NASSAU, Bahamas — The Memphis basketball team returned to the United States Nov. 22 still in search of its second win of the season.
The Tigers’ losing streak stretched to four games with losses to No. 1 Purdue and Wake Forest at the Baha Mar Championship. The latter — a last-second heartbreaker after leading for more than 32 minutes — was the kind of gut-punch that could make an already long trip home feel even longer.
Coach Penny Hardaway — who accepted responsibility for a crucial free throw gaffe and called out multiple execution lapses in the final 15 seconds, all of which helped set up the Demon Deacons’ buzzer-beater — provided some insight into his train of thought as the negative results pile up.
“I always say you can come back from failure, you just can’t come back from excuses,” he said. “We make no excuses. We just have to keep getting better.”
The island excursion yielded more data points for a team that is still being figured out and still trying to figure itself out. Memphis faces Southern Illinois on Nov. 26 (7 p.m. CT, ESPN+) at FedExForum; here is a breakdown of some of the top impressions as the season continues to unfold.
Penny Hardaway’s depth still showing up
With each passing game, the Tigers (1-4) are proving that what Hardaway spent much of the offseason touting — some of the best roster depth he has ever had during his tenure — in fact might be accurate.
The games inside the cozy, 2,000-seat Grand Ballroom featured encouraging appearances from frontcourt players Tariq Ingraham (6-foot-9) and William Whorton (6-8).
Ingraham was a non-factor in the team’s two exhibition games and he played just five minutes through the first three regular-season games. But the 25-year-old, seventh-year senior transfer from Rider averaged almost 18 minutes in the Bahamas, putting up particularly good numbers in the 80-71 loss to Purdue: 10 points, three rebounds and one block, while also drawing five fouls.
Whorton made his Memphis debut against Purdue, playing six minutes. But it was his turn against Wake Forest that showed he could be a legitimate member of the rotation. The South Dakota State transfer, whose athleticism helps him play bigger than his frame, had four points and six rebounds in almost 18 minutes.
Ingraham and Whorton’s contributions, along with the increased roles of Zach Davis and Simon Majok, helped make up for the absence of Thierno Sylla (who is expected to return to the court against Southern Illinois) and the continued absence of Hasan Abdul Hakim (who could be activated in the near future, according to Hardaway).
They also underscored what has been a somewhat overlooked facet of the roster: superior length.
Purdue coach Matt Painter and Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes both indicated Memphis’ size was particularly challenging and uncommon.
“We’ve played Michigan, (and) I’m not sure (Memphis is) not bigger,” Forbes said.
Still work to do in the chemistry department
Several Tigers players suggested the time away from Memphis was valuable from the standpoint of team bonding.
“We spent a lot of time with each other,” Davis said after the Purdue game on Nov. 20. “Understanding each other. Getting to know aspects where we didn’t know each other. Talking about the game. Different things we can do in and out the game. I think it showed tonight.”
But what also showed was Memphis still needs to take strides in the chemistry and cohesion department. The Tigers committed an average of 14.5 turnovers to 10.5 assists. Some of those turnovers were unforced or balls that were thrown out of bounds, untouched, due to miscommunication or failed assumptions.
The Memphis basketball mindset
As much as trying times can galvanize a team and bolster its collective scar tissue, they can also put strain on the enterprise and cause harm that is difficult to reverse.
In three of its four losses, Memphis has played hard more often than not, and played well, too. But on the surface, the results don’t necessarily reflect any of it.
“We’re not a moral victory type team,” said Dug McDaniel, who was the team’s lone representative on the All-Baha Mar Championship team. “Despite how good or how bad we may play, we always strive for winning. We’ll never be comfortable with losing.”
McDaniel added he expects the extended losing streak will strengthen the Tigers’ resolve.
“If we’re all thinking alike, we’re going to use it as extra motivation,” he said. “At some point, we’re going to win and we’re going to take off from there, I promise you.”
Hardaway’s confidence is not shaken.
“We have a roster that can win,” he said. “We just haven’t figured out how to finish it. Hopefully these losses hurt bad enough. We haven’t done what we’re supposed to do or what we thought we were going to do early. But it is still early.
“This too shall pass and this will turn. I trust God. I know that we’re going to keep pushing hard and these young men are going to answer the bell.”
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at [email protected], follow him @munzly on X.
