ESPN came to Memphis to cover Ja Morant. They got a whole team of swaggering Grizzlies instead. 

You will remember this one forever, won’t you? The Tigers’ season may have ended with Saturday’s loss to Gonzaga. But the game delivered an emphatic message to the country. Memphis basketball is back.

For Penny Hardaway and Alex Lomax, the Tigers’ win over Boise State wasn’t just a first-round NCAA Tournament victory. It was why they signed on four years ago. And it was exactly what they dreamed.

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Box score: Memphis 64, Boise State 53

It’s not enough that the Tigers will play in their first NCAA Tournament in eight years. Now there’s the chance Penny Hardaway may bring back Emoni Bates. Either way, Thursday will be a compelling day for Memphis basketball.

“The Memphis Tigers will play for the AAC Tournament title Sunday, and then they’ll get an NCAA Tournament bid. It has all been well and truly earned.”

Admit it, you were nervous. Until Jalen Duren and Alex Lomax restored order. And reminded everyone that the Memphis Tigers didn’t come to the American Athletic Conference Tournament to lose. 

Penny Hardaway wasn’t named AAC Coach of the Year Wednesday. But no coach in the country has done more in the past two months.

Memphis defeated South Florida on Thursday, setting up Sunday’s game against Houston. It’s the biggest Tigers home game in years.

There’s just two weeks left until Selection Sunday. Judging by the way the Tigers blasted Wichita State, they don’t appear to be leaving their invitation to chance. 

Left in a house without power, Orange Mound residents Jake and Vennie McIntosh — ages 92 and 91 — died together in the recent ice storm.

Julie Barrett went to her very first game at FedExForum Thursday. But you’d have to travel a long way (1,000 miles, anyway) to find a more devoted Memphis Tigers fan. 

With time running out in the first half, the Memphis Tigers were in dire straits. Which is when Penny Hardaway did something he rarely does. It was a brilliant stroke.

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Box score: Memphis 78, Temple 64 

It was a memorable weekend for Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies at the NBA All-Star festivities. And that was before Morant threw down his eye-popping dunk.

‘Don’t lose heart, Memphis fans. The Tigers may have been blown out by SMU, but they can still make the NCAA Tournament. As long as they never play like that again.’

So what if the ESPN crew couldn’t actually pronounce the names of Memphis players Tuesday night? If the Tigers keep playing like this, they’ll be headed to (say it with me, ESPN!) the NCAA Tournament.

Why should Memphis fans believe the Tigers can win two of their next three games against Houston, Cincinnati and SMU? Well, they have Jalen Duren for starters. Ask Tulane how hard it is to stop that guy. 

With Zach Randolph watching, the Grizzlies completed a season-sweep of the hated Clippers. “Can’t wait for the playoffs,” Randolph said. And we know how he feels. 

Jackson State wronged the Southern Heritage Classic when it backed out of its contractual commitment to play in 2022. But if you think that’s the end of the classic, you don’t know Fred Jones. 

Emoni Bates has left Memphis for Michigan under mysterious circumstances. What’s going on? Will he ever be back? What the Bates saga tells us about a season gone badly awry.