NEW ORLEANS — Dain Dainja delivered an impressive performance with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting and secured 10 rebounds, contributing significantly to No. 19 Memphis’ victory over Tulane with a final score of 68-56 on Thursday evening.
Colby Rogers also made his mark by scoring all 14 of his points in the second half, while PJ Carter matched him with 14 points for Memphis (17-4, 6-2 American Athletic Conference). Both Rogers and Carter played a crucial role in the Tigers’ offense, each sinking four of the team’s nine three-pointers. However, PJ Haggerty, who entered the game ranked second in the nation for scoring with an average of 22.1 points per game, struggled to find his rhythm, finishing with just eight points on 3-of-11 shooting.
For Tulane (11-10, 5-3), the leading scorer was Rowan Brumbaugh, who netted 19 points, followed by Kaleb Banks, who contributed 14 points. Banks narrowed the Green Wave’s deficit to 56-53 with a layup with 4:41 remaining on the clock, but Memphis answered back by scoring 12 of the last 15 points of the game, which included two key three-pointers from Rogers.
**Highlights of the Game**
Memphis exhibited a mixed performance on offense against Tulane; however, their strong defensive play was a game-changer, limiting the Green Wave to just 36% shooting overall and a mere 17% (4 of 24) beyond the arc, especially on a tough night for Haggerty.
Despite being projected to finish 11th out of 13 teams in the American Athletic Conference, Tulane has shown they can contend with the top teams, indicating resilience even after losing their entire starting lineup from the previous season.
**Turning Point**
A decisive moment in the game came when Rogers, who began with an off shooting night, connected on two three-pointers within a span of under 90 seconds, moving the score to 51-46 with 9:02 left in the game, allowing Memphis to maintain their lead for the remainder of the contest.
**Significant Stat**
The victory marked a notable achievement for Memphis, as they ended a three-game losing streak at Tulane’s Avron B. Fogelman Arena. This win also represented their first victory against the Green Wave in New Orleans since December 16, 2020.
**Looking Ahead**
Both teams will look to build on their performances as they prepare for their next games on Sunday. Memphis will visit Rice, while Tulane will take on Tulsa at home.
