Here are 3 keys for Hardaway’s Tigers to have success in AAC tournament
THURSDAY’S GAMES HOME team in caps.
All-america seasons and All-star games. NBA Finals and Olympics appearances. Movie roles and endorsement deals. Penny Hardaway has done a lot of things. But nothing as exhilarating as March Madness.
“Going to the Finals in the NBA, that was good. But the NCAA Tournament was great,” the third-year Memphis coach said, referencing the Elite Eight run in 1992 when he was a sophomore star for Larry Finch’s Tigers. “It’s an experience, when you go through it once, man, you never want to stop going.”
Nobody on Memphis’ roster has ever played in the NCAA Tournament.
Landers Nolley II has come closer than anyone, having redshirted at Virginia Tech in 2019 when the Hokies advanced to the Sweet 16.
Hardaway is anxious to get the Tigers back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. In order to do that, most expect it will take winning the AAC Tournament, which begins for the Tigers (15-7) on Friday (9 p.m., ESPNU) at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, against East Carolina or UCF. Hardaway recently emphasized three factors that will be key in Memphis’ efforts.
Post production
“We need to establish an inside
presence (on offense),” Hardaway said Tuesday.
Hardaway is looking for 10 to 15 points a game from centers Moussa Cisse and Malcolm Dandridge. Since Jan. 21, when Memphis embarked on a 9-2 finish, the tandem has averaged 12.6 points and 8.8 rebounds. In the 11 games before that, Cisse and Dandridge averaged 9.5 points and 12.6 rebounds.
“We have to give that attention to them,” Hardaway said. “More than (1015 points a game) would be great, because we’re gonna get our outside points, because we’re a guard-oriented team. But we need that inside presence.”
Defense travels
News flash: the Tigers are extremely good defensively, firmly among the three (or, five or 10) best defensive teams in the country pretty much all season.
This greatly pleases Hardaway, who, for a variety of reasons, wasn’t able to implement the full scope of his plan until the second half of this season.
“I didn’t allow Jeremiah (Martin) and them (in 2018-19) to fully press and that’s been who I am,” he said. “Last year’s team didn’t really get engulfed into it because Lester (Quinones) and Precious (Achiuwa) and Boogie (Ellis) had never played that style, so I kind of held back on it. But, this year I said, ‘I’m going all in on what I want.’ ”
The Tigers are allowing 62.3 points per game, which ranks 18th in the country. But, over the past 12 games, their scoring defense has been even better, holding opponents to 60.8 points a game. Hardaway said there’s no secret to what led to his team getting even better in an area where it was already very good.
“It gave me the time to start putting (all my defensive concepts) in,” he said. “Now, we’re definitely way more prepared to shut things down and take the (other) team’s best players out of play and play the way I want to play that gives us an opportunity to win every game.”
His philosophy: Defense so rarely goes into a slump.
“I think that defense travels,” he said. “And I think that our defensive presence and our intensity and what we bring to the table defensively, that’s gonna hold us down for three days (at the AAC Tournament). That gives us a chance to beat anybody.”
Training wheels coming off
Perhaps the under-the-radar factor is the ownership the Tigers are taking over what’s been happening on the court in recent weeks.
Memphis was the least experienced team in the country a year ago, and it remains one of the 30-least experienced teams. But Hardaway has begun to see signs of maturity and a concerted effort to take matters into their own hands.
“It’s gotten to the point now to where the players can say, ‘Hey, coach, we need to do this,’ ” Hardaway said. “I don’t have to call it every time.”
Hardaway said it manifested itself during the Tigers’ 67-64 loss at Houston last week. His call was to run the defense the team identifies as “22.” But the players seized on an opportunity they thought would be more beneficial.
“We actually went (to our) ‘circle’ (defense) to try to speed them up more and then we just kept flipping it back and forth to keep them confused. I was proud of the guys for mixing it up and keeping them confused and getting them late in the shot clock.
“That’s why we’re in such a great rhythm.”
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.
Pistons at HORNETS, late: Julius Randle capped his All-star first half with 27 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists, sending the Knicks to a 114-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons on March 4.
Celtics at NETS, late : Jayson Tatum had 27 points and 12 rebounds and the Boston Celtics won their fourth straight game, outlasting the short-handed Toronto Raptors 132-125 on March 4.
Hawks at RAPTORS, late : Trae Young scored 32 points and hit the go-ahead free throws with eight seconds remaining as the Hawks rallied to beat the Magic 115-112 on March 3.
Magic at HEAT, late : Jimmy Butler had 29 points and nine assists, and the Miami Heat took advantage of Zion Williamson’s absence to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 103-93 on March 4.
76ers at BULLS, late: Zach Lavine scored 36 points and the Chicago Bulls held off a late rally to beat the mercurial New Orleans Pelicans 128-124 on March 3. Coby White scored 25 for the Bulls.
Knicks at BUCKS, late : Jrue Holiday hit a baseline jumper with two seconds remaining and the Milwaukee Bucks escaped
with a 112-111 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on March 4.
Timberwolves at PELICANS, late : Terry Rozier scored 31 points and Gordon Hayward added 23 as the Hornets headed into the All-star break with a 135-102 win over the Timberwolves on March 3.
Mavericks at THUNDER, late : Luka Doncic had 22 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in his 33rd triple-double and the Mavericks used a late run to beat the Spurs 115-104 on Wednesday night.
Warriors at CLIPPERS, late : Bradley Beal scored 33 points and the Washington Wizards pushed ahead with a late run to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 119-117 after All-star Paul George was a late scratch on March 4.
Suns at TRAIL BLAZERS, late : Cameron Payne scored 17 points, Devin Booker added 16 and the Phoenix Suns easily handled the short-handed Golden State Warriors 120-98 on March 4.
Rockets at KINGS, late : Damian Lillard had 44 points, including 10 straight at a key moment down the stretch, to give the Portland Trail Blazers a 123-119 victory over the Kings on March 4.