Top five non conference games of the 2019-2020 Memphis basketball season

With just two weeks until Memphis Madness the city is abuzz with the excitement of year two of the Penny Hardaway era and with the release of the 2019- 2020 schedule.

The nonconference slate is often how a team when it comes Selection Sunday. Starting strong is so crucial for this Memphis team.

Five nonconference games in particular jump off the page as Penny Hardaway and his Tigers prepare for the march to the Big Dance. These are the games that get a program ready for a deep run in March.

11/12/19 - Oregon ( neutral)

The Tigers will travel to Portland, Oregon to faceoff with the Ducks in an early-season matchup as part of the Phil Knight Invitational. This will be the first matchup between the two programs.

11/23/19 - Ole Miss ( home)

The last time these two teams played on the hardwood the Rebels got the best out of the Tigers 85-77 in Oxford. This time around it will be a matchup between two second-year head coaches, Kermit Davis for Ole Miss, and Penny Hardaway for Memphis. This game will also see a lot more talent than in previous years between these two rivals.

11/28/19- NC State ( Neutral)

For the first time since 1998, the Memphis Tigers and NC State will face off on Thanksgiving day. This game is a huge opportunity for the Tigers to earn a win over a traditional ACC power.

12/14/19- Tennessee ( Away)

The Memphis Tigers will travel to Knoxville, Tennessee with revenge on their mind. The Tigers and Volunteers met on the hardwood last season with Tennessee coming out on top 102-92. This year will likely see a hard-fought game going in favor of the Tigers.

1/4/20- Georgia ( Home)

The Memphis Tigers will close out the nonconference slate with the AAC/SEC challenge with a matchup with the Georiga Bulldogs. This will be the third and final SEC team that Memphis will play in the regular season. The SEC/ AAC challenge will create a unique opportunity for these two teams to take a break from the grueling conference slate.

Each of these nonconference games will provide a unique opportunity for the Tigers to set themselves up for a high seed in the big dance. This upcoming season will be a massive test for Penny Hardaway and his staff as they will find out what this team is made of early on.

Memphis Madness is set for Thursday, October 3rd at the Fed Ex Forum.