Penny Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers earned a valuable win in non-conference action, blowing out the No. 10 Louisville Cardinals 98-78 on Sunday afternoon.
Hardaway has been the Tigers' head coach since 2018, going through his ninth season with the program. He is coming off his worst campaign last season, finishing 13-19 as injuries and inconsistent play summed up the 2025-26 season.
Hardaway has determination to get his alma mater back on track, having led them to the NCAA Tournament three times. However, to get back to March Madness, they need wins over some of the best performing teams in the country.
They got their wish against No. 10 Louisville, who they hosted on Sunday. Memphis had the upper hand, beating the brakes off the Cardinals in the second half of the contest.
L’S DOWN Ⓜ️#GoTigersGo pic.twitter.com/sZoNOx6XGN
— Memphis Basketball (@Memphis_MBB) November 15, 2026
How Penny Hardaway, Memphis performed against Louisville
Penny Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers will certainly garner votes for the next AP Top 25 poll, beating down Louisville in convincing fashion.
It took some time for Memphis to get things going, struggling in the first half as Louisville led 54-41 at halftime. The Tigers exploded in the last 20 minutes of regulation, torching the Cardinals 57-26 as they locked in on both sides of the ball.
Article Continues BelowShot selection and free throws made the difference in this game. Memphis excelled by making 58% of their shots from the field and 80% from the free-throw line. It was the opposite for Louisville, only converting 44% of their chances and 57% at the charity stripe.
Four players scored in double-digits for Memphis in the win. Jayden Reid led the squad with a stat line of 24 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, and four steals. He shot 8-of-16 from the field, including 1-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. Tylik Weeks came next with 24 points and five rebounds, Julius Thedford had 16 points and five rebounds, while Rihards Vavers provided 15 points and four rebounds.
The Tigers will look forward to their next matchup, remaining at home. They host the Evansville Purple Aces as tip-off commences on Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. ET.

