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NCAA Basketball: 2021 NIT Season Tip-Off preview and predictions

By Jason Burgess

FRISCO, TEXAS - MARCH 28: The Memphis Tigers celebrate after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the 2021 NIT Championship at Comerica Center on March 28, 2021 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
FRISCO, TEXAS - MARCH 28: The Memphis Tigers celebrate after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the 2021 NIT Championship at Comerica Center on March 28, 2021 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Memphis Tigers guard Emoni Bates NC Jrca9946a /

Memphis Tigers

Record: 4-0

When you win the NIT, what do you do for an encore? You land two of the biggest recruits in the class and try to bookend it with the NIT Season Tip-Off of course. That’s what Penny Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers will attempt to do. The Tigers are 4-0 after defeating Western Kentucky 74-62 in their last game, a game that was tied at the half and sloppy, the Tigers committed 26 turnovers.

Those two freshmen, Jalen Duren and Emoni Bates have led the way averaging 15 and 13.3 respectively and another freshman forward, Josh Minott has been very productive in limited minutes with seven points and three rebounds in just 12 minutes.

But it is more than just the freshmen getting it done for the Tigers. Holdover guards Tyler Harris, Lester Quinones, and Landers Nolley have been steadying influences on the floor, shooting 54.6% from the floor and 44.5% from three-point land. In fact, shooting at both ends of the floor has been a big key for Memphis so far this season. They are shooting it at a 52.6% clip which is 18th best in the game and the 33.6% that their opponents shoot is only bested by 14 other schools.

Averaging 85.8 points per game and holding your opponents to such a low percentage is certainly a recipe for success and should make Memphis a favorite in this tournament.

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