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LET THE MADNESS BEGIN: Tiger rookies excited about coming out party

Boogie Ellis
Damion Baugh

One of the best things the NCAA allowed colleges to do was to have an opening basketball event.

At the University of Memphis, the event was once dubbed Midnight Madness, because the rule was you could start as early as midnight on the first day. The rules were adjusted to allow a more reasonable time for both the fans and television.

And in Memphis, the Madness has been building ever since Penny Hardaway reeled in the No. 1 recruiting class in America. Such events are also recruiting tools, helping to lure top prospects.

One of those recruits is Boogie Ellis, who attended Hardaway’s first Madness as the Tigers’ head coach last October. Ellis originally chose to play this season at Duke, but changed his mind, coming to Memphis instead.

“It was an unofficial visit, but it was one of my best visits,” Ellis told media ahead of Thursday’s Memphis Madness. “It was real live. I figured out that Penny was the man here very fast. Just seeing that atmosphere and the culture really caught my eye.

“I am really excited to be coming out and being introduced to the city, playing with my teammates and having some fun,” he added. “It is crazy that is has almost been a year. I was here for the last Memphis Madness and time just flies by. It is going to be amazing.”

Ellis, Damion Baugh and Lester Quinones Jr. were the only athletes to speak to media before Memphis Madness.

Oh, and possible “spoiler alert:” Hip hop star Lil Baby posted on Instagram account that he had a “charity event at Penny Hardaway College” on Thursday Oct. 3 in Memphis. It has not been confirmed by anyone from the University. Unlike last season, when guest star rumors were spreading like wildfire, no one is been rumored to be performing at the event this year.

It will be a high-stakes night for the university. Memphis Madness can have a direct effect on the potential recruits in choosing the Tigers. Last year the acts were all Memphis rappers.

Baugh said he’s been to an event like this before and is looking forward to being a part of it. The freshman from Tennessee Prep High school in Memphis came into the incoming freshman class with little hoopla, but after his performance during the Bahamas trip this summer the expectations for him have risen considerably.

Quinones has quickly become one of the fan favorites. Quinones has been in several twitter spats with some former players from the Tennessee Volunteers. Lester admitted to not being the one to start the spat, but some of the fans started trash talking.

“A lot of trash talking on social media (was driven by) them coming at us first,” Quinones said. “I will never go after someone first. It is just an instinct if they come after me first. It has been a rivalry for a while here and I can’t wait to play them in December.”

Tickets to Memphis Madness are very scarce but can be found via some social media sites. The events tips offs at 7 p.m. at the FedEx Forum and will feature a three-point contest and dunk contests. Doors open at 6 p.m.

A Blue Carpet Experience, which features live music and former players signing autographs, begins at 5 p.m. on FedExForum plaza. Doors open at 6 p.m. Memphis Madness will be streamed on ESPN+.

Check out these scenes from Memphis Madness 2018! And we’ll have photos and more in TSD’s coverage Friday!

 

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