UAB heads to Memphis for key AAC matchup with 24th ranked Tigers

By Steve Irvine

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - January 25, 2025

History suggests that the UAB men’s basketball team will have a tough time on Sunday at the FedExForum in Memphis.

UAB played Memphis 13 times in that building prior to Sunday. The only UAB win came in the Blazers first trip to FedExForum on Jan. 26, 2005. The Blazers beat the Tigers, 73-66, that day. While the script has been different in the other 12 games, it always ended with Memphis winning the game. One of the meetings came in the Conference USA championship game in 2006. The majority of the games were C-USA regular season games but there were a pair of non-conference games and last year’s meeting between American Athletic Conference opponents.

All of that history is something to talk about heading into a game that features two of the teams were locked in a three-way tie for first place in the AAC heading into the weekend. The winner will still be part of the first-place equation when they walk out of the FedExForum on Sunday afternoon.

“It will be the biggest game of the year so far for us,” said UAB forward Yaxel Lendeborg of the first-place showdown that will tip off at noon CT and be shown nationally on ESPN2. “You know, it's a big-time opportunity for us to prove to everybody why we were picked No. 1 in the conference (in the preseason) and the chance to show everybody who we are.”

It’s also a showcase for two of the players – Lendeborg and Memphis’ PJ Haggerty – at the top of the chase for player of the year honors in The American. Lendeborg is the conference’s most versatile player, averaging 16.8 points, 10.05 rebounds, 4.21 assists, 1.63 blocks and 1.47 steals per game. He is in the top 10 in the conference categories in every one of those categories except for steals. He is tied for 11th in steals. Haggerty leads the conference and is second in the country in scoring with 22.05 points per game. He is a capable 3-point shooter, hitting 24 of 59 attempts, but does most of his damage driving to the basket and either scoring or getting to the free throw line. Haggerty is second in the country in free throws made (137) and third in free throw attempts (169).

For UAB, though, the key to success could be capitalizing on one Memphis turnover at a time. The Tigers average 14.74 turnovers per game, which is worst in the AAC. On Thursday,  in a closer than expected win at home over Wichita State, the Tigers committed 20 turnovers with an assist-to-turnover margin of minus-14. The Tigers average 16 turnovers per game in six conference games.

Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway was asked a variety of questions about the turnovers following the win over a Wichita State team that fell to 1-5 in AAC play.

“I think it's just bad habits,” Hardaway said his team came from behind in the 61-53 win over the Shockers. “They just still have (the habits) that they had at the teams they were previously at, how they played the game. Everything that we teach, sometimes goes out of the window. It's OK, because I know how to keep plugging away and keep pushing, but that's not what we teach. If you watch our practices we know fundamentally what we need to do and some guys just have still have bad habits.”

Hardaway said those habits can’t show up today with UAB head coach Andy Kennedy and his staff consistently switching up the defense.

“I think moving forward, I feel like I have an idea of what I want to do and it couldn't be a better time right now than against a really good 1-3-1 trapping zone,” Hardaway said. “We're gonna have to be very sharp and you know it's right on time now. This game is going to help us, hopefully, by protecting the ball against UAB, who is way more aggressive than Wichita.”

Haggerty and Tyrese Hunter (15.2 ppg, 53 3-pointers) are the start of what makes Memphis dangerous on the offensive end. But, it’s been the defensive end which has been the key for Memphis during conference play. Haggerty and Hunter combined for 72 steals thus far and each are in the top six in that category in the conference. The Tigers also have rim protectors in 6-foot-11 Moussa Cisse, 6-foot-9 Dain Dainja and 6-foot-7 Nicholas Jourdain, who have combined for 67 blocked shots.

UAB head coach Andy Kennedy is concerned about the Tigers on both ends of the floor.

“They are super dangerous,” said Kennedy, who drew two technical fouls and an ejection last season at the FedExForum. “They always get good players, but that three-guard lineup (Haggerty, Hunter and Colby Rogers) they have is pretty good (and) dynamic. We're familiar with two of the three obviously with (Rogers) at Wichita State last year and (Haggerty) from Tulsa. It's going to be a very challenging game. I'm sure that the Memphis faithful will show up and show out. Last time I was there I had a little bit of an early exit. I'm going to try to make sure that my boss doesn't dock me pay and I stay for the full 40 minutes. That's the plan, we'll see how it goes.”