FORT WORTH, Texas — The Memphis Tigers (5) began the AAC Tournament on Thursday knowing they'd have to win four games in four days to return to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year.
It all started against Wichita State (12), and that's also where it ended.
With their season on the line, the Tigers never looked like they could win until the final few minutes of the game, but it still wasn't enough to beat the Shockers. Instead bowing out of the AAC Tournament with a 71-65 loss to Wichita State.
"Wichita State did a phenomenal job, they were the hungrier team today," head coach Penny Hardaway said. "You can't keep coming back from being down and that started at the beginning of the game, we got ourselves in a hole and couldn't dig out of it."
"We should have did way more to not only help him [Penny Hardaway], but help the city of Memphis and help the school and just go out there and play harder," forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin said.
The loss puts an end to one of the most disappointing seasons in recent Tigers history.
At one point the Tigers were ranked at No. 10 in the country and almost a certain NCAA tournament team. That was before they went on a four-game losing streak to South Florida, Tulane, UAB and Rice.
The Tigers made a late surge towards the end of the season, winning four of their last five games and giving Tiger nation hope that the season wasn't a total loss.
But in Thursday's game against the Shockers, that momentum was non-existent.
The Shockers started the game with an alleyoop dunk from Quincy Ballard and that play was indicative of the amount of room they were allowed - shooting 53.6% and have nine fast-break points in the first half.
The Shockers found themselves up by as many as seven in the first half but led by David Jones' 16 points, the Tigers trailed by just two, 35-33 at the end of the first half.
The Tigers looked more disjointed in the second half letting the Shockers go on a 9-0 run to start and with 10:06 to go found themselves trailing by 14. A moment reminiscent of their Feb. 3 game against WSU where they also found themselves down 14, before winning by 2, 65-63.
But Thursday's game didn't end in the same fashion. Despite Jones carrying the Tigers with 24 points, including two back-to-back three's and free-throws to give them a 58-57 lead with 3.30 to go.
The Tigers couldn't close it out. For the first time in program history, Memphis won't play in the AAC tournament quarterfinals.
"I definitely am a man on fire from this season," Hardaway said. "I've learned so much and there are things I can take from this season into next season moving forward."
Memphis shot 36% from the field and were 8-29 from three, compared to the Shockers 47% and 7-23 from beyond the arc.
Nae'Qwan Tomlin also shined for the Tigers scoring 18 points with 12 rebounds.
The Tigers season comes to an end in abrupt fashion with a 22-10 overall record and 11-7 conference record and it looks like even if they do get an NIT bid, they won't play another game this season with Hardaway postgame shutting down the thought of going to the NIT.