MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A storied but long-dormant college basketball rivalry is set to be reignited with the upcoming fall semester, as the University of Louisville and the University of Memphis have signed an agreement for a six-year basketball series, the U of M announced Thursday.
The series will begin in Louisville on December 13 before switching to Memphis in the ’26-’27 school year at FedExForum. Specific dates and venues are still being finalized for the remaining four seasons, and both institutions are committed to sustaining a heated and historic rivalry through the 2030-2031 season.
“Renewing this rivalry with Louisville means everything – not just for Memphis, but for college basketball as a whole,” said Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway. “These are the kinds of games that bring out the best in both programs, energize fan bases, and are the reason players want to come at Memphis.”
“There’s real history and passion between us and we are thrilled to help bring it back and give our fans – and the sport – something special to look forward to the next six years.”
The upcoming meeting marks the first time the two teams will square off since December 2017, when they met in the Houzz Gotham Classic at Madison Square Garden. It also rekindles a competitive history that spans 90 meetings across four different conferences – the Missouri Valley Conference, Metro Conference, Conference USA, and the American Athletic Conference, where the two programs last shared league affiliation during the 2013-2014 season.
“We understand the importance of scheduling dynamic matchups for our men’s basketball program so rekindling the rivalry with Louisville makes perfect sense,” said Senior Vice President and Director of Athletics Ed Scott, Ph.D. “We would like to thank Louisville’s administration for working with us to re-establish the relationship and look forward to competing against our neighbors over the next six years.”
Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood.
Trending stories:
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
