After a brutal stretch in the Bahamas that left Memphis reeling with back-to-back losses to Purdue and Wake Forest, the Tigers have finally steadied the ship. A week removed from their win over Southern Illinois, and after a much-needed Thanksgiving layoff, Penny Hardaway’s squad returned to FedExForum looking refreshed, re-energized, and—most importantly—focused. The result: a convincing 86-70 victory over the UNO Privateers, marking Memphis’ second straight win and a small but meaningful stride back in the right direction.
Coming in, UNO carried the reputation of a dangerous mid-major. Their upset win over Big 12 opponent TCU, along with their victory over Tulane, raised eyebrows nationally. But the broader picture told the truth: despite those flashes, they entered Memphis with just two wins and five losses, still searching for consistency. On Tuesday night, it quickly became clear the Privateers were stepping into a different weight class.
Memphis dominated the first half, building a 48-28 lead fueled by efficient ball movement, active defense, and a balanced scoring attack. Julius Thedford set the early tone with 13 first-half points, helping stretch the lead to twenty before the break.
The second half belonged to Simon Majok, who erupted for 10 of his 13 points after halftime, anchoring Memphis inside with shot-altering defense and energy on the glass. Off the bench, Quante Berry delivered a huge spark, finishing with 17 points and playing one of his best games in a Tigers uniform.
UNO showed fight—TJ Cope scored 21, while Jakevion Buckley and MJ Thomas combined for 24—but a Memphis surge answered every Privateer run. The Tigers pushed the lead to 80-60 after a 7-0 burst, effectively sealing the game with eight minutes remaining. During the postgame press conference, Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway explained why center Aaron Bradshaw did not see action in Wednesday’s contest.
“I mean, I think it’s a multitude of things,” Hardaway said. “But, yeah, if guys aren’t on the floor, that means they’re not giving everything. If they’re not starting, they’re not giving everything. We’re giving the guys on the floor a chance to put a product that the team, the university and the city will be proud of. Just playing as hard as they can play. Having some grit and toughness. Those are the guys that we’re going with. We’re asking everyone else, ‘When you get your opportunity, to do the same. ” Hardaway said.
This win doesn’t erase the concerns that surfaced in the Bahamas, but it does bring momentum at a crucial time. And momentum is exactly what Memphis needs.
Because now comes the gauntlet.
Over the next four games—Baylor, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State—Memphis enters the most defining stretch of its non-conference season. These matchups represent their final opportunities to build an NCAA Tournament résumé before American Conference play begins. A 2-2 split would keep the Tigers in the at-large conversation: anything less risks sinking their margin for error.
The next segment of the schedule is go-time. The Tigers needed to win the past two games—and they did. Now comes the real test. The climb back toward a March Madness bid starts Saturday at FedExForum.
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