The 2023-24 season has been an eventful and seldom uninteresting one for coach Penny Hardaway and the Memphis men’s basketball program.

On Saturday, it took yet another turn.

Malcolm Dandridge, a Memphis native and the Tigers’ 6-foot-9 forward, is being withheld from competition for a Memphis team fighting for its NCAA Tournament life.

REQUIRED READING: Memphis basketball: Malcolm Dandridge out indefinitely for potential academic misconduct

It’s significant news for the Tigers, who are 19-8 entering Sunday’s matchup against a Florida Atlantic team that’s near the top of the American Athletic Conference standings and is just 10 months removed from a run to the Final Four — one that began with a one-point win in the first round against Memphis. Dandridge is the team’s leading shot-blocker and third-leading rebounder, with starts in 19 of the Tigers’ 27 games.

Here's everything you need to know about Dandridge, his playing status and why he is being sidelined:

Who is Malcolm Dandridge?

Dandridge is a graduate student in his fifth year of competition with the Memphis program.

Born and raised in Memphis, he played for Hardaway at East High before his coach went on to take over from Tubby Smith at his alma mater in March 2018. He started on the school’s state championship teams in 2017 and 2018, as well as its runner-up squad in 2019.

Dandridge became Hardaway’s first commitment after he was hired by the Tigers and was eventually joined by former East teammates James Wiseman, Alex Lomax, Ryan Boyce and Jayden Hardaway at Memphis.

As a freshman in 2019-20, he appeared in 24 games and has been a solid contributor for the Tigers off the bench since. Last season, with injuries limiting him to 20 games, he averaged a career-best 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

This season, however, he has stepped up his game, increasing his scoring average from 2022-23 by a basket per game. He has scored in double figures in 10 games this season, highlighted by a career-high 19 points in a 97-88 loss to UAB on Jan. 28.

REQUIRED READING: How Memphis basketball is approaching FAU game 11 months after heartbreaking loss

Did Malcolm Dandridge commit academic fraud?

Dandridge’s absence from the team is tied to an ongoing investigation into potential academic misconduct, sources told The Commercial Appeal’s Jason Munz. His suspension is for suspicion as his eligibility is investigated, but it is not confirmed Dandridge has committed fraud.

Is Malcolm Dandridge suspended?

Dandridge’s time away from competition amounts to a suspension. He will be held out “until further notice” as the university’s investigation continues.

His suspension comes at a crucial time in the season for Memphis, which has gone 4-6 in its past 10 games after starting 15-2 and rising as high as No. 12 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. That rut has temporarily put it on the edge of the NCAA Tournament bubble.

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Memphis statement on Malcolm Dandridge

On Saturday, the Memphis athletic department released the following statement on Dandridge and his ongoing predicament:

“The University of Memphis is currently gathering and reviewing information regarding a potential issue impacting Malcolm Dandridge’s eligibility and is withholding him from competition until further notice. To protect the integrity of that process, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

Is Memphis basketball on probation?

The saga surrounding Dandridge comes as the Tigers are on probation.

An investigation from the Independent Accountability Resolution Process found that Memphis committed four Level II and five Level III NCAA violations in its handling of the eligibility status of Wiseman, who was the No. 1 recruit nationally in the 2019 class.

While it was a step down from the NCAA’s initial notice of allegations, which charged the Tigers with at least four Level I violations, Memphis was nonetheless placed on three years’ probation in September 2022. It was also fined $5,000 and forced to vacate two wins from the 2019-20 season.

Additionally, Hardaway was suspended for the first three games of the 2023-24 season for a recruiting violation that occurred in 2021.

Malcolm Dandridge 247 Sports ranking

Coming out of East, Dandridge was a four-star recruit, according to 247 Sports’ Composite Ranking, which had him as the No. 106 player nationally in the 2019 recruiting class. He was the No. 22 center and the No. 3 prospect out of Tennessee, behind only fellow Memphis natives Wiseman and Chandler Lawson in the latter category.

Dandridge was part of a seven-member freshman class that was ranked No. 1 nationally by 247. That group was headlined by two five-star prospects, Wiseman and forward Precious Achiuwa.

Malcolm Dandridge stats

Prior to this most recent development, Dandridge was putting together a career year in his final season of college eligibility.

In 27 games, he was averaging eight points, five rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 18.8 minutes per game, all of which are career highs. He was also shooting 61% from the field.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Who is Malcolm Dandridge? Memphis forward has been suspended indefinitely