PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — The Memphis basketball team, with coach Penny Hardaway back from suspension, secured a 71-67 victory over Michigan on Wednesday at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
The Tigers (4-0) are set to play No. 20 Arkansas on Thursday (4 p.m., ESPN), reigniting a historical rivalry that has been dormant for more than 20 years, with the Razorbacks maintaining a slight 11-10 lead in the series.
Ranked No. 23 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, Memphis had a 16-point lead in the second half before Michigan (3-2) launched a comeback, reducing the deficit to just two points with 9.1 seconds remaining. David Jones put up the last nine points for Memphis, including six free throws in the final 67 seconds, and two with less than 5 seconds left.
Freshman Ashton Hardaway had a significant impact, leading all Tigers with 17 points, featuring five 3-pointers on seven attempts.
Michigan dominated the rebounding battle, securing 50 compared to Memphis’ 28, but committed close to twice as many turnovers (18 to 11) as the Tigers did. The Tigers capitalized on Michigan’s mistakes, converting them into 21 points. Head coach Juwan Howard led the team from the bench for the first time this season, recovering from September heart surgery, with assistant Phil Martelli managing head coaching duties.
Here are five takeaways from Wednesday’s game.
A Triumph for the Hardaway Family
Penny Hardaway wasn’t the only Hardaway attracting attention on Wednesday. His sons, Ashton and Jayden, made significant contributions to the game. Ashton delivered eight consecutive points in a span of 71 seconds, with the second three-pointer giving Memphis an 18-14 lead.
Later, Jayden had back-to-back field goals with less than four minutes to play in the first half, part of a 13-2 Memphis run that increased their lead to 37-23.
In the second half, Ashton’s triple halted a 12-2 Michigan run.
Challenges for Key Players
Key scorers for the Tigers were largely ineffective. Jones, Jaykwon Walton, and Jordan Brown were limited to a combined 20 points on 5-of-20 shooting.
Point guard Jahvon Quinerly, who recorded a season-best eight assists, managed nine points on 3-of-8 shooting.
Rampant Intensity
Coach Hardaway, in his sixth year coaching the Tigers, has instilled a relentless and suffocating defensive brand. Reflecting a marked departure from their previous games this season, the Tigers exhibited an elevated level of intensity in their game against Michigan.
They relentlessly hounded Michigan’s backcourt and front court, applying physicality and toughness, resulting in Michigan shooting 39.3% from the field and 33.3% beyond the arc.
Memphis Bigs Steady the Ship
The Tigers had to adjust their game plan early when starting center Jordan Brown got into early foul trouble. As a result, Malcolm Dandridge and Nick Jourdain stepped up. They contributed to the game by providing steady points, rebounds, steals, and blocks.
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Scrapping at least part of the game plan early, Dandridge and Jourdain provided vital support as Brown found himself on the bench for much of the game due to foul trouble.
Caleb Mills Ignites the Internet
Caleb Mills’ late first-half jumper caught the attention of the audience. His expert move and basket were widely praised across social media platforms. Mills ended the game with 10 points.
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