AAC Basketball

After being cleared of any NCAA rules violations for providing benefits to prospective student-athletes, Memphis head basketball coach Penny Hardaway has received a contract extension from the university.

Per Jason Munz of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Hardaway has agreed to a deal with the Tigers that pays him a total of $16.5 million through the 2027-28 season.

Hardaway previously signed a five-year deal in December 2020 that kept him with the school through the 2025-26 season. That contract was a total of $12.25 million.

According to Munz, this new agreement amends the terms of that previous contract by adding two more years and increasing Hardaway's total annual compensation.

"As I have said many times, this is a dream position for me, and I do not take it for granted," Hardaway said in a statement released by the school. "I would like to thank Laird Veatch, University of Memphis President Dr. Bill Hardgrave and the Board of Trustees for their support, and I cannot wait to keep working each and every day for our City, our University and our program."

The Tigers have been the subject of an infractions investigation for several years. The NCAA announced on Sept. 27 that the program committed multiple Level II and Level III violations related to James Wiseman's eligibility status during the 2019-20 season, the basketball program and compliance staff.

Memphis' basketball program was placed on three years' probation through Sept. 26, 2025, and received a fine of $5,000 plus 0.25 percent of the men's basketball budget.

Hardaway was cleared of any wrongdoing stemming from a payment of $11,500 to Wiseman and his family prior to his arrival on campus. The former NBA All-Star was considered a booster by the NCAA at the time the payment was made because he donated $1 million to the school in 2008 to help build a sports hall of fame.

Born and raised in Memphis, Hardaway played for the Tigers from 1990-93. He moved into the coaching ranks in 2015 when he was hired as an assistant at East High School.

After Tubby Smith was fired in March 2018, the University of Memphis tabbed Hardaway as its next head basketball coach. He has led the program to four consecutive 20-win seasons.

The Tigers made the NCAA tournament last season for the first time since 2013-14. They defeated Boise State in the first round before falling to Gonzaga in the Round of 32.

The University of Memphis men's basketball program has been placed on probation for three years and received a $5,000 fine for Level II and Level III recruiting violations by the NCAA.

News: Here are the penalties levied by the IARP against Memphis in the James Wiseman case.

Relatively light, on first glance. pic.twitter.com/aDh77ZKw8H

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) September 27, 2022

The penalty came after allegations that head coach Penny Hardaway paid former player James Wiseman and his family $11,500 to move to Memphis while he was still in high school, per Jeff Goodman of Stadium.

The Independent Resolution Panel also ruled Memphis must vacate all wins involving Wiseman, which amounted to just three games.

Wiseman, who is now on the Golden State Warriors, was the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2019 class, per 247Sports composite rankings. He averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks across three games before the NCAA suspended him 12 games for recruiting violations.

The $11,500 from Hardaway came in 2017 when he was a coach at East High School in Memphis, but the NCAA considered him a booster for the Tigers since he had donated money to his alma mater. He didn't become the Memphis coach until 2018.

Once Wiseman's appeal was denied, he left school and instead prepared for the NBA draft.

"I wanted to have a great collegiate career," Wiseman told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski in 2020. "I wanted to win a national championship. But throughout the course of the first two games, everything started to go down in terms of my mental [well-being]. I was getting depressed. It was dehumanizing for me."

Wiseman became the No. 2 pick of the 2020 NBA draft, but his professional career has been limited by injuries.

Kevin Ollie has reached a settlement with the University of Connecticut stemming from his wrongful termination lawsuit.

In a joint statement released on Thursday, the university and Ollie announced he will receive a $3.9 million payout "for claimed reputational damages and attorney's fees."

Kevin Ollie gets a $3.9M settlement from @UConnMBB pic.twitter.com/6ZjFkHk8Hp

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) September 15, 2022

UConn announced in March 2018 it had begun the process of firing Ollie for just cause. The move came after the basketball program was alerted to an NCAA inquiry into potential recruiting violations.

In June 2018, the school released documents that showed Ollie and former Huskies star Ray Allen had improper training sessions and improper contact with recruits.

The NCAA Committee on Infractions gave Ollie a three-year show-cause penalty for failing to fully cooperate with the investigation.

"This case illustrates the importance of full candor and cooperation in the infractions process, as well as head coach control," the NCAA said in a statement. "The former head coach faltered in both respects, increasing the severity of his violations and allowing violations within the program to occur for most of his tenure."

The basketball program was given two years of probation and lost a scholarship during the 2019-20 academic year. It also vacated all of its wins from the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.

Ollie sent a letter to the University of Connecticut shortly after he was fired that was obtained by ESPN's Myron Medcalf. He argued the school violated his "rights under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution" and he sought the money still left on his deal at the time of his dismissal.

In January, Ollie won his arbitration case against the school and was owed $11.2 million.

UConn hired Ollie, who played for the program from 1991-95, in September 2012 after Jim Calhoun retired. He spent two seasons as an assistant on Calhoun's staff before being named head coach.

Ollie went 127-79 in six seasons with the Huskies. He led the team to two NCAA tournament appearances, including a championship in the 2013-14 season.

After spending three years out of basketball, Ollie was hired as head coach and director of player development for Overtime Elite in 2021.

Former University of Cincinnati basketball coach John Brannen has agreed to a settlement with the school over his firing in April 2021.

Per The Athletic's Justin Williams, public records revealed the school agreed to pay Brannen $2.75 million as part of a settlement signed by both parties on Wednesday.

Cincinnati fired Brannen on April 9, 2021, one week after he was placed on administrative leave.

"The decision to move in a new direction comes after a thorough review of our program, which included conversations with student-athletes, coaches and staff, as well as with Coach Brannen," athletic director John Cunningham said in the statement announcing the decision.

Brannen's dismissal came after the school opened an investigation into allegations about the men's basketball team.

In a March 2021 report from Williams, the team "experienced a mass roster exodus" with six players entering the transfer portal following a "rift" with Brannen.

Williams noted at the time that seven players recruited by Brannen following his hiring in April 2019 had left the program, with four of the team's five high-school signees from the 2020 recruiting class leaving after less than one year with the Bearcats.

Brannen originally filed a lawsuit against the university in May 2021, but he withdrew the lawsuit and refiled it in state court five months later. The 48-year-old was seeking more than $5 million in buyout money, as well as compensatory and punitive damages.

According to Williams, Brannen was fired with cause by Cincinnati. He would have been owed $5.25 million for being fired without cause, per the terms of his contract.

Brannen went 32-20 in two seasons at Cincinnati. Dayton head basketball coach Anthony Grant announced earlier this week Brannen will join the program as an analyst and senior special assistant.

Wes Miller was hired as Cincinnati's new head coach in April 2021. He went 18-15 in his first season with the program.

The University of Memphis has thrown its hat in the ring for Bronny James.

Per Joe Tipton of On3.com, the Tigers have offered the Sierra Canyon High School star a scholarship.

According to Tipton, Memphis is believed to be the fourth college program to make James a scholarship offer. USC, North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central are the others.

James' recruitment is going to be one of the biggest stories around college basketball until he makes a decision.

Earlier this week, Jamie Shaw of On3.com reported Oregon and Ohio State are also in the recruiting mix for James.

Shaw noted Oregon was considered the front-runner, but Bronny's father, LeBron James, seemed to dismiss the notion that any school was in the lead at this early stage in the recruiting process:

He hasn’t taken 1 visit yet and has only had a few calls with coaches and universities. When Bronny makes his choice you’ll hear it from him. #JamesGang👑 https://t.co/BBciKxl7m8

— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 17, 2022

The 17-year-old James appears to be carving out an excellent path on his own. He is a 4-star prospect and No. 43 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class, per 247Sports composite rankings.

In his scouting report of James for 247Sports, Eric Bossi noted the 6'3" shooting guard has "added some pop on drives to the rim through traffic or in transition" and he is a "fantastic passer."

Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina are among the other notable programs with at least some level of interest in James.

Since taking over as head coach at his alma mater, Penny Hardaway has made the Tigers a force in recruiting. They had the top-ranked class in 2021 with six total commits, including 5-stars Emoni Bates and Jalen Duran, per 247Sports composite rankings.

Memphis has won at least 20 games in each of Hardaway's first four seasons. The program made the NCAA tournament last season for the first time since 2013-14 as the No. 9 seed in the West Region.

The Tigers defeated Boise State in the first round before falling to No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga in the second round.

The Memphis Tigers and head basketball coach Penny Hardaway are reportedly recruiting Bronny James, the son of LeBron James, according to Jamie Shaw of On3.com.

Per that report, Hardaway was present at the July Peach Jam basketball camp, among a number of college coaches and NBA scouts and front-office personnel.

Bronny James is considered a 4-star recruit in 247Sports' composite rankings and the No. 43 player in the Class of 2023, the No. 12 player from the state of California and the No. 7 shooting guard.

Eric Bossi of the recruiting site offered the following scouting report on the young player:

Slowly but surely, Bronny James is starting to come into his own as a player on a loaded Sierra Canyon team. James' 6'3" frame has filled out nicely and he's added some pop on drives to the rim through traffic or in transition. One of his strengths is his ability to make catch-and-shoot jump shots and he is a fantastic passer. James gives good effort on the defensive end where he plays with toughness and versatility. There are times where he can be a bit passive on the offensive end, but overall he has made positive strides as a junior.

He has certainly provided some nice highlights in his young career:

This Bronny James block looks familiar 👀 @SCNext pic.twitter.com/q9L07V5jDM

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 18, 2022

BRONNY JAMES THROWS IT DOWN 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ikJ8ksPVSx

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 15, 2022

Shaw reported Tuesday that Oregon, Ohio State and USC were in the running for the young guard, adding that, "Sources tell us that ... heading into visits, Oregon has a lead and that James will end up in Eugene."

There would be a natural Nike connection between the James family and Oregon, given that LeBron James has a lifetime deal with the company and its co-founder, Phil Knight, is a Ducks alum.

LeBron quickly shut down that rumor, however:

He hasn’t taken 1 visit yet and has only had a few calls with coaches and universities. When Bronny makes his choice you’ll hear it from him. #JamesGang👑 https://t.co/BBciKxl7m8

— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 17, 2022

As for Memphis, Hardaway has been an adept recruiter during his tenure. He nabbed 5-star center James Wiseman in the Class of 2019, another 5-star center in 2020 (Moussa Cisse), a pair of 5-star talents in Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren in 2021 and a slew of 4-star recruits along the way.

Wiseman and Duren are in the NBA. Cisse and Bates ultimately left the school via the transfer portal.

There's little doubt that wherever Bronny James ends up after high school, it will be a high-profile, splashy addition.

The Duke Blue Devils men's squad and Connecticut Huskies women's team will headline the 2022 Jimmy V Classic in December.

Per ESPN's Jeff Borzello, the Blue Devils will play Iowa, and Texas will square off against Illinois in the men's doubleheader at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 6.

The women's games will feature the Huskies taking on Notre Dame at the Joyce Center and Tennessee hosting Virginia Tech on Dec. 4.

The UConn-Notre Dame contest is a clash between two of the best women's programs in the nation.

ESPN's Charlie Creme had both teams ranked in the top 10 in his early top-25 list, which dropped in May. The Huskies came in at No. 2, behind defending national champion South Carolina.

Connecticut is bringing back Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Aaliyah Edwards and Dorka Juhasz.

Fighting Irish head coach Niele Ivey has had to replace a lot of talent from the 2021-22 squad. Sam Brunelle, Anaya Peoples, Abby Prohaska and Maya Dodson are all gone, though incoming transfers Lauren Ebo, Kylee Watson and Jenna Brown do help offset those losses.

Creme had Notre Dame ranked seventh in his top 25 coming off a Sweet 16 run in the NCAA tournament last season.

The Lady Volunteers came in just ahead of Notre Dame at No. 6 in Creme's ranking. Head coach Kellie Harper had her best season with the program in 2021-22 with a 25-9 record and a trip to the Sweet 16.

The Blue Devils figure to receive significant attention this season, especially early in the year. Jon Scheyer is taking over as head coach after Mike Krzyzewski retired at the end of last season.

Based on recruiting, there's no indication the Blue Devils will suffer without Coach K. They had the best recruiting class in the nation with seven commits, including four 5-stars, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

The class is headlined by three of the top four overall recruits, including top-ranked Dereck Lively II.

Iowa has won at least 20 games in each of the past four seasons under head coach Fran McCaffery.

Texas and Illinois are also coming off 20-win seasons in 2021-22. Both teams lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The Jimmy V Classic was established in 1995 to raise money and awareness for cancer research. It's named after former college basketball head coach Jim Valvano, who died from complications from cancer in April 1993.

The UConn women's team has 10 wins in the Jimmy V Classic, most all-time among men's or women's programs.

Former 5-star forward Emoni Bates has transferred to Eastern Michigan, he told Joe Tipton of On3.com.

"I'm committing to Eastern Michigan," Bates told Tipton. "I'm coming home."

Bates grew up in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where EMU is located.

The news comes after Bates revealed in a previous interview with Tipton of On3.com that he had entered the transfer portal on April 16 after just one season with the Memphis Tigers.

"I'd like to thank Coach Penny, my teammates, and the entire coaching staff at the University of Memphis for giving me the opportunity to be a Tiger. Thank you Tiger Nation for embracing me and all of you who supported our team throughout this season. With that being said, I have decided to enter the transfer portal," Bates said at the time.

Bates averaged 9.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 38.6 percent from the floor and 32.9 percent from deep in 18 games.

The 18-year-old's path to Memphis was an interesting one, as he was expected to play professionally right out of high school. Before his junior year in 2020, however, Bates committed to Michigan State. He then reopened his recruitment in April 2021 and ultimately committed to Memphis in August.

In June 2019, ESPN ranked Bates as the top high school player in the nation, aside from class. He was above now-NBA stars Evan Mobley, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga.

Bates' decision to join the Eagles comes as no surprise after he listed Eastern Michigan as one of his top six schools in early May. He also told Tipton in a previous interview that he was seriously considering his hometown school.

"People probably look at me crazy because I’m considering Eastern," Bates said in May. "But if I went there, I would be like the neighborhood hero. I used to play at Eastern during my high school games when I was at Lincoln, and we used to pack it out every time. That would be crazy for me to be able to bring love to the city."

Louisville, Michigan, Seton Hall and DePaul were among the other schools Bates considered.

Bates undoubtedly has the ability to be a great player, it's now just about unlocking his potential, and he should be able to do that with his hometown Eagles.

Emoni Bates' time on the Memphis Tigers men's basketball team has ended after one season.

"I'd like to thank Coach Penny, my teammates, and the entire coaching staff at the University of Memphis for giving me the opportunity to be a Tiger," he said in a statement, per Joe Tipton of On3Sports. "Thank you Tiger Nation for embracing me and all of you who supported our team throughout this season. With that being said, I have decided to enter the transfer portal."

Bates failed to live up to the sky-high expectations that surrounded him as a 5-star prospect, as rated by 247Sports' composite rankings. He was a key part of Memphis' No. 1 class in 2021, but the Tigers also struggled to establish much consistency and finished as a No. 9 seed in the NCAA tournament.

As Tipton noted, Bates had quite the journey before even arriving at Memphis.

Michigan State was the only program that seriously recruited him in the early going because most teams expected him to go a professional route before eventually playing in the NBA. Yet he reclassified to the 2021 class and decommitted from the Spartans before choosing Memphis over the G League.

Bates appeared in just 18 games for the Tigers and missed all of February and some time in March because of a back injury. He averaged 9.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per night while shooting 38.6 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from three-point range.

While he flashed his potential with 15 or more points in each of his first three games, he never reached that mark again all season.

Bates also finished with just three points in three minutes in a Big Dance win over Boise State and had five points in 12 minutes in the team's loss to Gonzaga in the second round.

Tipton explained the 18-year-old Bates cannot just go into the NBA at this point because players must turn 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft to be eligible. That means transferring to another school or playing in the G League could be an option.            

For the first time since the 2017-18 season, the second-seeded Villanova Wildcats are headed to the Final Four after defeating the fifth-seeded Houston Cougars 50-44 on Saturday in Elite Eight action at AT&T Center. 

This is the third time since the 2015-16 season that Villanova has reached the Final Four under head coach Jay Wright. The Wildcats won the NCAA title in 2016 and 2018.

The Wildcats have had an impressive run in the NCAA tournament, also defeating Delaware, Ohio State and Michigan behind solid performances from Collin Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels and Justin Moore. 

Gillespie was somewhat invisible Saturday, but Houston's significant offense struggles allowed the Wildcats to escape with a win. 

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Notable Performers

Jermaine Samuels, Villanova: 16 PTS, 10 REB 

Taze Moore, Houston: 15 PTS, 10 REB, 1 AST

Caleb Daniels, Villanova: 12 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST

Jamal Shead, Houston: 9 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST

Collin Gillespie, Villanova: 6 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST

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Jermaine Samuels Continues Impressive NCAA Tournament Run

Samuels has been one of Villanova's best players throughout the NCAA tournament, and he was a difficult matchup for Houston on Saturday night thanks to his size, strength and versatility.

The emotion when Jay Wright talks about his team 💙 @NovaMBB pic.twitter.com/LQrmPavQOY

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 27, 2022

The senior forward led the team with 16 points and 10 rebounds to help boost the Wildcats into the Final Four, and it was only his latest double-digit performance.

Jermaine Samuels knocks down the first points of the Elite 8 on a @NovaMBB THREE! pic.twitter.com/g2OrRqCtY9

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 26, 2022

It’s a seven-point @NovaMBB lead at halftime.

Caleb Daniels and Jermaine Samuels have combined for 14 points, which ties the number of points all Houston starters have scored in the first half. pic.twitter.com/rpOxBp5juH

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 26, 2022

That's a Jermaine Samuels 3-point play 💪 @NovaMBB pic.twitter.com/f0hi5xUNrR

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 26, 2022

Jermaine Samuels with the clutch bucket for @NovaMBB! pic.twitter.com/BwyTtAVMg0

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 27, 2022

In a first-round win over Creighton, Samuels notched 15 points. He followed that up with 17 points against Ohio State in the second round and 22 points against Michigan in the Sweet 16.

Samuels' performance on Saturday was even more important because star guard Collin Gillespie struggled, making just one of six shots from the floor and zero of four from beyond the arc.

While Gillespie will undoubtedly need to be better in the next round, it's an excellent sign for Villanova that players like Samuels are elevating their game through each contest.

To put his impact into perspective, Samuels entered Saturday's game against Houston averaging 11 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists this season.

Wright's teams have always been focused on team efforts, and that's exactly what it's going to take for the Wildcats to win another title under the veteran head coach.

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Houston Offense Abysmal in Close Game Against Villanova

The Cougars kept the score close throughout Saturday's game, but they were never able to overcome a very beatable Villanova side that saw its own offensive struggles.

Houston made 17 of 57 shots from the floor and was even worse from beyond the arc, making just one of 20 shots. It was by far the Cougars' worst shooting performance of the NCAA tournament. 

Entering Saturday's game, Houston was shooting 54.9 percent from the floor and 34.5 percent from deep this season, according to Sports Reference. 

While many of the team's difficulties on Saturday could be attributed to the solid defense Villanova played, the Cougars even struggled to make open shots. 

The Cougars had seven players averaging double digits this season. Only Taze Moore reached double digits against the Wildcats, finishing with 15 points, in addition to 10 rebounds and one assist. 

However, it's important to note the Cougars were missing their best offensive player in Marcus Sasser, who suffered a season-ending foot injury in December. Before going down, he led the team with 17.7 points per game. 

Had Sasser been available, Houston might have been the team moving on to the Final Four. Instead, the Cougars will be looking for ways to improve next season. 

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What's Next?

Villanova moves on to the Final Four and will face either No. 1 Kansas or No. 10 Miami.