What to watch in Memphis’ game against Ole Miss – Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News

Memphis will close out its non-conference schedule with its most crucial game of the season.

The Tigers (9-3) will face a regional rival for the second straight outing when they host No. 16 Ole Miss on Saturday, Dec. 28 (1 p.m., ESPN2) at FedExForum in their final game before the start of American Athletic Conference play next month.

Coach Penny Hardaway’s team, ranked No. 42 in KenPom and No. 46 in the NCAA’s NET rankings, is coming off a 79-66 home loss to Mississippi State on Dec. 21.

With Memphis also losing to Arkansas State 85-72 at home on Dec. 8, the program is looking to avoid its first three-game home losing streak since the 2017-18 season. (Former coach Tubby Smith’s Tigers then dropped back-to-back home games to Cincinnati, Wichita State and UCF.)

Rebels (11-1), no. 30 in KenPom and no. 31 in the NET, riding a five-game winning streak since losing by 2 points on Nov. 29 to then-No. 12 Purdue at the Rady Children’s Invitational Championship in San Diego. But coach Chris Beard’s team has faced just three opponents this season ranked in the top 100 of the NET, picking up wins over BYU (No. 44) and Louisville (53) to go with the loss to the Boilermakers (36) .

Memphis has played nine top-100 NET teams.

This matchup represents a Quadrant 2 opportunity for Memphis and is likely the last chance of the season to put itself in contention for a top-four NCAA Tournament seed, which Hardaway has openly stated is his goal. The Tigers, who were projected as the no. 5 seed in ESPN’s latest Bracketology update and is a combined 7-2 in Quads 1 and 2, has zero Quad 1 opportunities and just five Quad 2 chances through their 18-game AAC schedule.

Memphis and Ole Miss last met last season when the Tigers fell to the Rebels 80-77 on December 2, 2023 in Oxford, Mississippi. The Tigers have a 22-10 all-time series lead.