MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In a decisive win on Sunday, No. 22 Memphis took control in the second half, defeating Florida Atlantic 84-65. Dain Dainja and PJ Haggerty each contributed 22 points to the Tigers’ strong performance, while Dainja also secured 11 rebounds. Colby Rogers added 15 points to help Memphis solidify its spot at the top of the American Athletic Conference with a record of 22-5, including 12 wins versus just two losses in conference play.
On the opposing side, Tre Carroll led the Owls with 20 points and seven rebounds. Kaleb Glenn supported the effort with 15 points, and Leland Walker chipped in 14. Unfortunately for Florida Atlantic (15-12, 8-6), a promising five-game winning streak was halted, marking their second consecutive loss after falling short against Wichita State last week.
In their earlier matchup this season, Memphis had convincingly beaten Florida Atlantic 90-62 during the conference opener on January 2. However, Sunday’s game was a slow start for the Tigers, who struggled to find their rhythm early. Despite being behind at times, a spirited first-half rally helped them regain the lead and take control.
Key observations of the game revealed that Florida Atlantic, while enjoying a brief run of victories, faced challenges this time due to poor free-throw shooting and the resurgence of Memphis’ offense, which capitalized on second-chance points. Despite entering the game with a 71% success rate at the line this season, Florida Atlantic managed only 5 of 18 (28%) from the free-throw line, a crucial statistic in their defeat.
The Shift in momentum came when Memphis went on a powerful 14-0 run in the first half, fueled by its offensive rebounding dominance. They extended their lead with another significant 12-0 spurt early in the second half, effectively sealing the game’s outcome.
Looking ahead, both teams will return to their home courts on Wednesday. Florida Atlantic prepares to take on North Texas, while Memphis will host Rice as they aim to continue their winning ways in the conference.
