Penny Hardaway Criticizes Utah State for "Running Up the Score" in Blowout Loss

Memphis coach calls out Aggies for late-game dunking in 99-75 defeat

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway criticized Utah State for "running up the score" and lacking "class" after the Aggies defeated his team 99-75 in a lopsided road loss. Hardaway took exception to Utah State scoring two late buckets, including a ferocious windmill dunk, in the final 30 seconds of the game when the outcome was already decided.

Why it matters

Hardaway's comments after the blowout loss raise questions about his ability to handle adversity and set the right tone for his program, especially as Memphis has struggled to a 12-12 record this season after making the NCAA Tournament three of the last four years.

The details

Despite trailing by 21 points with 10 minutes left, Hardaway felt Utah State should have eased up late in the game instead of continuing to score. He was seen telling Aggies player MJ Collins Jr. "don't do that, bro" after Collins threw down a windmill dunk in the final seconds. In the postgame radio interview, Hardaway said "You can't do what they did. You can't keep scoring the ball" and that Utah State "gotta have more class than that."

  • The game took place on Saturday, February 15, 2026.
  • Memphis trailed by 14 points at halftime.

The players

Penny Hardaway

Head coach of the Memphis Tigers basketball team and a former four-time NBA All-Star.

MJ Collins Jr.

A player for the Utah State Aggies who threw down a late windmill dunk that upset Hardaway.

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What they’re saying

“You can't do what they did. You can't keep scoring the ball. We came out here to play this game. You gotta have more class than that. It ain't even just that last one. It was the rest of them. You just gotta have some type of class, seriously.”

— Penny Hardaway, Head Coach, Memphis Tigers (radio broadcast)

What’s next

The loss drops Memphis to 12-12 on the season, raising further questions about Hardaway's ability to get the program back on track after recent NCAA Tournament appearances.

The takeaway

Hardaway's criticism of Utah State for "running up the score" and lacking "class" reflects poorly on the Memphis coach, who should be focused on improving his own team's performance rather than complaining about the opponent. His comments undermine his credibility and suggest he may be struggling to handle the adversity of his team's disappointing season.