Memphis basketball went 0-2 in preseason: Five burning questions ahead of Tigers’ opener

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway learned a thing or two over the course of an 0-2 preseason, which concluded Monday with a 96-88 loss to Alabama.

About what it will take to hang with the heavy hitters. About what he has to work with inside his own locker room. And, with the regular season set to begin in less than a week, there are still some things left to figure out.

Memphis begins the 2024-25 season in earnest on Monday (7 p.m., ESPN+). That’s when Missouri visits FedExForum in what will be the start of a grueling nonconference schedule for a team determined to eradicate the bitterness of a dreadful late-season collapse.

As Hardaway seeks to get the Tigers back to the NCAA Tournament, here are five burning questions his program is facing.

What did exhibition games do for Tigers’ confidence?

Much like the loss to North Carolina earlier this month, Monday’s game against Alabama was another example of just how wide the pendulum can swing for Memphis — even from one half to the next.

The Crimson Tide’s energy and aggression — along with their perimeter shooting ability, with six first-half 3-pointers — gave the Tigers fits through the first 20 minutes. Then, in the second half, Memphis kind of dominated Alabama.

But a loss is still a loss. How does losing their first two times out in a game setting affect the Tigers?

Well, it’s encouraging, according to center Dain Dainja, who had 16 points and seven rebounds Monday.

“I feel like we’re just as good as these teams,” Dainja said. “You know, it’s just the little stuff. Rebounding, making the extra plays, boxing out, talking to each other, communicating. We just gotta tighten up the little things. The way we practice is a big thing. We’ve got to practice harder.

“If we just start off like that and play like that the whole game, we’re just as good as anybody in the country.”

Is it too early to worry about Memphis basketball’s 3-point shooting?

Not if you ask Hardaway.

The Tigers…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/memphis-basketball-went-0-2-052141018.html

Author : The Commercial Appeal

Publish date : 2024-10-29 05:21:00

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