The Memphis basketball team's offseason began sooner than most expected. And it began sooner than any Tiger or Tiger fan hoped it would. But last week's March Madness loss to Colorado State means this chapter is closed and a new one has already begun. On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan examine where t…

The Memphis Tigers are facing the Colorado State Rams Friday in March Madness. Both teams are very good. Both teams are very hot. Both teams have superstar-level talent. Both teams won their conference tournaments. Both teams are well coached. Memphis is a 5-seed, while Colorado State is a 12-seed. But it's the Rams who are favored to win. And it's…

PJ Haggerty went off Friday at the AAC tournament. Memphis' All-American guard dropped 42 points against Wichita State and the Tigers advanced to the semifinals of the AAC tournament. From Fort Worth (deep inside the bowels of Dickies Arena) Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan react to Haggerty's performance, update Dain Dainja's shoulder situation and look…

March Madness is upon us. Sure, the Tigers still have their regular-season finale on Friday against South Florida. But, with the AAC tournament up next and the NCAA tournament after that, Memphis is ready for the Madness. On this week's Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan break down the week that was for Memphis, as it defeated UAB…

The stage is set: Memphis vs. UAB. The 18th-ranked and first-place Tigers will travel to Birmingham Sunday to face the Blazers, who are nipping at their heels with the regular season drawing to a close. On this week's episode, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan set up the most anticipated AAC matchup of the season - exploring the heat between Dain Dainja a…

The Memphis basketball team took a significant body blow by losing at Wichita State last week. But it's not the knockout punch some might think. On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan look back at where things went wrong for Penny Hardaway and his team in the overtime road loss. Munz and Dylan also get in…

The Memphis basketball team may or may not have starting point guard Tyrese Hunter on the floor Thursday at South Florida. The 14th-ranked and first-place Tigers (20-4, 10-1 AAC) will make an official decision before tip-off at the Yuengling Center in Tampa. On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan weigh in…

The Tigers have won six games in a row and 10 of their last 11, after beating Tulsa Wednesday. Most NCAA Tournament projections have Penny Hardaway's team as a 4-, 5- or 6-seed. But Memphis' computer-based (metrics) rankings do not match up with that. On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan discuss why the…

The Memphis Tigers packed a lot to like into one basketball game against UAB last week. But what was the most eye-popping part of Penny Hardaway's team's 100-77 win at FedExForum? On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan relive the highlights of Memphis' performance against the Blazers, which include Dain D…

The Memphis basketball team has positioned itself well within the March Madness bracketology landscape. The Tigers are 14-4 and tied for first place in the AAC at 4-1. The Tigers have five Quad 1 wins. The Tigers are currently projected by some as a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. But wins and losses will only take the Tigers so far. Penny Harda…

Penny Hardaway's Memphis basketball team largely controls its own March Madness destiny. The Tigers have, so far, put together a near-sterling NCAA Tournament resumé. But the metrics-driven NET rankings don't exactly reflect that, at present. On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan delve into why there is…

Penny Hardaway has done it again. The Memphis Tigers coach is developing yet another bona fide superstar, in PJ Haggerty, right before our eyes. The Tulsa transfer has led the way for No. 20 Memphis this season, most recently lifted the team with a highlight-reel, circus, 30-foot 3-pointer to help it beat North Texas. On this week's episode of the …

Penny Hardaway's Memphis basketball team is No. 21 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 and 25th in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll. The Tigers are 10-3, and have more Quad 1 and Quad 2 wins (eight) than any other team in the nation. They've beaten UConn, Michigan State, Clemson, Ole Miss, Missouri, San Francisco and others. Does Hardaway have a gripe…

Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway guided the Tigers to a 2-0 ACC road trip over the past week. Because of that, the team is occupying more space in the within the national landscape than perhaps it ever has under Hardaway. Memphis is 9-2 overall with seven of its wins qualifying as valuable Quad 1 and Quad 2 victories. With still more resume'…

Memphis basketball took a "bad loss" on Sunday, falling to Arkansas State at FedExForum. This is after the Tigers beat UConn, Michigan State, Missouri and San Francisco (among others). Does that mean the Tigers are "doomed" to repeat the same movie that played out last season? Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan answer that question, preview upcoming games …

Memphis is riding high after another fast start. The Tigers are 6-1 and ranked No. 15 in this week's USA TODAY Coaches Poll - their only loss to No. 2 Auburn. Who can forget how things played out last season, when Memphis fell apart down the stretch after becoming a top-10 team in January? On this week's episode, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan explain …

Penny Hardaway and his Memphis basketball team are facing what could be the toughest four-game stretch in recent memory this week and next week. The Tigers get San Francisco first at the Chase Center, then open the Maui Invitational versus No. 2 UConn next week. On this week's episode, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan discuss what would constitute a succ…

The Memphis basketball team is 2-0 thanks to rallies from double-digits deficits in each game, both keyed by heavy lifting from PJ Haggerty. On this week's episode, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan break down the win over UNLV and Haggerty's latest standout performance. They also analyze Penny Hardaway's plans for Dain Dainja and Moussa Cisse, before del…

On this week's episode, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan break down Memphis' come-from-behind win over Missouri in the season opener, offer up the last word on the Tyreek Smith saga, and look ahead to Saturday's UNLV game.Oleh The Commercial Appeal

Penny Hardaway's Memphis basketball team opens the regular season against Missouri on Nov. 4. Before that, Jonah Dylan and Jason Munz put a bow on the Tigers' preseason exhibition games, examining the top takeaways and concerns, and breaking down the potential strengths and weaknesses.Oleh The Commercial Appeal

Memphis basketball player Tyreek Smith took a little break from the Tigers and Penny Hardaway's team is gearing up to face Alabama on Oct. 28. On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, basketball beat writer Jason Munz and football beat writer Jonah Dylan answer the when's, why's and what happened's surrounding the Smith saga that beg…

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 lost to defending national champion South Carolina 106…

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 South Carolina immediately afterward. Tiger football beat…

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 Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto, on this wee…

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 represents the high-water mark of the Hardaway-as-co…

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 seed at this week's conference tournament at Dickie…

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 Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Gia…

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) and no (Kendric Davis) and still had an opportunity t…

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. Did Memphis' loss to Tulane do so much damage that bea…

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, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto w…

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 realistic finish look like? And, based on that finish, what …

Penny Hardaway called the timeout that Kendric Davis said is "the reason we won." Davis actually hit the shot as time expired to lift Memphis basketball to a 61-59 win at Temple last week. The victory kept the Tigers (13-5, 3-2 AAC) on the projected NCAA Tournament bubble. But, on the heels of an excruciating double-overtime road loss to UCF just f…

The Memphis basketball team closed the 2021-22 regular season by winning 10 of its last 11 games. The Tigers needed every single one of them − and then some, ultimately − in order to reach the NCAA Tournament. Almost a year later, Memphis might need to pull off something similar, because Penny Hardaway's team is right back on the bubble. The Tigers…

Memphis basketball is 3-2 in its last five games and has allowed an average of 86.2 points per outing during that stretch. Last week's Quad 2 loss at Tulane has given pause to more than a few people's optimistic outlook on the Tigers' prospects the rest of the way. On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and c…

Memphis basketball has traversed the bulk of its non-conference schedule in favorable fashion. The Tigers (8-3) have Texas A&M (6 p.m. Saturday) and Alabama State (8 p.m. Dec. 21) left before entering AAC play. They will likely be favored in every game the rest of the season − with the likely exceptions being the two games against top-5 Houston. On…

Extreme early-season narratives are nothing new. Hot takes, knee-jerk reactions and Monday-morning quarterbacking are universally a part of sports. Seven games into this Memphis basketball season, there has been plenty of all three. One that has popped up frequently so far is the notion that this season's brand of Tiger basketball isn't as exciting…

Memphis basketball is 2-1 and headed to Orlando for the ESPN Events Invitational. The Tigers most recently dismantled VCU, rebounding from a tough loss at Saint Louis. Kendric Davis scored 26 points and dished out 7 assists. Meanwhile, the defense shut the Rams down. On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and…

The reaction Memphis basketball team's loss at Saint Louis varied widely. Some viewed it as a winnable game in which the Tigers doomed themselves by neither shooting nor defending well enough. Others came away from it encouraged by the fight and resolve Penny Hardaway's team exhibited in the closing minutes. And others still acknowledged both good …

Memphis basketball − devoid of "chaos," as DeAndre Williams put it − calmly dismantled Vanderbilt Monday, kicking off the 2022-23 season with a 76-67 win. It was the exclamation point on a three-day stretch of success for Penny Hardaway on and off the court. On Saturday, he landed 5-star guard Mikey Williams and 4-star wing JJ Taylor. On Sunday, Ha…

The regular season is finally upon us. In less than a week, the Memphis basketball team will make the short trek to Nashville, where it will meet Vanderbilt (7 p.m., Monday, Memorial Gymnasium). Before we get there, though, there are still a few things to unpack from the Tigers' preseason showings. There are also some new details with regard to UIC…

It was only one game − and an exhibition at that. But that doesn't mean there's not plenty to break down and analyze from Memphis basketball's 69-60 preseason win over Christian Brothers University last week. Who looked good and who didn't. What is worth worrying about and what's not. On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat wri…

It’s (exhibition) game week! The newest iteration of the Memphis basketball team will make its on-court preseason debut when it locks up with Christian Brothers at 4 p.m. Sunday at FedExForum. In this week’s episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto delve into the top storylines around Penny Hardaw…

From the looks of things, the Memphis basketball team might well be on its way back toward the top of the metrics leaderboard in terms of defense. Two seasons ago, the Tigers were No. 1 in adjusted defensive efficiency. Last season, they dropped back to No. 33 in those same rankings. In last week's open practice, Penny Hardaway's team was split up …

The Memphis basketball program learned Tuesday it can officially put the years-long NCAA investigation behind it. Penny Hardaway and his Tigers, as determined by the Independent Accountability Resolution Process, were completely absolved of the most severe allegations, receiving a few minor penalties for lesser infractions. That constituted a massi…

Memphis basketball's season may have ended, but the news around the program continues all the same. The Tigers, whose NCAA Tournament appearance was another positive step for coach Penny Hardaway and his team, have had a bit of a rough offseason thus far. Josh Minott declared for the NBA Draft. Third-year assistant coach Cody Toppert left for LSU. …

The Memphis basketball team's exhilarating stretch run concluded last week in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers' appearance in the Big Dance – their first under coach Penny Hardaway and first since 2014 – will have a major impact on the program. On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and col…

Penny Hardaway has gotten the Memphis basketball team to the round of 32 at the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers defeated Boise State Thursday at the Moda Center to score the program's first Big Dance victory in eight years. On this special edition of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto break down how Memphi…

Memphis, the 9 seed, and Boise State, the 8 seed. The Tigers and Broncos are, on paper, at least, as evenly matched as they come. But, should the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee have put two of the hottest teams in the country against one another in the first round? In this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz …

Memphis polished off a white-hot stretch to end the season by pounding Houston. Now, the Tigers head to the AAC Tournament, hoping to carry that momentum with them. On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto recap the scene inside FedExForum during last week's beatdown of Houston, put…

Jalen Duren or Landers Nolley II? Coaching or free throw shooting? Rallying from behind or winning big? The Memphis basketball team's turnaround – winning eight of its last nine games – has been chock full of impressive moments and big-time performances. On this week's Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto di…