No. 18 Memphis Set for Sunday Showdown at UAB

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – With three regular season games remaining to determine its postseason positioning, there is no more important game for No. 18 Memphis men's basketball than its rematch on Sunday with longtime rival UAB in Birmingham. Tip-off inside Bartow Arena is set for 3 p.m. on ESPN2.

As the stretch run heats up, Memphis has won 10 of its last 11 games to currently sit first place in the American Athletic Conference standings. The Tigers are 13-2 in league action, one game ahead of UAB and North Texas' 12-3 mark; the Tigers own the tiebreaker with both.

Memphis has already clinched a double-bye in the AAC Tournament. The top-four teams in the league standings avoid playing on the first two days and begin competition in the quarterfinals. The Tigers could clinch at least a share of the AAC regular season crown with a victory against the Blazers, and a North Texas loss Monday night to Wichita State.

A win would also claim their 14th AAC victory of the year. That would be their most in any conference season since going 16-0 in 2012-13.

Memphis has been led by its two-headed Tiger PJ Haggerty and Dain Dainja for much of the season. The duo has averaged 36.9 combined points, 12.6 rebounds and 7.3 rebounds over the last nine games since Dainja was reinserted into the starting lineup against UAB on Jan. 26.

Dainja is coming off a career high 25 points and 10 rebounds against Rice on Wednesday where the big man scored 18 of those points on 8-of-9 shooting in the second half.

The all-time series between Memphis and UAB dates back to 1983-84 with the Tigers holding a 41-12 advantage. UAB has beaten Memphis just twice since 2006 as the Tigers have claimed 20 of the last 22 meetings. Memphis has defeated UAB 18-straight times at home dating back to 1998 after.

Memphis won its 18^th-straight game at home against UAB on Jan. 26 when the Tigers took down the Blazers, 100-77, after shooting a season-high 62.3 percent from the floor.

Andy Kennedy's Blazers are 19-9 on the year and are tied second in the AAC at 12-3. They are coming off an 80-72 victory at Wichita State on Thursday, their fourth in a row.

The Blazers are the AAC's top scoring offense at 83.4 ppg, utilizing the fifth-ranked fast break transition in the country at 16.3 points per game. They are also at the top of the league and 13th in the nation in rebounding at 40.4 boards per game.

Big man Yaxel Lendeborg was the preseason player of the year in the conference and has been playing up to that distinction, averaging a double-double and leading the Blazers in scoring (17.6), rebounding (10.9), assists (4.3), blocks (1.8) and steals (1.6). He is also tops on the team in field goal percentage (55.5%).

BY THE NUMBERS

1: Player in the nation averaging at least 21.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists 1.5 steals and 5.5 free throw makes per game: PJ Haggerty. In fact, he was the only player in the nation to post the exact same numbers last season.
5: Assists needed on Sunday for Tyrese Hunter to reach 500 for his career. Only 31 active Division I players currently have 500 dimes for their career.
5.0: Assists per game from PJ Haggerty over the last nine games. He has recorded at least five dimes in six of the nine.
9: Straight games Memphis has recorded a positive assist-turnover ratio. It is the longest stretch since at least the 2008-09 season.
16: Memphis enters the game having pulled down exactly 16 offensive rebounds in four-straight games. They have 15+ offensive boards in six games this year and 10+ in 20.
17.4: Second chance points per game for Memphis over the last seven outings. The Tigers have recorded 15+ in all seven while also pulling down 10+ offensive rebounds in each for an average of 13.7.
20: Memphis' record this season when leading with 5 minutes remaining in the game. The Tigers are also 15-0 when leading at the half.
23.5: Scoring average for Dain Dainja over the last two games, while also grabbing 10.4 rebounds per contest. He leads the team with a 70.4 shooting percentage (19-27) and seven blocks and four steals in that span.

SCOUTING UAB

The Blazers were tabbed first in the AAC Preseason Coaches' Poll with 141 total points and nine first-place votes, while the Tigers were voted second with 136 and four.
Along with those mentioned above, UAB also leads the league in a handful of other team categories: assists per game (16.5), assist/turnover ratio (1.62), rebound margin (+6.8) and offensive rebounds per game (14.89).
UAB started the season 5-6 overall, but have gone 14-3 since Dec. 18. All three losses have come on the road at North Texas, Memphis and East Carolina.
Yaxel Lendeborg is on pace to becoming the first player in Division I since Ron Harper (Miami (OH)) in 1985-86 to average at least 16.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.
Lendeborg ranks third in the nation with 19 double-doubles and is eighth in total rebounding.
Christian Coleman is second on the Blazers in scoring (11.3) and ranks sixth in the AAC at 7.2 rebounds per game.
Alejandro Vasquez (11.8) is also averaging double figures for UAB, while Efrem "Butta" Johnson is back and pouring in 9.5 points per game.
UAB has three players in the top-13 of the conference in field goal percentage: Lendeborg -.555 (7th), Ja'Borri McGhee - .530 (11th) and Coleman - .527 (13^th).

UP NEXT
The Tigers hit the home stretch this week with the final two games of the regular season. They will be back in action at 6 p.m. Tuesday in San Antonio against UTSA before returning home at 8 p.m. Friday to host South Florida on senior night.

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.

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Players Mentioned

Dain Dainja

PJ Haggerty

Tyrese Hunter

University of Memphis Athletics