The only matchup on Tuesday's schedule between two teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 is a nonconference showdown between Virginia and Memphis. Incredibly, as The Daily Memphian's Parth Upadhyaya noted, it will represent the first time a ranked Memphis team has hosted a ranked opponent inside FedExForum since March 8, 2014 when the Tigers beat SMU.
So it's been a minute.
Since that day, when the Tigers got 18 points in the win from local star Joe Jackson, Memphis has gone through two coaching changes and what feels like a million ups and downs. After that 2013-14 season, the Tigers didn't make the NCAA Tournament again until Penny Hardaway took them to the 68-team bracket in 2022. He did it again in 2023. And now the Memphis graduate has his alma mater ranked No. 23 in the AP poll, No. 23 in the Coaches poll and No. 18 in Tuesday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings heading into a night that will have Memphians' attention split between an important game for the Tigers and Ja Morant's season debut for the Grizzlies 400 miles south in New Orleans.
"It makes me feel proud to see this thing come full circle — first as a player and now as a coach," Hardaway said Monday night during his weekly radio show, per Upadhyaya. "Everyone in Memphis knows a good basketball team."
In an attempt to build an at-large résumé good enough to keep Memphis out of the 8-9 game in the NCAA Tournament for what would be the third straight year, Hardaway challenged his team with a non-league schedule that has required the Tigers to play seven power-conference opponents in their first 10 games, six of which were away from home. So far, so good. Memphis is 8-2 with six victories in the first two quadrants. Only top-ranked Purdue has more.
"[It shows] we can play with anybody in the country," Hardaway said.
This game against Virginia provides Memphis with a chance to add what would be a third Q1 win, and thus a seventh victory inside the first two quadrants, considering the Cavaliers are No. 23 in the NET. (UVA is No. 22 in the Top 25 And 1 and No. 22 in the AP poll.) Tip is scheduled for 7 pm ET. You can watch it on ESPN2.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Fletcher Loyer finished with 27 points and four steals in Saturday's 92-84 win over Arizona. The Boilermakers' next game is Thursday against Jacksonville. | -- | 34-5 |
| 2 |  | Kevin McCullar finished with 21 points and six rebounds in Saturday's 75-71 win at Indiana. The Jayhawks' next game is Friday against Yale. | -- | 23-11 |
| 3 |  | Emanuel Sharp finished with 21 points and six rebounds in Saturday's 70-66 win over Texas A&M. The Cougars' next game is Thursday against Texas State. vvv | -- | 32-5 |
| 4 |  | Donovan Clingan finished with 21 points and eight rebounds in Friday's 76-63 win over Gonzaga. The Huskies' next game is Wednesday at Seton Hall. | -- | 37-3 |
| 5 |  | Arizona allowed Purdue to shoot 53.8% from the field in Saturday's 92-84 loss to the Boilermakers. The Wildcats' next game is Wednesday against Alabama. | -- | 27-9 |
| 6 |  | Oso Ighodaro finished with 21 points and eight rebounds in Thursday's 84-79 win over St. Thomas-Minnesota. The Golden Eagles' next game is Tuesday at Providence. | -- | 27-10 |
| 7 |  | Zakai Zeigler finished with 20 points and eight assists in Saturday's 79-70 win over NC State. The Vols' next game is Thursday against Tarleton State. | -- | 27-9 |
| 8 |  | Coleman Hawkins finished with 16 points and seven rebounds in Sunday's 74-57 win over Colgate. The Illini's next game is Friday against Missouri. | -- | 29-9 |
| 9 |  | Rivaldo Soares finished with 13 points and five rebounds in Saturday's 81-47 win over Green Bay. The Sooners' next game is Wednesday against North Carolina. | -- | 20-12 |
| 10 |  | Johnell Davis finished with 16 points and nine rebounds in Saturday's 64-54 win over St. Bonaventure. The Owls' next game is Saturday against Arizona. | -- | 25-9 |
| 11 |  | Rob Dillingham finished with 17 points and three rebounds in Saturday's 87-83 win over North Carolina. The Wildcats' next game is Thursday against Louisville. | -- | 23-10 |
| 12 |  | Armando Bacot was limited to nine points in Saturday's 87-83 loss to Kentucky. The Tar Heels' next game is Wednesday against Oklahoma. | -- | 29-8 |
| 13 |  | Baylor allowed Michigan State to shoot 63.3% from the field in Saturday's 88-64 loss to the Spartans. The Bears' next game is Wednesday against Duke. | -- | 24-11 |
| 14 |  | Gonzaga allowed UConn to shoot 55.8% from the field in Friday's 76-63 loss to the Huskies. The Zags' next game is Wednesday against Jackson State. | -- | 27-8 |
| 15 |  | Isaiah Stevens finished with 18 points and six assists in Sunday's 86-54 win over CSU Pueblo. The Rams' next game is Friday against Loyola Marymount. | -- | 25-11 |
| 16 |  | Richie Saunders finished with 20 points and six rebounds in Saturday's 86-54 win over Georgia State. The Cougars' next game is Friday against Bellarmine. | -- | 23-11 |
| 17 |  | Jaemyn Brakefield finished with 27 points and three steals in Saturdays 88-78 win over Cal. The Rebels' next game is Tuesday against Troy. | -- | 20-12 |
| 18 |  | David Jones finished with 22 points and six rebounds in Saturday's 79-77 win over Clemson. The Tigers' next game is Tuesday against Virginia. | -- | 22-10 |
| 19 |  | Chase Hunter was 3-of-11 from the field in Saturday's 79-77 loss at Memphis. The Tigers' next game is Friday against Queens. | -- | 24-12 |
| 20 |  | Kyle Filipowski finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds in Tuesday's 89-68 win over Hofstra. The Blue Devils' next game is Wednesday against Baylor. | -- | 27-9 |
| 21 |  | Steven Crowl finished with 19 points and nine rebounds in Thursday's 75-60 win over Jacksonville State. The Badgers' next game is Friday against Chicago State. | -- | 22-14 |
| 22 |  | Reece Beekman finished with 21 points and five assists in Saturday's 56-54 win over Northeastern. The Cavaliers' next game is Tuesday at Memphis. | -- | 23-11 |
| 23 |  | Xavier Brown finished with 17 points and three rebounds in Saturday's 88-71 win at Hampton. The Dukes' next game is Tuesday against Coppin State. | -- | 32-4 |
| 24 |  | Aden Holloway finished with 15 points and six assists in Sunday's 91-75 win over USC. The Tigers' next game is Friday against Alabama State. | -- | 27-8 |
| 25 |  | Trey Alexander finished with 22 points and four rebounds in Saturday's 85-82 win over Alabama. The Bluejays' next game is Wednesday against Villanova. | -- | 25-10 |
| 26 |  | Jace Carter was 3-of-11 from the field in Saturday's 70-66 loss to Houston. The Aggies' next game is Friday against Houston Christian. | -- | 21-15 |
