Welcome to this week’s Tigers Basketball Insider. Below you’ll find the latest news and analysis from The Daily Memphian’s Parth Upadhyaya, John Martin and Tim Buckley. 

When the alert for the Jon Rothstein post on X (formerly known as Twitter) lit up on my phone Saturday night, it was another harsh reminder of just how weak the American Athletic Conference is this season.

“Florida Atlantic loses a buy game to Bryant,” it read. “The epitome of brutality.”

Then-No. 10 FAU had just lost 61-52 to Bryant at home. The Owls brought their entire starting lineup back from their 2023 Final Four run and are the projected favorite to win the AAC. They were 23.5-point favorites against the Bulldogs (currently No. 213 in KenPom).

FAU’s loss puts even more of an emphasis on the importance of Memphis taking advantage of the opportunities in its loaded non-conference slate. Starting with an opening game in the Battle 4 Atlantis against Michigan on Wednesday (4 p.m., ESPN2, 98.9 FM), the Tigers will embark on the toughest nine-game stretch of their season.

FAU’s defeat is one of the biggest upsets through the first two weeks of the 2023-24 college basketball season. But the Owls weren’t the only AAC team to get beat by a bad team last week.

Temple lost 78-73 to Columbia at home Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia’s Liacouras Center in a game in which it was a 12.5-point favorite.

Temple wasn’t projected to be good this season. It was picked to finish 12th in the AAC. But to fall at home to a team that had lost to Albany (No. 302 in KenPom) and whose only two previous wins were against Division III opponents? That’s tough.

Oh, and within what was a literal five-minute span last Wednesday night, South Florida lost 68-63 to Central Michigan at home and East Carolina lost 83-81 to USC Upstate at home.

USF was a 16.5-point favorite over the Chippewas (No. 307 in KenPom). ECU was a 13.5 favorite over the Spartans (No. 269).

In Memphis’ next nine games, it is guaranteed to play at least four teams currently ranked in the top 50 of KenPom. That number could potentially be six, based on whom the Tigers draw in their second and third games in this week’s Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.

The Tigers, with 13 new players, will have to come even closer together to play their best basketball. Their series of tests begins Wednesday against the Wolverines.

We already knew the AAC was significantly watered down coming into this year, sure. But it would’ve been hard for most to predict it being quite this bad this early.

More from your Insider:

Tigers beat writer Parth Upadhyaya’s AP Top 25 ballot for Week 2

Where do the Tigers land ahead of this week’s Battle 4 Atlantis tournament? How far did FAU fall after its home loss to Bryant?

Women’s basketball: Tigers pull away from Bison to get second win

Memphis broke away from Howard midway through the fourth quarter to win a Battle 4 Atlantis tournament game.

Love it, Like it or Hate it: Reviewing Memphis’ win over Alabama State

Yes, it was a 17-point win. But the context of it surely matters.

Women’s basketball: Memphis falls in Battle 4 Atlantis tourney opener

Though Memphis matched Arizona’s efforts in the first half, the Tigers ultimately fell in the first game of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in Nassau, Bahamas. 

Buckley: Just win, baby. It’s all David Jones wants.

The transfer from St. John’s scores 22 in the Memphis Tigers’ win over Alabama State.

Tigers inconsistent, but still outrun Hornets by 17 points

It wasn’t always pretty — at all, actually — but Memphis finished the game shooting 52.5% from the floor and 44% from 3. It also had four players tally double-digit points.

Box score: Memphis 92, Alabama State 75

The Memphis Tigers defeated the Alabama State Hornets at FedExForum on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. 

Tony Madlock returns to his ‘roots’ when Memphis hosts Alabama State

Alabama State coach Tony Madlock was teammates with coach Penny Hardaway on the Tigers’ 1992 Elite Eight team and served as an assistant under Hardaway for three seasons before starting his head coaching journey.

The Tigers are dialed into a team-first mentality

“This thing is about us as a whole group and no individual person,” Jahvon Quinerly said Thursday. “That’s just something that we’ve been preaching all summer.”