The Memphis Tigers suffered a significant defeat against SMU, losing 106-79, marking their second consecutive loss and sixth in the last nine games. This loss places them in a three-way tie for sixth in the AAC and dims their NCAA tournament hopes, especially considering they were ranked in the top 10 as recently as January 21. The game highlighted a concerning performance discrepancy, with the Tigers attempting only 5 shots compared to SMU's 12 in the early stages. Postgame, both head coach Penny Hardaway and player David Jones expressed their frustrations and embarrassment over the team's recent performances. Hardaway criticized the team's effort and hinted at potential lineup changes to ensure players who 'care' about the city and school are on the floor. The Tigers are now focusing on improving their defense and rebounding in practice, with Hardaway emphasizing the need for a stronger connection to the city and a more competitive spirit.
Penny on Sunday's game against FAU: "When we played them in the NCAA tournament, they talked so much trash to our team and then they ended up beating us, which makes it even worse. But you've just got to be ready to protect home court."
Penny on upcoming games versus FAU: "When we played them in the NCAA Tournament, they talked so much trash. And then, they ended up beating us, which makes it so much worse."
Penny on criticism he's faced this season: "I knew when I got this job that I was gonna be a target. ... I get a lot of negativity. We win 10 games and lose one, it's gonna be the worst loss in the world."
Penny: "I knew when I got this job that I was going to be a target...I get a lot of negativity. We win 10 in a row and then I lose one, it's going to be the worst loss in the history of the game."
Penny says the Tigers "had one of the hardest practices of the year today." Team primarily worked on "box outs and transition (defense)." "Our practices are about who wants it the most now," he adds.
More from Penny on potential lineup changes, in the context of effort and everything said since yesterday's game: "If you see the guys on the floor on Wednesday, those are the guys that are bought in."
Penny says there could be lineup changes coming. "The guys that are going to play now, there has to be a care factor about the city and the school...it's just too embarrassing to play a game like we did yesterday."
Penny on Tigers' rotation: "The guys that are gonna play now, they have to have a care factor for the city and the school. … Right now, we want to go to war." Says he sometimes has to expand rotation when his go-to players aren't rebounding, defending, etc.
Penny says his current players "haven't really taken on that attitude of really playing for the city" of Memphis like his previous teams have. "And that's what we're battling right now."
Penny Hardaway talking on his radio show after yesterday's loss at SMU. "It's not going to always be great. And it's not great right now. But there's still time to turn it around."
After a game in which Memphis — or at least some of its players — appeared to have quit on its season on national TV, Penny Hardaway couldn't hide the truth any longer. "Y'all saw the same game we saw, right?" On a humiliating Sunday for the Tigers: https://t.co/CvobDUZ35N
Memphis basketball is in shambles. The team seems to have officially quit, and head coach Penny Hardaway looks as miserable as ever. He called out his team after their blowout loss to SMU, but even he admitted he doesn't know what's going on. READ: https://t.co/TiUrEUsvDj https://t.co/vl43XdGGbI
Penny Hardaway: “Fucking losing like this — this is terrible, man. This is not competing at all. I don’t know what’s going on.” https://t.co/iMILkpjrs6
Penny: "That was a BS game, man. It's frustrating. Very frustrating." I asked what the most frustrating part is: "F(expletive) losing like this. This is terrible, man. This is not competing at all. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s not competing." https://t.co/KOjTdArarF
David Jones on the postgame radio show: "I don't know what to say." "I don't know. I really don't know, to be honest with you...I came to Memphis to win. And I feel horrible for the city, because the city and the fans always support us. I feel like we've let them down."
Penny Hardaway on the postgame radio show: "It's really embarrassing. That's all I can say. Very embarrassing." "We just haven't been a team in a long time...we have not been able to keep everyone happy. When they're not happy, they shut down."
FINAL: SMU 106, Memphis 79 Tigers drop into a three-way tie for sixth in the AAC. Second loss in a row, sixth in their last nine games. Should just about turn the lights out on their NCAA tournament hopes. Memphis was ranked in the top 10 as recently as Jan. 21. Dramatic fall.
Several reasons to be concerned so far, but this is what sticks out to me -- Tigers have only attempted 5 shots, while SMU has attempted *12* Mustangs are 6-12 from the floor and 1-3 from 3-pt range. https://t.co/ql0nnYDkyf