Unpacking Tigers' exhibition loss to UNC and more from exclusive Penny Hardaway interview
It was a busy week in Memphis basketball-land. With the release of the preseason AAC coaches' poll, AAC Media Day and the Hoops For St. Jude Tip Off Classic for both the men's and women's teams, there is a lot to unpack. The Tigers lost to North Carolina 84-76 on Oct. 15, while the women's team…
What we're looking for when Memphis basketball faces UNC
After a dizzying offseason, Memphis basketball is finally ready to reveal itself. The Tigers will face North Carolina in an exhibition game (as part of the Hoops for St. Jude Tip Off Classic) at 6 p.m. on Oct. 15 at FedExForum. Memphis women's basketball will host defending national champion Sout…
Contextualizing Memphis basketball's March Madness performance and moving on
The Memphis basketball offseason began much sooner than expected after the Tigers lost to FAU in the first round of the NCAA tournament last week. Reconciling that disappointment with all the positive strides the program made over the course of the 2022-23 season might take some time. Beat writer…
Why Memphis basketball is positioned to go on a March Madness run
Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway is building toward something. Has it taken longer than some people − possibly even he − expected? Yes, it has. But last week's win over No. 2 Houston, then the No. 1 team in the country, clinched the first league championship for the program in a decade. It …
Memphis basketball's most realistic ceiling and Kendric Davis' player of the year chances
The Memphis basketball team is hitting the reset button this week. The Tigers (23-8) ended the regular season in second place, their best finish since joining the AAC in 2013. But that doesn't much matter in the postseason, when every team has a clean slate. Penny Hardaway's team will be the No. 2…
With March Madness around the corner, is Memphis basketball's buzz back for good?
Memphis basketball believes it belongs in the NCAA Tournament. But the Tigers also know there's still work to be done. That work continues Thursday, when Memphis travels to Dallas to face SMU and, then, returns home to host No. 1 Houston on Sunday. On this week's edition of the Tiger Basketball P…
Why all losses are not created equal
Memphis basketball should be hungrier than ever after its 72-64 loss to Houston, this week's new No. 1 team in the nation. “That’s exactly what I told the team,” Tigers coach Penny Hardaway said outside the team’s locker room. “We played with a 90% (Alex Lomax), kind of a 60% Malcolm (Dandridge) a…
Is it more important for Memphis basketball to beat Houston or not lose to anyone else?
The Memphis basketball team rebounded from a disappointing loss to Tulane with a business-like win at USF. But the damage was done. Most bracketologists have the Tigers squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble with seven regular-season games left. Two of their remaining games are against Houston. Di…
Memphis basketball is 17-5 and in position for an at-large bid. Where is the buzz?
Tulane. USF. Temple. UCF. That is what is left of the road ahead of Memphis basketball before it arrives at Houston. The Tigers, 17-5 overall and 7-2 in AAC play, are in a good spot. Is it a good enough spot that they can afford a bad loss? On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, …
If Memphis is on the verge of another late surge, what does a realistic finish look like?
Memphis basketball has won its last three games, two of them coming on the road. Penny Hardaway's teams have a history of settling into a deep groove around this time of year. Since 2020-21, the Tigers are 28-6 after Jan. 20. Can this Memphis team keep that trend going? If so, what does a realisti…