2022–23 Memphis Tigers men's basketball team

The 2022–23 Memphis Tigers men's basketball team represented the University of Memphis in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Tigers were led by fifth-year head coach Penny Hardaway. The team played their home games at FedExForum as members of the American Athletic Conference. They finished the season 23–8, 13–5 in AAC Play to finish in second place. They defeated UCF and Tulane to advance to the championship game of the AAC tournament where they upset No. 1-ranked Houston to claim their first-ever AAC tournament championship. As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 8 seed in the East Region. There they were defeated by Florida Atlantic in the first round.

2022–23 Memphis Tigers men's basketball
AAC tournament champions
NCAA tournament, First Round
Conference	American Athletic Conference
Ranking
AP	No. 24
Record	26–9 (13–5 AAC)
Head coach	Penny Hardaway (5th season)
Assistant coaches	Frank Haith Faragi Phillips Andy Borman
Home arena	FedExForum (Capacity: 18,119)
Seasons ← 2021–22 2023–24 →

2022–23 American Athletic Conference men's basketball standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
No. 2 Houston	17	–	1		.944			33	–	4		.892
No. 24 Memphis †	13	–	5		.722			26	–	9		.743
Tulane	12	–	6		.667			20	–	11		.645
Cincinnati	11	–	7		.611			23	–	13		.639
Temple	10	–	8		.556			16	–	16		.500
Wichita State	9	–	9		.500			17	–	15		.531
UCF	8	–	10		.444			19	–	15		.559
South Florida	7	–	11		.389			14	–	18		.438
East Carolina	6	–	12		.333			16	–	17		.485
SMU	5	–	13		.278			10	–	22		.313
Tulsa	1	–	17		.056			5	–	25		.167
† 2023 AAC tournament winner Rankings from AP poll

Previous season

The Tigers finished the 2021–22 season 22–11, 13–5 in AAC Play to finish in third place. They defeated UCF and SMU to advance to the championship game of the AAC tournament where they lost to Houston. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 9 seed in the West Region. There they defeated Boise State in the first round before losing to Gonzaga.

Offseason

Departing players

Name	Number	Pos.	Height	Weight	Year	Hometown	Reason for departure
Earl Timberlake	0	G	6'6"	220	Sophomore	Washington, D.C.	Transferred to Bryant
Emoni Bates	1	F	6'9"	190	Freshman	Ypsilanti, MI	Transferred to Eastern Michigan
Jalen Duren	2	C	6'11"	250	Freshman	New Castle, DE	Declare for 2022 NBA draft; selected 13th overall by Charlotte Hornets
Landers Nolley II	3	G	6'7"	208	RS Junior	Fairburn, GA	Transferred to Cincinnati
Lester Quiñones	11	G	6'5"	208	Junior	Brentwood, NY	Declare for 2022 NBA draft; undrafted/signed with Golden State Warriors
Tyler Harris	14	G	5'9"	148	Senior	Memphis, TN	Walk-on; graduate transferred to South Florida
John Camden	15	F	6'8"	208	Freshman	Downingtown, PA	Transferred to Virginia Tech
Josh Minott	20	F	6'8"	205	Freshman	Boca Raton, FL	Declare for 2022 NBA draft; selected 45th overall by Charlotte Hornets
Sam Onu	55	C	6'11"	270	Freshman	Malvern, PA	Transferred to Florida Gulf Coast

Incoming transfers

Name	Number	Pos.	Height	Weight	Year	Hometown	Previous school
Elijah McCadden	0	G	6'4"	205	GS Senior	Rocky Mount, NC	Georgia Southern
Keonte Kennedy	1	G	6'5"	185	RS Senior	Austin, TX	UTEP
Kendric Davis	3	G	6'0"	180	GS Senior	Houston, TX	SMU
Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu	5	F	6'9"	202	RS Junior	Lagos, Nigeria	UT Arlington
Jahmar Young Jr.	10	F	6'9"	215	RS Senior	Oak Cliff, TX	SMU
James DeJesus	20	G	6'1"		Junior	Memphis, TN	Southwest Tennessee CC
Damaria Franklin	55	G	6'3"	205	GS Senior	Chicago, IL	UIC

2022 recruiting class

College recruiting information

Name	Hometown	School	Height	Weight	Commit date
Ian Granja F	Spain	Get Better Academy	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	N/A	Aug 6, 2022
	Recruit ratings: No ratings found
Overall recruit ranking:    Rivals: 1    247Sports: 1
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Memphis 2022 Basketball Commitments". Rivals. Retrieved September 27, 2022. "2022 Memphis Tigers Recruiting Class". ESPN. Retrieved September 27, 2022. "2022 Team Ranking". Rivals. Retrieved September 27, 2022. "2022 Memphis Tigers Basketball 24/7 Sports Commits". 247Sports. Retrieved September 27, 2022.

Roster

2022–23 Memphis Tigers men's basketball team
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown G 0 Elijah McCadden 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Sr Georgia Southern Rocky Mount, NC G 1 Keonte Kennedy 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 180 lb (82 kg) RS Sr UTEP Austin, TX G 2 Alex Lomax 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 190 lb (86 kg) GS East HS Memphis, TN G 3 Kendric Davis 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 177 lb (80 kg) GS SMU Houston, TX F 4 Chandler Lawson 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Sr Oregon Memphis, TN F 5 Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 210 lb (95 kg) RS Jr UT Arlington Lagos, Nigeria F 10 Jahmar Young Jr. 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 223 lb (101 kg) RS Sr SMU Oak Cliff, TX G 11 Johnathan Lawson 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) So Wooddale HS Memphis, TN F 12 DeAndre Williams 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 205 lb (93 kg) GS Evansville Houston, TX F 14 Ian Granja 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 188 lb (85 kg) Fr GBA Sojky Pelhrimov Barcelona, Spain G 20 James DeJesus (W) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Jr Southwest Tennessee CC Memphis, TN F 23 Malcolm Dandridge 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Sr East HS Memphis, TN G 25 Jayden Hardaway (W) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 207 lb (94 kg) RS Sr IMG Academy Memphis, TN G 30 Conor Glennon (W) 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 177 lb (80 kg) Jr Brother Rice HS Chicago, IL G 31 Tadarius Jacobs (W) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) So Bartlett HS Memphis, TN G 55 Damaria Franklin 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 200 lb (91 kg) RS Sr UIC Chicago, IL	Head coach Penny Hardaway (Memphis) Assistant coach(es) Frank Haith (Elon) Faragi Phillips (Mississippi Valley State) Andy Borman (Duke) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible (W) Walk-on Injured Current redshirt Roster

Schedule and results

Date time, TV	Rank#	Opponent#	Result	Record	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Site (attendance) city, state
Exhibition
October 23, 2022* 4:00 p.m.		Christian Brothers	W 69–60	–	22 – Davis	9 – Williams	6 – Davis	FedExForum (8,839) Memphis, TN
October 30, 2022* 1:00 p.m.		Lane College	W 96–62	–	22 – Williams	15 – C. Lawson	6 – Williams	FedExForum (8,672) Memphis, TN
Non-conference regular season
November 7, 2022* 7:00 p.m., SECN+		at Vanderbilt	W 76–67	1–0	17 – Williams	10 – Lomax	6 – Davis	Memorial Gymnasium (10,380) Nashville, TN
November 15, 2022* 8:00 p.m., CBSSN		at Saint Louis	L 84–90	1–1	21 – Williams	12 – Williams	6 – Lomax	Chaifetz Arena (7,925) St. Louis, MO
November 20, 2022* 4:00 p.m., ESPN+		VCU	W 62–47	2–1	26 – Davis	10 – Williams	7 – Davis	FedEx Forum (10,653) Memphis, TN
November 24, 2022* 6:30 p.m., ESPNews		vs. Seton Hall ESPN Events Invitational Quarterfinals	L 69–70	2–2	22 – Davis	8 – C. Lawson	6 – Davis	State Farm Field House (1,621) Orlando, FL
November 25, 2022* 4:30 p.m., ESPNews		vs. Nebraska ESPN Events Invitational Consolation 2nd round	W 73–61	3–2	21 – Davis	7 – Williams	7 – Davis	State Farm Field House  Orlando, FL
November 27, 2022* 10:00 a.m., ESPNU		vs. Stanford ESPN Events Invitational 5th Place game	W 56–48	4–2	14 – Davis	8 – C. Lawson	6 – Williams	State Farm Field House  Orlando, FL
November 30, 2022* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		North Alabama	W 87–68	5–2	18 – Davis	6 – Lomax	8 – Lomax	FedEx Forum (9,473) Memphis, TN
December 3, 2022* 6:30 p.m., ESPN2		Ole Miss	W 68–57	6–2	17 – Williams	14 – Williams	7 – Williams	FedEx Forum (13,264) Memphis, TN
December 6, 2022* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		Little Rock	W 87–71	7–2	17 – Williams	7 – Dandridge	5 – Williams	FedEx Forum (9,259) Memphis, TN
December 10, 2022* 4:00 p.m., ESPN2		vs. No. 11 Auburn Holiday Hoopsgiving	W 82–73	8–2	27 – Davis	11 – Williams	6 – Davis	State Farm Arena (7,795) Atlanta, GA
December 13, 2022* 8:00 p.m., ESPN2		at No. 4 Alabama	L 88–91	8–3	30 – Davis	9 – Williams	5 – Davis	Coleman Coliseum (9,195) Tuscaloosa, AL
December 17, 2022* 6:00 p.m., ESPNU		Texas A&M	W 83–79	9–3	23 – Davis	6 – Franklin	9 – Davis	FedExForum (11,544) Memphis, TN
December 21, 2022* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		Alabama State	W 83–61	10–3	25 – Williams	8 – McCadden	12 – Davis	FedExForum (10,193) Memphis, TN
AAC regular season
December 29, 2022 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		South Florida	W 93–86	11–3 (1–0)	24 – Davis	7 – Williams	9 – Davis	FedExForum (10,786) Memphis, TN
January 1, 2023 4:00 p.m., ESPN		at Tulane	L 89–96	11–4 (1–1)	31 – Davis	12 – Williams	7 – Davis	Devlin Fieldhouse (1,548) New Orleans, LA
January 7, 2023 1:00 p.m., ESPN+		East Carolina	W 69–59	12–4 (2–1)	19 – Williams	4 – Tied	6 – Tied	FedExForum (11,328) Memphis, TN
January 11, 2023 6:00 p.m., ESPN+		at UCF	L 104–107 2OT	12–5 (2–2)	42 – Davis	7 – McFadden	4 – Tied	Addition Financial Arena (6,812) Orlando, FL
January 15, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPN2		at Temple	W 61–59	13–5 (3–2)	20 – Tied	9 – Williams	4 – Kennedy	Liacouras Center (4,816) Philadelphia, PA
January 19, 2023 6:00 p.m., ESPNU		Wichita State	W 88–78	14–5 (4–2)	29 – Williams	15 – Williams	5 – Davis	FedExForum (11,238) Memphis, TN
January 22, 2023 12:00 p.m., ESPN2		at Cincinnati Rivalry	W 75–68	15–5 (5–2)	26 – Williams	8 – Williams	6 – Davis	Fifth Third Arena (8,622) Cincinnati, OH
January 26, 2023 6:00 p.m., ESPN2		SMU	W 99–84	16–5 (6–2)	25 – Davis	9 – Lawson	11 – Davis	FedExForum (10,489) Memphis, TN
January 29, 2023 4:00 p.m., ESPN2		at Tulsa	W 80–68	17–5 (7–2)	26 – Davis	11 – Williams	5 – Tied	Reynolds Center (3,602) Tulsa, OK
February 4, 2023 1:00 p.m., ESPNU		Tulane	L 89–90 OT	17–6 (7–3)	26 – Davis	17 – Williams	7 – Davis	FedExForum (11,802) Memphis, TN
February 8, 2023 6:00 p.m., ESPN+		at South Florida	W 99–81	18–6 (8–3)	26 – Williams	5 – Tied	8 – Davis	Yuengling Center (3,384) Tampa, FL
February 12, 2023 11:00 a.m., ESPN2		Temple	W 86–77	19–6 (9–3)	26 – Williams	12 – Williams	6 – Williams	FedExForum (10,836) Memphis, TN
February 16, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		UCF	W 64–63	20–6 (10–3)	16 – McCadden	7 – C. Lawson	2 – Tied	FedExForum (10,150) Memphis, TN
February 19, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPN		at No. 2 Houston	L 64–72	20–7 (10–4)	20 – McCadden	7 – Lomax	3 – Tied	Fertitta Center (7,730) Houston, TX
February 23, 2023 6:00 p.m., ESPN2		at Wichita State	W 83–78	21–7 (11–4)	19 – Davis	9 – Williams	5 – Williams	Charles Koch Arena (6,966) Wichita, KS
February 26, 2023 1:00 p.m., ESPN2		Cincinnati Rivalry	W 76–73	22–7 (12–4)	22 – Davis	7 – Williams	3 – Davis	FedExForum (12,211) Memphis, TN
March 2, 2023 8:00 p.m., ESPN2		at SMU	W 81–62	23–7 (13–4)	23 – Davis	12 – C. Lawson	10 – Davis	Moody Coliseum (4,332) University Park, TX
March 5, 2023 11:00 a.m., CBS		No. 1 Houston	L 65–67	23–8 (13–5)	26 – Davis	7 – Dandridge	6 – Williams	FedExForum (18,437) Memphis, TN
AAC tournament
March 10, 2023 6:00 p.m., ESPNU	(2)	vs. (7) UCF Quarterfinals	W 81–76	24–8	35 – Williams	13 – Williams	7 – Davis	Dickies Arena  Fort Worth, TX
March 11, 2023 4:00 p.m., ESPN2	(2)	vs. (3) Tulane Semifinals	W 94–54	25–8	27 – Williams	11 – Williams	6 – Davis	Dickies Arena (6,943) Fort Worth, TX
March 12, 2023 2:15 p.m., ESPN	(2)	vs. (1) No. 1 Houston Championship	W 75–65	26–8	31 – Davis	13 – Williams	4 – Lomax	Dickies Arena  Fort Worth, TX
NCAA tournament
March 17, 2023* 8:20 p.m., TNT	(8 E) No. 24	vs. (9 E) No. 25 Florida Atlantic First Round	L 65–66	26–9	16 – Davis	13 – Williams	4 – Williams	Nationwide Arena (19,564) Columbus, OH
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. E=East. All times are in Central Time.

Source^[1]

Rankings

See also: 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	Final
AP	RV	RV	—	—	RV	RV														24	Not released
Coaches	—	—	—	—	RV	RV														RV	RV

*AP does not release post-NCAA Tournament rankings