Memphis basketball is off to promising start, but Penny Hardaway might have big man problem

The Memphis basketball team is done with its first tests of the season, emerging from November with impressive wins over Missouri, Michigan and Arkansas, and a humbling loss to Villanova in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game.

The Tigers (5-1) remain just outside the top 25 in the national polls, and their nonconference gauntlet continues with three road games in an eight-day span, beginning Saturday at Ole Miss (1 p.m., ESPN2).

It's a good time to take stock of what coach Penny Hardaway's new-look team has done and what this promising start could mean in March. With that in mind, Memphis basketball beat writer Jason Munz and Commercial Appeal sports columnist Mark Giannotto debated five looming questions surrounding the Tigers.

What has been the best development through six games?

Munz: Easy — David Jones. The St. John’s transfer is doing it all. He’s a threat to score from anywhere on the floor. He’s rebounding better than anyone else is. He’s defending at a high level. And he’s doing it all with a smile on his face. Runner-up: Forward Nick Jourdain.

Giannotto: The shooting, and the wealth of options who can be relied upon to do it. Jones had the biggest performance against Arkansas, but he's one of nine players on the roster to hit at least one 3-pointer already. Penny Hardaway predicted this would be a team led by its offense, and the early numbers suggest this group can be the best shooting team he has had at Memphis. That can take the Tigers a long way and disguise some of their flaws.

What's the biggest concern after six games?

Munz: Rebounding. More specifically, offensive rebounding. Memphis’ average overall rebounding margin is minus-2.8, which ranks 291st in the country. That’s bad. But on average, opponents are finishing games with 3.8 more offensive rebounds than the Tigers. Only 29 Division I teams have a gap wider than that. Somewhat interestingly, future opponents Virginia and Tulane are part of that group. Center Jordan Brown struggled quite a bit last week in the Bahamas (at the Battle 4 Atlantis). But his track record is too strong to panic just yet with him.

Giannotto: I'll take it a step further: The big men on the roster are the Tigers' biggest concern right now. Jourdain has been a bright spot, but Memphis is undersized when he's the only post presence on the court. It can exacerbate those rebounding issues. Malcolm Dandridge has flashed as a rim protector and interior scoring option, but consistency remains elusive for him.

Brown is the biggest variable because he was supposed to be the answer inside. But he looked overmatched and unathletic in the Bahamas, and the numbers are not pretty when he's been on the court. Whether Dandridge or Brown emerges, Jourdain can't do this alone against the best teams on the schedule.

Should fans be upset Memphis isn't ranked?

Giannotto: Yes, they should be. These polls shouldn't matter, certainly not in November, but they help dictate national coverage. Based on recent Selection Sundays, they also dictate seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

I don't often give much credence to a team feeling disrespected by these slights, but another Power Five school with the Tigers' three big wins would not be left out of the top 25. Nonetheless, the schedule Hardaway put together is good enough that I remain hopeful the voters will move Memphis up if it beats Ole Miss on the road this weekend.

Munz: I think it’s fair to be annoyed at this point. Before Monday’s poll was released, I expected the Tigers would be somewhere in the 23-25 range, largely because so many top 25 teams lost last week. Some of the teams that surpassed Memphis from one week to the next make sense. Villanova, BYU and Oklahoma, sure. But Illinois? The Illini (whose best win this season is over Oakland) had 11 fewer points in last week’s poll than the Tigers. They beat Western Illinois, and that’s enough to move up to No. 24?

What's the best remaining nonconference game?

Munz: I’m really looking forward to that Texas A&M game in College Station (Dec. 10).

Giannotto: Based on KenPom's rankings, Texas A&M is the Tigers' best chance at a marquee win. But those games against Clemson (Dec. 16) and Virginia (Dec. 19) feel more significant because they'll be at FedExForum.

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Has your outlook for the season changed based on the first six games?

Giannotto: Not really. This team returns from the Bahamas looking like an NCAA Tournament team that can win the AAC regular-season title for the first time. If the Tigers can go 2-1 in the next two three-game segments, they'll be in a very good spot entering AAC play. The goal this year is to be in position for a better seed on Selection Sunday. The early returns suggest this team can do that.

Munz: My preseason outlook was pretty promising. I had the Tigers going 26-5 in the regular season — 10-3 nonconference (with one loss coming at the Battle 4 Atlantis) and 16-2 in the AAC. I still think that’s well within reach.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis basketball: Penny Hardaway might have a big man problem