The road doesn’t get easier for Memphis basketball.
After getting annihilated by Louisville, the Tigers (4-5) host No. 12 Vanderbilt — their second straight top-12 opponent and one of only seven teams currently undefeated — on Dec. 17 (6 p.m. CT, ESPN2).
The Commodores (10-0) are playing just their second true road game of the season. Memphis is 4-1 at FedExForum and 9-1 against power conference opponents at home during the past five seasons.
Tigers coach Penny Hardaway was disappointed in his team’s response after falling behind against Louisville. He said the players reverted to bad habits, which he has spent months working to correct.
“We looked disheveled once we got down, because that’s what the guys are going to go back to — a comfort level of what they’ve done,” he said. “You’ve got to be tougher, you’ve gotta be stronger in these games.”
Here are three things we’re thinking about ahead of tip-off against Vanderbilt.
Memphis basketball struggling mightily at the rim
One of the more prevalent issues the Tigers have faced a quarter of the way through the season is finishing at the rim.
Memphis has had 9.4% of its 2-point field goal attempts blocked, which ranks 177th in the country, tied with the likes of Lindenwood, Akron, Bowling Green and North Carolina A&T.
Vanderbilt ranks 33rd in the country with 5.0 blocks per game, and it is No. 22 in block percentage defense (14.8%).
Even when the Tigers’ shots aren’t getting blocked, they are struggling to score when they get close. According to Statbroadcast, they have made only 57.9% of what the service determines are layups.
Aaron Bradshaw continues building
Even though foul trouble limited Aaron Bradshaw to just 19 minutes against Louisville, the 7-footer finished with eight points (on 4-of-7 shooting) and five rebounds (four on the offensive glass).
After the game, Hardaway was in the middle of singling out Hasan Abdul Hakim (who had 18 points) for being the only player who ever had it going. Then he stopped himself.
“I take that back, Bradshaw was having a good game. Deserved way more shots,” he said, before noting his four fouls.
In his past three outings, Bradshaw has averaged 13 points and 5.3 rebounds. That’s after he put up 4.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in his first five games.
Bradshaw, along with Abdul Hakim, Zach Davis and Ashton Hardaway, figures to be a key component of the plan Hardaway may lean more heavily into moving forward. Prior to the Louisville game, he was employing more length in his lineups, but decided to go smaller against the Cardinals.
“That big lineup is going to have to be what we rely on. That big lineup rebounds and you can switch everything,” Hardaway said. “If we can get Hasan, Ashton Aaron and Zach to just be the guys every night, then that big lineup works. That’s all size and height and you get the matchup that you want.
“Might have to just stay big and go through the matchups and then run more offense.”
Vanderbilt basketball scouting report
Vanderbilt, much like Louisville, features a deep, balanced offense.
Led by Duke Miles (16.6 points per game), each member of the Commodores’ eight-man rotation is averaging at least 7.8 points. Tyler Nickel leads the 3-point shooting effort, hitting 47.3% of his team-high 74 attempts.
Mark Byington’s team started the season on a 3-point shooting pace similar to that of Louisville (which ranks fourth in the nation with 35.2 attempts beyond the arc per game). In its first five games, Vanderbilt averaged 33.8 deep attempts per game. In its past five games, though, it has reined it in a bit to 25.4.
Memphis has had success this season against smaller teams like Baylor and Southern Illinois, which rank 199th and 236th in average roster height, respectively. Vanderbilt ranks 258th in average height. Jalen Washington (6-10) is the only player in the Commodores’ rotation taller than 6-8.
Memphis basketball score prediction vs. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt 82, Memphis 75: The Commodores are playing too well right now to expect the Tigers to slow them down.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at [email protected], follow him @munzly on X.
