Penny Hardaway's team has three regular-season games remaining — starting with UAB at Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sunday (3 p.m. CT, ESPN) — before making its way to Fort Worth, Texas, in March the AAC tournament. So Memphis is not assured ...

Memphis basketball has earned its national respect this season the hard way. Last week, the Tigers (24-5, 14-2 AAC) earned some more. In beating Rice at home, then UAB on the road, Penny Hardaway's team kept up its momentum on the national rankings front.