PJ Haggerty and Dain Dainja scored 22 points apiece as a refreshed Memphis Tigers squad notched another conference win by easily topping Florida Atlantic 84-65 at the FedExForum on Sunday, Feb. 23.
It was the Tigers’ first game since a disappointing 84-79 loss to another American Athletic Conference foe, Wichita State, on Sunday, Feb. 16. Memphis is currently ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.
โAfter coming off a Wichita State loss and having a full week off to think about that game, Florida Atlantic was playing well. To hold them to only 65 points, when they have averaged 80 points per game, and to get a victory today is great,โ said Memphis coach Penny Hardaway.
Memphisโ record improved to 22-5, 12-2. Florida Atlantic drops to 15-12, 8-6. The Tigers clinched a top-four seed in the AAC tournament, which begins Friday, March 14.
Dainja added 11 rebounds, four blocks, and three steals in an all-around effort. Haggerty shot 11-for-17, with all his shots coming from within the arc. He also had six rebounds. Colby Rogers added 15 points, including 3-of-6 from long range.
During the off week, the 6-foot-11 senior used the time to study the failures of the Wichita State game.
โI watched more film. I watched the Wichita State game three times to see what I was doing wrong,โ said Dainja.
The Tigers shook off a slow start to end the first half with a 37-32 lead. Dainja paced the offense early, scoring 11 points and grabbing seven rebounds in the period. Haggerty chipped in eight points. Both teams shot a tepid 38% in the half.
โAt this point in the year, weโre not playing scrimmages at full speed. Weโre trying to keep these guys healthy. If you lose a game in this conference, they penalize you. Weโre getting work in but not scrimmaging. There was some rust today,โ said Hardaway.
Memphis found its rhythm in the second half, outscoring the Owls 47-33. Haggerty scored 14 points in the period. The Tigersโ leading scorer averages 21.7 points per game and currently has the sixth-highest scoring average in Division I basketball.
The Tigers also maintained the defensive pressure they applied in the first half.
โThe last game really hurt. I think I could have played better. It happens to everybody. I just didnโt want it to happen again. We played Memphis basketball. We pressured them and they turned it over,โ said Haggerty.
A PJ Carter layup with 2:41 left in the game gave the Tigers their largest lead, 84-57. The play was typical of the Tigersโ second-half offense. Memphis aggressively attacked the basket, leading to 13 layups in the half. The aggressiveness also led to several foul calls. The Tigers hit 13-of-15 free throws for the game. Moreover, Memphis wrapped up the game with a 47% shooting percentage.
Along with a lack of defense around the rim, free-throw shooting was another sore point for Florida Atlantic. As a team, the Owls hit 5-of-18 for an anemic 27.8%.
The Owls were led by Tre Carroll, who scored 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting. The junior forward also had seven rebounds and two blocks. Junior point guard Leland Walker added 14 points and a team-high four assists, while sophomore forward Kaleb Glenn contributed 15 points off the bench.
Memphis will host Rice for a game on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the FedExForum. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
