Memphis Basketball: Tigers getting hot at right time towards end of 2021-22

Memphis Basketball has struggled all year but has recently found its stride. What has been the reason for the Tigers’ resurgence?

As you may recall, Penny Hardaway didn’t hold back when he was asked if he still had faith in his ability to succeed at Memphis following the Tigers’ disappointing 70-62 loss to SMU on January 20th. Essentially, Hardaway passionately stated that he was tired of getting blamed for losses in games that didn’t feature his full roster.

When the Tigers dropped three straight conference games back in January (UCF, East Carolina, and SMU were their opponents), Hardaway was forced to play around with different lineups due to various injuries on the team.

Somehow, the Tigers found a way to win their next four contests, but it still seemed like the media wasn’t going to let up on Hardaway until he secured a marquee victory in conference play.

Well, with everyone but freshman guard, Emoni Bates, the Tigers waltzed into the Fertitta Center and defeated the 14th ranked Houston Cougars (who were ranked 6th at the time) 69-59 last Saturday. Hardaway didn’t receive a ton of production from his bench against the Cougars, but the balanced scoring from the starters is what ultimately propelled the Tigers to victory. Hardaway would probably tell you that going into the biggest game of the year with most of his crew caused him to feel better about his team’s chances of pulling off the upset.

I don’t know about you, but I strongly believe that the result of last Saturday’s game would have been different if guys like Landers Nolley II and DeAndre Williams (who both missed time this season because of injuries) had been unavailable for the contest. Nolley’s ability to hit timely perimeter shots and Williams’ determination to score baskets at the rim enabled the Tigers maximize their offensive possessions when the game started to tighten up. Nolley finished with 20 points on 5-7 shooting, while Williams finished with 13 points on 4-6 shooting.

Nolley and Williams combined for just 21 points against Cincinnati on Tuesday night (Nolley-13, Williams-8), but because Memphis’ bench had more of an impact in that AAC matchup (they outscored the Bearcats’ bench 30-21), the Tigers had a relatively easy time closing out the home team and extending their winning streak to six games.

So, what are the two main keys to continued success for the Tigers as they finish out the regular season? Well, in my opinion, it’s all about limiting the turnovers and taking good shots on the offensive end of the floor.

Yes, you could say that Penny Hardaway has one of the most talented rosters in the country, but you would also have to mention that Hardaway’s squad is capable of turning the ball over 15+ times on any given night (they’re averaging 16.7 turnovers per game) and bailing defenses out by throwing up ridiculous shots that usually don’t fall for them.

Sure, taking care of the basketball and shooting high-percentage shots are activities that the whole team should partake in, but as we know, it all starts with the point guard. As of late, Alex Lomax has done a solid job of cutting down on turnovers, but he must continue to work on getting the Tigers organized when they are in dire need of a bucket. By demanding the ball and settling the team down when it looks like a forced shot is coming at any moment, Lomax will prevent the Tigers from shooting their way out of games in the future and giving their opponents life.

Memphis has a tough road contest against SMU on Sunday, but as long as Penny Hardaway has his guys ready to play and reminds them to simplify the game as much as possible, the Tigers will be in great shape when it’s time for tip-off. As for Memphis’ NCAA Tournament hopes, well, let’s just evaluate the Tigers on a game-to-game basis and see if they can rack up a few more regular-season wins before the postseason commences.