Memphis Coach Penny Hardaway Wants Shot at No. 16 Razorbacks

Tigers have been after Musselman for opportunity to renew rivalry, may be able to force it in Bahamas anyway with familiar face for Hog fans

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
Nov 22, 2023 11:00 PM EST

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

Back before the start of the season we spoke with Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway and Alabama transfer Jahvon Quinerly about the Arkansas Razorbacks. This is Story 1 of two. Arkansas and Memphis will renew their rivalry in the Battle 4 Atlantis at 4 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.

DALLAS – In an era before the last generation or two of Razorback fans can remember, in the time when Nolan Richardson stalked the court at Arkansas in his cowboy boots and unique collection of shirts, the Razorbacks vs. what was then called Memphis State was as must-see as it gets. If it’s up to Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway, who was a huge thorn in the Hogs’ side back then, that game will come back.

In Dallas for the American Athletic Conference media day Tuesday, once Hardaway knew he was talking to someone who saw those battles with Arkansas back in the day, he immediately launched into discussing how he’s been prodding Razorback head coach Eric Musselman into making the game an event once again. Unfortunately, he said, it’s been a timing thing.

“Everybody's always saying they want to do it,” Hardaway said. “It's just a matter of getting it done. The problem that comes with it is everybody has already committed to something like a Home and home with a team the year before, so Maybe a yer or two from now we can get the Arkansas rivalry back and get the thing going back the way we need it to.”

The two teams were rivals both on the court and off. Arkansas recruited the rich grounds in and around Memphis in the late ‘80s and early 90s. Todd Day, Arlyn Bowers, Ron Huery, Corey Beck and Dwight Stewart were just a portion of the players Richardson plucked out of Memphis.

However, one prolific future NBA star slipped away from Richardson – Hardaway. The Memphis Treadwell product joined what would become a talented roster at Memphis St., delaying what surely would have been the Razorbacks’ first national championship had he joined the likes of Day, Mayberry and Miller.

“It's not like it was back in the day,” Hardaway said. “Back in the day [the city of Memphis] had a ton of talent, so Arkansas could come over and get three of our players and we could still be really good at the University of Memphis.”

Hardaway drew first blood in what was a strong natural rivalry. He had 15 points and 10 assists when the Tigers took down Richardson’s No. 5 ranked Razorbacks, 92-88, on national TV in February of 1992. Just over a month later, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Milwaukee, Memphis products Day and Hardaway had to watch from the bench after fouling out late as David Vaughn put back his own shot with eight seconds left to claim an 82-80 upset of No. 9 Arkansas.

The Hogs finally got revenge nine months later, taking down No. 8 Memphis St. in Fayetteville, 81-76. Hardaway had 27 points, six assists and seven rebounds, but couldn’t escape to the NBA with a rare perfect record over Richardson’s team.

The Razorbacks and Tigers met at least once per year every season going forward in a series of barn burners that finally ended in 2003 with a 72-67 loss in Fayetteville.

While the two programs have yet to work out a deal for another series, there is a chance it picks back up in a few weeks anyway. Memphis takes on Michigan in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Should the Tigers win and the Razorbacks take care of business against Stanford, the two will meet and Hardaway will be bringing someone familiar with the Razorbacks with him.

Jahvon Quinerly, who went 4-1 against the Razorbacks while at Alabama, has since transferred to Memphis where he is expected to be a team leader. If Quinerly is able to give Hardaway the game he's been seeking against Arkansas, it will take place Nov. 23 from Nassau, Bahamas on either ESPN or ESPNU and FuboTV.