Memphis basketball routs UAB as Dain Dainja makes emphatic return to starting lineup

Posted by author January 26, 2025 Basketball

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The thunderous dunk by Memphis basketball’s Dain Dainja over UAB star Yaxel Lendeborg in the opening minutes Sunday at FedExForum was not the play of the game.

But it was the tonesetter. The two-handed jam — along with Dainja’s ensuing shoulder-ride — was symbolic of the fire-breathing to come from the 22nd-ranked Tigers (16-4, 6-1 AAC) in their 100-77 win over the Blazers (12-8, 5-2).

Dainja finished with 21 points and eight rebounds. PJ Haggerty fell just short of registering a double-double with 23 points and nine assists. PJ Carter added 14.

Memphis largely dominated UAB (the preseason pick to win the AAC) in almost every facet of the game, including many of the areas in whch Penny Hardaway’s team has spent much of the past three weeks struggling. The Tigers won the rebounding battle (37-33). The Tigers, three days after putting up just six assists and a whopping 20 turnovers against Wichita State, flipped that ratio on its head: 24 assists to 13 turnovers.

“We want to send a message to all the top teams,” Hardaway said after Sunday’s game. “I respect the voters voting them No. 1. It makes sense. They deserve that. But we have something that … we want. To win conference, you’ve got to beat teams like UAB.”

The victory also represents some semblance of success when it comes to Hardaway’s mission for this week. He called it “separation week for us,” referring to the three-way tie his team was in with UAB and North Texas. Memphis closes the week still in first place regardless of the outcome of the FAU-North Texas game.

Memphis gets back on the floor at Tulane on Thursday (8 p.m., ESPN2 or ESPNU).

Here are three takeaways from the game.

Penny Hardaway picked the right time to start Dain Dainja

The Tigers’ starting center job had been occupied by Moussa Cisse since Nov. 21, 2024. Dainja started the first three games of the season, then Cisse took over as a starter for the next 16.

That changed Sunday. And it paid off in a big way.

Dainja was borderline unstoppable, going 10-of-12 from the field en route to 21 points. The Illinois transfer also hauled in eight rebounds and had one block and one steal.

Improvement in the turnover department

It was not a complete reversal of fortune. But the Tigers took much better care of the ball versus UAB than they have since AAC play began.

Memphis’ 10 turnovers in a loss at Temple is the only game in the past seven in which the team has had fewer than it did Sunday.

The Tigers were on pace for their lowest turnover total of conference play, but they got sloppy in the second half, committing four in a 2:12 span.

PJ Haggerty shines again

The Tigers’ leading scorer (and the second-leading scorer in the country) is becoming about as reliable as it gets.

Haggerty dropped another 23 points, but this time he added a season-high nine assists and six rebounds.

The Tulsa transfer also added three steals and committed just two turnovers.

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com, follow him @munzly on X, and sign up for the Memphis Basketball Insider text group.