University of Memphis Athletics
Tigers’ Road to Defend American Conference Crown Begins Dec. 31
Sep 25, 2025 | Men's Basketball
IRVING, Texas – The American Conference unveiled its 2025-26 league slate on Thursday, mapping out the road for defending champion Memphis, which opens conference play on New Year's Eve at FedExForum against North Texas and will play nine league games at home this season.
Game times and television details will be announced at a later date.
Each team in The American will play 18 league games, facing six opponents twice and the other six once (three at home, three on the road).
Season tickets for the 2025-26 Memphis men's basketball season are on sale now at GoTigersGo.com.
The Tigers begin with three games in 11 days: home against North Texas (Dec. 31) before back-to-back road trips to Rice (Jan. 3) and Florida Atlantic (Jan. 11). The schedule then brings Memphis back to FedExForum for a pair of matchups against Temple (Jan. 14) and UTSA (Jan. 18), giving fans an early chance to see the Tigers at home.
January closes with a road swing through the Midwest — at Tulsa (Jan. 21) and at Wichita State (Jan. 24) — before a quick return home to face Florida Atlantic (Jan. 29). The Tigers stay put for a second straight game when they host Tulane (Feb. 1) but hit the road again on Feb. 5 at UAB.
A February homestand features Charlotte (Feb. 8) in the Bluff City on Super Bowl Sunday, before a two-game road trip to North Texas (Feb. 12) and South Florida (Feb. 19). The North Texas stop will lead directly into a rare nonconference test out west at Utah State on Valentine's Day (Feb. 14), combining into a single road trip.
Memphis will then settle back into FedExForum for consecutive home tilts against UAB (Feb. 22) and Wichita State (Feb. 26) before closing the regular season with three games in eight days: a long trip to East Carolina (Mar. 1), the home finale against South Florida (Mar. 5) and the regular-season closer at Tulane (Mar. 8) in New Orleans.
Altogether, the Tigers will log over 5,000 miles of conference travel in just over two months of league play, including three separate two-game road swings (Rice/FAU, Tulsa/Wichita State, and North Texas/Utah State).
The Tigers enter the 2025-26 season under 8th-year head coach Penny Hardaway, who led Memphis to a 29-6 record last year, sweeping both the regular season and tournament championships before earning a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament and finishing ranked No. 25 in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll. Hardaway was also named the league's Coach of the Year for the first time in his tenure.
Hardaway will guide an entirely new-look squad with 15 newcomers and no returners from last year's team. The Tigers' roster features 13 Division I transfers, including veteran point guard Dug McDaniel (Kansas State), defensive standout Zach Davis (South Carolina), former 5-star forward Aaron Bradshaw (Ohio State), and proven scorer Sincere Parker (McNeese State). Hometown products Curtis Givens III (LSU) and Julius Thedford (Western Kentucky) will also suit up in blue and gray.
Memphis has bolstered its frontcourt with Arop Arop (Columbia), Thierno Sylla (Stephen F. Austin), Simon Majok (KK Real Beograd) and graduate transfer Tariq Ingraham (Rider).
The 2026 American Men's Basketball Championship will debut a new five-day bracket format, featuring the top 10 teams. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds advance directly to the semifinals, while the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds earn byes to the quarterfinals. The No. 5 and No. 6 seeds receive second-round byes. The championship will take place March 11–15, 2026, at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.
2025-26 Memphis Men's Basketball Conference Schedule (BOLD = Home)
Wednesday, Dec. 31 – vs. North Texas
Saturday, Jan. 3 – at Rice
Sunday, Jan. 11 – at Florida Atlantic
Wednesday, Jan. 14 – vs. Temple
Sunday, Jan. 18 – vs. UTSA
Wednesday, Jan. 21 – at Tulsa
Saturday, Jan. 24 – at Wichita State
Thursday, Jan. 29 – vs. Florida Atlantic
Sunday, Feb. 1 – vs. Tulane
Thursday, Feb. 5 – at UAB
Sunday, Feb. 8 – vs. Charlotte
Thursday, Feb. 12 – at North Texas
Thursday, Feb. 19 – at South Florida
Sunday, Feb. 22 – vs. UAB
Thursday, Feb. 26 – vs. Wichita State
Sunday, Mar. 1 – at East Carolina
Thursday, Mar. 5 – vs. South Florida
Sunday, Mar. 8 – at Tulane
March 11-15 – American Basketball Championship (Birmingham, Ala. / Legacy Arena at the BJCC)
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tigers Athletics, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the department's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Game times and television details will be announced at a later date.
Each team in The American will play 18 league games, facing six opponents twice and the other six once (three at home, three on the road).
Season tickets for the 2025-26 Memphis men's basketball season are on sale now at GoTigersGo.com.
The Tigers begin with three games in 11 days: home against North Texas (Dec. 31) before back-to-back road trips to Rice (Jan. 3) and Florida Atlantic (Jan. 11). The schedule then brings Memphis back to FedExForum for a pair of matchups against Temple (Jan. 14) and UTSA (Jan. 18), giving fans an early chance to see the Tigers at home.
January closes with a road swing through the Midwest — at Tulsa (Jan. 21) and at Wichita State (Jan. 24) — before a quick return home to face Florida Atlantic (Jan. 29). The Tigers stay put for a second straight game when they host Tulane (Feb. 1) but hit the road again on Feb. 5 at UAB.
A February homestand features Charlotte (Feb. 8) in the Bluff City on Super Bowl Sunday, before a two-game road trip to North Texas (Feb. 12) and South Florida (Feb. 19). The North Texas stop will lead directly into a rare nonconference test out west at Utah State on Valentine's Day (Feb. 14), combining into a single road trip.
Memphis will then settle back into FedExForum for consecutive home tilts against UAB (Feb. 22) and Wichita State (Feb. 26) before closing the regular season with three games in eight days: a long trip to East Carolina (Mar. 1), the home finale against South Florida (Mar. 5) and the regular-season closer at Tulane (Mar. 8) in New Orleans.
Altogether, the Tigers will log over 5,000 miles of conference travel in just over two months of league play, including three separate two-game road swings (Rice/FAU, Tulsa/Wichita State, and North Texas/Utah State).
The Tigers enter the 2025-26 season under 8th-year head coach Penny Hardaway, who led Memphis to a 29-6 record last year, sweeping both the regular season and tournament championships before earning a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament and finishing ranked No. 25 in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll. Hardaway was also named the league's Coach of the Year for the first time in his tenure.
Hardaway will guide an entirely new-look squad with 15 newcomers and no returners from last year's team. The Tigers' roster features 13 Division I transfers, including veteran point guard Dug McDaniel (Kansas State), defensive standout Zach Davis (South Carolina), former 5-star forward Aaron Bradshaw (Ohio State), and proven scorer Sincere Parker (McNeese State). Hometown products Curtis Givens III (LSU) and Julius Thedford (Western Kentucky) will also suit up in blue and gray.
Memphis has bolstered its frontcourt with Arop Arop (Columbia), Thierno Sylla (Stephen F. Austin), Simon Majok (KK Real Beograd) and graduate transfer Tariq Ingraham (Rider).
The 2026 American Men's Basketball Championship will debut a new five-day bracket format, featuring the top 10 teams. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds advance directly to the semifinals, while the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds earn byes to the quarterfinals. The No. 5 and No. 6 seeds receive second-round byes. The championship will take place March 11–15, 2026, at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.
2025-26 Memphis Men's Basketball Conference Schedule (BOLD = Home)
Wednesday, Dec. 31 – vs. North Texas
Saturday, Jan. 3 – at Rice
Sunday, Jan. 11 – at Florida Atlantic
Wednesday, Jan. 14 – vs. Temple
Sunday, Jan. 18 – vs. UTSA
Wednesday, Jan. 21 – at Tulsa
Saturday, Jan. 24 – at Wichita State
Thursday, Jan. 29 – vs. Florida Atlantic
Sunday, Feb. 1 – vs. Tulane
Thursday, Feb. 5 – at UAB
Sunday, Feb. 8 – vs. Charlotte
Thursday, Feb. 12 – at North Texas
Thursday, Feb. 19 – at South Florida
Sunday, Feb. 22 – vs. UAB
Thursday, Feb. 26 – vs. Wichita State
Sunday, Mar. 1 – at East Carolina
Thursday, Mar. 5 – vs. South Florida
Sunday, Mar. 8 – at Tulane
March 11-15 – American Basketball Championship (Birmingham, Ala. / Legacy Arena at the BJCC)
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tigers Athletics, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the department's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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