Tragic news: Memphis Tigers greatest-known player faces a six-month suspension after it has been demonstrated that he had an…

Tragic news: Memphis Tigers greatest-known player faces a six-month suspension after it has been demonstrated that he had an…

For Memphis men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway and the team, the 2023–24 season has been exciting and rarely dull.

It took yet another turn on Saturday.

The 6-foot-9 forward for the Tigers and native of Memphis, Malcolm Dandridge, is not allowed to play for a Memphis team that is battling to make it to the NCAA Tournament.

REQUIRED READING: Malcolm Dandridge of Memphis basketball will be suspended indefinitely due to possible academic misconduct

It’s big news for the Tigers, who are 19-8 going into their game on Sunday against a Florida Atlantic squad that leads the American Athletic Conference in points and is coming off of a 10-month run to the Final Four, which started with a one-point victory over Memphis in the opening round. Dandridge leads the group in shot blocking and ranks third in rebounding, having started 19 of the 27 games for the Tigers.

Everything you need to know about Dandridge, his injury, and his playing status is provided below:

Malcolm Dandridge: Who is he?
Dandridge is a fifth-year graduate student competing in the Memphis program.

He was raised in Memphis and attended East High, where he played for Hardaway before his coach succeeded Tubby Smith as head coach in March 2018. He began playing for the school’s state-winning squads in 2017 and 2018 and its 2019 runner-up team.

After being hired by the Tigers, Dandridge became Hardaway’s first commitment. Later, former East teammates James Wiseman, Alex Lomax, Ryan Boyce, and Jayden Hardaway also signed.

He played in 24 games as a freshman in 2019–20, and ever since then, he has been a reliable reserve player for the Tigers. Despite playing in just 20 games due to injuries last season, he averaged a career-high 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

He has improved, though, as his scoring average has gone up by one basket per game from 2022–2023 this season. This season, he has scored in double digits in ten games. His career-high 19 points came in a 97-88 loss to UAB on January 28.

REQUIRED READING: 11 months after a devastating loss, Memphis basketball is preparing for the FAU game.

Has Malcolm Dandridge engaged in academic dishonesty?
According to insiders, Dandridge’s absence from the squad is related to an ongoing probe into possible academic dishonesty.

Jason Munz, Commercial Appeal. Although Dandridge’s eligibility is being looked into, his suspension is due to suspicion rather than proof of wrongdoing.

Malcolm Dandridge—is he on suspension?
Dandridge’s period of noncompetitive absence is equivalent to a suspension. He’ll be detained “until further notice” as the university wraps up its inquiry.

Memphis, which started the season 15-2 and peaked at No. 12 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, has struggled in its last 10 games, going 4-6 overall. His suspension comes at a critical juncture in the team’s campaign. It’s currently on the verge of the NCAA Tournament, thanks to that slump.

REQUIRED READING: David Jones’ injury report from Penny Hardaway for Memphis’ basketball game vs FAU

Statement on Malcolm Dandridge from Memphis
The Memphis athletic department issued the following statement regarding Dandridge’s current situation: