Maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised the Memphis Tigers are a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They’ve certainly earned the respect. 

For a while last offseason, there was no telling how this season might end for Penny Hardaway and his Tigers. And Memphis’ new athletic director arrived well-aware of all the bad vibes.

Before No. 5 seed Memphis takes on No. 12 seed Colorado State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament’s West Regional in Seattle at 1 p.m. CT Friday (TBS), learn a little bit about the Rams.

Tony Madlock, a former Memphis player and assistant coach, led Alabama State to its first SWAC Tournament Championship since 2011. His son TJ was a major reason why. 

This trip to the Big Dance comes after Hardaway led Memphis to a bounceback season in which it has already won its most games since 2012-13.

Despite having just nine scholarship players available, the Tigers captured the AAC Tournament title. PJ Haggerty and Dain Dainja combined for 45 points to lead Memphis.

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Box score: Memphis 84, UAB 72

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NCAA men’s basketball box score for Sunday’s AAC Championship game between the Memphis Tigers and UAB Blazers.

Joining Memphis on the list of finalists for the 2026 AAC’s men’s basketball tournament are Wichita, Kansas; Birmingham, Alabama; and Tampa, Florida.

Hunter exited the Tigers’ AAC Tournament semifinal game Saturday early in the second half with a left foot injury and was examined by the team’s medical staff in the locker room.

The No. 1 seed Tigers (28-5) will take on the No. 3 seed Blazers (22-11) for the AAC Tournament championship on Sunday (2:15 p.m., ESPN or ESPN+) at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

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“Our team is built one through 13 to be ready to play and to be ready for war,” coach Penny Hardaway said Saturday. “So, when one guy goes down, the next guy’s gonna step up.”

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Box score: Memphis 78, Tulane 77

Tigers NCAA Bracketology tracker. What seed will Memphis receive?

“What the Tigers, their roster nearly entirely overhauled, really showed was the resoluteness they failed to exhibit a season ago.”

Memphis advances to Sunday’s AAC Tournament title game, where it will take on No. 3 seed UAB.

Here is the box score for Saturday’s AAC Tournament semifinal game between the Memphis Tigers and Tulane Green Wave played in Fort Worth, Texas.

Memphis Tigers guard Tyrese Hunter exited Saturday’s AAC Tournament early due to an injury.

William Bedford and Andre Turner both grew up in Memphis and were two pillars on the Tigers’ 1984-85 Final Four team.

The No. 1 seed Tigers will have to get past the No. 4 seed Green Wave in order to punch their ticket to Sunday’s AAC Tournament title game.

Dain Dainja was “a little banged up” in the first half of the Tigers’ AAC quarterfinal win against Wichita, but he returned for the start of the second half to help Memphis advance to Saturday’s semifinal.

Coach Penny Hardaway told PJ Haggerty, the AAC Player of the Year, that this is when big players have to step up. Haggerty responded by dropping a career-high 42 points against Wichita State in Friday’s AAC Tournament quarterfinal game.

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Box Score: Memphis 83, Wichita State 80

Ernie Kuyper, longtime president of Memphis grassroots basketball staple Hoop City Basketball Club, is leaving his position and verbally agreed to join Murray State basketball as its new general manager.

Box score for Friday’s AAC Tournament quarterfinal game between the Memphis Grizzlies and Wichita State Shockers.

All-American guard PJ Haggerty led the way with a career-high 42 points (16-of-25 shooting), eight rebounds and four assists as Memphis used a second-half surge to pick up the victory against the Shockers (19-14).

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Box Score: Memphis 83, Wichita State 80

Memphis’ Dainja returns to AAC game after injury

During a first-half media timeout in Memphis’ AAC Tournament quarterfinal matchup against Wichita State on Friday, Dain Dainja winced in pain.

The No. 1 seed Tigers are set to take on the No. 8 seed Wichita State Shockers in an AAC Tournament quarterfinal matchup on Friday at noon at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. 

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The No. 1 seed Tigers (26-5) will play Friday at noon (ESPN2 and ESPN+) in an AAC Tournament quarterfinal matchup at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.