Martin: Memphis got crushed at Louisville. What’s next for the program?
University of Memphis guard Hasan Abdul Hakim (middle) loses the ball during the game against the University of Louisville on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
John Martin
John Martin is a contributing college sports columnist for The Daily Memphian. Martin is a lifelong Memphian who’s covered the Memphis Tigers’ basketball program for more than a decade. Before joining The Daily Memphian team, he was the Memphis beat writer for The Athletic. Currently, he is the co-host of the Jason and John Show on 92.9 FM ESPN, weekdays at 11 a.m. Martin is a graduate of White Station High School and the University of Memphis.
While it’s probably unwise to base anything off one particular game, the magnitude of the loss to Louisville should cause any Memphis fan to wonder what should be taken from it.
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Martin: Memphis and Louisville are no longer rivals. That has to change.
The goal for Memphis has to be to elevate the status of its athletic programs so that it can credibly say that it’s a peer of Louisville’s once again.
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