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Tigers’ Top-10 Triumphs

When the Memphis Tigers travel to Houston this Sunday to face the 9th-ranked Cougars, they’ll have the chance to pick up the program’s first win over a Top-10 team in over seven years, the program’s longest drought for such victories in a half century. Curious about the Tigers’ biggest take-downs? Here’s a list of Memphis wins over Top-10 opposition dating back to Larry Finch’s playing days (1970-73).

U of M Athletics

As players, Elliot Perry and Larry Finch combined to win eight games over Top-10 teams.

February 2, 1972 — at #3 Louisville
March 2, 1972 — #2 Louisville
December 30, 1972 — at #10 Vanderbilt
March 17, 1973 — #9 Kansas State (NCAA tournament)
March 24, 1973 — #4 Providence (national semifinal)
February 19, 1977 — #8 Louisville
February 17, 1979 — #9 Louisville
March 17, 1984 — #10 Purdue (NCAA tournament)
March 23, 1985 — #4 Oklahoma (NCAA regional final)
January 4, 1986 — #5 Kansas
December 12, 1987 — #9 Missouri
February 1, 1988 — at #8 Florida State
February 18, 1988 — #7 Florida State
February 8, 1992 — #5 Arkansas
March 21, 1992 — #9 Arkansas (NCAA tournament)
February 6, 1993 — #4 Cincinnati
December 28, 1996 — #4 Michigan
January 23, 1997 — at #6 Louisville
March 1, 1997 — #9 Cincinnati (Larry Finch’s final regular-season game as head coach)
December 28, 2002 — #7 Illinois
February 19, 2003 — at #4 Louisville
February 4, 2004 — #6 Louisville
February 9, 2005 — at #9 Louisville
December 27, 2005 — #8 Gonzaga
March 22, 2007 — #9 Texas A & M (NCAA tournament)
December 22, 2007 — #5 Georgetown
March 30, 2008 — #6 Texas (NCAA tournament)
April 5, 2008 — #3 UCLA (national semifinal)
December 1, 2013 — #5 Oklahoma State
March 1, 2014 — #7 Louisville

By Frank Murtaugh

Frank Murtaugh is the managing editor of Memphis magazine. He's covered sports for the Flyer for two decades. "From My Seat" debuted on the Flyer site in 2002 and "Tiger Blue" in 2009.