Memphis Tigers

[Cooley]

Updated: Nov. 2, 2006, 8:02 PM ET

Team preview: MemphisBlue Ribbon Yearbook

(Information in this team report is as of October 1.)

COACH AND PROGRAM

Anyone surprised by Memphis' success in 2005-06 hasn't been paying very close attention.

When John Calipari returned to the college basketball ranks in 2000-01 and called Memphis a "national program," many ill-informed basketball fans thought his statement brash, or at least overstated. But Calipari was right. Long before he came Memphis had already established a national reputation, going back to the days of Gene Bartow.

Much like Louisville and Cincinnati, and occasionally DePaul or Marquette to a certain extent, Memphis had earned a place on the national college basketball landscape. All Calipari did was talk about it out loud and use it to bring in some of the nation's top recruits.

The problem was that some of those recruits never fulfilled their potential as college basketball players -- not because they fell short of expectations at Memphis, but because they either never played for the Tigers or didn't stay very long. One can only imagine how good the Tigers would have been in their first five seasons under Calipari if Memphis signees such as Amare Stoudemire, Qyntel Woods, Kendrick Perkins and Ricky Sanchez had actually suited up for the Tigers instead of going straight to the NBA draft, or if Dajaun Wagner had played more than one season at Memphis before going pro.

Last year, for the first time in Calipari's six seasons at Memphis, that didn't happen. Everyone who mattered stuck around, and they were joined by six talented newcomers who made an immediate impact on the program. The results -- the best season in school history, with 30 regular-season wins, three more in the NCAA Tournament, a No. 1 seeding in the NCAA Tournament, a trip to the Elite Eight and both the Conference USA regular-season and tournament championships.

A national program, indeed.

"We've been a national program, even before last year," Calipari said. "But what happened last year was that every kid who was supposed to come be part of the program actually came and every kid who should have stayed, stayed. We didn't have anyone like Amare Stoudemire or Dajaun Wagner go to the NBA. The kind of stuff that happened to us for the past few years didn't happen. We kind of had everything fall into place with the roster.

"But when you have two kids drafted by the NBA and you lose another to the pros and you're graduating nine of our last 12 seniors like we have, those are some big holes to fill. But we've still got three or four prospects in the program now with NBA potential, so I think we're still going in the direction we want them to go into.

"We'll be on national television something like 13 times before our conference tournament, and that's the kind of stuff that keeps driving the program in the direction we want it to go."

National success also brings its own unique consequences. Star forward Rodney Carney stayed long enough to complete his eligibility before going to the NBA as the No. 16 pick in the first round. However, forward Shawne Williams followed his freshman season by entering the draft, with Calipari's blessing, and followed Carney as the No. 17 pick. Point guard Darius Washington Jr. took stock of his two seasons at Memphis and also entered the draft. Unfortunately for Washington and the Tigers, he ignored Calipari's advice and signed with an agent just before the draft. When no NBA team selected him, he had no chance to return to Memphis and improve his stock on the college level.

Now, Washington is gone for good, along with Carney, Williams and three replaceable reserves, as well as two assistants -- Tony Barbee, who left Memphis to become the head coach at UTEP in August, and Milt Wagner, the coordinator of operations who followed Barbee to El Paso.

Just don't expect the Tigers to waste any time or energy looking back or worrying about departed players and assistants. Not with the return of two starters (junior forward Joey Dorsey and sophomore guard Chris Douglas-Roberts) and eight lettermen and the addition of five more players who should make their own immediate impact, if they'll just accept the way things are done at Memphis and buy into Calipari's winning ways.

"On a national level, will we be as good as last year? Well ... I want to us to be a better team," Calipari said. "I don't know if we're going to be deeper or more talented or win as many, but let's try to be a better team.

"Last year one of the things that made us so good was our defense. In field-goal percentage defense we were third in the country. In shots blocked, I believe we were fifth in the country. We were in the top 10 in the country in rebounding. So we were really a good defensive team.

"We were one of the top-three scoring teams and one of the most efficient teams in the country in terms of points per possession, but we had more turnovers than we had assists for the first time in my coaching career. Yet, we still won 33 games. Think about that.

"We averaged more turnovers than assists and still win that many? That starts with defense."

Even the discrepancy between the turnovers (15.59 per game) and assists (15.29 per game) comes with a reasonable explanation. Some of it had to do with Washington's natural inclination toward playing the two and all that comes with it (his 111 turnovers and 110 assists provide one clue why he went un-drafted). Another reason, however, has something to do with the system Calipari installed last season.

At a time in his career when many veteran coaches in the spotlight seem to be tightening the leash on their players and micromanaging every offensive possession, 47-year-old Calipari opened his mind and his program to the possibilities of a new approach.

Calipari turned to Vance Walberg before Walberg was emerging from relative obscurity to become the head coach at Pepperdine and adopted many of the principles associated with Walberg's mix of frenetic full-court style of play, characterized by its aggressive, attacking approach on both ends of the floor.

As Calipari told CBS Sportsline.com this summer, "What Vance has created might be some of the most innovative stuff I've seen in the 20 years that I've been coaching. It's a heck of a way to play."

It certainly proved to be a heck of a way for Memphis to play. The Tigers finished second in the nation in defensive field-goal percentage (.380), eighth in blocked shots (6.4 per game), ninth in rebound margin (6.7 per game) and used it all to score 80.0 points per game, 12th nationally.

What Calipari liked about Walberg's system was the spacing, the way it opened up room for perimeter penetration that led to lay-ups or kick-out passes for open 3-pointers. For a team with athletic guards capable of creating havoc with opposing defenses and a coach with the vision to the see its potential, the system was the right fit. Eventually, Calipari found himself changing everything he had learned from Larry Brown and moving in a direction that defied the coaching norm.

"I've won a lot of games over the past 15 years doing what I do, so for me to toss it all and say that I'm doing this different stuff, you can imagine how much I think of it," Calipari said. "I've watched it. I've studied it. It took me three years to do it, but now it's the way we play."

With one year of experience in the new system, Calipari expects his team to be even more productive and efficient this time around.

"A lot of that had to do with our style of play," Calipari said. "We just [installed] our offense in a year ago, so we made some decisions that weren't great and some of the things we struggled with were because it was new to us, but I'll say this: it's helped us recruit and we've got kids around the country watching us play, saying, 'man, he lets you play. He lets you create, he lets you shoot, he lets you play.'

"What they don't understand is there's still a real structure to what we're doing. It's not chaos. There are sound principle to what we're doing, but the system gives you freedom to do the things you're good at and the things you like to do."

In addition to doing a more effective job of creating shots with penetration and passing and taking better care of the ball in the process, Calipari is looking for a higher shooting percentage from this season's team.

"I hope we make better choices, better shot selection, those kinds of things that will give us a better shooting percentage," Calipari said. "Our shooting percentage was only about 45 percent last year and we still scored 80 points a game. If we can score in the 80s and only shoot 45 percent and about 36 percent from the 3 and average more turnovers than assists, what happens if we shoot it better, make a higher percentage of 3s and have more assists than turnovers? You're talking another four, five, six more points per game."

PLAYERS

PG Andre Allen (5-10, 205 lbs., JR, #15, 4.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 0.2 bpg, 1.4 spg, 15.6 mpg, .383 FG, .357 3PT, .453 FT, Booker T. Washington HS/Memphis, Tenn.)

Allen signed with Memphis two years ago, but was academically ineligible as a freshman and sat out the 2004-05 season, unable to practice with the Tigers. He did spend the time shedding about 25 unnecessary pounds, preparing for a regular role off the bench and one start in 2005-06.

Despite playing 10 fewer minutes per game, he nearly averaged as many assists per game as Washington and finished the season with nearly twice as many assists (111) as turnovers (58). He isn't the same type of creative or explosive scorer as Washington, but he's more of a pure point guard who can break down opponents with penetration and make the right pass to the right player at the right time. He also knows how to get after opponents on the other end, finishing second on the team with 51 steals last season.

Even though his overall shooting percentage wasn't impressive, he shot the same percentage from beyond the 3-point line by making 20-of-56 3-point shots. He also needs to improve his free throw shooting to make his drives to the basket more meaningful.

As Allen takes on a more significant role with the team, he'll have to keep his head on straight and his ears closed to outsiders attempting to influence his attitude and his game. As Memphis coaches over time have learned, there are always plenty of local "coaches," "agents" and others hanging around to "advise" the players with local ties. Those people tend to be more concerned with themselves and individual players, rather than what's best for the program. If Allen gets caught up in worrying about his points or his notoriety, it could be dangerous for team chemistry.

Allen will also be pushed by freshman Willie Kemp, who was signed and brought in to compete for the starting job right away rather than ease into the job. If Kemp is everything the Tigers think he can be, Allen might be a better fit in the role he played last season as a bulldog off the bench.

SG Antonio Anderson (6-6, 190 lbs., SO, #12, 7.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.8 apg, 0.3 bpg, 1.5 spg, 27.3 mpg, .421 FG, .365 3PT, .633 FT, Laurinburg Prep/Laurinburg, N.C. and Maine Central Institute/Pittsfield, Maine)

Anderson was one of four players from Laurinburg, along with Shawne Williams, Robert Dozier and Kareem Cooper, to come in and make an immediate impact as first-year players last season. Anderson isn't officially listed as a returning starter and actually served as a versatile sixth man, but with 21 starts in 37 games as a freshman and as many minutes per game as any player on the 2005-06 season, he might as well be considered a starter.

Like Douglas-Roberts, Anderson is capable of playing both guard and forward and brings a wide variety of skills and abilities to the court. However, while Douglas-Roberts might lean more toward the three position, Anderson is better suited for the two than Douglas-Roberts because of his ball handling, passing, shooting and defensive skills. It was Anderson who led the team with 56 steals and finished third with 105 assists last season (compared to 59 turnovers).

On a team looking for new players to step up and providing consistent scoring, Anderson is another probable candidate for more shots and points in 2006-07 after finishing second on the team in 3-point shooting percentage last season, making 42-of-115 shots from behind the arc. With the loss of 541 3-point attempts after the departure of last season's three primary long-distance shooters, Anderson is the player who will most likely step up from the perimeter.

SF Chris Douglas-Roberts (6-6, 180 lbs., SO, #3, 8.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.4 bpg, 0.8 spg, 22.6 mpg, .531 FG, .310 3PT, .745 FT, Northwestern HS, Detroit)

Memphis lost 56 percent of its scoring and Calipari is still convinced the Tigers can be as productive as they were last season on the offensive end. Douglas-Roberts is one of the reasons for that confidence.

Douglas-Roberts can play both guard and forward on both ends of the floor, and even though he's yet to prove he can be the long-distance shooter Carney became for the Tigers, he still has the ability to score baskets in several different ways and create his own scoring opportunities. Douglas-Roberts also has the potential to replace Carney as the Tigers' most electric player after watching Carney wow crowds with his high-flying dunks last season.

Now, as Memphis' leading returning scorer and someone who shot better than 50 percent from the field last season, Douglas-Roberts will be expected to increase his production in 2006-07. Even more important, after making 25 starts in 34 games last season he will also be expected to become more of a leader and dependable player instead of a mere role player relying on his talent.

PF Robert Dozier (6-9, 205 lbs., SO, #2, 5.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 0.6 apg, 1.1 bpg, 0.6 spg, 18.4 mpg, .404 FG, .222 3PT, .750 FT, Laurinburg Prep/Laurinburg, N.C. and Lithonia HS/Lithonia, Ga.)

Dozier came to Memphis from Laurinburg with Williams, Anderson and Cooper, giving the Tigers yet another long, lanky, versatile player with multiple talents and the ability to play various roles.

Dozier's ability to run, jump and move make it possible for him to play some at the three or the five and a whole lot at the four. He's added more than 15 much-needed pounds to his lean frame since he arrived at Memphis. Although he's never going to remind anyone of the rugged, physical power forwards many teams prefer at the four, he's better able to bang in the low post than at any time in his career.

Dozier's 7-foot-3 wingspan allowed him to block 42 shots last season, third on the team. Now, with some muscle to go with that impressive reach, Dozier is a put-back or a blocked shot just waiting to happen. While his versatility proved to be valuable off the bench, just wait and see what happens when he eventually finds himself as part of the starting lineup.

C Richard "Joey" Dorsey (6-9, 265 lbs., JR, #32, 6.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 0.9 apg, 1.8 bpg, 1.2 spg, 21.1 mpg, .631 FG, .633 FT, Laurinburg Prep/Laurinburg, N.C., Mt. Zion Christian Academy/Durham, N.C., and Douglas HS/Baltimore, Md.)

After making an immediate impact in 2004-05, earning freshman all-conference honors, finishing second on the team with 6.0 rebounds per game and leading the team in field-goal percentage (.546) despite playing just 15 minutes per game, Dorsey developed from a raw, physical force into a key contributor who started 35-of-37 games and finished third in C-USA in rebounding, led the conference in blocked shots (66) and led the Tigers in field-goal percentage. On a squad loaded with quick playmakers, his 44 steals finished sixth on the team, just one steal behind Washington.

Of course, Dorsey also dominated the team stats in both fouls (137) and disqualifications (eight) and emerged as the team's unofficial leader in enigmatic performances. On some nights, like his 16-point, 13-rebound performance against Purdue or his 12-point, 16-rebound performance against UAB, Dorsey might dominate the low post. The next night, such as his two-point, one-rebound outing against Marshall followed by no points and three rebounds against Southern Miss, Dorsey would seem to all but disappear into the background.

Calipari, who compares Dorsey to Denver Nuggets standout Reggie Evans, would like to think Dorsey will be more consistent and more dependable this season, but that's something only Dorsey can prove over time. In the meantime, here's a warning: The Tigers are 16-1 when Dorsey grabs 10 or more rebounds. If Dorsey comes to play on a daily basis, in practice and games, he could be the most dominating big man in the conference and one of the nation's best post players.

"He's just got to play like it matters every time out," Calipari said. "He's got to accept that level of commitment and play that way every night. It's just one of those things where's got to make the decision to be a relentless player and do whatever he's got to do. If he does those things he's going to be really good."

G Willie Kemp (6-2, 165 lbs., FR, #1, 18.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 7.7 apg, Bolivar Central HS/Bolivar, Tenn.)

A pure point guard signed to step right in and compete for the starting job, Kemp is a playmaker who led Bolivar Central to a 117-25 record in four varsity seasons. In the process, Kemp earned 2006 Tennessee's Class AA Mr. Basketball honor. He can put the ball in the basket, having scored 1,900 points in his prep career, but he's even better at running the show and helping his team put the ball in the hole.

That's why both Rivals.com and Scout.com rated him the nation's sixth-best prep point guard last year, and why Calipari thinks he will make an immediate impact as a freshman. If he doesn't start, he'll play a key role in the playing rotation.

G Jeremy Hunt (6-4, 206 lbs., SR, #5, 9.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.5 spg, 24.9 mpg, .354 FG, .275 3PT, .652 FT, in 2004-05, Craigmont HS/Memphis, Tenn.)

Yes, he's back, and only time will tell if Calipari did the right thing by allowing Hunt to rejoin the program this past summer.

Hunt has had his share of chances before and he's needed them all. He missed 10 games during his freshman season when a stress fracture and infection in his foot led to surgery. Late in his sophomore season, he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during a practice session, contributing to Memphis' late-season slide.

He experienced problems of a different kind as a junior in 2004-05, suffering a broken wrist that put him out for four weeks and then earning a two-game suspension for an arrest on misdemeanor assault charges after an incident involving an ex-girlfriend. In the NIT quarterfinals, he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee, putting his career back on hold again.

When Hunt was finally kicked off the team on Oct. 4, 2005, after being involved in a physical altercation on Beale Street, the official statement from Calipari said Hunt had been "permanently dismissed" from the program. Yet, Hunt was allowed to keep his scholarship, continued to attend practices and games during the 2005-06 season and graduated with a bachelor's degree in University College/African-American community and sports education. On Aug. 23, he returned to the program.

"For a year, he's done all the right things. The kid has changed. He's been humbled," Calipari said. "He knows he did wrong. He's been repentant and he's gone out and tried to make amends to give himself another chance. That's why he got that opportunity, and that gives you an indication of where this will go. It's not because he's gonna help the team."

It's easy to dismiss Calipari's claim, but then again, "We've got five or six guys coming back who play his position," Calipari said. "It's about doing what's right whether the kid is good or whether he's a walk-on."

What it means for Hunt is one more chance to be part of something positive. What it means to the Tigers is anyone's guess. Given Hunt's injury history, it remains to be seen what sort of role he can earn with this team. But remember this -- when Carney was struggling late in the 2003-04 season and became the team's sixth man, Hunt's improved play made it easier for Calipari to make the move with Carney.

C Kareem Cooper (6-11, 285 lbs., SO, #42, 4.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.2 bpg, 0.2 spg, 11.1 mpg, .526 FG, .840 FT, Laurinburg Prep, Laurinburg, N.C.)

While Cooper did some positive things as a freshman, even starting a game and leading the Tigers in free-throw shooting percentage, he also showed he has a ways to go to find his role on the team.

Off the floor, Cooper served a four-game suspension in late January and early February after an arrest for marijuana possession. On the floor, he often found the move from all-around prep star to low-post role player a difficult transition. Considering his size and Memphis' style of play, he's never going to be able to run with a roster loaded with quicker athletes, so he must adopt more of a big-man mentality.

G Doneal Mack (6-5, 175 lbs., FR, #20, 31.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 4.3 apg, Statesville Christian School/Statesville, N.C.)

Florida's loss is Memphis' gain. Mack originally signed with Florida but was not granted admission to the school. So he signed with Memphis in July, giving the Tigers yet another long, lean athlete capable of playing multiple positions and roles.

When Mack played in the Capital All-Star Classic in April, he produced evidence of his all-around talents, with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists in helping the U.S. team win, 120-117. Given his size and skills, it's easy to see him following in the footsteps of Douglas-Roberts and Anderson and providing some valuable minutes off the bench.

"This makes us a little different than people thought because we get one more 6-5 athlete," Calipari said. "We lost Rodney, but we get this guy, who can jump 41 inches and he's a lefty who can shoot it pretty good, wants to defend and do a lot of things." First things first, Mack needs to add weight and strength. Eat a pizza or two. Lift some weights.

"He's 170 pounds ... maybe 165 if you take the rocks out of his pocket," Calipari said.

F Pierre Niles (6-8, 270 lbs., FR, #4, 19.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, The Patterson School/Lenoir, N.C. and Ridgeway HS/Memphis, Tenn.)

After leading the Ridgeway Roadrunners to a 34-5 record and the 2005 Tennessee Class AAA state championship, producing 16 points and 12 boards in the state title game, Niles decided it was time to move on. He transferred to The Patterson School the second half of the 2005-06 season and helped the team to a 34-3 overall record and a No. 3 national ranking from Scout.com. Now he brings his wide-body scoring and rebounding to the Memphis low post.

Niles is most often listed at 290 pounds, but Calipari said in August that Niles had already lost 20 pounds and would continue to lose weight and work his way into a better shape. Until he does, he won't be able to keep up with his teammates.

F/C Hashim Bailey (6-10, 290 lbs., FR, #35, 14.7 ppg, 10.1 rpg, The Patterson School/Lenoir, N.C. and Passaic County Tech/Paterson, N.J.)

Like Niles, Bailey found his way to the Patterson School to elevate his prep career. He averaged 18.4 points, 14.4 rebounds and 4.8 blocked shots in his final season at Passaic before combining with Niles to lead Patterson to national prominence.

Bailey may be a big fella, but he can run the floor, moves well around the block and possesses a soft touch that gives the Tigers yet another scoring option. Memphis insiders are saying if Cooper doesn't pick up his intensity, Bailey will take his minutes.

G Tre'von Willis (6-4, 200 lbs., FR, #3, 23.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 7.0 apg, 0.9 bpg, 2.3 spg, Washington Union HS/Fresno, Calif.)

On a team with so many versatile players, Willis is another good fit with his combination of point guard skills, shooting guard scoring touch from the perimeter and small forward size. Willis definitely knows to score, finishing his prep career with 2,842 points, the fifth-highest total in California state high school history.

"He's got a great feel for the game and great skills," Calipari said. "So when you look at my team, that's what we have right now: a bunch of guys like that. He has the ability to shoot the 3 and score the ball, the ability to make teammates better. And he's a wonderful kid, like they all are. You're just adding to the mix another guy who is skilled ... a great kid, great teammate, great heart."

Only one problem: Willis has been nagged by a hairline fracture in his left shin the last two seasons. Willis said the injury has slowed him down at times and it's possible he will need extra caution in practice. He might even need surgery at some point. The one thing he won't need now, Calipari insisted, is a year off. "Tre'Von is too good a player to redshirt," Calipari said.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

BACKCOURT: A

BENCH/DEPTH: A-

FRONTCOURT: B+

INTANGIBLES: A-

How can any team that loses players as talented as Carney, Williams and Washington expect to be as good the next season? If you're Memphis in the John Calipari era, you reload.

"We lose Darius, who's a heck of a player, but all of a sudden we add Willie Kemp at the point," Calipari said. "Then we lose Shawne, but we bring in Pierre Niles and Hashim Bailey. And then we also bring in Tre'Von Willis, another guard, so I think we're going to be pretty good.

"We're going to miss those guys who left -- they were really good for us -- but one of the best things we had going for us last year was our depth. Shawne Williams averaged 23 minutes per game and 10 shots per game and he was the 17th pick of the draft. Rodney Carney played two less minutes per game than the year before and he was the 16th pick of the draft.

"That tells me we had a lot of players seeing a lot of valuable minutes, minutes when the game was still on the line, learning what it was like to take control of a game and finish. I've got to think that's going to pay off this year."

On a team loaded with so many talented and interchangeable parts, one of the biggest keys will be finding a way to fit the puzzle pieces together. Practices and competition for starting jobs and playing time should be highly competitive, so that should help. The addition of 6-10, 230-pound Shawn Taggert, an Iowa State transfer who must sit out the season, will give the Tigers yet another big body to go up against in practices.

Another difficult schedule should also help Calipari get this team moving in the right direction sooner than later. In addition to scheduled non-conference games against Arizona, Gonzaga and Cincinnati, the Tigers will play Oklahoma in the Maui Invitational and could possibly face Kentucky, UCLA, Georgia Tech, Purdue or DePaul in the tournament field.

"We're going to play somebody great right out of the gate," Calipari said.

As for the actual conference schedule, C-USA will most likely be deeper and more competitive this season, but it's still not what it was with Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette and DePaul. Memphis will be the class of C-USA once again, so the Tigers can't afford to let the rest of the conference drag them down in February and March when it's time to get ready for the NCAA Tournament.

"This is the first time in the history of the program that the school has had a No. 1 seed," Calipari said. "The tournament had two No. 1 seeds from two programs not considered BCS schools, the Atlantic 10 and Conference USA. It proves what I keep saying -- what leagues do is give you schedules in January and February. Some of them are stronger schedules, some of them are weaker schedules.

"The point is to keep a national focus, to be a national team and recruit nationally and get on national television and we're able to do that. Sure, we'd like to have more teams in the NCAA Tournament, but the reality, even with the teams that left, is that on average we had about four teams in the tournament. We had six one year but that was because we went to one league instead of divisions.

"Our goal is to win a national title and I still believe we can do it out of Conference USA, so I'm not really very worried about it."

[Talon90]

Memphis Schedule/Results

Date Opp. Result Record

Nov 16 Jackson St. Won 111-69 1-0

Nov 20 Oklahoma Won 77-65 2-0

Nov 21 Georgia Tech Lost 85-92 2-1

Nov 22 Kentucky Won 80-63 3-1

Nov 29 Arkansas St. Won 86-60 4-1

Dec 2 Manhattan Won 77-59 5-1

Dec 4 Marshall Won 78-59 6-1

Dec 6 @Tennessee Lost 58-76 6-2

Dec 9 Mississippi Won 82-70 7-2

Dec 14 Austin Peay Won 88-63 8-2

Dec 20 @Arizona Lost 71-79 8-3

Dec 23 Middle Tenn Won 86-46 9-3

Dec 28 Lamar Won 87-62 10-3

Jan 4 Cincinnati Won 88-55 11-3

Jan 11 @Houston Won 79-69 12-3

Jan 13 @Southern Miss Won 75-62 13-3

Jan 16 UAB Won 79-54 14-3

Jan 20 @East Caro. Won 61-44 15-3

Jan 24 Tulsa Won 72-59 16-3

Jan 27 Southern Miss Won 67-64 17-3

Jan 31 @UCF Won 87-65 18-3

Feb 3 Southern Methodist Won 88-52 19-3

Feb 8 @UAB Won 70-56 20-3

Feb 10 Tulane Won 95-51 21-3

Feb 14 @Tulsa Won 69-52 22-3

Feb 17 @Gonzaga Won 78-77 23-3

Feb 22 Rice Won 99-63 24-3

Feb 25 Houston Won 77-64 25-3

Mar 1 @UTEP Won 78-67 26-3

Mar 3 @Southern Methodist Won 64-61 27-3

Mar 8 Marshall Won 92-71 28-3

Mar 9 Tulane Won 71-49 29-3

Mar 10 Houston Won 71-59 30-3

[emmitt01]

This was the team we wanted...the only problem is all they seem to do is win lately.

[GreenBat]

This was the team we wanted...the only problem is all they seem to do is win lately.

Until Friday!!

[MootPoint]

This was the team we wanted...the only problem is all they seem to do is win lately.

They could easily hit a wall when they hit us. Or I can hope.

It's hard to say how good Memphis is at this point. They haven't really played anyone notable lately (in my mind) other than Gonzaga (and they're having a down year). Also, Memphis' strength of schedule is horrible. They had a nice win against Kentucky early, but Kentucky didn't really hit their stride until after their first ten-fifteen games. Otherwise, Memphis had losses to Tenn, G Tech and Arizona. Those teams don't strike me as the type of teams that a #2 seed should be struggling against so, in my mind, Memphis is a over-rated team (and the weakest #2 seed we could possibly be facing). Of course, one might argue that Memphis didn't really hit their stride until they hit their conference schedule. But, even then, when they were playing their supposed best, they managed only a 1 point win over Gonzaga (hardly strikes me as a huge statement win).

It all comes down to who would you rather face right now? The defending champion Florida Gators with all their starters back? Kansas that won the Big 12 regular season and conference tournaments knocking off a tough UT team? Ohio State that just won the Big 10 regular season and conference tournmants? North Carolina (also winning their regular season and conference championships)? There's no way I'd rather play any of those teams over a #2.

Going farther, we have UCLA, the PAC 10 champs (with several other PAC 10 teams in the NCAA tournament), Wisconsin (#2 in the Big 10 and reached the Big 10 tourney final - another conference with several teams in the NCAA tournament), Georgetown (just rolled through the Big East tournament - a conference with 6 teams in the NCAA tournament) and then Memphis (the sole representative of the #11 (not #1, #2, #3, #4, etc. conference in the nation, CUSA - making them a one bid league, just like the Sunbelt).

All that long-windedness results in me just saying that I'm very happy with this matchup

Edited March 12, 2007 by MootPoint