MEMPHIS, Tenn. β The Memphis Tigers men's basketball team, the reigning American Athletic Conference champs, will begin its title defense as a No. 5 seed.
Memphis (22-9) will play the winner of Wednesday's game between No. 12 Wichita State (13-18) and No. 13 Rice (11-20) on Thursday (1:30 p.m., ESPNU) at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Tigers enter the tournament with +500 odds to retain the title.
Memphis will almost certainly have to win the AAC Tournament in order to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
In order to win the conference tournament, the Tigers will have to win four games in four days, a feat which has never been accomplished.
The odds may be stacked against them, but head coach Penny Hardaway is happy to start with a clean slate.
"There is not anymore pressure β it is win or go home," Hardaway said after Saturday's 92-84 loss at Florida Atlantic University. "But you've played a full season. There are no surprises right now, this time of the season. You just got to go and have heart and effort."
Memphis swept the season series with Wichita State. They set a season-high in points en route to a 112-86 win over the Shockers early January in Wichita. One month later, the Tigers eked out a 65-63 win over the Shockers at home, snapping a four-game losing streak.
Memphis lost to Rice 74-71 at home on Jan. 31.
The Tigers have a relatively easy path to the tournament final.
If they win their first game, they will face the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a team they blew out eight days ago.
The Tigers will then likely face No. 1 seed South Florida in the semifinal.
Memphis lost to USF 74-73 on Jan. 18, but if the two teams face again, the Tigers will be motivated to avenge the mid-season defeat.
The AAC Championship game will be played Sunday, March 13, at 2:15 p.m. central time on ESPN.