A year after finishing 21-13, a garnishing conference record of 10-8 and missing the postseason, Memphis basketball looks to improve this coming season. Memphis decided to make a change of head coach and and brought in Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway in March in place of Tubby Smith.
Since that time, the program became a possible destination for high-level recruits, which included hometown players such as point guards Alex Lomax and Tyler Harris. After a long off season and grueling training camp, the team played in their first exhibition game last week.
The Memphis Tigers earned a commanding over the LeMoyne-Owen Magicians, winning 120-66 and never surrendering the lead. This game was the first game, exhibition or regular season, in which the Tigers scored 100-plus points since the last time these two teams played on Nov. 2, 2017.
Players to watch
Kyvon Davenport, a 6-foot 8, forward returning for his senior year, averaged 13.3 points per game last season for the Tigers, and started all 34 games. Davenport shot 35.5 percent beyond the arc, knocking down 39 of his 110-three point attempts.
Against LeMoyne-Owen, Davenport was perfect from three, shooting 4-4, while totaling 19 points and seven rebounds on the night.
Tyler Harris led Memphis with 26 points against LeMoyne-Owens. Harris, a 5-foot-9 guard, shot 5-10 beyond the arc and knocked down 8-15 field goals: 53 percent. Harris was perfect from the free throw line, shooting 5-5.
Harris, a four-star recruit out of Cordova High School, according to 247Sports, was Cordova’s all-time leading scorer and an all-state selection for the last three years.
As a senior, Harris shot 43 percent from three and 50 percent from the floor for Cordova. Harris shot 91 percent from the free throw line that season.
Returning senior guard Jeremiah Martin totaled 11 points and seven assists against the Magicians.
Martin will look to improve upon his 2017-18 season after starting all 27 games he played in and leading the team in steals (61), points (510), field goals made (157) and three-pointers made (51). Martin earned All-American Athletic Conference second team honors, even after missing seven games due to injuries.
Davenport, along with fellow senior forward, Mike Parks Jr., are the only returning Tigers who started and played in all 34 games for Memphis last season. Their experience and leadership will be crucial for a Tiger team that has 13 players on the roster with one or fewer years of NCAA Division I experience.
Upcoming matchups
The Tigers do face some tough competition in the 2018-19 season. Memphis will travel to LSU, ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press Preseason Poll. LSU brought in several four-star recruits and five-star 6-foot-10, forward Naz Reid. Reid was ranked in the top-20 in the nation in his recruiting class.
The Tigers will take part in the AdvoCare Invitational in Orlando, Florida, on Nov. 22. Memphis will have a chance to play against top competition in Oklahoma State and last year’s NCAA Tournament champion Villanova.
Memphis will play Texas Tech on Dec. 1 in Miami and Tennessee on Dec. 15 at FedEx Forum. Tennessee, currently ranked No. 6 according to the AP Preseason Polls, finished first in the SEC last season and made a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, led by SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams.
The AAC will test Hardaway’s team, as three teams from the conference made the NCAA Tournament last season.
To sum it up, Memphis is slated to play five teams in the AP Preseaon top 50.
Memphis’ new style of offense
Memphis totaled 32 assists against LeMoyne-Owen, led by Victor Enoh.
Hardaway’s up-tempo offense was able to spread the rock more efficient compared to Smith’s team last year, that averaged 13 assists per game.
Hardaway’s offense gave every player an opportunity to shoot against the Magicians last week.
The Hardaway effect
Since Hardaway was named head coach, the Tigers have acquired multiple four-star recruits in Harris and fellow freshmen Antwann Jones and Alex Lomax.
Jones, 6-foot-6, is ranked the 18th overall shooting guard in the 2018 recruiting class.
Against LeMoyne-Owen, the top recruit in the nation, James Wiseman of East High School, made a visit with the program.
Over the weekend, DJ Jeffries, a five-star recruit from Olive Branch, Mississippi committed to the Memphis Tigers.
Hardaway’s team looks promising and ready to compete for the AAC Championship, and possibly the Tigers’ first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014.
