Memphis Suffers 74-70 Exhibition Loss to Division II Christian Brothers

If Wednesday's exhibition was any indication, Memphis basketball is in for a very long year.

In a game typically reserved for one team to work the kinks out against an inferior opponent, the Tigers lost at home to Division II school Christian Brothers, 74-70, on Wednesday night.

The Commercial Appeal's L. Jason Smith put it simply:

Shaq Goodwin had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis, but the Tigers failed to score in the final 2:23 of regulation, allowing the Buccaneers to force overtime. In the extra period, CBU led nearly the entire way to secure the upset.

Unsurprisingly, the jokes began to flow:

Now, most knew that Memphis, which has been to the NCAA tournament the past four seasons and eight of the last nine, was in for a down year. Although Josh Pastner has brought in an impressive recruiting class, he also lost Joe Jackson, Michael Dixon, Chris Crawford and Geron Johnson, among others.

Goodwin and Austin Nichols were both named to the Preseason All-AAC First Team, but after that, things get extremely thin in terms of experience. There is only one senior on the team, and outside of Goodwin and Nichols, Nick King is the only returning player who averaged more than 10.0 minutes per game with the Tigers last year.

Speed bumps are inevitable in a transition year.

But come on. It's a Division II school. No matter how young this team is, and no matter how little this game counts, the Tigers shouldn't be losing games of this nature. They are too talented.

It's a terrible tone to set with the regular-season opener against No. 11 Wichita State just six days away. If Pastner doesn't get his team organized, Fred VanVleet, Ron Baker and Co. are going to have a field day in Sioux Falls.

Fortunately for the Tigers, things can only go up from here. Just not very far up if they continue to bring this kind of effort.