I was going to write a piece on the Memphis Tigers after their close win against University of Central Florida (UCF) on February 16th, as that game was a microcosm of not only the Tigers’ season but of Hardaway’s tenure as head coach of the program, but I decided to wait.
We lost to Houston (at Houston, mind you) after the UCF game, so I decided to wait some more.
We then won three in a row before hosting Houston as the #1 seed, so I waited again.
Then we barely lost to Houston at home to close out the season, so I figured I’d wait again.
Then we rolled right through the American Athletic Conference (AAC) to secure the tournament title, handily beating Houston in the championship game. And now, it’s time to reflect.
The seasonal success of any college sports program is entirely predicated upon expectations. So what were the reasonable expectations of the Tigers’ faithful this season? Despite lacking a recruiting class that in any way, shape, or form mirrored the classes we have had in previous seasons, expectations were fairly high. In fact, it is prudent to claim that the general expectation was that we would at least make it to the Big Dance.
We have done this.
And not only have we done this, but we have done it with great momentum, building on expectations. Not only do many have us beating Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in the first round, but many also have us beating Purdue in the second round, with Purdue arguably being the most vulnerable #1 seed in the tournament. From there, anything is possible—even a run to the Final Four, or even the Championship game.
We definitely look the part.
Here is what we found to be important advancements for the Tigers this year:
Penny finally started believing in chemistry and depth rather than a baller recruiting class. The addition of Kendric Davis is clearly proving to be the most move Penny has ever made.
Penny has stopped blaming the players, other coaches, and whatever external variables for lack of success. He has been measured and calculated, and he has owned both wins and losses. We both believe this has significantly improved program morale.
The players seem to be communicating, working together, understanding their roles. The last 6-9 games of the season clearly reflect this.
Moving forward, we have to note that Alex Lomax leaving the team will likely be a plus for the program, despite Penny’s (at times odd) stubborn commitment to him as a point guard. The turnovers were just too much (relative to points and assists and even defensive ability).
The Tigers are well-suited to go deep in the Big Dance—and we expect nothing less!
