Memphis forward Tylik Weeks (4) dribbles past a Mississippi State defender during the Tigers exhibition game in Starkville, Mississippi, on Oct. 23, 2026. (Courtesy Memphis Athletics)
The Memphis Tigers flew under the national radar during the offseason, but they’ve turned heads with their impressive wins over preseason No. 18 Iowa State and VCU to start the season.
Memphis has another opportunity to steal its share of the national spotlight Tuesday (6:15 p.m., SEC Network+) at No. 22 Vanderbilt.
The Tigers (2-0) have shown grittiness and poise to start the season. They didn’t unravel when the game got tight in the final moments against either of their first two opponents, and the defensive intensity has been strong. Memphis will likely need to duplicate those efforts against Vanderbilt.
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Frank Bonner II covers the Memphis Tigers. He is a top-10 APSE winner who covered Oklahoma State for the Tulsa World before joining The Daily Memphian in 2021. Bonner is a native of Indiana, where he started his career covering high school sports.
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