Tiger Basketball Podcast

The Commercial Appeal
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The Tiger Basketball Podcast from The Commercial Appeal, hosted by Tiger basketball beat writer Jason Munz and Tiger football beat writer Jonah Dylan.

  1. May 20

    What will the Memphis basketball starting lineup be on opening day?

    The start of Memphis basketball's 2026-27 season is still more than five months away. But coach Penny Hardaway already has everything he needs to start making lineup decisions and rotation choices.  Hardaway likely won't officially settle on anything for a long while. After all, summer workouts don't even begin for another two weeks. But, on this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan dig into all the pieces the Tigers have added over the past six weeks. Munz and Dylan discuss, in-depth, some of the more prominent newcomers (including Tylik Weeks and Jayden Reid), then forecast who is most likely to be Memphis' five starters for the season opener against Iowa State on Nov. 2, and which players figure to be first off the bench.

    1h 23m

  2. Apr 22

    Unpacking Memphis basketball's place in the overall financial landscape

    Does Memphis basketball have enough money to compete in today's day and age?  That issue is unequivocally at the forefront of the Tigers' offseason, as coach Penny Hardaway works to retool his roster in hopes of rebounding from a dreadful 13-19 season.  On this episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan unpack that topic and highlight some of Memphis athletic director Ed Scott's comments to Munz during a recent exclusive interview. Also, Commercial Appeal high school beat writer Wendell Shepherd Jr. joins the podcast to break down what the Tigers are getting in Briarcrest stars Fred Smith Jr. and Parker Pounds. Then, Munz and Dylan get into the latest transfer portal news, highlight the job new women's basketball coach Hana Haden is doing to rebuild her roster, and answer a handful of listener-submitted questions.

    1h 25m

  3. Apr 8

    Digesting Memphis basketball's already newsy offseason and what's next

    Intrigue always accompanies the Memphis basketball offseason under coach Penny Hardaway.  It hasn't even been a month since the Tigers' 2025-26 season mercifully ended, and the amount of notable developments we're still sorting through and processing is already substantial.  And, undoubtedly, there is still much more to come.  With that in mind, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan recently convened to digest it all. From the new hires on the coaching staff to the addition of a general manager to Hardaway's track record with the transfer portal to an examination of some potential Tiger targets, there is plenty to discuss.

    1h 23m

  4. Mar 20

    What Penny Hardaway needs more than anything else on his next roster

    Despair and desolation.  If Penny Hardaway and Memphis basketball are to eradicate the feeling of misery that has enveloped the program, a lot has to happen between now and Nov. 2.  Perhaps nothing is more important than getting the roster right. So, how does Hardaway do that? Where did he go wrong in 2025-26? Which players (if any) should he bring back? What are the Tigers' biggest needs positionally? And, what should be Hardaway's top priority when evaluating incoming players?  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan get into all of that. Plus: Munz and Dylan look back on the season and wonder whether the most memorable moments are likely the ones most hope to forget.

    1h 13m

  5. Mar 11

    How far will Memphis basketball go in American tournament?

    The Memphis Tigers won the American Conference Tournament last season.  Will they repeat? They'll have to win five games in five days and eliminate four teams more well rested than them to do it. But isn't that the very essence of March Madness?  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jonah Dylan and Jason Munz pore over the reasons why you should feel optimistic about Memphis' chances, as well as reasons why the odds against it are very tall.  Dylan and Munz also get into the school's firing of women's basketball coach Alex Simmons (and discuss some candidates to replace her) and rank which conference tournaments are consistently the most entertaining.

    1h 27m

  6. Mar 3

    Penny Hardaway isn't making excuses for nosedive. What it might mean

    Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway, as his team has lost six straight games, has not blamed injuries. He has not cited a lack of resources. He has not hinted at behind-the-scenes drama. Hardaway has, in large part, avoided making excuses.  On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jonah Dylan and Jason Munz surmise some potential reasoning behind that.  Also, Dylan and Munz take stock of where things stand with two games left in the regular season, lean on some listener-submitted analytics to forecast American Conference tournament berth probabilities, and (at the 44-minute mark) shine a light on Rhodes College reaching the Division III NCAA Tournament.

    1h 23m

  7. Feb 25

    Penny Hardaway isn't looking ahead to next season yet. But we can

    Memphis basketball still has four games left in what's been a dreadful regular season.  The Tigers have lost four in a row, and there are no objective signs that things will get better before the book on this particular group is finally closed.  For those reasons, the number of uncomfortable conversations swirling around Memphis and its coach Penny Hardaway continues to rise. On this week's episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jonah Dylan and Jason Munz look back on the week that was for the team, which included losses to South Florida and UAB. In addition, they attempt to peel back the layers of the incredibly nuanced situation Memphis finds itself in with Hardaway. Finally, Dylan and Munz look for reasons one could credibly say right now that next season will be better for Hardaway and the Tigers.

    1h 36m

  8. Feb 18

    Why Memphis-Utah State dust-up is healthy and necessary

    Who knew the first Memphis basketball-Utah State meeting in history would yield some legitimate theatrics, while also highlighting a broader conversation about the role metrics play in March Madness?  While that is unclear, that's sort of what's happened since the Tigers and Aggies met on Feb. 14.  Also in the past week: Memphis suspended two players indefinitely, then dismissed one and reinstated the other four days later; the Tigers lost another game at North Texas, but they remain in contention for a top-two seed at next month's American Conference tournament; and coach Penny Hardaway set the stage not only for next season's home Utah State game, but perhaps a continuation of the series beyond that.  On this episode of the Tiger Basketball Podcast, Jason Munz and Jonah Dylan delve into all of the above, as well as what's next for Memphis, and some of the wackier recent goings-on around college basketball.

    1h 37m
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4.9
out of 5
70 Ratings

About

The Tiger Basketball Podcast from The Commercial Appeal, hosted by Tiger basketball beat writer Jason Munz and Tiger football beat writer Jonah Dylan.

Information

  • Creator
    The Commercial Appeal
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Commercial Appeal
  • Show Website
    Tiger Basketball Podcast

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