Clemson, South Carolina is abuzz with anticipation as the Clemson basketball coach Brad Brownell doesn't believe that Penny Hardaway's Memphis Tigers will be more hungry to win on Saturday just because they lost to Arkansas State last week. Brownell shared his thoughts with The Commercial Appeal this week, stating, "I can't imagine that they weren't going to be ready to play at Clemson anyway. What you respect about what Penny's doing, you look at their schedule, they're playing all kinds of good teams. They've got a lot of pride in their program and what they've accomplished – and we're the same."

Pre-Game Analysis and Rankings

Before their slip-up last week, Memphis was ranked No. 16 in the country and had won seven of their first eight games. However, they were quickly ushered out of the national rankings this week. Meanwhile, No. 16 Clemson made a significant surge into the top 25 after a home win over No. 5 Kentucky and a road victory against Miami. This sets the stage for an exciting matchup between these two teams.

First Half Highlights

Penny Hardaway's team is showing early dominance as they hold a 12-5 lead over Clemson at the 11:21 mark in the first half. Colby Rogers is leading the way with 5 points, while Viktor Lahkin has all of Clemson's points so far. Memphis is playing excellent defense, limiting the home team to just two made baskets on 13 attempts (15%). This shows their ability to shut down the opposition and control the game in the early stages.

Referees and Starting Lineups

The three-person officiating crew for this Tigers vs. Tigers matchup is Ron Groover, A.J. Desai, and Vladimir Voyard-Tadal. Penny Hardaway is sticking with his usual starting lineup of Tyrese Hunter, PJ Haggerty, Colby Rogers, Nicholas Jourdain, and Moussa Cisse. Brad Brownell will start with Ian Schieffelin, Chase Hunter, Jaeden Zackery, Viktor Lahkin, and Chauncey Wiggins. These lineups will determine the on-court dynamics and strategies for both teams.

Game Details and Broadcast Information

The game takes place on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 10 a.m. CT at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, South Carolina. It will be broadcast on ESPN2 with Mike Monaco providing the play-by-play and Cory Alexander as the color analyst. You can also stream the game on ESPN+ and listen to it on 98.9-FM The Roar with Dave Woloshin as the play-by-play and Matt Dillon as the color analyst.

Game Predictions and Betting Odds

Penny Hardaway always seems to have his team ready for big games. He said earlier this week, "We're just going to have to go and fight like hell for 40 minutes." And that's exactly what Memphis will do. Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Friday show a spread of Clemson -6.5, an over/under of 144.5, and a moneyline of Memphis +240 and Clemson -300. These odds add an extra layer of excitement to the game.

Injury Updates and Upcoming Schedules

All is quiet on the injury front for both teams. Memphis has an upcoming schedule with tipoff times not yet set. On Dec. 18, they play at Virginia at 6 p.m. on ESPN2 at John Paul Jones Arena. On Dec. 21, they face Mississippi State at 11:30 a.m. on CBS at FedExForum. On Dec. 28, they take on Ole Miss at 1 p.m. on ESPN2 at FedExForum. On Jan. 2, they travel to FAU at 6 p.m. on ESPN2 at Eleanor P. Baldwin Arena. And on Jan. 5, they play against North Texas at 4 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2 at FedExForum.Clemson also has an upcoming schedule with all times in the central time zone. On Dec. 17, they play at South Carolina at 6 p.m. on SEC Network. On Dec. 21, they face Wake Forest at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN. On Jan. 1, they play against Stanford at 3 p.m. on ACC Network. On Jan. 4, they take on Cal at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2. And on Jan. 7, they travel to Louisville at 6 p.m. on ESPN2 or ESPNU.