UVA, Memphis working on home-and-home series starting this year

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia is in the midst of lining up a home-and-home basketball series with Memphis starting next season at FedEx Forum, according to multiple sources.

Tony Bennett’s Cavaliers would host Memphis at Charlottesville’s John Paul Jones Arena in a return game in 2024-25. Don’t expect an official announcement soon though, as the programs are working out dates with conference offices.

Memphis, coached by Penny Hardaway, finished 26-9 last season and was regular-season runner up in the American Athletic Conference to Houston. The Tigers defeated the Cougars in the conference tournament championship game.

Hardaway’s Tigers were knocked out of the NCAA tournament in a last-second, upset loss to Florida Atlantic, 66-65.

Hardaway is putting together a challenging nonconference schedule for 2023-24, including games against Virginia, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, VCU, Missouri and Vanderbilt, as well as competing in three games in the Battle 4 Atlantis in November.