Memphis women’s basketball transfer guard DeeDee Hagemann will make her Tigers debut on Wednesday against Tennessee.
Hagemann, a transfer from Michigan State, has been out all season with an academic issue. Coach Alex Simmons said before the season that she expected Hagemann to be back before the game against the Lady Vols, and she’ll bring a much-needed boost to a Memphis team that has had a rough start to the season. Hagemann will start for the Tigers against Tennessee.
Memphis (2-7) has lost six games in a row and has dealt with numerous injuries in addition to Hagemann’s absence. No. 16 Tennessee (8-0) has shown positive signs under first-year coach Kim Caldwell and figures to be a significant favorite (7:30 p.m. CT, ESPNNEWS) at FedExForum.
If the Tigers have a shot at pulling off the upset, it’ll have to come from the debuting Hagemann. She led the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.84) in 2023-24, averaged 12.3 points and 5.2 assists per game, and was named to the All-Big Ten second team. While she hasn’t yet played in a game and also missed Memphis’ exhibition against South Carolina, she did play in the preseason Blue and Gray Showcase scrimmage and scored eight points.
“She’s going to be great for them,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said after the Gamecocks beat the Tigers. “Like, she is going to probably elevate their entire team. I was really impressed with her at Michigan State, and that’s a great get for Memphis.”
The game against Tennessee will be the first of two games at FedExForum for the Tigers this week. They’ll host Louisville on Saturday (4 p.m. CT, ESPNU) on the same day the men’s team hosts Mississippi State (11:30 a.m. CT, CBS).
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis basketball transfer DeeDee Hagemann to make debut vs Tennessee
