So, he started pushing buttons. Hardaway dialed up the defensive pressure, but Temple was ready for it. He went with a four-guard lineup next, but all that did was dig a deeper rebounding hole. He tried to account for it with more shooters on the floor, but they weren’t hitting.

Penny Hardaway sees it, even if there are those who don’t. The Memphis basketball coach can see his team getting better. The 17 th-ranked Tigers (14-4, 4-1 AAC) are not a finished product, mind you. Hardaway fully acknowledges that.

The Memphis basketball team's road loss to Temple last week came home to roost on Monday. The Tigers (14-4, 4-1 AAC), who bounced back with a 77-68 win at Charlotte Sunday, landed at No. 22 in the updated USA TODAY Coaches Poll.