Busting Brackets
Fansided

Memphis Basketball: 3 reasons why Tigers will win AAC title in 2019-20

By Jason Burgess

MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 01: Head coach Penny Hardaway of the Memphis Tigers reacts against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the HoopHall Miami Invitational at American Airlines Arena on December 1, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 01: Head coach Penny Hardaway of the Memphis Tigers reacts against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the HoopHall Miami Invitational at American Airlines Arena on December 1, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next
AUBURN HILLS, MI – MARCH 23: The mascot for the Memphis Tigers performs against the Michigan State Spartans during the third round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at The Palace of Auburn Hills on March 23, 2013 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
AUBURN HILLS, MI – MARCH 23: The mascot for the Memphis Tigers performs against the Michigan State Spartans during the third round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at The Palace of Auburn Hills on March 23, 2013 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

In just his second year, Penny Hardaway has Memphis Basketball poised to challenge for the title in the American Athletic Conference. Here are three reasons they will take the title.

Over the last handful of seasons, the stalwarts of the American Athletic Conference have been Houston, Cincinnati, and Wichita State with some others sprinkled in, but this season might be different, with a team that has had a hype train rolling along for over a calendar year ready to stake their claim to the top spot in the conference, the Memphis Tigers.

The hype began prior to last season when the Tigers hired former Memphis great Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway to lead their program. Hardaway created an immediate buzz around the program that hadn’t been seen since his days as a player. He came back to Memphis with a great reputation on the AAU circuit, which got people excited about what he could do on the recruiting trail for the Tigers. But, What about coaching at the collegiate level? How would he do?

He did just fine, finishing 5th in the AAC at 11-7 and 22-14, reaching the semifinals of the conference tournament before being knocked out by Houston. Earning an NIT berth, the Tigers would fall in the second round to Creighton, to begin the year they would go just 8-5, but three of those losses came from Sweet Sixteen teams LSU and Tennessee, and national runner-up Texas Tech. The Tigers would finish the year 8-3, losing to Central Florida, Cincinnati, and Houston by a total of 12 points.

Hardaway has now had a full off-season to recruit, and recruit he has. The consensus No. 1 recruiting class in the country will be taking the floor for the Tigers this season, this among other reasons is why I think the Memphis Tigers will win the AAC in 2019-20.