Early-Season Road Tests
The University of Memphis unveiled its 2026-27 men’s basketball non-conference schedule, opening with a neutral-site contest against Iowa State in Sioux Falls on Nov. 2 before returning home for a series of high-profile games.
A marquee addition is the first-ever meeting with Evansville, slated for Nov. 22 at FedExForum. Memphis will pay Evansville a guaranteed $90,000 to make the trip, a financial arrangement that underscores the growing practice of guaranteeing sums for early-season opponents.
Later in the month, the Tigers will host Louisville on Nov. 15, and will welcome Utah State on Feb. 20, 2027, as part of a home-and-home agreement that also includes a road trip to Logan later in the season.
Overall, the schedule features 14 non-conference games and 18 contests within the American Athletic Conference. The season will begin with the Sioux Falls neutral-site game and culminate in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas from Nov. 25-27, where Coach Penny Hardaway’s squad will test itself against international competition.