Where Memphis basketball stands in updated March Madness bracket predictions
How far has the once-mighty Memphis basketball team fallen in the March Madness bracket projections?
The Tigers — 15-2 not even two weeks ago, winners of 10 straight — have hit the skids. Penny Hardaway's team has lost three games in a row, which is not all that unusual for this time of year. Memphis (15-5, 4-3 AAC) has lost at least two games in January since Hardaway became coach ahead of the 2018-19 season.
But none of the previous Tigers teams were in such a prime position as this one was. Two weeks ago, Memphis was No. 12 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and 10th in the Associated Press Top 25. Now, it is unranked.
Two weeks ago, the Tigers were on track for a top-5 NCAA Tournament seed. Some bracketologists even had Hardaway's team pegged for a 3-seed. Now Memphis is nearing or squarely on the bubble — something else the program is all too familiar with.
The Tigers' next game is set for Wednesday (7 p.m., ESPN+) against Rice at FedExForum.
Here’s a look at Memphis' résumé and where the Tigers sit in the latest March Madness projections, with 11 games left in the regular season.
Memphis basketball’s résumé, NET ranking
NET ranking: 67
KenPom ranking: 60
Quad 1 record: 2-2
Quad 2 record: 4-2
Quad 3 record: 4-1
Quad 4 record: 5-0
Joe Lunardi, ESPN
Joe Lunardi dropped his latest bracketology Tuesday morning.
He has Memphis as a 9-seed and in the "Last four byes" group, just ahead of Texas, Providence and Texas A&M.
According to Lunardi's projection, the Tigers are in line to face St. John's in Indianapolis.
Jerry Palm, CBS
Jerry Palm has a slightly better outlook for Memphis' March Madness chances.
The resident bracketology expert at CBS put the Tigers as an 8-seed against Nebraska in Brooklyn opposite the UConn-Norfolk State first-round game.
In Palm's team bracket index, he has Memphis as the top 8-seed, just behind the last 7-seed (Colorado State).
USA TODAY Sports
USA TODAY's Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith and Eddie Timanus are not as high on the Tigers.
In their opinion, Memphis is the next-to-last team in the field of 68 and would be in Dayton versus Colorado in the 11-seed play-in game.
Washington Post
Patrick Stevens of the Washington Post pegs the Tigers as a 9-seed at the moment, facing Mississippi State in Brooklyn.
"The Tigers are still safely nestled inside the field for the moment, but it might want to be careful," Stevens wrote Tuesday.
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Bracket Matrix
The Bracket Project's Bracket Matrix keeps track of dozens of bracketology projections — from ESPN and CBS to Bracketville and Bracket Wag.
The Tigers' average seed Tuesday is No. 8, and they appear on 78 of 82 total brackets.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or follow him @munzly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis bracketology update: Latest NCAA bracket predictions for Tigers
