It may have been an exhibition game, but the Memphis Tigers faced a formidable opponent in the No. 9-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels at FedExForum in the St. Jude Classic. Neither team wanted to give up an early advantage, as the game was announced only a couple of weeks prior, drawing a strong crowd. In the end, North Carolina pulled away for an 84-76 victory.
On participating in the charity event, Penny Hardaway said, “I am so appreciative to be a part of this game for St. Jude Research Hospital. It was an exhibition game we wanted and were happy to have. It does me a ton of good to see where we are. I’m not trying to be the best coach in October. We did some great things tonight.”
North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis reflected on his team’s performance, noting the learning opportunities: “There were teaching points on almost every possession. This will give us examples to grow from and learn from.”
Both teams also visited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital before the game. “I told the team that a blessing is not just for you, it can work through you to benefit somebody else,” said Davis. “Our team and program was blessed by spending time at St. Jude.”
Tigers Take Early Lead, Falter in the Second Half
Memphis led 39-36 at halftime, with Hardaway rotating 10 players, all of whom scored at least once. P.J. Haggerty led the Tigers with 9 points and 4 rebounds in the first half.
However, the Tar Heels stormed back with a 13-3 run in the opening minutes of the second half. Memphis cut the lead to six with just over three minutes left, bringing the crowd back into the game. Despite the late surge, the Tigers couldn’t overcome North Carolina’s depth and experience.
North Carolina was led by Seth Trimble, who scored 33 points. Jaylen Washington added 17 points and 6 rebounds, while Elliot Cadeau tallied 13 assists and 13 points. The Tar Heels shot an impressive 54% from beyond the arc, hitting six of their eight three-pointers in the second half.
Hardaway was pleased with his team’s first-half performance but admitted the second half showed room for improvement: “In the first half, we got out and shared the basketball. What I didn’t like was our tempo. We didn’t push as hard as I wanted to push.”
Haggerty Shines in Tigers Debut
Haggerty finished with a game-high 34 points and 9 rebounds. Nicholas Jourdain and Colby Rodgers each added 11 points. Memphis struggled from three-point range, shooting only 21% on 5-for-24 shooting.
On his first game for Memphis, Haggerty said, “It was a very exciting game, even though it didn’t count. Playing with my new team for the first time was a great experience, even though we lost. It will not define us.”
Rodgers echoed the sentiment, saying, “It was exciting to play North Carolina in the first game. It’s a good test to see where we are. We’re going to be playing our best basketball in March, not in October.”
Looking Ahead
The Tigers will face another tough test in their second exhibition game on Monday, October 28, when they travel to Huntsville, Alabama, to take on No. 2 Alabama. The game will provide Memphis with another opportunity to see how they stack up against top-tier competition.
