Memphis basketball barely beat Vandy. Penny Hardaway called it 'a blessing.' | Giannotto

By the time March rolls around, few will remember how close Memphis basketball came to spoiling its Christmas.

How only an inch stood between the Tigers and a terrible loss.

How a little Vanderbilt guard named Ezra Manjon launched a potential game-winning shot over the outstretched arm of Memphis senior Jayden Hardaway and hit the front iron.

How after a week spent rejoicing the program’s return to national prominence, the collective emotion at FedExForum was relief once the 23rd-ranked Tigers eked out a 77-75 win Saturday over Vanderbilt.

“They deserved to win that game,” Penny Hardaway admitted.

But they didn’t. Instead, Memphis and its fans went home to see their families for the holidays armed with a valuable reminder.

Welcome to the rest of this season.

After navigating this three-week gauntlet of a nonconference schedule so successfully, the Tigers are about to embark on two months’ worth of games that will feel a lot like the one they just played.

Memphis (10-2) likely will be favored in every game until it faces Florida Atlantic twice in 13 days starting Feb. 25. It will likely get the best shot of every American Athletic Conference team because of the reputation this group has earned by knocking off so many power conference teams. It will likely have this same roster, now that Kansas State transfer Nae’Qwan Tomlin made his Memphis debut against Vanderbilt. Its own play will likely be the primary cause of any losses that may occur during that time.

So in a weird way, Saturday became just as much of a test as the Tigers’ back-to-back-to-back wins over ranked teams that preceded this near-disaster. There are going to be plenty more afternoons like this, when they are an 18-point favorite and won’t get any credit for winning.

“This was a blessing because of how we won,” Hardaway said.

It came with a 6-foot-10 early Christmas present, too. Tomlin entered less than four minutes in to a standing ovation. Four seconds later, he stroked a 3-pointer. The building went berserk. At that moment, it seemed as if Memphis might roll through a bad Vanderbilt team coming off a home loss to Western Carolina.

But Manjon became the latest 6-foot guard to give the Tigers all sorts of problems defensively. They shot 32.1% from the field before halftime, and Vanderbilt just wouldn’t go away. With less than eight minutes to go, the Tigers were down by eight when Hardaway finally went to a lineup featuring Jahvon Quinerly, Caleb Mills, David Jones, Nick Jourdain and Malcolm Dandridge.

Memphis promptly went on a 12–0 run, punctuated by Mills' steal that led to a thunderous alley-oop jam by Dandridge. The Tigers never trailed again, and despite some dicey moments late due to a few missed free throws, they could finally savor all they’ve accomplished.

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It’s a lot — more than any Memphis team in recent memory — even though Hardaway gave the offense a midseason D grade because “we’re just not sharing the ball enough.”

Only a Quad-4 loss against Vanderbilt would have tainted anything. The outcome made the circumstances much easier to digest.

Hardaway noted that Mills and Jones were both sick in the days leading into the game, and Jones needed an IV after it was over. Keep in mind, he still scored 28 to continue his stretch of more than 20 points in six straight outings.

It also felt like the end of a long road, a variable that Vegas oddsmakers overlooked.

“This has been really taxing on me over the last nine games because every game has been a really tough game. I haven’t gotten much sleep,” Hardaway said. “Really proud to be 10-2 after these first 12 games. Couldn’t imagine it being any better when I put together the schedule.”

That, by the way, is how everyone should remember this once March rolls around.

You can reach Commercial Appeal columnist Mark Giannotto via email at mgiannotto@gannett.com and follow him on X: @mgiannotto

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis basketball: Why Penny Hardaway liked close win vs. Vanderbilt