Memphis basketball barely misses cut for first AP Top 25 poll.

Memphis basketball just missed out on an AP Top 25 ranking Monday afternoon.

The Tigers received 53 votes—more than any other unranked team—following their 70-55 demolition of Missouri on Friday night. This effectively makes them the No. 26 team in the country.

CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish ranks the Tigers No. 20 in his Top 25 and 1 rankings. Jon Rothstein, also of CBS Sports and an AP Voter, ranks them No. 25 in his top 45 teams. They’re also ranked No. 26 in KenPom. Memphis was last ranked in last season’s final AP Poll at No. 24 before losing to No. 25 Florida Atlantic in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 64.

Memphis—led by Rick Stansbury for the second of its first three regular season games while Penny Hardaway serves his NCAA-levied suspension—had a fantastic second half in its victory inside Mizzou Arena. In the game’s final 20 minutes, the team started on a 22-3 run, was 16-of-31 from on its field goal attempts, shot 50% from deep and out-rebounded Missouri by 12. Defensively, it held Missouri to just 5-26 from the field and 2-11 from the perimeter. All in all, the visiting Tigers won the second half 44-22.

Alabama transfer point guard Jahvon Quinerly led the way in the victory with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. He recorded 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in the second half alone. Quinerly also shot 7-of-10 from the field and 2-4 from 3-point range.

Louisiana transfer center Jordan Brown also dominated in limited action. Brown, who hasn’t started this regular season, scored 12 points and nabbed 5 rebounds in just 17 minutes against Missouri. Transfer wings David Jones (10) and Jaykwon Walton (13) also scored in double-figures.

Memphis (2-0) takes on Alabama State (0-2) this coming Friday (7 p.m., ESPN+) inside FedExForum—the final game of Hardaway’s suspension—before heading to The Bahamas to take part in next week’s Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.