Ready for a rematch
After losing at the buzzer on Sunday, Tigers are expecting to play Houston again in the AAC Tournament.
Memphis' NCAA Tournament hopes aren't dead.
But they're certainly more far-fetched now. The Tigers missed their opportunity to finish the regular season with a bang, losing 67-64 at the buzzer at No. 7 Houston Sunday, one of their precious few Quad 1 opportunities this season.
The Tigers (15-7) had won six games in a row and clawed their way up the NET and Kenpom rankings, keeping themselves "squarely on the bubble," as CBS play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon put it during Sunday's broadcast.
Then, Tramon Mark's desperation heave from near half-court inside the
Fertitta Center went through the basket, sending Memphis home for the next few days with perhaps a more daunting road ahead. If it wants to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014, the team (ranked 40th by Kenpom and 53rd in the NET) likely has to claim the AAC'S automatic bid by winning the league tournament, which begins Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas.
Tigers coach Penny Hardaway, when given the opportunity again Sunday, made it clear he believes his team is worthy of an at-large berth after taking the Cougars down to the wire.
“I mean, you play a top-10 team on the road in their building, (on) senior day, with all that's at stake, and to be in the game, tie game with 1.7 seconds left and they hit a half-court shot to beat you – I think that's pretty damn good,” he said. "We've shown we're a tournament team. Nobody in the country comes into Houston and plays the way we just played, especially without (guard Alex Lomax, who missed his third straight game with an injured left ankle)."
But, Hardaway is also aware that the NCAA Tournament selection committee is unlikely to see things his way.
“We're Memphis. Of course we have to win (the AAC Tournament) to get in,” he said. “Nobody's going to give us anything, man. Believe me, we understand what we have to do when we go to (Fort Worth). Our mindset is on winning it.”
The Tigers (0-2 in Quad 1 games) earned a first-round bye by securing the No. 3 seed and won't play until 9 p.m. Friday (on ESPNU) against the UCF-EAST
Carolina winner. If it wins, Memphis is almost assured of a rematch with Houston at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The Cougars, who will face the Tulane-tulsa winner at 6 p.m. Friday, lost to the Golden Hurricane 65-64 on Dec. 29 in Tulsa.
But the Tigers are preparing as if they will see the Cougars (21-3) again in less than a week.
“We're going to have to face this team again,” Hardaway said. “That's the way we look at it. We've got to win our game Friday and then be ready to play this team again on Saturday. We're not overlooking anybody, but if you're going to get to the championship, you're going to have to go through this team.”
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.