“We have a roster that can win,” Penny Hardaway said after the Tigers’ first 1-4 start to a season since 1996-97. “We just haven’t figured out how to finish (games). And hopefully these losses hurt bad enough that when we get in those situations, (we do better).”

You could almost start to see the vision of the rest of the season. Sure, it was a really bad loss to UNLV. But Memphis would escape the Bahamas with a 1-1 record, the team is playing hard, and players are settling into roles. But it all came undone. Slowly, then all at once.

Wake Forest’s Myles Colvin hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave the Demon Deacons the one-point win over the Tigers.

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Box score: Wake Forest 69, Memphis 68

Box score for Baha Mar Hoops Championship game between the Memphis Tigers and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the Bahamas on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. 

Against top-ranked Purdue in the Baha Mar Hoops Championship, Memphis struck first and never stopped fighting. Wake Forest is up next.

CBS Sports analyst Emeka Okafor called the gutty win for Purdue “championship vitamins.” But the truth is that even a close loss like this one — to the top dog in the sport — will make Memphis fans feel a whole lot better.

Led by point guard Dug McDaniel’s 18 points, six assists and six rebounds, the Tigers went toe to toe with the Boilermakers — and were even ahead with less than six minutes to go — for 35 of the 40 minutes of gametime.

NCAA men’s basketball box score for Thursday’s game between the Purdue Boilermakers and Memphis Tigers.

The Memphis basketball season may be off to a tepid start, but I’ve got five burning questions as the Tigers prepare to play No. 1-ranked Purdue in the Bahamas.

It’s not a great time to be a Memphis sports fan. But is it the worst time? 

Coach Penny Hardaway’s Tigers will attempt to shock the college basketball world against the top-ranked Boilermakers in their first game of the Baha Mar Hoops Championship.

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A look at Baha Mar Hoops Championship field as Memphis heads to Bahamas

Memphis will open play in the Baha Mar Hoops Championship against No. 1 Purdue on Thursday before facing No. 15 Texas Tech or Wake Forest on Friday.

Tiger sports fans aren’t happy, understandably so. Is it wise to change coaches? Or is it important to remember the grass isn’t always greener, as the ol’ adage goes?

Coach Penny Hardaway searching for answers as Memphis prepares to head to the Bahamas.

Tigers and what is now the University of Memphis go back to around 1914, and the partnership eventually led to the school having a live feline on the sidelines during football games. 

The Memphis Tiger football team, the Memphis Tiger basketball team and the Memphis Grizzlies are all disasters, in their own way. But which disaster is worst?

“There’s nothing a coach can do to force anything out of a guy,” Tigers coach Penny Hardaway said after losing to the Runnin’ Rebels.

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Memphis and Josh Pastner reunion turns sour as UNLV upsets Tigers

Box score for the NCAA basketball game between the Memphis Tigers and the UNLV Runnin' Rebels at FedExForum in Memphis, on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025.

The only Tigers who finished with double-digit points were guard Julius Thedford (16 points and six rebounds) and guard Curtis Givens III (10 points and three assists).

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Box score: UNLV 92, Memphis 78

Memphis should be able to make progress in key areas and build some momentum against a struggling UNLV squad led by former Tigers coach Josh Pastner.

As Memphis embarks on yet another grueling nonconference schedule against Power 4 programs it’s clear the playing field has shifted. Should our annual expectations follow?

“We had a great seven-year run,” former Memphis coach and current UNLV coach Josh Pastner said of his time with the Tigers. “There were some great highs. A couple challenges, for sure.”

There was a level of legitimate concern in Memphis coach Penny Hardaway’s voice after the Tigers’ 83-77 road loss to the Rebels.

Memphis was disappointed after losing to the Rebels in front of a rowdy crowd in Oxford, but not all hope is lost.

Memphis was led by point guard Dug McDaniel’s 15 points, seven assists and seven rebounds and guard Curtis Givens III’s 18 points.

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Box score: Ole Miss 83, Memphis 77