Busting Brackets
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AAC Basketball: 5 key storylines to watch this 2023 offseason

By Jason Burgess

Mar 12, 2023; Fort Worth, TX, USA; A view of the American Athletic Conference Tournament logo during the game between the Houston Cougars and the Memphis Tigers at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2023; Fort Worth, TX, USA; A view of the American Athletic Conference Tournament logo during the game between the Houston Cougars and the Memphis Tigers at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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AAC Basketball Memphis TigersSyndication The Columbus Dispatch
AAC Basketball Memphis TigersSyndication The Columbus Dispatch /

With Houston gone, is the AAC now Memphis’ conference?

Ever since Penny Hardaway arrived at Memphis five years ago, the Tigers have been the most consistent challengers to Houston in the AAC. With the Cougars off to the Big 12 Memphis has a chance to anoint itself as the top cats in the conference. The Tigers have made back-to-back NCAA tournaments under Hardaway, and previous to that win an NIT title, but success in March has been fleeting for the Tigers.

They won their opening round game in 2022 but besides that, the Memphis program hasn’t reached the Sweet 16 since 2009 and hasn’t won a regular season conference title since 2013. With Houston gone the door is open for them to ascend to the top. The Tigers will have plenty of competition for that top spot, especially given the new arrivals to the conference, but Memphis should be one of, if not the best teams in the conference (on paper) in 2023-24.

Hardaway was brought back to his alma mater to not just make NCAA tournaments but to win games in the tournament as well as compete for and win league championships. With a new era for the conference beginning, that pressure to show more fruitful results going forward.