Nov 6, 2026 10:44 PM
Memphis started the season on Monday with a massive four-point win over Iowa State, and it moved up in three of the advanced analytic sites. The Tigers moved up at least six spots in all three rankings, and they will move up even more with another win on Saturday against VCU.
Penny Hardaway's team looked extremely sharp against the No. 18 team in the country, and the biggest takeaway was how multiple players stepped up to the challenge. Luke Almodovar got things started early with 18 points before he fouled out, and point guard Jayden Reid scored the team's final 11 points to secure the win.
Here's how the Tigers moved up in the analytic rankings after their first win of the season.
KenPom: No. 70
Before the season started, KenPom had Memphis ranked No. 85 in the country, and after its win over Iowa State, the Tigers moved up 15 spots to No. 70. Hardaway’s team sits between Santa Clara at No. 69 and Oregon at No. 71.
The analytics site gives inside on several factors like efficiency, shooting percentages and style of play, and the Tigers rank No. 25 in three-point shooting after making 45 percent of their three pointers on Monday.
Defensively, Memphis ranks No. 35 in steal percentage after recording seven steals against the Cyclones. KenPom predicted the Tigers would start 0-4 ahead of the year, but he know predicts they will beat VCU on Saturday.
Bart Torvik: No. 104
Memphis started at No. 110 in the Bart Torvik’s preseason T-Rank, but it moved up six spots after the season-opening win. The biggest takeaway from Bart Torvik is the tracking of Wins Above Bubble, and the Tigers sit at No. 4 at +0.7, meaning they had one of the best wins of the first week of the season.
East Texas A&M, who beat Oklahoma on the road, leads the country in WAB, and it’s followed by UCLA, who beat Arizona, and Florida, who beat Miami.
The Tigers currently sit between Charlotte at No. 103 and Illinois State at No. 105. The 49ers benefit from two games.
EvanMiya: No. 86
Memphis started the year ranked No. 94 in EvanMiya’s ranking, and they’ve moved up to No. 86 after its first game. The Tigers sit between Seton Hall at No. 85 and San Diego State at No. 87.
EvanMiya describes Jayden Reid as an “elite floor general,” as he ranks in the top 1 percent nationally in playmaking. Both Maxim Logue and Corneilous Williams rank inside the top 3 percent in rebounding rate.
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