ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi is bullish on how far Memphis basketball can rise in NCAA Tournament seeding.

Inside the barbershop and at the basketball games, the people of Dalzell, S.C., laugh about just how similar Ja Morant and his father are.

Trojans take away Fayette Academy’s offensive rebounding in semifinal victory.

Douglass forward Tyler Johnson and Houston forward Anna Lee Avery as this week’s Daily Memphian basketball players of the week. The boys voting was the closest of the season.

The University of Memphis will kick off the football season Sept. 3 against Mississippi State. North Texas and North Alabama are the only teams it is playing this year that were not on last year’s schedule. 

The series will both examine “the ruthless intersection of sports, music and street culture” in Memphis.

The Grizzlies are ready to bring Memphis to Cleveland. 

Senior standout Chandler Jackson leads the way in a pair of region victories as CBHS remains undefeated.

Tipton-Rosemark players end the regular season at the head of the class.

“Everybody who knows me knows that I’m always going to mention where I’m from with everything that I do, because everything that I do is for the place that I’m from.”

Feb. 16, 2022: The Portland Trail Blazers defeat the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.

Related story:

Grizzlies fight back from deficit, but Trail Blazers beat them at their own game

Ja Morant had 44 points and Desmond Bane scored 30 in the last game before the All-Star break. 

Related story:

Box score: Trail Blazers 123, Grizzlies 119

He’s the latest Tiger to secure an NIL partnership.

Coach Ben Pirmann likes the 24-year-old’s USL Championship experience and attacking flair.

Johnson’s return to the staff is paying off in a big way for the Tigers’ defense.

Defending champion Aidan Bowers wants to control “the whole match, not giving them any room to breathe” as the Division 2 state tournament gets underway Friday in Nashville.

“I told his dad he was going to be the best player in the state because of his I.Q., but I didn’t know he was going to be one of the best players in the world,” said Bryan Brown. 

The Tigers are becoming a mentally tough team sharing the ball at a high level.

So what if the ESPN crew couldn’t actually pronounce the names of Memphis players Tuesday night? If the Tigers keep playing like this, they’ll be headed to (say it with me, ESPN!) the NCAA Tournament.

Feb. 15, 2022: The Memphis Grizzlies defeat the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

With Ja Morant sidelined by his ankle, Jones stepped in and scored a career-high 27 points as Memphis won its sixth straight. 

Feb. 15, 2022: The Memphis Tigers defeat the Cincinnati Bearcats at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati. 

Despite foul trouble, the Tigers were steady in defeating AAC rival Cincinnati.

Related story: What we learned about the Tigers after Game 23

Ja Morant will miss Tuesday’s game with ankle soreness after stepping on a camera operator Saturday in Charlotte.