No. 14 Memphis Handles Business in Win Over South Florida

Thursday, February 13

Tampa, Fla.

8:00 PM

University of Memphis

21-4,11-1AAC

South Florida

12-13,5-7AAC

Memphis

South Fla.

No. 14 Memphis Handles Business in Win Over South Florida

Feb 13, 2025 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. - The No. 14 University of Memphis men's basketball team took care of business in its win over South Florida, 80-65, Thursday night inside the Yuengling Center.

With the victory, head coach Penny Hardaway picked up win No. 150 for his career.

Memphis extended its winning streak to eight games to sit 21-4 overall and 11-1 in American Athletic Conference play.

Senior center Dain Dainja led four Tigers in double figures with 20 points and seven rebounds.
Sophomore guard PJ Haggerty followed with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists. Returning to the lineup after missing the last game, guard Tyrese Hunter scored 15 points and grabbed six boards.

The Tigers had a slow start to the game, turning the ball over eight times in the first 12-plus minutes. Midway through the half, they went through a stretch where they connected on just 1-of-10 shot attempts.

Both teams traded baskets back-and-forth with neither side having more than a three-point lead until Memphis reeled off a 12-2 run to lead by eight with five minutes to play in the half.

The Tigers then used a 12-3 run to break the game open, taking a 42-27 advantage into the locker room.
The Tigers carried that momentum into the second half, extending the lead to 20 points less than five minutes into the action with a triple from Colby Rogers.

Memphis led by as many as 24 points with 13:54 to play. The Bulls tried to make a comeback, going on a 12-2 run with less than five minutes left in the game, however, Memphis proved to be too much.

The Tigers dominated the glass, pulling down a season high 51 rebounds to just 34 for the Bulls. It's the most rebounds for Memphis in a game since also pulling down 51 against Tulane on March 11, 2023 in the AAC Championship.

Three players led USF in scoring with 11 points each.

POSTGAME NOTES

Memphis used the starting lineup of PJ Haggerty, Tyrese Hunter, Colby Rogers, Nicholas Jourdain and Dain Dainja for the eighth time this season.
- They improved to 8-0 on the year with that group.
The Tigers moved to 11-2 this season on courts away from home, including 9-1 in true road games.
- Memphis has now won 8-consecutive games against AAC opponents.
Memphis extended is lead in the all-time series to 33-8 and have now won six of the last seven against USF.
Memphis is 80-11 under Hardaway when reaching 80 points in a game.
The Tigers were up 42-27 at the half, their 2nd-largest lead at the break this season.
- - Memphis led by 16 at the half in Charlotte.
    - There were two ties and nine lead changes the first 20 minutes.
Memphis' defense forced South Florida into 15 turnovers and scored 20 points off those miscues
- The Tigers swiped nine steals in the win, their seventh such game of the AAC season.
Memphis finished with 15 assists in the win.
- The Tigers have recorded 113 assists in the last six games, compared to 73 turnovers.
  - The Tigers only coughed the ball up three times in the second half, after totaling eight before the break.
Memphis shot 40.3 percent overall (27-67) in the win, and 36.0 percent from three (9-25).
- The Tigers have hit at least eight triples in 14 games this season, including in each of the last six contests.
Dain Dainja put up a game-high 20 points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes.
- The big man was 9-of-13 shooting overall, recording his third game of 20+ points in the last six.
  - He's averaging 17.5 points over the last six games since being inserted back into the starting lineup.
PJ Haggerty recorded 18 points with six rebounds and four assists in a team-high 36 minutes.
- He scored 12 of his points in the first half, and reached double figures for the 24th time this season.
Tyrese Hunter missed the first game of his career after starting 129 straight last Sunday, but came back to score 15 points with six rebounds and four dimes in 33 minutes.
- He has reached double figures in 18 games this season.
Nicholas Jourdain led the Tigers with a season high nine rebounds, while also adding two points, three assists and two steals.
Colby Rogers scored 10 points behind a team-high three triples.
Moussa Cisse totaled nine points, seven rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes.
Dante Harris finished with two points, four rebounds and a season-high three steals in 11 minutes off the bench.

UP NEXT
The Tigers have a quick turnaround before heading to Wichita State for an 11 a.m. tip on Sunday.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tiger Men's Basketball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.