What to expect in the duel between Memphis Basketball and No. 2 Alabama

Penny Hardaway's Tigers are getting another refresh before the start of the 2024-25 college basketball season.

Memphis takes on No. 2 Alabama in the 2024 Rocket City Classic exhibition at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala., on Monday (7 p.m., ESPN+). This will be Memphis' second preseason matchup after losing to No. 9 North Carolina at FedExForum earlier this month.

The Tigers shot 44% from the field and 23% from 3-point range during the 84-76 loss on Oct. 15. They outrebounded UNC 41-40 while recording 14 steals, 12 assists, 10 offensive boards and 6 blocks. But Hardaway's team, which also scored 10 second-chance points, ultimately lost its momentum with 22 turnovers.

PJ Haggerty led Memphis with 24 points, 9 rebounds (2 offensive) and 3 assists on 8-for-14 shooting. Tyrese Hunter finished the game with 9 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists on 40% shooting. Colby Rogers, Nick Jourdain and Tyreek Smith also scored 11, 11 and 8 points, respectively, while Baraka Okojie had four steals.

Here's what to expect when the Tigers take on the Crimson Tide.

Memphis is “pushing things into high gear.”

Hardaway, who will be coaching in Memphis for his seventh season this year, told reporters his club didn't throw its entire arsenal against North Carolina.

“We tried not to run any sets. We tried not to really show much. I just allowed the guys to go out and play,” he said after the game.

According to Hardaway, the Tigers want to change that against Alabama.

“I’m going to step things up,” he said Thursday. “All quiet teams are losing teams, so I challenge [the Tigers] talk. We won't last [their] Hand. We put on these performances for a reason… We're going to play our style against Alabama. We didn’t show our style against North Carolina.”

Moussa Cisse is expected to play.

Ole Miss transfer Moussa Cisse, who played for Memphis in 2020-21, is expected to start against Alabama after sitting out the UNC game with a groin injury. The 7-foot center averaged 4.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game for the Rebels last season.

“Moussa has been practicing, so he’s going to play,” Hardaway said. “Maybe Moussa could have played in the game against [North] Carolina, but he wasn't 100%…You have to play. You have to find the rhythm. You have to get the reps. So if [players] can play, they will play.”

According to Hardaway, Illinois transfer Dain Dainja — Memphis' projected starter — hurt his back while warming up for the UNC game. The 6-foot-9 senior recorded 5 points, 3 blocks, 2 rebounds and a steal in just 18 minutes against the Tar Heels. But Dainja has since taken part in full training so he should have a heavier workload on Monday.

What Alabama has to offer

Nate Oats, who has coached Alabama since 2019, is building a squad that is among the favorites to win the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Alabama is also the preseason favorite to win the SEC.

The Crimson Tide are No. 2 in the Associated Press (AP) Top 25, No. 4 in KenPom and No. 9 on barttorvik.com. They return two starters from a group that made it to the Final Four last season.

Alabama's biggest returnee is senior Mark Sears, who CBS Sports named the preseason national player of the year earlier this month. The 6-foot-1 guard was named first-team All-SEC and second-team AP All-American last year after averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4 assists while posting 50 total .8% and 43.6% from 3-point range.

Sears elevated his play in the NCAA Tournament by scoring 24.5 points per game and shooting 45.5% from distance.

Senior Grant Nelson, who transferred from North Dakota State to Alabama in 2023, also returns. The 1.90 meter tall forward scored 11.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game with a shooting rate of 48.8% last season. However, he is not expected to play against Memphis due to an undisclosed injury.

Senior Latrell Wrightsell is a returning role player for the Crimson Tide who averaged 8.9 points and 3 rebounds. The 6-foot-2 guard is expected to be a starter this year, even though he missed Alabama's first game against Wake Forest with a lower leg injury. Oats told CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein that Wrightsell will also miss Sunday's game at Memphis.

Transfers Cliff Omoruyi (Rutgers), Houston Mallette (Pepperdine) and Chris Youngblood (South Florida) are expected to be key contributors for Alabama this year.

Omoruyi, a 6-foot-11 center, averaged 10.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks last season. Mallette, a 6-foot-5 guard, scored 14.7 points on 41.5% 3-point shooting for the Waves in the 2023-24 season.

Youngblood, a 6-foot-4 guard and native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, averaged 15.3 points on 41.6% 3-point shooting for South Florida last year en route to earning co-player of the year honors American Athletic Conference (AAC). He also helped USF to its first AAC regular season title in school history. However, he will be out of action until conference play after undergoing ankle surgery last month.

According to 247Sports, Oats also brought in freshmen Derrion Reid, Aiden Sherell, Labaron Philon and Naas Cunningham, all of whom are top-44 players in the 2024 class. Sherell will not play against Memphis due to a lower leg injury.

Alabama dominated Wake Forest 98-77 in its first scrimmage. The Crimson Tide shot 43.5% from the field and 41.3% from 3-point range. 46 of their 69 shot attempts came from outside the arc. Oats' club also recorded 44 rebounds (14 offensive), 24 assists, 15 forced turnovers, 8 steals and 6 blocks.

Auburn transfer guard Aden Holloway led Alabama off the bench with 20 points and six assists on 7-for-15 shooting. Sears also had a great performance, scoring 19 points and 6 assists while hitting four of his seven 3-point attempts. Philon (13), Jarin Stevenson (10) and Mouhamed Dioubate (10) also scored in double figures.