A dejected DeAndre Williams reached out to his high school coach, who offered sage advice.

The most encouraging sign from Tuesday’s win was Penny Hardaway’s growth on the sideline.

Alex Lomax once was the child receiving Christmas toys at a community center. Now he’s the one passing them out. “This means a lot to me, being from Memphis and being able to give back toys to the kids,” he said.

When Tyler Harris hit a 3-pointer to put the Memphis Tigers up by 19 on No. 6 Alabama, FedExForum erupted in air-shaking joy. It was a win that saved a season. And felt just like old times.

Thanks to DeAndre Williams and Alex Lomax, the Tigers might be finally coming together as a team. 

Dec. 14, 2021: The Memphis Tigers defeat No. 6 Alabama at FedExForum.

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It marked the end of the four-game losing streak, and was the Tigers’ first win against a top-10 team since March 2014 against Louisville. 

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Box score: Memphis 92, Alabama 78

Memphis needs one of its veterans to step up in a big way against Alabama.

Two wins against ranked teams would change the tone right away, but questions about his rotations remain.

The Crimson Tide are ranked No. 6 in the country, with a high-octane offense.

Penny Hardaway said Memphis lost to Murray State because of “bad coaching.” But there is no evidence he intends to fix it. 

The fourth-year Memphis coach believes the team is feeling “the pressure of the world.”

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Tigers squander halftime lead in upset to Murray State

Dec. 10, 2021: Murray State defeated Memphis at FedExForum.

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Tigers squander halftime lead in upset to Murray State

The Racers hit eight of their first nine 3-point attempts in the second half to turn the tide in the Tigers’ fourth straight loss.

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Does Penny Hardaway have what it takes to turn the Tigers' season around?

Box score: Murray State 74, Memphis 72

After three straight demoralizing losses, Penny Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers must beat Murray State.

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Hardaway on Tigers: It’s time to ‘fix ourselves’

In effort to stem the tide of discontent, the coach held one-one-one meetings with his players.

The matchup against Murray State could be more challenging than anticipated. 

The basketball team will look to snap a three-game losing streak when it hosts Murray State on Friday and the football team will be without its defensive coordinator when it plays in the Hawai’i Bowl on Christmas Eve. 

For the three prospects, how damaging has the start to Memphis’ season been in the eyes of draft evaluators?

Hardaway says the Tigers freshman is fighting a battle most people can’t understand. Can the coach help him navigate through the adversity?

A pair of Memphis women’s basketball players are stepping into the media landscape.

Penny Hardaway also softens his criticism of his players’ efforts after losses to Georgia and Ole Miss.

The coach is optimistic the Tigers can turn it around despite their three-game losing streak and the daunting upcoming three-game stretch.

The Tigers’ upset losses have sent them tumbling after rising as high as No. 9 this season.