Memphis Tigers

The Memphis Tigers play their home games at FedExForum, the NBA-caliber downtown arena they share with the Memphis Grizzlies, giving the program one of the most electric home-court atmospheres in college basketball. Memphis basketball is a civic institution, drawing massive local crowds and producing a string of future NBA players. The Tigers have twice reached the national championship game, falling agonizingly short both times. Under high-profile coaches from Dana Kirk to Penny Hardaway, Memphis has remained one of college basketball's most talked-about programs.

Memphis basketball traces back to 1920 under West Tennessee State Normal School. The Tigers reached the national championship game twice, losing to UCLA in 1973 and to Kansas in overtime in 2008, with both that 2008 team's Final Four run and the 1985 Final Four appearance later vacated by the NCAA due to rules violations. Memphis has produced numerous future NBA players and remains one of the most passionately followed programs in the American Athletic Conference, with FedExForum ranking among the sport's loudest home venues.