
Memphis Basketball is making their first NCAA tournament appearance under Penny Hardaway and they are a hard team to figure out as they do have a ton of talent but don’t always play up to the level that their talent would suggest. Heading into February the Tigers were not a tournament team, but they went on a run and won a lot of games, eliminated their bad losses, and made the tournament as an at-large team out of the American Athletic.
After a very dominant performance against Boise State in the Round of 64 the Tigers earned the right to advance to the Round of 32. In that Round of 32 the Tigers get the overall number 1 seed in the tournament in the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Bulldogs are going to present a challenge unlike any other that Memphis has faced this season, and while the Tigers will likely be double-digit underdogs, they have a chance to win this game.
Despite what many want you to think the teams are very similar in style of play and the talent difference is negligible in some areas. Memphis is not as well-coached, and they do not have anywhere close to the offensive firepower that Gonzaga has. The Tigers can win this game and keep it close, but it is going to take a herculean effort by everyone to get it done but with the way the first two days of the tournament have gone nothing would be surprising anymore.
If Memphis can accomplish these three things over the length of the game, then they will have a great chance at pulling the upset and making their first sweet 16 since 2008-2009.