MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Like many of us, Penny Hardaway watched his Tigers play Jackson State on television Monday night.

“I did have streaming issues,” Hardaway joked. What didn’t bring a smile to Hardaway’s face was the effort from his team against Jackson State. 

Hardaway, who watched the game from a local sports bar while serving out the first of his three game suspension to start the season, was happy with the end result but disappointed at the way his team played against JSU.

He wants a return to form knowing what’s to come when the U of M  travels to Missouri for a battle of Tigers Friday night.

“For me, I’m going to be a harsher critic. Happy we got the win. Didn’t like the fashion of being outrebounded or taking some plays off because we work too hard in practice. I wasn’t pleased because we really didn’t play Memphis basketball,” Hardaway said. “I’m hoping to see the fight. Let’s go there and just be Memphis basketball and just fight. Don’t give up anything easy. Just compete the entire game because they’re going to try to take your heart, from the jump ball.”

Hardaway also talked for the first time Wednesday about what he sees as the disappointing decision made by the NCAA to deny DeAndre Williams another year of eligibility. Penny’s plan  now is to help Williams with what’s next.

“Yeah, we’ve talked. That I was going to help him in any way that I could, professionally. Dre and I talk four times a week anyway. Me and him have a really good relationship. I feel like that was very unfortunate that he didn’t get the waiver,” he said.