Malcolm Dandridge to sit against FAU, allegedly involved in academic scandal.

Memphis basketball will be missing one of its biggest pieces in perhaps its biggest game of the season.

The Tigers will be without fifth-year senior Malcolm Dandridge when they take on Florida Atlantic inside FedExForum Sunday afternoon (1 p.m., ESPN). The 6-foot-9 center is averaging 8 points and 5 rebounds per game this season.

Sources tell Bluff City Media that Dandridge is allegedly involved in an academic scandal that’s currently being investigated by Memphis’ compliance department, which is why he’ll be absent from this weekend’s game. Head coach Penny Hardaway and staff were reportedly informed of the investigation earlier this week, and have thoroughly complied thus far. Dandridge is the only player involved in the investigation as of now, according to sources.

Memphis Athletics released a statement regarding the situation on Saturday morning.

”The University of Memphis is currently gathering and reviewing information regarding a potential issue impacting Malcolm Dandridge’s eligibility and is withholding him from competition until further notice,” the statement reads in part. “To protect the integrity of that process, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

Hardaway’s program has already been involved in two NCAA investigations in his six-year tenure. The first was in 2019 when Memphis played 5-star freshman James Wiseman despite being advised not to by the NCAA due to eligibility concerns. This triggered an investigation of the entire program, which was later charged with four Level I violations in March 2022, including a Lack of Institutional Control charge against Hardaway. The Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP), however, opted to soften Memphis’ penalties in October 2022. And the Tigers ultimately received three years of probation and no postseason ban.

But the program earned a fourth year of probation after Hardaway was suspended for three games earlier this season due to a recruiting violation, which was triggered after he and a former assistant illegally visited a Texas high school recruit in 2022.

Memphis is handling this latest matter internally as of now, but a possible third NCAA incident in six seasons would maybe prove devastating for Hardaway’s tenure.

This story is ongoing and will be updated as more information becomes available.