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BREAKING: Memphis Basketball Unveils 2026-27 AAC Schedule – Full List
Memphis Tigers Basketball: Your Complete Guide to the 2026-27 Schedule
Published: August 7, 2026 | 10:30 AM CT
What’s the Big News?
The Memphis Tigers men’s and women’s basketball teams just got their official conference matchups for the 2026-27 season! Think of this like getting the "who, where, and how many times" for all their games against other teams in the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
Important Note: The exact dates and tip-off times for conference games will be announced later. Stay tuned!
How the Conference Schedule Works (ELI5 Version)
Imagine the AAC is a big club with 13 teams. To make things fair, the league uses a special recipe:
- 6 Teams = "Double Trouble" → You play them twice (once at your home, once at theirs).
- 6 Teams = "One and Done" → You play them once (three at home, three on the road).
- Total = 18 Conference Games.
Memphis Men’s Basketball: The 2026-27 Slate
The "Double Trouble" Games (Home & Away)
Coach Penny Hardaway’s squad gets two shots at five of the top six teams from last year’s standings. That’s a tough but exciting challenge!
- USF (Last year’s Champion )
- Wichita State (Runner-up)
- UAB
- Charlotte
- North Texas
- Tulane (Bonus: One game at FedExForum, one in New Orleans)
Home-Only Opponents (Three "Freebies" at FedExForum)
- Tulsa
- East Carolina
- Rice
Away-Only Opponents (Three Road Trips)
- FAU
- Temple
- UTSA
Non-Conference Schedule: The "Extra Hard" Tests
These games don’t count for conference standings, but they are huge for rankings and tournament resumes. Memphis has built one of the toughest schedules in the country.
Home Games (FedExForum)
| Date | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Nov. 7 | VCU |
| Nov. 15 | Louisville |
| Nov. 22 | Evansville |
| Dec. 11 | Grand Canyon |
| Feb. 20, 2027 | Utah State |
Road Games
| Date | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Nov. 10 | Vanderbilt |
| Dec. 5 | Baylor |
| Dec. 16 | Texas |
Neutral Site Games (Cool Locations!)
| Date | Event / Location | Opponent(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 2 | Sanford Pentagon (Sioux Falls, SD) | Iowa State |
| Nov. 25 & 27 | Battle 4 Atlantis (Bahamas) | Two games vs. Wake Forest, Mississippi State, Penn State, or Xavier |
| Nov. 29 | A-10 / AAC Showcase (Columbus, OH) | Dayton |
Heads Up: The Tigers still have two open slots in the non-conference schedule. More games coming soon!
Preseason Exhibitions (Practice Games)
- Oct. 23 at Mississippi State
- Oct. 29 at Arkansas
- TBD – One home exhibition at FedExForum (October)
Quick Flashback: Last Season
- Overall Record: 13–19
- Conference Record: 8–10 (Tied for 8th place)
- Goal for 2026-27: Climb the standings with a veteran roster and this brutal schedule!
Memphis Women’s Basketball: New Era, New Schedule
New Head Coach: Hana Haden
Home & Away (Twice Each)
- Tulsa
- FAU
- Charlotte
- Tulane
- UAB
- Wichita State
Home-Only (FedExForum / Elma Roane Fieldhouse)
- UTSA
- Temple
- North Texas
Away-Only
- Rice
- USF
- East Carolina (ECU)
Summary: What You Need to Know
- Conference Pairings Set: Both Men’s and Women’s AAC opponents are locked in.
- Men’s Schedule is GAUNTLET: Baylor, Texas, Iowa State, Louisville, plus a tournament in the Bahamas.
- Format: 18 Conference games (6 home-and-home, 6 single-play).
- Dates/Times TBD: Circle back later for the exact calendar.
- Women’s Fresh Start: Coach Hana Haden has a balanced home/away split to build her program.
FAQ: Your Burning Questions Answered
Q: What does "Non-Conference" mean?
A: These are games against teams from other leagues (like the Big 12, SEC, Big East). They happen early in the season (Nov–Dec) and help determine national rankings and NCAA Tournament seeding. They don’t affect the AAC standings.
Q: What is a "Neutral Site" game?
A: Neither team plays at their home arena. It’s like a mini-vacation tournament (e.g., Bahamas, Sioux Falls, Columbus). Fans from both sides travel, or it’s a "neutral" crowd.
Q: Why does Memphis play some teams twice and others once?
A: With 13 teams, you can’t play everyone twice (that’d be 24 games!). The league picks 6 "rivals/key matchups" for home-and-home series. The other 6 are single games to keep the schedule at 18 games.
Q: When will we know the exact dates and TV times?
A: The conference office usually releases the full calendar with TV designations in late August or September. Bookmark the Commercial Appeal or GoTigersGo.com!
Q: What are "Exhibition Games"?
A: Think of them as official scrimmages. They don’t count on the record, stats don’t officially count, and coaches use them to test lineups against other Division I teams before the real season starts.
Source: Jason Munz, The Commercial Appeal | Follow @munzly on X for updates.
