NCAA Basketball: Wisconsin, Duke, Creighton rise in latest top 25 power rankings
By Joey Loose
24. Memphis (15-4)
Throughout nonconference play, Memphis built a strong resume, gaining wins over a slew of power conference teams like Texas A&M, Clemson, and Virginia. Unfortunately, nearly all of those teams have failed to live up to expectations this season while the Tigers have had their own problems in recent weeks, including the previous week’s upset loss to South Florida.
Things didn’t get better last Sunday, as the Tigers fell 81-79 in a classic at Tulane. David Jones had another impressive performance with 32 points and 11 rebounds, while Malcolm Dandridge put up 13 points and 8 rebounds. Though they outshot and outrebounded the Green Wave, it was a second straight upsetting loss for a Memphis team that had for the most part danced out of danger in conference play.
After starting 4-0 in ACC play, including three very close calls against weaker foes, the Tigers have now lost a pair of games they could’ve won and see their resume in much worse shape than a few weeks ago. Memphis has no shortage of talent on their roster, though these recent performances have been concerning. We’ll see how Penny Hardaway’s crew responds on the road against a feisty UAB squad on Sunday followed by a few more winnable games at home.