Memphis did more than survive a quick turnaround Thursday night. It reminded everyone what this group still looks like when all the levers get pulled in the right order.
The Tigers turned in one of their most complete efforts of the season in a 92-65 demolition of Florida Atlantic at FedEx Forum, a result that nudged them back to 10-10 overall and 5-3 in the American while extending their home conference win streak to 18 straight dating back to January 2023. In a year where every week feels like a referendum on March, this was one of those nights that briefly quiets the noise.
Statement Win, Wire to Wire
Less than 72 hours removed from a draining road swing, Memphis flipped the script at home and controlled the game for 38 of 40 minutes. The Tigers’ balance, shot-making, and defensive pressure never really allowed FAU to breathe, and the Owls spent most of the night searching for a rhythm that never arrived.
The hinge point came in a 26-minute wave that stretched from the final 10 minutes of the first half into the early portion of the second. During that span, Memphis shot 66 percent from the field (27-of-41), ripping off stretches of 9-of-11 and 8-of-10 shooting that turned a modest advantage into a rout. By the time the Tigers had pushed the lead north of 20, the only remaining question was how deep into the bench Penny Hardaway would go.
Memphis led 41-33 at the break after shooting 50 percent in the opening 20 minutes, pounding the ball inside for 22 paint points, going 6-of-6 at the line, and turning 10 FAU turnovers into 10 points. It was the blueprint Hardaway has been chasing all season: defend, run, and keep the scoreboard moving without living off contested jumpers.
Stars, Depth, and a Defensive Edge
The second half belonged entirely to Memphis. The Tigers outscored FAU 51-32 after the break, forcing 14 of the Owls’ 24 turnovers in the final 20 minutes and holding them to six made field goals on 24 percent shooting (6-of-25). The lead ballooned to as many as 30, with a late three from Mason Matthews — his first of the season — pushing the margin to 89-59 and serving as the exclamation point.
Dug McDaniel set the tone at the point of attack, finishing with a game-high 23 points on 11-of-19 shooting, six assists, and three steals in 32 minutes, including 13 after halftime for his third 20-point outing of the season. Sincere Parker gave Memphis a microwave scorer off the bench once again, adding 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting with five rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes; it was his second straight 20-point performance at FedExForum and the 14th such game of his career. Aaron Bradshaw stayed on his current upward trajectory with 15 points and four rebounds in 21 minutes, going 4-of-5 from the field and 6-of-6 at the line while reaching double figures for the third straight game and fifth time in his last six.
Those three combined for 59 points on 23-of-36 shooting, plus 11 rebounds and 10 assists, marking the first time this season Memphis has had multiple 20-point scorers in the same game and the 34th such instance under Hardaway. Tariq Ingraham chipped in nine points and matched his career high with three steals in just 10 minutes, while Zach Davis added five points and a team-high six boards before fouling out.
The numbers behind it all looked like the team Memphis has believed it could be since October. The Tigers shot 50.7 percent from the floor and 41.2 percent from three (7-of-17), and their 89.5 percent showing at the line (17-of-19) was a season-best. They set season highs in paint points (50) and bench points (42), forced 24 turnovers — their most since 25 against Western Kentucky on Nov. 19, 2021 — and matched a season high with 27 points off those miscues while swiping 14 steals, their second-most this year. The only blemish on the box score: getting edged 37-35 on the glass, including 16-12 on the offensive boards.
Big-Picture Reality With March in Mind
For all the style points, Thursday night doesn’t erase the hole Memphis dug in the first half of the season. At 10-10 and 5-3 in the American, the Tigers are living in a world where the computer numbers and nonconference stumbles have stripped away most of their margin for error. The program that turned a 29-6 campaign into a league title and an NCAA bid last March is now fighting simply to give itself a chance to hear its name called again.
Hardaway’s tenure has produced three NCAA trips and a 20-win baseline that would be the envy of most leagues, but March results have lagged behind the brand — just one NCAA Tournament win to show for it so far. That’s the context that hangs over nights like this one. Performances like Thursday’s are why Memphis was picked to be in the mix again, but inconsistency is why the Tigers are hovering around .500 instead of the rankings.
The path forward is brutally straightforward. In a league that now includes Florida Atlantic and a surging Tulane, Memphis has to stack wins, protect home floor, and treat the conference tournament as an opportunity rather than a safety net. Nights like this are the proof of concept. The Tigers showed they can overwhelm an NCAA-caliber opponent with depth, pressure, and efficiency; now the challenge is to drag that version of themselves onto the floor twice a week.
Looking Ahead to Tulane and Beyond
The next test comes quickly. Memphis stays at FedExForum to host Tulane on Sunday in a 2 p.m. tip on ESPN2, another game that will shape the Tigers’ place in a crowded AAC pecking order. Tulane has been one of the league’s most dangerous offensive teams in recent seasons and pushed Memphis to the brink in last year’s AAC semifinals, falling 78-77 despite shooting better from the field and from three.
For Memphis, the mandate is simple, even if the math behind it isn’t: just make it to March with a puncher’s chance. That means defending as it did against FAU, riding McDaniel’s control of the game, leaning into Parker’s scoring bursts and Bradshaw’s growing two-way presence, and hoping the 14th different starting lineup of the season finally gives Hardaway some continuity. If the Tigers can bottle even a portion of what they showed Thursday night, they won’t have to squint quite as hard to see a path back to the bracket.
