What does the rest of the month look like for Memphis basketball?

After a 26-point loss against Louisville, Memphis sits at 4-5 with four games remaining before the new year. 

The Tigers started the season 1-4, before winning three straight games, but they’re coming off a lopsided road loss that left people with more questions than answers. Penny Hardaway’s team has three non-conference games remaining before the end of the month, and it starts conference play hosting North Texas on New Year’s Eve.

Memphis is currently in the midst of its toughest stretch of the season, and these next two games are extremely important if it wants to have a shot at an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers split the first two games, including an impressive seven-point win against Baylor, but KenPom predicts Hardaway’s team to lose both of its next two games. 

Vanderbilt (Dec. 17)

Vanderbilt will travel to Memphis for a Wednesday night matchup against the Tigers, and they will enter the game undefeated and ranked as the No. 13 team in the Associated Press poll. 

The Commodores are rolling in year two of the Mark Byington era, and they have four wins this season over top 55 KenPom teams. 

Vanderbilt ranks No. 4 in offensive efficiency, and opposing teams struggle to record blocks and steals against them. They rank No. 1 and No. 2 in offensive block percentage and steal percentage, respectively.

While they’ve had a ton of success this season, this will only be the Commodores’ second true road game of the year.

@ Mississippi State (Dec. 20)

It’s been a rough start to the season for Mississippi State, and they are currently 5-5 through 10 games. The Bulldogs haven’t beaten a top 130 KenPom team this season, and their most recent loss came against San Francisco, which Memphis beat to open the season, in Tupelo.

Chris Jans’ team only averages 78.7 points per game, and it has struggled with its three-point shooting, averaging only 32.3 percent on the year. Mississippi State will host Long Island on Tuesday night before the Tigers come to town.

Alabama State (Dec. 22)

Following back-to-back games against SEC opponents, Memphis will return to the Bluff City to host Alabama State. The Hornets became one of the first stories of March Madness last year when they beat Saint Francis with a buzzer-beater in Dayton, but they’ve struggled to start this season.

Former Memphis player and assistant Tony Madlock lost his top three leading scorers from a year ago, and his team is currently 3-7. Alabama State has lost four straight and six of its last seven, but it pulled an upset on the road against UAB in its second game of the season.

North Texas (Dec. 31)

Memphis will wrap up 2025 with its first conference game of the season at home against North Texas. The Mean Green are currently 8-3 on the season, and they’ve won five of their last six games. 

While they’re stacking wins right now, their last three wins have come by three or fewer points. North Texas team with play against Santa Clara and the University of Science and Arts before traveling to Memphis on New Year’s Eve.