Memphis is trending upward as it focuses on taking control of the American Athletic Conference race.
The No. 19 Tigers (16-4, 6-1 AAC) have won three straight and seven of their last eight as they prepare to visit Tulane (11-9, 5-2) on Thursday night in New Orleans.
Memphis had its season-high in points when it defeated visiting UAB 100-77 in a battle of first-place teams on Sunday.
“We want to win the conference,” Tigers coach Penny Hardaway said. “To win the conference, you’ve got to beat teams like UAB, and that drove us.”
The victory Sunday left Memphis and North Texas alone atop the American as one-loss teams and the host Tigers won the only meeting between the two 68-64 on Jan. 5. Memphis can further strengthen its standing by beating the Green Wave, the only two-loss team besides UAB.
The manner in which the Tigers beat UAB was significant because they had struggled offensively. But PJ Carter’s 3-pointer in the final seconds put Memphis at the century mark at the end of a performance in which the team shot 62.3 percent from the floor.
“We for sure wanted 100 points,” said guard PJ Haggerty, one of the leading scorers in the country (22.1 points per game), who had team-highs of 23 points and nine assists, the latter matching his career high.
“I feel like I’m a tough shot maker,” Haggerty said, “but in reality I’m just trying to get my teammates involved. They got hot early, and then I was able to find my groove later in the game.”
In addition to Haggerty’s season-high in assists, the Tigers offense also benefited from improved ball handing. Memphis committed just 13 turnovers, tied for its second-lowest total in its last nine games.
Memphis might have a difficult time duplicating that offensive performance against a Tulane team coming off a dominant defensive performance in an 82-71 road win against Rice on Saturday.
The Green Wave held Rice to just 28.1 percent shooting from the floor and 25.6 percent (10 of 39) from beyond the arc. The Owls made just six field goals in the second half.
Tulane leads the AAC in field-goal percentage defense (39.6) and is second in 3-point percentage defense (29.9) and scoring defense (68.6).
“I feel really good about anything we do or anybody we play because these guys are locked in defensively,” Green Wave coach Ron Hunter said, “and as long as they keep doing that we have a chance every time we step on the floor.”
Tulane’s 3-point defense will be challenged by a Memphis offense that leads the American in 3-point percentage (39.5). Tigers guard Tyrese Hunter is fourth in the conference in 3-pointers per game (2.7) and second in 3-point percentage (41.7).
“I’ve been doing this a long time and I’ve had a lot of good teams,” Hunter said, “but I don’t know if I’ve ever had a team that can defend the three at this level with our length, with our coverage.”
Green Wave forward Kaleb Banks is fifth in the conference in scoring (17.5) and sixth in rebounding (7.4).
–Field Level Media
