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.

Memphis’ season-high in turnovers is 20, and it’s no surprise which game it was: Arkansas State – the only Quad 3 loss on the Tigers’ schedule. The Red Wolves scored 17 points off those 20 turnovers and won the game 85-72.

When the Detroit Pistons traded for Tim Hardaway Jr. last summer it looked like a classic salary dump, as they took on his $16 million expiring contract and three 2nd-round picks for Quentin Grimes.

“Thanks for reminding me,” Memphis coach Penny Hardaway quipped Wednesday during media availability ahead of the game against East Carolina (9-7, 1-2) on Saturday (1 p.m., ESPN+).

The Tigers are a 4-seed in Mike DeCourcy's latest projection for FOX Sports in the South (no change from his projection last week). His forecast calls for Memphis to face Samford in the first round. Should the Tigers advance, DeCourcy's projection calls for a second-round game against the Illinois-McNeese State winner.