The Illustrious History of Memphis Tigers Basketball

The Memphis Tigers men's basketball team, representing the University of Memphis, boasts a rich and storied history in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. Since 2013, the Tigers have been a part of the American Conference, maintaining a tradition of competitive basketball. As of 2020, their winning percentage ranks 26th among all NCAA programs, a testament to their enduring success and consistent performance.

Early Years and the Curlin Era (1920-1948)

The genesis of Memphis Tigers basketball dates back to 1920 when West Tennessee State Normal School, the predecessor to the University of Memphis, first established a team. In 1924, Zach Curlin took the reins as head coach, marking the beginning of a significant era for the program. In 1928, the Tigers became part of the Mississippi Valley Conference, signaling their growing presence in collegiate athletics.

During these formative years, the team faced challenges typical of a burgeoning program, playing home games in various locations, including a local high school gym, a YMCA, and the "Normal Cage" on campus, which was known for its cramped conditions. Curlin's commitment to the team lasted until 1948. By then, the school had transitioned to Memphis State College, later to become Memphis State University in 1957.

Transition and Growth (1948-1970)

Following Curlin's departure, McCoy Tarry stepped in as head coach. A significant development occurred in 1951 with the inauguration of the $700,000 Fieldhouse gym, providing a dedicated venue for Tiger home games. In 1952, John Wallesea achieved the distinction of being the first Memphis State player drafted into the NBA, marking a milestone in the program's history.

The success continued as Forest Arnold became the school's first All-American in 1954. Under coach Eugene Lambert, the Tigers made their inaugural appearance in the NCAA tournament in 1955. Bob Vanatta took over as coach in 1956, guiding the Tigers to the NIT final. Dean Ehlers assumed coaching duties in 1962, continuing the program's development.

A notable shift occurred in 1964 when the Tigers began playing their home games at the Mid-South Coliseum. In 1966, Moe Iba became the team's coach, coinciding with the team's entry into the Missouri Valley Conference. However, Iba's tenure is often regarded as a low point in Memphis basketball history, with the team experiencing seasons marked by significant losses, leading to his eventual dismissal.

The Bartow Years and a National Championship Run (1970-1974)

In 1970, Gene Bartow was appointed head coach, ushering in a new era of success for the Memphis Tigers. The 1970 season also marked the debut of Larry Finch and Ronnie Robinson, two iconic figures in the program's history. Finch made an immediate impact, scoring 24 points in his first game as a freshman. In 1971, led by Finch and Robinson, the Tigers achieved a significant upset against conference rival Louisville. Their strong performance propelled them to a #19 ranking, their first time in the Top 20 in a decade.

During the 1971-1972 season, Memphis State narrowly lost to No. 2 Marquette, despite leading by five points with five minutes remaining. The Tigers shared the Missouri Valley Conference title with Louisville in 1972 after defeating them at Freedom Hall. The 1972-73 season was particularly remarkable, with seniors Finch and Robinson leading the Tigers to unprecedented success. Memphis State won the MVC outright in 1972 after winning 14 straight games. They advanced to the NCAA tournament, where they defeated South Carolina and Kansas State to reach the Final Four.

In the Final Four, the Tigers defeated Providence, earning a spot in the national championship game against the UCLA Bruins, coached by the legendary John Wooden and led by star player Bill Walton. Despite a competitive first half, the Tigers were outmatched in the second half, ultimately losing 87-66. Gene Bartow was recognized as the NABC National Coach of the Year, and Larry Finch was named a consensus All-American. Larry Kenon, another prominent player on the Finals team, went on to become a two-time All-Star in the NBA, solidifying his place as one of the most successful NBA players from Memphis.

The Yates Era and Metro Conference Entry (1974-1986)

Wayne Yates succeeded Bartow in 1974. Yates continued the program's success, leading Memphis State to three consecutive 20-win seasons, including an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1976. In 1976, the Tigers transitioned from the Missouri Valley Conference to become founding members of the Metro Conference.

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The Keith Lee Era and NCAA Violations (1980s)

The 1980s were a period of sustained success for the Tigers, with seven NCAA tournament appearances and three Metro Conference titles. Keith Lee began his career with the Tigers in 1982, and the team achieved its first-ever No. 1 ranking in both major national polls in the same year. However, they were soon defeated by Virginia Tech. In the 1983 NCAA tournament, the Tigers defeated Georgetown, led by Patrick Ewing, with Lee dominating in the paint.

The 1984-1985 season was another memorable one, with the team finishing 24-3 in the regular season. Lee led the team to another NCAA tournament in 1985. Memphis State defeated Penn, UAB, Boston College, and Oklahoma to reach the Final Four. They were defeated by Villanova and finished the season 31-4. Notably, all but one of the 12 players on this team were from the Memphis metro area. Lee was named a consensus All-American for the third time in his career.

In 1986, Kirk was forced out due to a criminal investigation and NCAA violations. The Tigers were forced to sit out the 1987 NCAA tournament and were stripped of their NCAA tournament appearances from 1982 to 1986, including the 1985 Final Four run.

The Finch Era and the Penny Hardaway Phenomenon (1986-1997)

Larry Finch, a key player from the 1972-73 team, took over as head coach in 1986. One of Finch's early recruits, Elliot Perry, began playing for the team in 1987, leading Memphis State to the 1988 and 1989 NCAA Tournaments. In 1990, Finch secured the commitment of Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway, the country's top-rated high school recruit. The Tigers also moved to the Great Midwest Conference and began playing their home games at the Pyramid Arena in 1991.

Hardaway led Memphis State to the 1992 NCAA tournament, where they were defeated in the Elite Eight by Cincinnati. The following summer, Hardaway was named All-American and trained with the Dream Team before the Barcelona Olympics. During the 1992-93 season, Hardaway achieved Memphis State's first triple-double and then the first back-to-back triple-doubles in wins over Georgia State and Vanderbilt. On February 6, 1993, the school achieved its 1,000th all-time basketball victory in an upset over No. 4 Cincinnati.

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After the season, Penny Hardaway entered the NBA draft, where he was selected third overall by the Golden State Warriors. He became the most successful NBA player from the Memphis basketball program. In 1995, the Memphis team, including future NBA players David Vaughn, Cedric Henderson, and Lorenzen Wright, reached the 1995 NCAA tournament, losing in the Sweet Sixteen. Memphis joined Conference USA in 1995 as a founding member with rivals Louisville and Cincinnati. Finch stepped down as head coach in 1997.

The Tic Price Era (1997-2000)

Tic Price took over as head coach after Finch's departure in 1997. His three years were one of the Tigers' least successful since the 1960s.

The Calipari Era and NCAA Controversy (2000-2009)

John Calipari was named Memphis' head coach in 2000, revitalizing the program. Under his leadership, the Tigers won the 2002 NIT championship and made the NCAA tournament in 2003 and 2004. In 2004, the Tigers moved from The Pyramid to the FedExForum for their home games.

The 2005-06 Tigers, led by Darius Washington, Shawne Williams, and Rodney Carney, set a school record by going 30-3 and reaching a No. 3 ranking during the regular season, capped by a Conference USA championship. Despite losing their top three scorers to the NBA and graduation, the 2006-07 Tigers duplicated the previous year's regular-season record of 30-3, were ranked as high as No. 5, and again won the Conference USA championship, going undefeated in conference play. The Tigers earned a number two seed in the 2007 NCAA tournament.

The 2007-08 Memphis Tigers achieved a No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press basketball poll in January 2008, their first No. 1 ranking since 1982, and won their third straight Conference USA title on March 15, 2008. Led by Chris Douglas-Roberts and Derrick Rose, the team received a No. 1 seed in the 2008 NCAA tournament and defeated Texas-Arlington, Mississippi State, and Michigan State to reach the Final Four. Memphis defeated Texas in the Elite Eight to advance to the school's first Final Four since 1985. Following this win, Memphis beat UCLA on April 5, 2008, advancing to the National Championship game on April 7, 2008.

The 2008-09 Tigers, led by Tyreke Evans, again went undefeated in Conference USA and earned a two seed in the 2009 NCAA tournament. The Tigers were defeated by Missouri in the Sweet Sixteen. Evans left after one year and was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 2010, following Rose. On March 31, 2009, Calipari resigned to become the head coach at the University of Kentucky.

In the aftermath of Calipari's departure, nearly all of the incoming recruits who had committed to Memphis decommitted and joined Kentucky or other schools. On May 28, 2009, the NCAA accused the Tigers of allowing an ineligible player to participate in their games during the 2007-08 season. On August 20, 2009, the NCAA Committee on Infractions announced that Memphis must vacate all 38 wins for that season, their appearance in the NCAA tournament, and spend three years on probation. The NCAA alleged that Derrick Rose had obtained a fraudulent SAT score and that his brother Reggie Rose was provided with free travel and lodging with the Memphis team. The University of Memphis was not charged with knowingly fielding an ineligible player.

The Pastner Era and Transition to the American Conference (2009-2016)

On April 7, 2009, Josh Pastner was named the team's head coach. Pastner was hired as an assistant at Memphis in 2008 after serving as an assistant coach under Lute Olson at Arizona for six years. In his first year as coach at Memphis, Pastner brought in Elliot Williams, a transfer from Duke, who led the team in scoring and was drafted to the NBA.

During the 2011-12 season, the Tigers announced they were leaving Conference USA to join the Big East Conference starting in 2013 (later renamed the American Athletic Conference). They began the season strong, moving as high as No. 13 in the country before falling out of the rankings. In the last game of the season, Josh Pastner's victory over Tulsa gave him 72 career victories, the most by a Memphis head coach over his first three seasons. Memphis made its second straight NCAA Tournament after winning the Conference USA tournament. An 8-seed, the Tigers lost in the first round to 9-seeded Saint Louis. In 2012-13, the Tigers, led by CUSA player of the year Joe Jackson, won the Conference USA regular season and tournament titles in their last season in CUSA.

Recent Years

The Tigers began competition in the newly formed American Athletic Conference in 2013. Smith was fired on March 14, 2018, after failing to reach the NCAA Tournament in both of his two years as head coach.

Accomplishments and Recognitions

The Memphis Tigers have made 28 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, with an overall record of 35-27. They have also appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 19 times. Two coaches from the Memphis program have been inducted into the National College Basketball Hall of Fame (Gene Bartow) and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (John Calipari).

Memphis has had 10 players chosen as All-Americans by the four sources used by the NCAA to determine consensus teams: the Associated Press, the United States Basketball Writers Association, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and The Sporting News. Three players have been unanimous first-team selections: Keith Lee, Anfernee Hardaway, and Chris Douglas-Roberts.

NBA Success

Since the NBA draft began in 1947, 52 players from Memphis have been drafted, with an additional nine playing after being signed as undrafted free agents. Of the 52 drafted players, 28 played in at least one NBA (or ABA) game. Memphis has produced 14 first-round picks, including 8 top-ten picks and one number-one pick (Derrick Rose). Three former Tigers have been named NBA All-Stars: Larry Kenon (twice), Penny Hardaway (4 times), and Derrick Rose (3 times). Four have gone on to win the NBA Championship: Win Wilfong with the St. Louis Hawks in 1958, William Bedford with the Detroit Pistons in 1990, Earl Barron with the Miami Heat in 2006, and James Wiseman with the Golden State Warriors in 2022. In 2010, Memphis became the second college to produce two consecutive NBA Rookie of the Year winners: Derrick Rose in 2009 and Tyreke Evans in 2010. In 2011, Rose became the first former Tiger to be named the NBA Most Valuable Player.

Retired Jerseys

The University of Memphis has retired nine jerseys, honoring the contributions of its most iconic players.

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