Memphis State Tigers men's basketball
| Memphis Tigers | ||||
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| University | University of Memphis | |||
| First season | 1920 | |||
| All-time record | 1,406–820–1 (.632) | |||
| Conference | The American | |||
| Location | Memphis, TN | |||
| Head coach | Tubby Smith (1st year) | |||
| Arena |
FedExForum (Capacity: 18,119) |
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| Nickname | Tigers | |||
| Colors | Blue and Gray |
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| Uniforms | ||||
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| NCAA Tournament runner-up | ||||
| 1973, 2008* | ||||
| NCAA Tournament Final Four | ||||
| 1973, 1985*, 2008* | ||||
| NCAA Tournament Elite Eight | ||||
| 1973, 1985*, 1992, 2006, 2007, 2008* | ||||
| NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 1973, 1982*, 1983*, 1984*, 1985*, 1992, 1995, 2006, 2007, 2008*, 2009 | ||||
| NCAA Tournament appearances | ||||
| 1955, 1956, 1962, 1973, 1976, 1982*, 1983*, 1984*, 1985*, 1986*, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008*, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 *vacated by NCAA |
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| Conference tournament champions | ||||
| Metro: 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987 C-USA: 2006, 2007, 2008*, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 |
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| Conference regular season champions | ||||
| MVC: 1972, 1973 Metro: 1982, 1984, 1985 GMWC: 1995 C-USA: 1996, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008*, 2009, 2012, 2013 *vacated by NCAA |
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The Memphis Tigers men's basketball team represents the University of Memphis in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. The Tigers have competed in the American Athletic Conference since 2013. As of 2011, the Tigers had the 29th highest winning percentage in NCAA history. They play home games at the FedExForum. ESPN Stats and Information Department ranked Memphis as the 19th most successful basketball program from 1962 to 2012 in their annual 50 in 50 list.
The predecessor of the University of Memphis, West Tennessee State Normal School, first fielded a basketball team in 1920. Zach Curlin began coaching the team in 1924. The Tigers joined the Mississippi Valley Conference in 1928. The team played its early home poines a local high school gym, a local YMCA, and in a room on campus called the "Normal Cage" which allowed only six inches from the court lines to the walls. In 1929, a $100,000 facility on campus named Memorial Gym became the Tigers' home.
Curlin's last season coaching the Tigers was in 1948, by which time the school had been renamed Memphis State College; it would become Memphis State University in 1957. His successor was McCoy Tarry. In 1951, the new $700,000 Field House gym was opened for Tiger home games. In 1952, John Wallesea became the first Memphis State player to be drafted by the NBA. Forest Arnold became the school's first All-American in 1954. The Tigers made the NCAA tournament for the first time in 1955 under coach Eugene Lambert. Bob Vanatta became the team's coach in 1956 and took the Tigers to the NIT final. Win Wilfong became the team's second All-American in 1957.
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