Haggerty and Dainja lead No. 24 Memphis to a 100-77 victory over UAB
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — PJ Haggerty scored 23 points, Dain Dainja had a season-high 21 points and eight rebounds and No. 24 Memphis shot 62% in a 100-77 victory over UAB on Sunday.
Dainja was 10 of 12 from the field before fouling out as Memphis (16-4, 6-1 American Athletic Conference) won its third straight game and seventh in its last eight.
Efrem Johnson led the Blazers (12-8, 5-2) with 21 points. Bradley Ezewiro finished with 19, while Yaxel Lendeborg had 18 points and 10 rebounds.
The game pitted two of the three teams in the American standings and the top two picks in preseason polls, with UAB voted first to win the conference and Memphis second.
Memphis used inside-out scoring to take a 52-39 halftime lead with Dainja scoring 16 points and Haggerty adding 13.
Johnson kept the Blazers in the game with 17 points, including 5 of 7 from outside the arc.
Takeaways
UAB: The Blazers, who usually take care of the ball, committed 16 turnovers leading to 32 Memphis points.
Memphis: The Tigers minimized turnovers (13) and scored inside with Dainja, who moved into the starting lineup.
Key moment
Memphis already had a double-digit lead at the break, then opened the second half with a 12-6 run by connecting on five straight shots.
Key stat
Memphis used its inside game to build its first-half lead, holding a 34-10 advantage in the paint. It finished with a 54-30 advantage.
Up next
The Blazers travel to Tulsa on Wednesday. The Tigers play at Tulane on Thursday.
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By CLAY BAILEY
Associated Press
