Getty Memphis coach Penny Hardaway.
The No. 12 Memphis Tigers, led by a pair of Top-5 recruits in Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren, look to start their season on a strong note as they host Tennessee Tech on Tuesday.
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The game (8 p.m. ET start time) isn’t on TV, but anyone in the US can watch Tennessee Tech vs Memphis live on ESPN+:
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You can also watch on your computer via ESPN.com.
Tennessee Tech vs Memphis Preview
Penny Hardaway is entering his fourth season as the Memphis head coach but expectations have never been higher for his Tigers. Luckily, the former NBA All-Star feels like he has a roster worthy of the hype.
“I think we’re the most complete team I’ve had heading into the season with knowing what we’re doing on both sides of the ball,” Hardaway told reporters.
Hardaway also has reinforcements in his coaching staff, adding Hall of Famer Larry Brown and Rasheed Wallace to his team in the offseason.
“There’s so much experience on this staff,” Hardaway said. “Coach Brown coached nine NBA teams, I played 15 years in the league, Sheed played 16 and Cody’s (assistant Cody Toppert) coached in the NBA. We’re definitely all happy to be able to look at this roster and have so many options.”
Two players in the spotlight for Memphis are Jalen Duren and Emoni Bates — two five-star prospects landed by Hardaway. Both have been named to the Naismith Trophy watchlist.
“I’m a good person, good teammate, I want to see everyone win,” Bates said. “It’s just not just about myself, as people would try to make it seem. I’m trying to do whatever it takes to help my team win.”
Tennesee Tech is not lacking experience. They return 10 players, including leading scorer from last season Jr. Clay and Keishawn Davidson, the team’s third-leading scorer.
Other Division I transfers on the Golden Eagles roster include: Diante Wood (Jacksonville/Alabama), Daniel Ramsey (Xavier), Mamoudou Diarra (Cincinnati), Caleb Christopher (Arizona State), and John Pettway (South Alabama).
“We feel like we have enough depth with 17 total players on our basketball team, so it’s going to come down to how much work we put in and how well we get along,” Tennesee Tech head coach John Pelphrey said. “That’s what we’re actively trying to do right now, just put in the work and really develop deep-rooted relationships.”
Memphis is a massive 28.5-point favorite for the matchup, with the total set at 150.