The season officially began for the Memphis Tigers basketball team with a hard-fought win over the Missouri Tigers at FedExForum on November 4. Memphis rallied in the second half to secure an 83-75 victory, starting the season at (1-0).
Head coach Penny Hardaway praised his team’s resilience, saying, “I am proud of my team for making the adjustments at halftime. I am really proud of that second half. We went out to get toughness and defense. We wanted to be better on the defensive end and not worry if the ball goes in or not. That is who we want to be.”
Missouri head coach Dennis Gates acknowledged the difference in the second half, particularly the impact of Memphis guard P.J. Haggerty. “He was able to get to the free throw line. We did not do a great job with paint protection. They were able to set up their press,” Gates said.
Memphis started off slow, trailing by as many as 14 points in the first half. Missouri took advantage, shooting 54 percent from the field and hitting five three-pointers. The Tigers, by contrast, struggled offensively, shooting just 20 percent early on and finishing the half at 34 percent. Memphis trailed 42-32 going into halftime. Foul trouble also impacted their momentum, as Nicholas Jourdain, Memphis’s only returning player from last season, picked up three fouls in the first half.
The Tigers’ defense intensified early in the second half, turning turnovers into points and chipping away at Missouri’s lead. With 10:23 left in the game, Tyrese Hunter’s three-pointer gave Memphis their first lead of the half.
P.J. Haggerty saved his best for last. After scoring just 3 points in the first half, he became instrumental in Memphis’s comeback, finishing with a game-high 25 points, 10 made free throws, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Colby Rodgers added 10 points to the effort.
Fouls played a significant role in the game, with 48 fouls called in total. Three Memphis players fouled out, while four Missouri players finished with four fouls. Free-throw shooting proved crucial, as Missouri converted 16 free throws compared to Memphis’s 23.
On Haggerty’s slow start, Hardaway said, “It’s not going to take a few months to get out of his habits. He’s still getting used to me and his teammates. As the game goes on, he sees his spots where he can pick. I hope sooner rather than later it picks up earlier.”
Hunter, on securing his first win with Memphis, said, “It always feels good. We had to let some jitters go. We came back in the second half and cleaned some things up. We laid it all out on defense and let everything else take care of itself.”
Haggerty reflected on his debut, adding, “It was an exciting moment playing in front of all the fans, playing a real game and getting the win.”
With 1:13 left, P.J. Carter sank a clutch basket to extend Memphis’s lead to 79-67, putting the game out of Missouri’s reach. Memphis closed out the game by making their free throws to maintain a comfortable margin. Moussa Cisse added 14 points, including 10 free throws—a standout performance for a player not known for his free-throw shooting. Hunter contributed 14 points, and Carter hit three three-pointers to finish with 9 points.
Missouri (0-1) was led by Anthony Robinson II with 16 points and 7 assists. Tamar Bates and Trent Pierce each added 13 points. The Tigers’ defensive pressure was a factor in the second half, as Missouri, after only three first-half turnovers, gave up 11 turnovers in the second. Missouri also struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 2 of 14 from three-point range in the final 20 minutes.
Next up, Memphis travels to Las Vegas to face the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 5 p.m. CT. The Tigers will return to FedExForum on Nov. 11 to host the Ohio Bobcats at 7 p.m.
