Men's Basketball
Hardaway’s Transfer Class Leading Memphis to National Success
On Monday, off to a 15-2 start on the season, Memphis was voted as the 10th ranked men’s basketball program in the nation by the AP’s Top-25 College Basketball Poll. Currently navigating a 10-game winning streak that included upsets over former No. 21 Texas A&M, No. 13 Clemson, No. 22 Virginia, and a 4-0 record in ACC play saw the Tigers climb the national rankings.
Leading this success in 2023-24 for Penny Hardaway has been a dominant cast of transfer talent that’s taken practically no time to accumulate a rapport on the court at FedExForum. According to us here at TPR, the Tigers’ transfers have the most fantasy points in all of Division I at 2,346.8 with six of those offseason acquisitions averaging more than 15 FPTS/G.
In addition, 83% of Memphis’ scoring production comes from its transfer class which is also good for the most in DI, highlighted by the program’s three-point shooting with 124 made three’s and transfers averaging 38% from behind the arc.
Let’s take a look at the core of this productive Tigers transfer class and the individual role each has played under Hardaway this season.
David Jones, F
Following two seasons at DePaul and another at St. John’s, Jones has been instrumental as the Tigers leading scoring averaging a career-high 20.9 PPG with a TPR Scoring Rating of 96.8 which is seventh in DI. He’s been a starter and a double-digit scorer in all 17 of Memphis’ contests so far this season, recently notching a double-double with 26 points and 11 rebounds to help stave off UTSA in overtime.
Against an Arkansas program that started the season ranked, it was Jones leading the way for Memphis with a career-high and game-high 36 points for an 84-79 win. With the Tigers sitting atop the American Athletic Conference, Jones is having an All-Conference Player of the Year campaign for Hardaway and Co.
Jahvon Quinerly, G
Managing this Memphis backcourt with a career-high 14.1 PPG and 4.8 APG after arriving from Alabama this past offseason, Quinerly has quickly become Hardaway’s next big point guard success story. His 97.01 TPR Distribution Rating is good for 13th in DI, behind a 2.3 assist/turnover ratio and averaging just 2.1 TOPG.
However, more recently, Quinerly’s scoring production has been the major factor. To open 2-0 in conference play, it was Quinerly with back-to-back game-winning three’s to lead wins over Tulsa and SMU. This past week, Quinerly was selected as the AAC Player of the Week after notching 25 points, nine of which came on OT, for a win over UTSA followed by a double-double with 23 points and 11 assists to defeat Wichita State on the road.
JAHVON QUINERLY DEEP 3 FOR THE WIN. #15 Memphis wins 78-75 over Tulsa pic.twitter.com/yY2pHGTgt1
— NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners (@NCAABuzzerBters) January 5, 2024
Javon Quinerly! (@RealJahvonQ) TWICE IN 3 DAYS! #15 Memphis outlasts SMU 62-59 pic.twitter.com/ykXVbkGGGA
— NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners (@NCAABuzzerBters) January 8, 2024
