What Penny’s New Year resolutions for Memphis Tigers basketball should be

Once the clock struck midnight on 2023, billions of people across the world entered 2024 with resolutions that come in all shapes and sizes. Lose that extra weight. Go to the gym more. Start running. Actually, start jogging. Those are the typical health-related ones.

Then, there are those more career/income-based. Work some extra hours a month. Save up for a nice vacation. Maybe quit your current job and find something more fulfilling.

Don’t forget the more personal ones either. Be nicer to others. Be a better listener. Keep up with family more. Mend any broken family relationships. Stuff like that.

For Penny Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers, their New Year resolutions should look a bit different.

1. No Q3 or Q4 losses in AAC play.

If anybody is unfamiliar, the NCAA’s NET Ranking for college basketball is one of the most important metrics in the eyes of the NCAA Tournament committee. All D1 college basketball teams are ranked based on a variety of factors that lead to an overall NET ranking. Those teams are split into quadrants 1-4 with Quad 1 being the best.

Though Memphis is 11-2 overall with no losses against Quad 2, 3, or 4 teams, Memphis ranks 40th in the NET, while Texas A&M – road victory – and Clemson are ranked well ahead. The Aggies are 24th. Clemson is 8th. 8th, even though Memphis beat them. Its AAC rival Florida Atlantic University has 2 losses against Quad 4 teams Bryant and Florida Gulf Coast University. Yet, FAU is 18th.

Look, I don’t claim to be all-knowing and never will. But I do know two things: 1. The NET Ranking formula puts too much emphasis on the margin of victory against lesser opponents; 2. Memphis can’t afford any Quad 3 or Quad 4 losses.

After the Tigers’ close wins over Vanderbilt and Austin Peay, Memphis went down a combined 12 spots because those wins weren’t by big enough margins. If the Tigers drop by 12 after wins – albeit close wins – against bad teams, imagine how big the drop will be if Memphis loses to a bad team. It could be a 30 spot drop for all I know. With multiple chances for bad losses in AAC play, David Jones said it best.

“We just gotta play hard every game, no matter who we play against … These days in college, anybody can beat anybody.” Memphis can’t lose to just “anybody.”

2. Share the rock to play winning basketball.

This team has bucket getters. As I’ve said before, a team full of scorers is a gift and a curse. The Vanderbilt and Austin Peay games are proof of that curse. Against the Commodores, Memphis lost the assist battle 12 to 9. Against the Governors, 18-13. That’s unacceptable against those teams. But that’s also more likely to happen with a roster lacking in playmaking and full of scorers.

For players with scoring mentalities, it’s difficult for them to play winning basketball in other areas when shots aren’t falling. The extra pass isn’t made. Bad shots are forced to shoot out of that slump. Defensive effort fades to save energy on offense to take even more bad shots or turn the ball over. All things that contribute to losing basketball rear their ugly heads. Penny touched on this in his post-game presser after Austin Peay.

“All you want is the fight. It doesn’t matter if you miss every shot. You just want the fight. We’re not getting the fight every possession … I’m seeing a trend now.”

Jahvon Quinerly is a talented point guard with impressive vision and playmaking. That’s why I’ve always wanted him to be the conductor of the offense. But he can’t be the only one willing to find open teammates. Offense isn’t about finding a good shot. It’s about finding the best shot. That only happens if teams share the rock. Last season, Memphis was very good at that ranking 24th in assists per game. This season, 191st. Terrible.

It’s a blessing to have so many gifted scorers. To keep the curse from setting in, those same scorers must play with fight and facilitate for others if/when shots aren’t falling.

3. Play for something bigger than yourselves.

“You just hope these guys understand how the city feels about the team … They start reading the clippings and if they don’t see their names, you can have a problem with that. And unfortunately, it seeps into every good team. I have to figure out a way to stop it.”

Yes Penny, you do. This team full of transfers from different cities across the country has shown signs of understanding. But they now call Memphis home and must completely understand that this is bigger than themselves.

Mere words can’t do justice to what this team means to this city. But I’ll try.

Memphis Tigers basketball means everything to Memphis. Everything.

For a city still healing from its history clouded by racial and socio-economic divide, for a city still struggling to provide quality public education because of a lack of funding, for a city still dealing with real crime issues, for a city constantly overlooked, criticized, and unappreciated by the rest of the country, for a city looking for something to believe in, Memphis Tigers basketball means everything.

Of course, the Memphis Grizzlies do too. And I really hope they can turn it around. But c’mon now. We all know their struggles, while the Tigers have their highest AP Poll ranking at No. 15 since the John Calipari days. If the Grizzlies can’t be a beacon of hope for Memphis, then the Tigers are the only other option for this basketball-obsessed city.

If this group of young men led by the most important athlete to come out of Memphis fully understands what this team means to this city and plays for something bigger than themselves, dreams of the city’s first championship could become a reality this year.

Happy New Year everyone. Here’s to 2024 being the best year yet for you and Memphis, Tennessee.