Tennessee basketball: 10 memorable games between Vols and Memphis Tigers

6. 1992-1993: Tennessee beats Memphis 70-59 (Game played Dec. 6, 1992)

Memphis Tigers coach Penny Hardaway was playing in this game. It was Hardaway against Allan Houston, two future NBA stars. The year before, the Vols had won this match-up, but the Tigers won the war by going to the Elite Eight.

So heading into 1992, Larry Finch figured to have his greatest team ever, and his Tigers were able to open the season in the Top 10. They got off to a rough start by losing their opener at the Arkansas Razorbacks, the team they beat in the NCAA Tournament the year before.

However, traveling to Rocky Top was where they would right the ship. This was a Tennessee basketball team with low expectations under Wade Houston, even if his son was starring for them. And the Tigers had Hardaway.

Well, it didn’t work out like that. Hardaway did his part to record a double-double, but Houston and the Vols dismantled them, winning the game 70-59. It was one of three major highlight wins in what was otherwise a horrible season this year.

Again, even with the victory, the Vols lost the war as they would finish with a losing record and the Tigers would make a second straight NCAA Tournament. But it’s still worth remembering for how thrilling of a victory it was at the time, and it mattered enough to make our Top 10. Upsetting a Top 10 team is naturally going to be a memorable game in this series.