“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.

Ja Morant celebrated his new All-Star status in the only way he knew how. He put together a 30-point triple-double as the Grizzlies beat Mike Conley and the Utah Jazz.

When Ja Morant was selected to the NBA All-Star Game Thursday, it felt like all of Memphis was celebrating along with him. There’s a very good reason for that. 

There’s a reason Penny Hardaway still has a good chance to become a successful coach at Memphis. That reason is love.

I asked Penny Hardaway if he could “get this done” at Memphis. His answer — complete with four expletives — revealed a lot. 

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Tigers drop third straight AAC game after sloppy start

Tigers' problems run much deeper than injury issues

Hardaway goes off in explosive rant after loss to SMU

Box score: SMU 70, Memphis 62

Steven Adams picked up one of the Chicago Bulls and carried him away like a small child. Just more evidence that this is not a Grizzlies team to be trifled with.