 38th consecutive home win, which was tops in the country.