Takeaways from Memphis’ blowout road loss to No. 11 Louisville
University of Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway during action against the University of Louisville on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Leading up to arguably his team’s biggest nonconference game of the season, Penny Hardaway didn’t spend time providing history lessons or delivering motivational speeches.
The Memphis basketball coach instead was confident that his players — all of whom transferred to the program this past offseason and 13 of whom aren’t originally from Memphis — understood the significance of their road game against No. 11 Louisville.
Hardaway was sure they’d heard the buzz around town by fans and media members and seen it on social media as the days grew closer to a matchup that would revive a rivalry dating back more than 75 years — one that had been dormant for nearly eight years.
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Memphis Tigers Memphis Tigers Basketball Louisville Cardinals Penny Hardaway Dug McDaniel Hasan Abdul Hakim Subscriber OnlyThank you for being a subscriber to The Daily Memphian. Your support is critical.
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Parth Upadhyaya
Parth Upadhyaya covers the Memphis Tigers men’s basketball team. A Raleigh, N.C., native and a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Hussman School of Media and Journalism, Upadhyaya is a longtime college hoops junkie. Prior to joining The Daily Memphian in 2022, he covered high school sports in western Pennsylvania for the Beaver County Times and Penn State football for the Centre Daily Times.
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