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Memphis Tigers men's basketball APR score worst in AAC; Tennessee Vols, Vanderbilt OK

Mark Giannotto
Memphis Commercial Appeal
Memphis forward Kyvon Davenport (left) goes up for a dunk against the USF defense during second half action of their AAC first round tournament game in Orlando, Fl., Thursday, March 8, 2018.

After a rash of transfers in recent years, the Memphis men's basketball team registered the lowest multi-year academic progress rate of any program in the state and the American Athletic Conference, according to figures released by the NCAA on Wednesday.

None of the state's largest college athletic programs is facing penalties from the NCAA based on APR scores, but Tigers' men's basketball is suddenly close to the organization's minimum threshold.

Memphis men's basketball saw its APR drop from 951 to 934 after a single-year score of 933 in 2016-17. It's the program's lowest multi-year APR score since 2005-06. This year's figures were based on APR scores beginning in 2013-14 and ending with the 2016-17 season.

The Tigers had at least 20 players leave the program before their eligibility expired during that time period, including six following the conclusion of former coach Tubby Smith's first season in 2016-17.

Three more players (freshmen David Nickelberry and Jamal Johnson and guard Malik Rhodes) elected to transfer from Memphis since Penny Hardaway's hiring in March, although their departures are not reflected in these new APR numbers.    

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The APR system is designed to measure retention and academic eligibility. A multi-year score of 930 or less can result in a variety of penalties, including — in some cases — a postseason ban. 

The Chattanooga men's basketball program and UT-Martin women's track team also had a multi-year APR score of 934. 

New Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt and Memphis football coach Mike Norvell are set to receive bonuses as a result of their programs' strong APR scores.

Here are some of the other largest takeaways from APR reports at schools across the state. 

Tennessee

UT had perfect four-year scores in women’s track, women’s tennis, women’s golf and men’s cross country.

Men’s basketball’s four-year score dipped from 965 to 959, which is the lowest score of any sport at the school. It also is the third-lowest in the SEC and the lowest of Rick Barnes’ tenure. 

Football stayed steady with a multi-year APR of 972, ranking eighth in the SEC. Its single-year APR was 964 for 2016-17. Pruitt will earn a $50,000 bonus for the APR score, under the terms of his memorandum of understanding.

Men’s tennis dropped from 1,000 to 971 — the second-lowest score of any sport at the school — after recording a single-year score of 917.

Men’s golf, women’s cross country, soccer and volleyball joined the four sports with perfect four-year APR scores in having perfect single-year scores.

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt football continued its upward climb in APR, as its score has risen 11 consecutive years. Under Derek Mason, the Commodores have led all SEC football teams in APR in four consecutive years, including a 993 in 2016-17. They were tied for fourth in the SEC in former coach James Franklin’s last full year in 2012-13.

Every Vanderbilt sport easily posted a passing APR score for 2016-17. Five teams had a perfect 1,000 — men’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s bowling, women’s golf and women’s lacrosse.

Vanderbilt women’s golf has posted a perfect score nine years in row. Women’s bowling and men’s golf have had 1,000 seven straight years. Men’s basketball had a 982. Women’s basketball had a 989. Baseball posted a 988.

Memphis

The Memphis football team tied its program record for the second time in three years with a multi-year APR of 968. Norvell's new five-year, $13 million contract had his APR bonus listed as "TBD," according to a memorandum of understanding obtained through an open records request.

But Norvell's previous contract stipulated he is due a $10,000 bonus if the program's multi-year APR is above 960.

The Tigers had five programs that registered perfect APR scores in 2016-17 (women's basketball, men's cross country, women's golf, rifle and softball).

The women's golf team also had a perfect multi-year APR score and was honored by the NCAA last week for posting an APR among the top-10 percent nationally in its sport.

Men's soccer posted a multi-year APR of 978, which is the highest mark in program history. 

Middle Tennessee State

All 17 of MTSU’s athletic teams earned a multiyear APR over 930, the ninth consecutive year they have done so. Each team earned over a 969 in the most recent multiyear report.

MTSU football earned a multiyear rate of 984, which ranked first in Conference USA (seven points higher than second-place Rice).

Men’s basketball earned a multiyear rate of 975, which was fourth in C-USA.

Women’s basketball earned a multiyear rate of 976, which ranked ninth in C-USA.

MTSU also ranked first in C-USA in baseball (996) and tied for first in women’s volleyball and women’s golf (1000).

Austin Peay

Austin Peay men's basketball checked in with a four-year average score of 957, well above the required score of 930. But its individual score for the 2016-17 year checked in at 880, a score low enough to bring in future penalties if it isn't improved.

The low score can most likely be attributed to the major roster overhaul last offseason. When coach Matt Figger was hired to replace Dave Loos, several players either graduated, transferred or left to play professionally, leaving Austin Peay with only four returning players from the 2016-17 team. 

Austin Peay football avoided penalties with a four-year average of 942, but that number ranks just 224th out of 250 Division I football programs and the second-worst in the OVC.

Tennessee State

Tennessee State’s football program, which struggled to meet the minimum standard until 2015, scored an all-time high 946, and the men’s basketball team scored above the minimum standard for the fourth consecutive year (959). All other sports also posted passing scores.

Belmont

Belmont had five sports — men’s basketball and golf and women’s basketball, cross country and golf — post perfect scores.

Lipscomb

Lipscomb had three sports — men’s golf, women’s basketball and golf — post perfect scores.

Tennessee Tech

All of Tennessee Tech’s programs posted passing APR scores.

USA TODAY NETWORK —Tennessee writers Erik Bacharach, Mike Organ, Colton Pouncy, Adam Sparks and Mike Wilson contributed to this report.