Memphis star PJ Haggerty squares against his former team on Wednesday evening when the 17th ranked tigers host Tulsa in an American athletic conference competition.
Haggerty was bound for fourth in Division I points that entered Tuesday with 21.6 points per match. He got 26 in a victory of 86-83 Sunday at Rice, the fifth straight victory for Memphis (18-4, 8-1 AAC).
Haggerty had been held to just eight points in Tiger’s previous match, a 68-56 victory on Tulane last Thursday.
“It was a guy I knew I didn’t have to worry about being ready to play,” Tiger’s coach Penny Hardaway said after the victory over the owls. “When he got home we knew he would be ready to go. I could say he had a little bounce in his step.”
What can Haggerty do for a encore against Tulsa, the team he did 31 starts for AS last season’s AAC beginner?
If it is like most of his games in the last two seasons, the electric guard will probably get many points. Haggerty preserved 11 out of 18 shots by rice and shoots 50.5 percent from the floor and 41.5 percent from 3-point intervals this season. He is also an average of 5.7 returns, 3.6 assists and 2.1 steals through 22 matches.
His ability to score almost at any time has made it possible for the tigers to reach the halfway point in the league game with a narrow lead over UAB. Even when they have not played up to potential, they have normally found a way to win.
“You know my faith, man. I think we’re the best team in the country,” Hardaway said.
While Memphis is trying to keep its AAC lead, Tulsa (9-13, 3-6) continues its search for texture and a few more victories. It came briefly on Sunday in New Orleans, hit a lead of 28-26 half time and fell to Tulane 59-56.
Third -year coach Eric Konkol has not been able to find anyone who replaces Haggery’s volume points. Golden Hurricane shot only 37.9 percent from the field on Sunday and walked 7 out of 25 from the 3-point line. For the season, they shoot 42.7 percent and 32.5 percent respectively.
The guards Dwon Odom (13.8 points per match) and Keaston Willis (13.4) is the team’s leading scorer. The inner game has received some help with the latest return of 6-foot 9 Jared Garcia (11.8) after missing 15 matches with knee problems.
“(Garcias) A guy who can score around the basket,” said a convulsion, who sometimes in the 2024 part of the schedule used 6-foot-5 Braeden Carrington as a small ball forward.
“We’re trying to become jg-game clear, to get him in better shape to see if he can play more extended minutes.”
Garcia got 11 points Sunday in 18 minutes from the bench. But that was not enough to prevent Tulla’s fourth loss in five matches.
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