Memphis dropped to 1-2 Sunday evening with a 14-point loss against former head coach Josh Pastner and the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels. 

The Tigers struggled offensively, and they only shot 42.4 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from deep. Dug McDaniel, who led the team in scoring entering the game, finished with six points and six turnovers and went 1-for-10 from the field.

Defensively, the Tigers had no answers for UNLV and its up-tempo offense. The Runnin’ Rebels shot 50 percent from the field, and they scored 23 fast break points and 30 points off turnovers.

Here’s what Penny Hardaway had to say after the game.

Opening Statement:

“You know, this is very tough for me, obviously, because we haven’t been in this position this early in the season before. It’s the byproduct of having a new team, and I’m trying, along with the staff, to just go to war everyday and find five guys, find seven guys, find eight guys that can just run through a wall. Not even just shoot well, shoot well, just fight, and we’re still trying to figure that out right now.”

Disconnect with the team:

“We were locked in and ready to go. And again, I can only blame it on 15 new players. Guys have to sacrifice whatever it is they’re looking for by coming to Memphis for the team. That’s it. I don’t know where the disconnect comes from.”

On Julius Thedford and Simon Majok:

“Well Julius fouled out the first two games in 15 minutes. His knee has been hurting, and he plays till exhaustion. So, I get him out of the game, but those two guys are definitely the cornerstones of who we’re going to start with moving forward. Again, I’m trying to figure this team out. You’ve got guys that have played in major conferences that have been successful before that you’re working with to try to get out there. And, you’re trying to bring Julius and Simon, younger guys, along slower, but those guys are actually outplaying them. And, they definitely earned more minutes. Julius played more minutes than he did the first two games. He hurt his knee tonight, but I’m really proud of him and Simon’s efforts, and they have earned more minutes because that’s the type of fight we want.”

Zach Davis and Aaron Bradshaw’s early struggles:

“All I can do is just keep trying to give them confidence. It’s going to be up to them to go out there and just fight. It’s not even about the scoring, right, just go fight. I have to stay optimistic. I have to keep training. I have to keep getting them in film, because, again, this isn’t March yet. You know what I mean? They can get better. Right now it doesn’t look great for us because we’re not competing, and that’s just the one thing that has to change. We’re going to put guys on the floor, but as far as those tow guys, it’s going to be those two guys having to do it. They know what we want from them and need from them, and hopefully, they’ll do it sooner than later.”

Bringing Davis and Bradshaw off the bench:

“Yea, I mean, just trying to get two veterans coming off the bench. Bringing energy off the bench against a team at home. And, seeing it first and then having the energy to come in and change the tempo in a positive way. It just wasn’t at the level that we need it yet from both of those guys.”

Motivating guys in the NIL era:

“That’s every coaches question to answer right now because you just have to want it more. We understand that you’re getting paid, or everybody is getting paid. The kid just has to want it more. There’s nothing a coach can do to force anything out of a guy. It just has to be put him in position, and the culture, and the standard is there, and you just have to go and run through a wall. That’s it.”

Team’s lack of fight:

“I’ll just have to put it on me. I’ll just have to do a better job of getting the guys prepared and playing the guys that are going to fight for the entire time. So, that’ll just have to be on me, but the young men are going to have to step up. I think, I know, it’s going to get there. Again, I just hope that it’s sooner than later.”

Defensive struggles:

“I think they’re just not settling into the system very well. They’re coming from different programs, and we do things differently around here. And, they’re just not settled in yet. Obviously, offense is ahead of defense in everybody’s mind, and we’re going to be a defensive team. We’ll find enough guys that are going to go with that mindset, and then hopefully everyone else just catches up.”

Message to team going into this week:

“It’s not about Xs and Os. It’s just about the fight. Just compete and fight every minute that you’re on the floor, every second that you’re on the floor, and we can work with that. That’s my message.”