Chat with Hardaway leads to huge game from Jourdain
by: Mike Ceide
MEMPHIS – Dain Dainja put on a clinic Wednesday night for the Tigers.
Dainja scored a career high 25 points to go along with ten rebounds to help the U of M to its tenth win in 11 games to stay atop the AAC standings.
It was a game that was all about the Memphis bigs. And not just Dainja.
Nicholas Jourdain was also causing all sorts of problems for Rice. Playing 31 minutes, Jourdain scored 19 points, his most points in two years as a Tiger, to go along with 9 rebounds and two blocks helping the Tigers outscoring the Owls 54-32 in the paint.
For a team known for its guard play, the Memphis bigs are really starting to step up.
As is Jourdain, the only returning player from last year’s team, whose huge night came after a chat with head coach Penny Hardaway.
“Just changing my focus, just putting all my energy into defense and rebounding,” Jourdan said. “I had a talk with coach, I think like two days ago. He was just talking to me about mindset and I really just wanted to apply that and take it to the next level.”
“Last year, when he first came, he was just fitting in and just doing what he needed to do in the non-conference. When he got to conference play, he was a little frustrated. This last summer, he worked on his game really hard,” Hardaway said. “Had a long talk with him saying nobody can bring to the table what you bring to the table. You’re one of the best forwards in the country, if you are who you are. Don’t try to be Dane or try to be P.J. Haggerty. Just be who you are, and these are the ways that you’re going to be able to score on his team. Get those points and don’t think about touches.”
Now comes the final weekend game of the regular season as Sunday, the Tigers travel to UAB in a game that could decide the AAC regular season title and the top seed in the conference tournament.
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