Penny Hardaway talks big plans for Memphis basketball schedule, Saturday's game with UAB

Penny Hardaway remembers when there was legitimate heat on the Memphis-UAB basketball rivalry.

First in the Great Midwest Conference and, later, in Conference USA, the Tigers and Blazers (4-3) have a storied history. The series continues at 4:30 p.m. Saturday when Memphis heads to Birmingham to play in the annual Bartow Classic — named after Gene Bartow, who coached the Tigers from 1970-74 before starting the UAB basketball program in 1979, using many players from the Bluff City.

Hardaway said Thursday he advocates the continuation of the series.

“We always need to keep that going with UAB,” he said.

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Then, Hardaway continued to discuss scheduling plans.

“We need to get Louisville back (on the schedule),” he said. “We need to get the teams back that, back in the heyday, everybody used to be at the games stomping the bleachers. Those types of games. We need to get those back.”

Outside of the recent announcement that No. 18 Memphis (7-1) will be part of the eight-team field at next year’s Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas, Hardaway said he’s not ready to announce any other dates. But he added the Tigers are “working on some things.”

One such thing could be a subject he broached with Michigan coach — and fellow former NBA All-Star — Juwan Howard over the summer. The idea would be a summit of teams coached by former NBA players (namely Memphis, Michigan, as well as Vanderbilt and Georgetown, coached by Jerry Stackhouse and Patrick Ewing, respectively) at Madison Square Garden in New York.

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“I thought that would be pretty cool,” Hardaway said. “Not to exclude Bobby Hurley (Arizona State) or Damon Stoudamire (University of the Pacific) or anything like that. But the new guys on the block versus the vet in Pat Ewing. I thought that would be pretty cool.

“They said they were OK with it. We just have to put it together.”

Here are 3 things to know ahead of Memphis’ meeting with UAB.

Boogie Ellis feeling better

Late in Tuesday’s win over Bradley, Memphis freshman guard Boogie Ellis was fouled hard and landed flat on his back. After a few seconds on the floor, writhing in pain, he got up and tried to walk it off.

Ellis didn’t have to leave the game, but he said it was the worst pain he’s ever felt on a basketball court. Hardaway said he was a little worried about whether Ellis would be available for the UAB game.

On Thursday, Hardaway said all signs point toward a quick recovery for Ellis.

“Man, Boogie was actually OK (Wednesday) and this morning,” he said. “That was really shocking to me because that was a hard fall. He hit all back on the floor. I guess that’s where youth comes in. This morning, he was walking a lot better.

“I would’ve been out for two years.”

Lester Quinones update

Having Ellis available is good for the Tigers on a number of fronts.

Memphis has improved its perimeter shooting after a rough start, but the team is still not firing on all cylinders. The Tigers are shooting 33.8 percent from beyond the arc, which is 131st in the country. Without Ellis, whose 38.2 mark is second on the team, Hardaway’s squad is hitting 32.4 percent.

The Tigers are already without Lester Quinones, who broke his hand against Ole Miss on Nov. 23. While he wasn’t shooting particularly well from three (24 percent), he was a long-range threat and had shown signs of improvement.

"He's actually starting to do more," Hardaway said. "I see the doctors and the therapist working with his hand, so that's a great sign. And he's on the floor all the time."

Hardaway initially said Quinones will miss at least three weeks. He added he can tell the New York native is getting restless. 

"I'm ready for him to start back playing, because he's getting on my nerves," he joked. "He's always bumping into me. He's always touching me on the shoulder and running. I'm serious, somebody needs to get him."

Memphis' weak spot is UAB's strength

One of Memphis’ most glaring weaknesses happens to be UAB’s primary strength.

Rebounding has been a problem for the Tigers, most notably on the defensive end, which plays right into the Blazers’ hands.

Memphis’ offensive rebounding percentage allowed is 29.8, and that ranks 235th in the country. UAB is ninth in the nation at 38.2.   

Hardaway said the learning curve has been steeper for the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation because most of the players are coming from situations where they weren’t asked to secure tough rebounds. It also doesn’t help the Tigers are still without 7-foot-1 James Wiseman, who won’t be back until Jan. 12.

“On this level, if you do not box out, if you don’t attack the ball, then it’s going to be tough for you to get the rebound. And it’s been tough for us,” Hardaway said.

He added the coaching staff is getting closer to having to change its approach with the players in hopes of getting better results.

“We really have kind of ignored all the drills to get tougher because you have so many injuries already. And the last time we tried one of those toughness drills is when James got hurt,” Hardaway said referring to the ankle injury that kept Wiseman out of both exhibition games in October. “Now it’s time to get to those toughness drills and do some more of those things that will get us in the mindset of what we need to do.”

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.