Tiger Basketball Podcast

Memphis did what it was supposed to do last week against LeMoyne-Owen.  Better yet, for the most part, it looked like most people hoped it would look. The Tigers played confidently and were in sync more often than not, despite missing several key pieces, including Emoni Bates and last year's leading scorer, Landers Nolley II.  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz is joined by Tiger football beat writer Evan Barnes to break down the biggest takeaways from the win over LeMoyne-Owen and look ahead to the upcoming exhibition matchup with Lane College. 

The Memphis basketball team achieved its highest preseason Associated Press Top 25 ranking in a decade this week.  Thirty-four of the AP's 63 voters had the 12th-ranked Tigers inside their top 10. The team even showed up on one ballot at No. 2 in the country, according to collegepolltracker.com. But seven voters did not include Memphis anywhere in their top 25.  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz is joined by Tiger football beat writer Evan Barnes and preps beat writer Khari Thompson to analyze what Memphis' preseason rankings mean and discuss whether the Tigers should have been ranked higher than 12th. In addition, the trio gets into the signature Memphis Madness moments, previews Sunday's exhibition game against LeMoyne-Owen and predicts Penny Hardaway's starting lineup. 

We know more today about the Memphis basketball program's pending NCAA infractions case than we did last week. That's because Independent Accountability Resolutions Process officials released a timeline of the case's procedural events on Monday.  But, for every question it answered, it raised many more.  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto take a closer look at where things stand and use some procedural context clues to guesstimate how much longer the process could be dragged out. Also, Munz and Giannotto rehash the Tigers' pro day event and give their takes on the players who stood out most. Finally, they preview Memphis Madness, which won't be televised or livestreamed at 7 p.m. Wednesday. 

It's one thing to see it on paper, but it's something else entirely to observe it up close and personal.  If anything was made clear by watching the Memphis basketball team practice last week, it's how deep the Tigers' roster will be this season. Even without veteran guard Alex Lomax and high-profile transfer Earl Timberlake on the floor during the Memphis Rebounders Club's Happy Hour Hoops event, Penny Hardaway showed off a collection of players that is built to endure almost anything thrown their way.  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto delve into a variety of topics, including the Tigers' depth – especially within the context of what the starting lineup could look like and who Hardaway will decide to go with as his primary sixth man – the team's schedule and which players stand to benefit most from the program's upcoming Pro Day. 

The Memphis basketball team won a postseason tournament championship (the NIT) in March. It won an offseason championship – in a manner of speaking – by signing the No. 1 recruiting class in the country and adding Hall of Famer Larry Brown and former NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace to the coaching staff.  Will the Tigers make it three in a row with a national championship next spring?  Penny Hardaway's team will officially begin its pursuit of the program's first NCAA Tournament title Tuesday. That's when the Tigers will hold their first full-fledged practice ahead of the 2021-22 season.  So, what are the most intriguing storylines for Memphis ahead of practice No. 1? On this week's episode of the Memphis Basketball Podcast, Commercial Appeal beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto preview the possibilities.

 Football is the driver behind any and all conference realignment.  Always has been and always will be.  But, obviously, its effects aren't limited to football. So, as the American Athletic Conference appears set to lose Houston, Cincinnati and UCF to the Big 12, where does that leave the league from a basketball perspective?  On this week's episode of the Memphis Basketball Podcast, Tiger basketball beat writer Jason Munz and Commercial Appeal columnist Mark Giannotto dissect the topic, discuss which programs the AAC might want to recruit for its own expansion and get into which programs would help the league's basketball membership most.  Munz and Giannotto also break down the Tigers' 2021-22 non-conference schedule. 

The Memphis basketball offseason has been one wild ride.  And, one way or the other, the season to come is sure to follow suit.  On the long-awaited return of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, The Commercial Appeal's Tiger basketball beat writer Jason Munz and sports columnist Mark Giannotto revisit the highlights of the past five months – the No. 1 recruiting class, the start of the NIL era, Larry Brown, Rasheed Wallace and more – before looking ahead to the Tigers possibly becoming the sport's biggest story in 2021-22. 

The Memphis basketball program sailed into the offseason on the strength of its recent NIT championship run.  The Tigers ran the table at the postseason tournament, beating Dayton, Boise State, Colorado State and Mississippi State to win the crown for the second time (2002).  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto discuss the significance of the team's strong finish, what was most impressive about its season and how the current roster might change in the coming weeks.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Memphis men's basketball team is back in action Thursday in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament.  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and sports columnist Mark Giannotto discuss Memphis' opponent (Boise State), break down what the NIT means in the grand scheme of things, and how next year's schedule should be more advantageous for Penny Hardaway's program, despite the direction the AAC is trending.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selection Sunday was disappointing again for the Memphis basketball program and its fans. The Tigers were left out of the NCAA Tournament field after a 16-8 season. While the team, under third-year coach Penny Hardaway, is a No. 1 seed at the National Invitation Tournament, how should we perceive the program and the direction it is headed?  Beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto discuss that, as well as give their impressions of how things played out at the AAC Tournament last week and look toward the future in this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tigers have their work cut out for them.  Memphis (15-7), after losing a heartbreaker at Houston to close out the regular season, will be the No. 3 seed at this week's AAC Tournament. The Tigers will face either East Carolina or UCF at 9 p.m. Friday. Chances are, if they win that game, a rematch with the Cougars will be on deck at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.  Can Memphis redeem itself? If so, what must the Tigers do differently in order to ensure a different outcome? If they're able to beat Houston this time, will they have enough left in the tank to win the AAC championship?  Beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto discuss all that and more on this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Memphis basketball team has set itself up for a dramatic conclusion to the regular season.  The Tigers, winners of six straight, are in position to potentially move into the NCAA Tournament field and still has a shot at an AAC title.  But they can't do either of those things without beating No. 7 Houston at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Fertitta Center.  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto preview the marquee matchup, while also scrutinizing the job the AAC has done from a scheduling standpoint this season and discussing the job Penny Hardaway has done in his third season as Memphis' coach.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tigers are a dangerous team capable of rattling off a strong enough regular-season finish to legitimately join the NCAA Tournament at-large conversation.  Why? Defense. But will that be enough against the likes of Houston or Wichita State?  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto dive into what Memphis has to do to position itself on the bubble, breaks down its survive-and-advance win over Tulane and previews the weekend's road game at Cincinnati.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Memphis has won six of seven and is 8-3 in league play for the first time since the 2013-14 season.  But, if the Tigers are going to have a legitimate shot at an at-large bid and get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since that same 2013-14 season, they have to beat Cincinnati at 6 p.m. Thursday.  Only after that should Memphis start looking toward Sunday's matchup at Houston.  Tiger basketball beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto discuss that, as well as break down the win over East Carolina, talk Penny Hardaway's discovery of his best lineup and preview the Bearcats on this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Memphis has turned its season around in the a matter of 15 days.  The Tigers have gone from a 6-5 record and a bleak outlook on the rest of the year to an 11-6 mark and, all the sudden, clearing a realistic path to the postseason.  Tiger basketball beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto discuss how the team has turned things around, what it needs to do to keep momentum on its side and whether the Tigers can do just that.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the span of a week, the Memphis basketball team has gone from mediocre to having as much momentum as any team in the AAC.  The Tigers have won back-to-back-to-back league games for just the second time in the past two seasons.  Which begs at least a couple of intriguing questions: Is this the best three-game stretch of the Penny Hardaway era? Also, which five factors are the most responsible for Memphis' turnaround?  Beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto attempt to answer these questions and discuss whether the next seven days will be as successful as the last seven have been on this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another loss to Tulsa, a top 75 decommitment and a surprise addition to the current roster.  There's plenty to cover on this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast. Beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto recap the team's loss at Tulsa (and break down what it might have revealed about the future of the 2020-21 season), discuss Arterio Morris' decommitment, analyze Jordan Nesbitt's decision to enroll early and look forward to the next couple of games.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Memphis basketball team's season has been interrupted twice in less than a week by its opponents' issues with COVID-19 testing.  After beating South Florida on Dec. 29, the Tigers do not have a game scheduled until Jan. 14, when they are set to host SMU at 6 p.m. at FedExForum.  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and sports columnist Mark Giannotto recap the latest developments, dissect the team's new offense, discuss how the extended layoff might affect the Tigers and get into what has to happen if they want to have a legitimate shot at an NCAA Tournament berth.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Watching the Tigers this season has been a frustrating experience for some Memphis fans.  The team is 4-3 after another disappointing loss, this time to Auburn. Coach Penny Hardaway took to social media Sunday night, writing in part: "I appreciate the fans who are being patient. It is a marathon and not a sprint." On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto discuss how criticism of Hardaway and his team is warranted in some ways, while not in others. They also dive into the issues still plaguing the Tigers – most notably the lack of an effective point guard and a continued inability to execute consistently.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Defense is the Tigers' strong suit. Three-point shooting is the team's weak spot.  Jayden Hardaway has been Memphis' biggest surprise. Lester Quinones might be the team's best all-around player through six games.  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, beat writer Jason Munz and columnist Mark Giannotto break down these things, as well as dig into other topics such as Landers Nolley II's injury, Memphis' upcoming game against Auburn and what the potential addition of graduate transfer Parker Stewart would mean for the team.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.