This is all still a bit new for PJ Carter.
The 6-foot-4 guard, who transferred to Memphis from UTSA last summer, isn’t sure how to react to his newfound popularity, the interviews or the winning. After all, it’s only been a few games since he was fighting for consistent minutes in the Tigers’ rotation. It’s also been less than a year since he played for an American Athletic Conference (AAC) bottom feeder that tied for last place in the league.
But after two consecutive 14-point outings off coach Penny Hardaway’s bench, including Thursday’s win at Tulane, Carter’s name is circulating more than ever.
“It’s pretty fun, because I’m not used to this in my collegiate career,” he told Tigers play-by-play man Dave Woloshin postgame.
Carter shot 5-of-11 from the field and 4-of-9 from 3-point range on a night where Memphis needed it most. Starting big man Dain Dainja notched his third double-double this season with 19 points and 10 rebounds, but lead guards PJ Haggerty (No. 2 scorer in Division I) and Tyrese Hunter combined for just 15 points.
Carter’s hits were timely too, since one of his 3-pointers cut the Green Wave’s lead to a point on two different occasions in the second half. His performance—as valuable as it was—only kept the Tigers stable, though. They needed someone else to put them over the top.
That’s where Colby Rogers comes in. The 6-foot-3 guard seemed destined for yet another rough showing at first—similar to the ones he’s had against North Texas, Temple and Wichita State this month, or against Virginia and Mississippi State last month. Finishing the first half 0-for-5 overall and 0-of-3 from beyond the arc gives off that impression.
Rogers broke through in the second half, though, and helped Memphis do so too. The Wichita State transfer missed his first 3-pointer of the second half before drilling his last four. The first two turned a 46-45 Tulane lead with 10:48 remaining into a 51-46 Memphis advantage less than two minutes later. The Tigers stayed ahead until the final buzzer after that.
Hardaway’s told reporters numerous times that Rogers normally lets self-doubt get the better of him when he’s struggling. The Tigers’ sharpshooter made sure that wasn’t the case in New Orleans.
“As a shooter, you always have to look at the next shot. You can’t let the past kinda get you out of your zone, and I’ve done that in the past,” Rogers said. “I’ve worked on my mental—making sure that if I miss four shots in a row, the fifth one’s going in. If I miss the fifth one, the sixth one’s going in.”
Carter is also quite the sniper. He shot 40.3% at the 3-point line last season, and is shooting 39.3% this season.
But one of his three second-half misses led to his biggest sequence, since Carter rebounded it, put it back for 2 points and then took a charge on the other end. Hunter’s layup on the ensuing possession gave Memphis a 7-point lead with just over six minutes to play.
“I’m a shooter first, but I’m not just a shooter. I can put the ball on the ground, and just make plays for others,” Carter said. “Just being able to not be one-dimensional and being able to make that next play is something that I have to work on.”
Rogers’ last 3-pointer—a towering fly from the left wing over Tulane leading scorer Kaleb Banks—put the Tigers up by 10 with 2:07 on the clock. Tulane never got within single digits again as Memphis clinched its first victory at Devlin Fieldhouse since Dec. 16, 2020.
The 68-56 final also reinforced what’s becoming more obvious every time Memphis takes the court. A small-ball lineup—specifically one featuring Hunter, Haggerty, Rogers, Carter and Dainja—just might be the Tigers’ best combination. There’s a reason it’s Hardaway’s third-most frequent lineup in his last five games, according to KenPom, after rare deployment for most of this season.
The seventh-year coach’s rotation against Tulane gave Rogers 26 minutes, which is five below his per-game average. Carter played for 26 too, but that’s his season-high by a wide margin. He never logged more than 20 in a contest this year before Thursday.
Hardaway said he expects to utilize his smaller tandem even more going forward, meaning that Carter’s increased workload should continue. He’s more than ready to step up, though.
Scratch that—he’s been ready.
“We do conditioning, so I’m fine,” Carter said. “I’m just here to do my job…I’m ready for small-ball [or] any kind of ball, honestly.”
No. 19 Memphis (17-4, 7-1 AAC) visits Rice on Sunday (2 p.m., ESPN+).