No. 16 Memphis Drops Road Contest at Tennessee
Douglas-Roberts scores team-high 19 points to pace Tigers.
Dec. 6, 2006
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Chris Lofton scored a career-high 34 points as Tennessee built a big lead in the first half and stunned No. 16 Memphis 76-58 Wednesday.
The Tigers (6-2) looked vastly different than a year ago without leading scorers Rodney Carney, Shawne Williams and Darius Washington, who helped them to the Conference USA championship and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
They struggled to hit shots while the Volunteers (7-2) relied on Lofton and their defense.
Tennessee led by as many as 23 points in the first half. Lofton scored 21 points before halftime while Memphis went 9-of-40 from the field and finished 22-of-77 for the game.
The Tigers opened the second half with an 11-2 run that cut it to 12 on Chris Douglas-Roberts' 3-pointer. Lofton then scored eight straight points in a minute. His fifth 3-pointer put the Vols ahead 55-38 with 11:49 remaining. The Tigers didn't rally again.
Douglas-Roberts led Memphis with 19 points while Robert Dozier had 13.
Dane Bradshaw added 11 points for the Vols.
This cross-state rivalry became more heated when Bruce Pearl became Tennessee's coach last year. Memphis coach John Calipari has made it clear he would rather not continue the series.
The Tigers agreed to a contract to play for several years only after the Vols agreed to play in football, too. Pearl has said Memphis has no respect for Tennessee, a program that struggled in mediocrity before Pearl's arrival while the Tigers have excelled.
Both programs butted heads in the recruitment of point guard Willie Kemp, a native of Bolivar, Tenn. Kemp eventually chose Memphis, but his high school teammate, forward Wayne Chism, picked the Vols.
Tennessee fans booed Kemp when he was introduced before the game.
The Vols used a 12-2 run in the first half to break a tie at 15 and take a 27-17 lead. Chism banked in a 3 to start the run and Lofton capped it with another 3 and a driving layup.
Calipari promptly called a timeout. The Tigers then had a turnover and Duke Crews missed a dunk at the other end but was fouled. He was called for a technical after he yelled in the face of Memphis' Andre Allen. Hunt made the second of two free throws for technical, cutting the lead to nine.
The Tigers couldn't get any closer and scored only two more baskets the rest of the half.
Lofton was 12-of-18 from the field, including 6-of-11 from beyond the arc.
Tennessee got a big lift when Joey Dorsey, Memphis' big man, got in foul trouble early and eventually fouled out.
The Vols earned a second seed in last season's NCAA tournament, the highest in school history, after earning signature victories like their sweep over eventual national champion Florida.
But they lost three key players. With four freshmen who play regularly, this is the youngest team Pearl says he's coached.
Memphis trails in the series 7-11 but had won two straight.
The Tigers' 88-79 win last season in Memphis was the first time the teams had met since 2001. Carney, Williams and Washington combined for 50 points in the game.
The Tigers haven't won in Knoxville since 1994.
They were 10-1 on the road last season, and Wednesday was the first time they had played in an opponent's arena this season.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Pregame Talk Brings Tigers, Vols to a Boil
Pregame talk brings Tigers, Vols to a boil
Tigers coach John Calipari labeled Tennessee a "national program" Tuesday, a day after Vols coach Bruce Pearl said he doesn't think the University of Memphis respects his program.
By Dan Wolken
December 6, 2006
They had spent the better part of the past year avoiding each other, like two cars on opposite sides of the road, each driver knowing that one false move could cause a crash.
But this week, University of Memphis coach John Calipari and University of Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl had a fender bender. And though the buildup to tonight's game in Knoxville between the two coaches -- and more important, the two programs -- didn't cause a collision as ugly as last year's, there are still some issues in this series.
Issues about players both schools recruited and others they might recruit. Issues about TV, semantics and respect. Issues about who wants to keep this series going and who would just as soon see it go away.
Not to mention a little basketball game between a 6-1 Memphis team ranked No. 16 and the 6-2 Vols, who began the season in the Top 25.
But no good in-state rivalry, it seems, can exist without a dialogue. Last year, it was Tennessee forward Dane Bradshaw and his infamous "gang banger" comment and a conversation about crime rates on the two campuses.
This year, the discussion began Monday when the UT sports information office sent out the transcript of a question-and-answer session with Pearl. Responding to a inquiry about the importance of filling Thompson-Boling Arena tonight, Pearl said:
"It's vital. Memphis looks at itself as a national program. And it is. They look at Tennessee as a regional program. We are trying to become a national Top 25 program. There is no program in the country that respects us less than Memphis, and that's because we haven't done enough to earn their respect. That should bother our fans enough that we should try to show Memphis we are indeed a national program. But we have to do it on the floor."
Upon reading those comments Tuesday, Calipari smiled and offered this response, which could be interpreted as a subtle jab:
"I don't try to create any kind of animosity or hatred. I don't make accusations, because when the players figure out it's about ego for the coach, they won't play for him. Eventually, what happens is, they know it's all about him and not what you feel. So I just don't play any of that. What we're trying to do is, we know how hard the game is going to be. We respect their program, we respect their coach."
The real point of contention is Calipari's repeated comments indicating that he'd rather not play Tennessee, just as he'd rather not play other regional schools like Ole Miss or Arkansas because he wants to play a national, not regional, schedule.
But Calipari said that shouldn't be interpreted as disrespectful to Tennessee.
"They're a national program," Calipari said. "My whole thing is, last year's game didn't get on national television. Why is that? I'm just saying, if we can't get a game on national television, we don't need to play it unless it's a 'buy' game in our building, bottom line."
But hasn't Memphis-Tennessee reached that national level, with the Vols now a regular in the Top 25?
"You'd hope," Calipari said. "And if that's the case, fine. Here's the other thing: In their league they'll have six or so ranked opponents play in their building, which are all games they could win and probably will win. We don't have that benefit. I'm not worried about helping Tennessee's program or their fans or their alums that live here. I'm worried about this program and our fans and our student-athletes and our school."
On Tuesday, Pearl said his intention wasn't to artificially elevate the rivalry.
"Obviously Memphis is a Top 10 program. We're trying to become one," Pearl said. "We've demonstrated that we're capable. We were a No. 2 seed last year (in the NCAA Tournament); they were a No. 1 seed. We've demonstrated that we have a competitive program. ... I think Tennessee basketball is relevant nationally, or ESPN wouldn't be here."
A year ago, Memphis and Tennessee played just a couple months after Willie Kemp, now a Tigers freshman, chose to play for Calipari rather than Pearl in a very public and heated recruiting battle.
Pearl has been hard at work recruiting West Tennessee because, as he said, "I don't think there's any question that the best high school basketball in this state is played in West Tennessee."
Though Pearl said it was disappointing not to get Kemp, he said it was a crucial victory to get Kemp's former teammate, Wayne Chism, out of Bolivar Central when it seemed at one point that the two players would end up at the same college.
"Wayne Chism being in this program is a wonderful thing for lots of reasons," Pearl said.
But Calipari said he doesn't buy into the idea that the results of this game -- or any UT-Memphis game -- would affect potential recruiting battles.
"Other than in Memphis, they have a big advantage on any kid in the state, other than in Memphis," Calipari said. "In Memphis, they don't. But everywhere else, I concede. Now, everywhere else in the country, we have an advantage. In this state, outside of Memphis, if they want a kid, they should be able to get that kid. Memphis is just a different animal."
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
Tigers coach John Calipari labeled Tennessee a "national program" Tuesday, a day after Vols coach Bruce Pearl said he doesn't think the University of Memphis respects his program.
By Dan Wolken
December 6, 2006
They had spent the better part of the past year avoiding each other, like two cars on opposite sides of the road, each driver knowing that one false move could cause a crash.
But this week, University of Memphis coach John Calipari and University of Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl had a fender bender. And though the buildup to tonight's game in Knoxville between the two coaches -- and more important, the two programs -- didn't cause a collision as ugly as last year's, there are still some issues in this series.
Issues about players both schools recruited and others they might recruit. Issues about TV, semantics and respect. Issues about who wants to keep this series going and who would just as soon see it go away.
Not to mention a little basketball game between a 6-1 Memphis team ranked No. 16 and the 6-2 Vols, who began the season in the Top 25.
But no good in-state rivalry, it seems, can exist without a dialogue. Last year, it was Tennessee forward Dane Bradshaw and his infamous "gang banger" comment and a conversation about crime rates on the two campuses.
This year, the discussion began Monday when the UT sports information office sent out the transcript of a question-and-answer session with Pearl. Responding to a inquiry about the importance of filling Thompson-Boling Arena tonight, Pearl said:
"It's vital. Memphis looks at itself as a national program. And it is. They look at Tennessee as a regional program. We are trying to become a national Top 25 program. There is no program in the country that respects us less than Memphis, and that's because we haven't done enough to earn their respect. That should bother our fans enough that we should try to show Memphis we are indeed a national program. But we have to do it on the floor."
Upon reading those comments Tuesday, Calipari smiled and offered this response, which could be interpreted as a subtle jab:
"I don't try to create any kind of animosity or hatred. I don't make accusations, because when the players figure out it's about ego for the coach, they won't play for him. Eventually, what happens is, they know it's all about him and not what you feel. So I just don't play any of that. What we're trying to do is, we know how hard the game is going to be. We respect their program, we respect their coach."
The real point of contention is Calipari's repeated comments indicating that he'd rather not play Tennessee, just as he'd rather not play other regional schools like Ole Miss or Arkansas because he wants to play a national, not regional, schedule.
But Calipari said that shouldn't be interpreted as disrespectful to Tennessee.
"They're a national program," Calipari said. "My whole thing is, last year's game didn't get on national television. Why is that? I'm just saying, if we can't get a game on national television, we don't need to play it unless it's a 'buy' game in our building, bottom line."
But hasn't Memphis-Tennessee reached that national level, with the Vols now a regular in the Top 25?
"You'd hope," Calipari said. "And if that's the case, fine. Here's the other thing: In their league they'll have six or so ranked opponents play in their building, which are all games they could win and probably will win. We don't have that benefit. I'm not worried about helping Tennessee's program or their fans or their alums that live here. I'm worried about this program and our fans and our student-athletes and our school."
On Tuesday, Pearl said his intention wasn't to artificially elevate the rivalry.
"Obviously Memphis is a Top 10 program. We're trying to become one," Pearl said. "We've demonstrated that we're capable. We were a No. 2 seed last year (in the NCAA Tournament); they were a No. 1 seed. We've demonstrated that we have a competitive program. ... I think Tennessee basketball is relevant nationally, or ESPN wouldn't be here."
A year ago, Memphis and Tennessee played just a couple months after Willie Kemp, now a Tigers freshman, chose to play for Calipari rather than Pearl in a very public and heated recruiting battle.
Pearl has been hard at work recruiting West Tennessee because, as he said, "I don't think there's any question that the best high school basketball in this state is played in West Tennessee."
Though Pearl said it was disappointing not to get Kemp, he said it was a crucial victory to get Kemp's former teammate, Wayne Chism, out of Bolivar Central when it seemed at one point that the two players would end up at the same college.
"Wayne Chism being in this program is a wonderful thing for lots of reasons," Pearl said.
But Calipari said he doesn't buy into the idea that the results of this game -- or any UT-Memphis game -- would affect potential recruiting battles.
"Other than in Memphis, they have a big advantage on any kid in the state, other than in Memphis," Calipari said. "In Memphis, they don't. But everywhere else, I concede. Now, everywhere else in the country, we have an advantage. In this state, outside of Memphis, if they want a kid, they should be able to get that kid. Memphis is just a different animal."
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
Former Bolivar Central High School Teammates Willie Kemp and Wayne Chism Clash As Tigers Meet the Vols
The first Battle of Bolivar
By Jim Masilak
December 6, 2006
BOLIVAR, Tenn. -- The lunchtime rush is over, and the mid-afternoon coffee crew has yet to arrive at Joe's Restaurant, the social epicenter of Bolivar's historic Court Square.
That means Lisa Hodge, who has owned and operated Joe's for the past two years, can spare a moment to talk about this West Tennessee town's two favorite sons.
Hodge is tired -- she rises each morning before sunrise in order to feed the good burghers of Bolivar -- but she lights up when talk turns to a pair of first-year college basketball players.
Then again, it's difficult to find anyone in this town of about 5,800, located 70 miles east of Memphis on U.S. Hwy. 64, who doesn't break into a smile upon hearing the names Willie Kemp and Wayne Chism.
"We've supported Willie for a long time. He used to come up here and eat a lot because Miss Lisa was paying," Hodge said. "He'd get pancakes, bacon and eggs. And Okra -- he loved okra. Breakfast was his main thing when he came in.
"And Wayne, he's a good person too. Everyone here loves them. Everyone's so proud of them."
A freshman point guard for the University of Memphis, Kemp is Bolivar's favorite son; Chism, a freshman forward for Tennessee who moved to Bolivar from Jackson, its favorite surrogate son.
Together, they helped Bolivar Central High School win the 2005 TSSAA Class AA state championship. As two of the top 100 recruits in the country last year, they brought national attention to Hardeman County.
But when Memphis and Tennessee meet tonight in Knoxville, they'll be on opposite sides.
And all of Bolivar will be watching.
Divided loyalties?
Wayne Chism has listened to the voicemail, read the text messages and deleted the e-mail.
In the days leading up to tonight's showdown between the Vols and Tigers at Thompson-Boling Arena, the 6-9, 230-pound Chism has been inundated with messages from the folks back home in Bolivar.
By and large, the gist of each is the same.
"Either that Willie's gonna do this to us or that we're gonna lose. Or both," Chism says with a sigh. "They like Willie. I transferred. I'm from Jackson. They showed me a lot of love, and Bolivar's like a second home to me ... but Willie's a born native."
Chism played his first two years of high school basketball at Jackson South Side before moving to Bolivar ahead of his junior season.
While Chism became -- and remains -- wildly popular in Bolivar, the locals' greatest affection is reserved for Kemp, a homegrown talent who led the Tigers to back-to-back state titles in 2004 and '05.
"People in Bolivar love Wayne, but he was only down there for a couple of years," Kemp said. "I know they're gonna support me more than they're gonna support him."
John Vickers, the owner of AJ's Sports & Awards on W. Market St. in Bolivar, isn't so sure that will be the case.
"I think they'll pull for both of them," Vickers said. "It's not every day two players from the same high school are fixin' to face up against each other in a game this big."
When Kemp and Chism were playing at BCHS, Vickers couldn't keep up with demand for T-shirts bearing their names and numbers.
That hasn't changed much now that they're in college.
In advance of tonight's game, Vickers received a number of orders for half-blue, half-orange T-shirts, with Kemp's picture on one side and Chism's on the other.
"You hear a lot of people talking about them. They're turning the television on and getting the paper to see what Willie and Wayne are doing," Vickers said. "People want to see both of them succeed, no matter which team they pull for."
BCHS basketball coach Rick Rudesill, who coached both players, said the desire to see the hometown players thrive has led fans to reassess their loyalties.
"It's kind of neat to see people you know are longtime UT fans pulling for Memphis, and vice versa," Rudesill said. "That normally wouldn't happen."
In his office inside the Hardeman County Courthouse, a stately red-brick building adjacent to Joe's, Jerry Armstrong points to a picture on the wall above his desk.
There's Chism and Kemp alongside Armstrong's son, Dylan, who played basketball with them at BCHS, and Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl.
The photo was taken during a recruiting visit to Knoxville, before Kemp cast his lot with the Tigers.
Jerry Armstrong would prefer a Tennessee victory, "but it's going to be a win either way."
"I hope they both have good games. I hope Wayne and Willie each get about 20 (points) apiece," Armstrong said. "It's gonna be really big for Bolivar."
Road trip
Rarely has a group of high school students been so happy to see their principal.
But when Fred Kessler walked into the BCHS gym Monday afternoon before basketball practice, the Tigers descended upon him in excitement.
Kessler was collecting money for the charter bus that will take the team, some faculty members and other assorted fans to Knoxville to watch tonight's game.
Due to leave at 11 a.m., the bus won't get back to Bolivar until about 5 a.m. Thursday morning.
Kessler has stipulated that everyone who makes the trip be back at school a few hours later, but that's just fine with senior Presley Griggs.
"It's gonna be very exciting to see my former teammates go at it. The whole team is looking forward to it," Griggs said. "It's good to see they're making something with their lives."
Rudesill, who can't bear to watch Kemp and Chism live on TV -- he watches their games on tape -- approved the trip despite the Tigers having three games this week. That included a grudge match Tuesday night with arch-rival Middleton and a game Friday against defending Class AA state champion Jackson Liberty Magnet.
"It's gonna be a rough week," Rudesill said, "but that's how important we think it is for us to support Willie and Wayne."
Kessler, meanwhile, thinks the excursion will serve to inspire his current students.
"Last month Wayne was at Madison Square Garden and Willie was in Hawaii," Kessler said. "Those opportunities don't come along too often for Bolivar kids."
Kessler only wishes the game were in nearby Memphis instead of Knoxville.
"If it was in Memphis, we'd have as many as Memphis would let us bring," he said. "This is one of those once in a lifetime-type things."
Kemp and Chism, it turns out, are looking forward to the matchup as much as anyone.
Asked if he planned to make his presence known to the 6-2, 165-pound Kemp, Chism said, "It could happen that way. We'll let each other know what's up. It'll be a good thing for me to hit him a couple times."
Replied Kemp, "I'm gonna be on the lookout for that."
The players were so competitive in high school that Rudesill couldn't let them play on opposite sides in practice for more than a few minutes at a time.
"We were very close growing up," Kemp said. "But on the court, it's a different story."
As game day approached, Kemp spent time canvassing his hometown for support.
He promised game tickets to Hodge during a Thanksgiving week visit to Joe's, but she plans to root for the Vols.
"I hate to say it," she said, "but I'm probably gonna be for Tennessee. If Memphis State wins, I'll be happy too. I never liked Memphis State 'til Willie went there."
Kemp's luck with his old principal was only slightly better.
"I've always been a Tennessee fan, but I'm a Memphis fan, too," said Kessler, who attended both schools. "Willie asked who I was gonna be cheering for and I said, 'I'm gonna cheer for both of you. I'm gonna root for Willie Kemp and Wayne Chism.'"
-- Jim Masilak: 529-2311
By Jim Masilak
December 6, 2006
BOLIVAR, Tenn. -- The lunchtime rush is over, and the mid-afternoon coffee crew has yet to arrive at Joe's Restaurant, the social epicenter of Bolivar's historic Court Square.
That means Lisa Hodge, who has owned and operated Joe's for the past two years, can spare a moment to talk about this West Tennessee town's two favorite sons.
Hodge is tired -- she rises each morning before sunrise in order to feed the good burghers of Bolivar -- but she lights up when talk turns to a pair of first-year college basketball players.
Then again, it's difficult to find anyone in this town of about 5,800, located 70 miles east of Memphis on U.S. Hwy. 64, who doesn't break into a smile upon hearing the names Willie Kemp and Wayne Chism.
"We've supported Willie for a long time. He used to come up here and eat a lot because Miss Lisa was paying," Hodge said. "He'd get pancakes, bacon and eggs. And Okra -- he loved okra. Breakfast was his main thing when he came in.
"And Wayne, he's a good person too. Everyone here loves them. Everyone's so proud of them."
A freshman point guard for the University of Memphis, Kemp is Bolivar's favorite son; Chism, a freshman forward for Tennessee who moved to Bolivar from Jackson, its favorite surrogate son.
Together, they helped Bolivar Central High School win the 2005 TSSAA Class AA state championship. As two of the top 100 recruits in the country last year, they brought national attention to Hardeman County.
But when Memphis and Tennessee meet tonight in Knoxville, they'll be on opposite sides.
And all of Bolivar will be watching.
Divided loyalties?
Wayne Chism has listened to the voicemail, read the text messages and deleted the e-mail.
In the days leading up to tonight's showdown between the Vols and Tigers at Thompson-Boling Arena, the 6-9, 230-pound Chism has been inundated with messages from the folks back home in Bolivar.
By and large, the gist of each is the same.
"Either that Willie's gonna do this to us or that we're gonna lose. Or both," Chism says with a sigh. "They like Willie. I transferred. I'm from Jackson. They showed me a lot of love, and Bolivar's like a second home to me ... but Willie's a born native."
Chism played his first two years of high school basketball at Jackson South Side before moving to Bolivar ahead of his junior season.
While Chism became -- and remains -- wildly popular in Bolivar, the locals' greatest affection is reserved for Kemp, a homegrown talent who led the Tigers to back-to-back state titles in 2004 and '05.
"People in Bolivar love Wayne, but he was only down there for a couple of years," Kemp said. "I know they're gonna support me more than they're gonna support him."
John Vickers, the owner of AJ's Sports & Awards on W. Market St. in Bolivar, isn't so sure that will be the case.
"I think they'll pull for both of them," Vickers said. "It's not every day two players from the same high school are fixin' to face up against each other in a game this big."
When Kemp and Chism were playing at BCHS, Vickers couldn't keep up with demand for T-shirts bearing their names and numbers.
That hasn't changed much now that they're in college.
In advance of tonight's game, Vickers received a number of orders for half-blue, half-orange T-shirts, with Kemp's picture on one side and Chism's on the other.
"You hear a lot of people talking about them. They're turning the television on and getting the paper to see what Willie and Wayne are doing," Vickers said. "People want to see both of them succeed, no matter which team they pull for."
BCHS basketball coach Rick Rudesill, who coached both players, said the desire to see the hometown players thrive has led fans to reassess their loyalties.
"It's kind of neat to see people you know are longtime UT fans pulling for Memphis, and vice versa," Rudesill said. "That normally wouldn't happen."
In his office inside the Hardeman County Courthouse, a stately red-brick building adjacent to Joe's, Jerry Armstrong points to a picture on the wall above his desk.
There's Chism and Kemp alongside Armstrong's son, Dylan, who played basketball with them at BCHS, and Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl.
The photo was taken during a recruiting visit to Knoxville, before Kemp cast his lot with the Tigers.
Jerry Armstrong would prefer a Tennessee victory, "but it's going to be a win either way."
"I hope they both have good games. I hope Wayne and Willie each get about 20 (points) apiece," Armstrong said. "It's gonna be really big for Bolivar."
Road trip
Rarely has a group of high school students been so happy to see their principal.
But when Fred Kessler walked into the BCHS gym Monday afternoon before basketball practice, the Tigers descended upon him in excitement.
Kessler was collecting money for the charter bus that will take the team, some faculty members and other assorted fans to Knoxville to watch tonight's game.
Due to leave at 11 a.m., the bus won't get back to Bolivar until about 5 a.m. Thursday morning.
Kessler has stipulated that everyone who makes the trip be back at school a few hours later, but that's just fine with senior Presley Griggs.
"It's gonna be very exciting to see my former teammates go at it. The whole team is looking forward to it," Griggs said. "It's good to see they're making something with their lives."
Rudesill, who can't bear to watch Kemp and Chism live on TV -- he watches their games on tape -- approved the trip despite the Tigers having three games this week. That included a grudge match Tuesday night with arch-rival Middleton and a game Friday against defending Class AA state champion Jackson Liberty Magnet.
"It's gonna be a rough week," Rudesill said, "but that's how important we think it is for us to support Willie and Wayne."
Kessler, meanwhile, thinks the excursion will serve to inspire his current students.
"Last month Wayne was at Madison Square Garden and Willie was in Hawaii," Kessler said. "Those opportunities don't come along too often for Bolivar kids."
Kessler only wishes the game were in nearby Memphis instead of Knoxville.
"If it was in Memphis, we'd have as many as Memphis would let us bring," he said. "This is one of those once in a lifetime-type things."
Kemp and Chism, it turns out, are looking forward to the matchup as much as anyone.
Asked if he planned to make his presence known to the 6-2, 165-pound Kemp, Chism said, "It could happen that way. We'll let each other know what's up. It'll be a good thing for me to hit him a couple times."
Replied Kemp, "I'm gonna be on the lookout for that."
The players were so competitive in high school that Rudesill couldn't let them play on opposite sides in practice for more than a few minutes at a time.
"We were very close growing up," Kemp said. "But on the court, it's a different story."
As game day approached, Kemp spent time canvassing his hometown for support.
He promised game tickets to Hodge during a Thanksgiving week visit to Joe's, but she plans to root for the Vols.
"I hate to say it," she said, "but I'm probably gonna be for Tennessee. If Memphis State wins, I'll be happy too. I never liked Memphis State 'til Willie went there."
Kemp's luck with his old principal was only slightly better.
"I've always been a Tennessee fan, but I'm a Memphis fan, too," said Kessler, who attended both schools. "Willie asked who I was gonna be cheering for and I said, 'I'm gonna cheer for both of you. I'm gonna root for Willie Kemp and Wayne Chism.'"
-- Jim Masilak: 529-2311
Article on Memphian Dane Bradshaw Playing for the Vols
Bradshaw taking last shot
Vols senior hoping to follow through after big game last season vs. Tigers
By Scott Cacciola
December 5, 2006
In less than a week last season, Tennessee forward Dane Bradshaw discovered just how delicate life on the hardwood can be.
He returned home to play the University of Memphis at FedExForum on Jan. 18 and lived the dream. He scored a career-high 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting. He grabbed 10 rebounds. He finished with four assists and five steals. Looking back, he said, "I got a few easy buckets early, started to get into a rhythm." In a classic understatement, he said he was motivated to play well in his hometown.
"It was nothing personal against Memphis," he said.
Three days later, in a victory over Florida, Bradshaw tore a ligament in his right wrist, which happens to be connected to his shooting hand. After the injury, he missed 10 straight 3-pointers. He wore an assortment of soft casts and bandages for the remainder of the season, playing through pain, then underwent surgery in March.
Healthy once again, and aware that his college career is drawing inexorably to a close in a few months, Bradshaw would love to replicate last season's performance against Memphis when the two teams meet at Thompson-Boling Arena on Wednesday -- though he knows better. Bradshaw has never been a scorer, even when he starred at White Station High, where he averaged 10 points per game as a senior. At Tennessee, he has carved a niche as one of the smallest (6-4) power forwards in the country.
"We know that on paper it looks like a disadvantage," said Bradshaw, a senior who averages 7.4 points, four rebounds and a team-leading 4.6 assists. "But I'm able to front the post. And I don't think bigger players enjoy guards who are swiping at the ball all the time."
Bradshaw has given up inches to the best of the best: Florida's Joakim Noah, LSU's Tyrus Thomas and Brandon Bass, North Carolina's Brandan Wright. If he can hold his own on defense, he said, he knows the Vols will benefit from mismatches on offense. Bradshaw can drift to the perimeter and extend defenses, clearing the paint for teammates.
"He's the best passer I've ever been around," said Evangelical Christian School coach Terry Tippett, who coached Bradshaw at White Station.
He was taught from an early age to take care of the ball, and he said that lesson was reinforced by Tippett, whom Bradshaw credits for a great deal of his development. Last season, Bradshaw led the Southeastern Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio -- despite wearing the cast.
He was limited during the offseason. He shot free throws with his left hand. He focused on his defense. He completed his communications degree in three years, graduating in May, and expects to finish his master's in sports management by the end of the school year.
Over the summer, he and junior teammate Chris Lofton set the tone for the Vols' ballyhooed freshman class. Every Saturday morning, Bradshaw and Lofton made their way to Neyland Stadium, where they met the team's strength and conditioning coach, Troy Wills, at the base of the stadium steps. They donned 25-pound weight vests and then made 15 trips up to the concourse level and back down again. By the end of the offseason, every member of the team had joined them.
"We had plenty of weight vests to go around," Bradshaw said.
One of Bradshaw's personal highlights of the summer was when freshman Josh Tabb, who also wore a cast on his fractured wrist, arrived for a Saturday workout. Then it started to rain. Tabb, his voice dripping with insincerity, told Bradshaw that he, alas, would not be able to run the steps that morning. He was supposed to keep his cast dry. Bradshaw ran to his car and returned with a plastic bag, which he tied around Tabb's cast. Tabb ran the steps.
"The biggest difference those workouts made for me was mental," Bradshaw said. "When you're fatigued, when you don't think you can make it up and down the court one last trip, I think about how hard those workouts were."
The Vols (6-2) have played well, with the notable exception of the team's trip to New York for the NIT Season Tip-Off last month. Tennessee lost to Butler by 12 and to North Carolina by 14. Bradshaw can sense his younger teammates' growing pains, even as he tries to nudge them along.
"We're a confident team, but we realize it's a learning process for all of us, being so young," he said. "I never take any opportunities for granted. And one thing I'm trying to tell these young kids is how fast it'll come for them. I think we may have learned that the hard way in New York."
-- Scott Cacciola: 529-2773
--------------------
No. 16 Tigers at Tennessee
When, where: Wednesday, 8 p.m. CST, at Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville
TV: ESPN2
Vols senior hoping to follow through after big game last season vs. Tigers
By Scott Cacciola
December 5, 2006
In less than a week last season, Tennessee forward Dane Bradshaw discovered just how delicate life on the hardwood can be.
He returned home to play the University of Memphis at FedExForum on Jan. 18 and lived the dream. He scored a career-high 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting. He grabbed 10 rebounds. He finished with four assists and five steals. Looking back, he said, "I got a few easy buckets early, started to get into a rhythm." In a classic understatement, he said he was motivated to play well in his hometown.
"It was nothing personal against Memphis," he said.
Three days later, in a victory over Florida, Bradshaw tore a ligament in his right wrist, which happens to be connected to his shooting hand. After the injury, he missed 10 straight 3-pointers. He wore an assortment of soft casts and bandages for the remainder of the season, playing through pain, then underwent surgery in March.
Healthy once again, and aware that his college career is drawing inexorably to a close in a few months, Bradshaw would love to replicate last season's performance against Memphis when the two teams meet at Thompson-Boling Arena on Wednesday -- though he knows better. Bradshaw has never been a scorer, even when he starred at White Station High, where he averaged 10 points per game as a senior. At Tennessee, he has carved a niche as one of the smallest (6-4) power forwards in the country.
"We know that on paper it looks like a disadvantage," said Bradshaw, a senior who averages 7.4 points, four rebounds and a team-leading 4.6 assists. "But I'm able to front the post. And I don't think bigger players enjoy guards who are swiping at the ball all the time."
Bradshaw has given up inches to the best of the best: Florida's Joakim Noah, LSU's Tyrus Thomas and Brandon Bass, North Carolina's Brandan Wright. If he can hold his own on defense, he said, he knows the Vols will benefit from mismatches on offense. Bradshaw can drift to the perimeter and extend defenses, clearing the paint for teammates.
"He's the best passer I've ever been around," said Evangelical Christian School coach Terry Tippett, who coached Bradshaw at White Station.
He was taught from an early age to take care of the ball, and he said that lesson was reinforced by Tippett, whom Bradshaw credits for a great deal of his development. Last season, Bradshaw led the Southeastern Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio -- despite wearing the cast.
He was limited during the offseason. He shot free throws with his left hand. He focused on his defense. He completed his communications degree in three years, graduating in May, and expects to finish his master's in sports management by the end of the school year.
Over the summer, he and junior teammate Chris Lofton set the tone for the Vols' ballyhooed freshman class. Every Saturday morning, Bradshaw and Lofton made their way to Neyland Stadium, where they met the team's strength and conditioning coach, Troy Wills, at the base of the stadium steps. They donned 25-pound weight vests and then made 15 trips up to the concourse level and back down again. By the end of the offseason, every member of the team had joined them.
"We had plenty of weight vests to go around," Bradshaw said.
One of Bradshaw's personal highlights of the summer was when freshman Josh Tabb, who also wore a cast on his fractured wrist, arrived for a Saturday workout. Then it started to rain. Tabb, his voice dripping with insincerity, told Bradshaw that he, alas, would not be able to run the steps that morning. He was supposed to keep his cast dry. Bradshaw ran to his car and returned with a plastic bag, which he tied around Tabb's cast. Tabb ran the steps.
"The biggest difference those workouts made for me was mental," Bradshaw said. "When you're fatigued, when you don't think you can make it up and down the court one last trip, I think about how hard those workouts were."
The Vols (6-2) have played well, with the notable exception of the team's trip to New York for the NIT Season Tip-Off last month. Tennessee lost to Butler by 12 and to North Carolina by 14. Bradshaw can sense his younger teammates' growing pains, even as he tries to nudge them along.
"We're a confident team, but we realize it's a learning process for all of us, being so young," he said. "I never take any opportunities for granted. And one thing I'm trying to tell these young kids is how fast it'll come for them. I think we may have learned that the hard way in New York."
-- Scott Cacciola: 529-2773
--------------------
No. 16 Tigers at Tennessee
When, where: Wednesday, 8 p.m. CST, at Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville
TV: ESPN2
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Commentary on Bruce Pearl's Comments
You have to love this guy..........
What a master motivator. He is telling the media and fans (and mostly likely his team) that Memphis doesn't respect the UT program. Well, that is obviously nuts. No sane person doesn't respect what Tennessee did last year - they beat the Florida Gators TWICE!!!!!
Yes, I respect the Vols, but I think Memphis is the more talented team.
I think Memphis wins (honest I do), but it will be a war.
Volunteer TV on the Tigers/Vols Game
Vols Get Ready To Take On Intra-State Rival Memphis
Interview With Coach Bruce Pearl Before The Memphis Game At Thompson-Boling Arena, 9:00 ESPN-2.
1. How successful have the Vols been in creating turnovers with defensive pressure?
A - "I think we are doing a good job. It's a team that can create turnovers, especially the experienced guys like JaJuan Smith and Chris Lofton. The younger players are learning how to do it, also. I think our press has been good."
2. How important is it for the fans to fill all 24,535 seats when Memphis comes to town Wednesday?
A - "It's vital. Memphis looks at itself as a national program. And it is. They look at Tennessee as a regional program. We are trying to become a national top 25 program. There is no program in the country that respects us less than Memphis, and that's because we haven't done enough to earn their respect. That should bother our fans enough that we should try to show Memphis we are indeed a national program. But we have to do it on the floor."
3. How does the future look for the Tennessee-Memphis rivalry, certainly a favorite with fans?
A - "It's a good rivalry because it is a favorite of fans. The players like it, too. It's good for basketball in the state of Tennessee."
4. What qualities does Memphis possess, bringing a high national rank to the Tigers?
A - "They are very athletic and pretty deep and as good a team as we'll play in driving and attacking the basket with spacing."
Tennessee vs. Memphis PreGame Notes:
• Tennessee will renew its cross-state rivalry with Memphis at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, when the Tigers visit Thompson-Boling Arena. ESPN2 will show the game to a national television audience.
• Since dropping two games in New York for the NIT Season Tip-Off finals the Vols have bounced back to win their last two outings. Chris Lofton led the Vols with 20 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field in an 89-64 victory over Murray State Friday, Dec. 1, in Knoxville.
• After playing five of their first seven games away from home this season, the Vols are in a stretch where they do not leave the state again until mid-January.
UT plays seven of its next eight at home, its only game away from home in that stretch is against Oklahoma State in Nashville on Dec. 18.
• Lofton leads the Vols and ranks second in the Southeastern Conference with 18.6 points per game. One of the top shooters in the nation, he is averaging 3.8 3-pointers per game and is connecting on 48.4 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. The junior from Maysville, Ky., needs four 3-pointers to move into second place on UT’s career 3-pointers made list.
• UT’s freshman post tandem of Duke Crews and Wayne Chism is combining to average 18.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. Crews is third on the team with 9.4 points and second with 5.0 rebounds. Chism leads the team with 6.6 rebounds and is fourth on the squad with 9.3 points. Neither is averaging more than 21 minutes per game.
• Tennessee has forced an average of 23.8 turnovers per game this season. Seven of eight opponents have turned the ball over at least 20 times against the Vols.
Looking At Memphis:
Memphis is 5-1 on the season heading into a Monday
night game against Marshall at FedEx Forum in
Memphis.
The Tigers have won three consecutive
games after their lone setback this season, an 85-92
loss to Georgia Tech at the Maui Invitational.
Sophomore guard Chris Douglas-Roberts leads four
Tigers in double figure scoring with 14.8 points per
game.
Jeremy Hunt adds 13.2 points while Robert
Dozier and Antonio Anderson average 12.2 and 11.3
points, respectively.
Joey Dorsey averages 9.0
points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds per game.
Four of UM’s five starters are taller than all but one
of UT’s starters.
Memphis is averaging 86.0 points and is forcing 21.5 turnovers per game.
The Tigersfinished in third place at the Maui Invitational this
year with wins over Oklahoma and Kentucky.
Memphis is playing the fourth game in a stretch
where the Tigers play five games in 11 days.
The Tigers were a consensus preseason pick to win the
Conference USA championship this year.
John Calipari is 153-60 in his seventh season at Memphis
and 346-131 in his 15th year has a head coach.
The Memphis Series:
Tennessee leads the all-time series 10-7.
Memphis has won the last two meetings after Tennessee had
won the previous five.
The Tigers took an 88-79 win last year at the FedEx Forum.
The Vols are 5-2 against the Tigers when playing in Knoxville.
The Tigers lead the series 4-4 when playing in Memphis.
The last six meetings have been decided by a total of 29 points.
Thirteen of the 17 all-time meetings between the two schools have been decided by 10 points or less.
Tennessee is 42-35 all-time against current members of Conference USA.
Last Meeting With Memphis
Dane Bradshaw’s career game wasn’t enough as the
Vols fell 79-88 to fourth-ranked Memphis Jan. 18, 2006, at the FedExForum.
Playing his first collegiate game in his hometown of Memphis, Bradshaw scored a career-high 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting to
go with 10 rebounds, five steals and four assists.
Memphis used a 10-0 run to turn a 69-69 tie with 6:45 left in the game into a 79-69 advantage with just over four minutes remaining to finally take control of the game.
Shawne Williams scored seven of the Tigers’ points during the run.
Bradshaw then scored four consecutive points to cut it to 80-74 with 2:54 remaining but the Vols could get no closer.
The two teams had battled back-and-forth in the first half with
Memphis leading by as many as nine points but the
Vols finish the half on a 16-6 run to take a 45-41 lead
at the break.
Chris Lofton scored 16 points and had three steals for the Vols while C.J. Watson added 14 points.
Major Wingate and Stanley Asumnu each had 11 points.
Rodney Carney led the Tigers with 22 points while Shawne Williams had a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds.
Tennessee shot a season-low 35.1 percent from the field and 28.0
percent from 3-point range.
Memphis registered 10 blocks in the game.
Updated, 12/05/06, 13:40 est
Interview With Coach Bruce Pearl Before The Memphis Game At Thompson-Boling Arena, 9:00 ESPN-2.
1. How successful have the Vols been in creating turnovers with defensive pressure?
A - "I think we are doing a good job. It's a team that can create turnovers, especially the experienced guys like JaJuan Smith and Chris Lofton. The younger players are learning how to do it, also. I think our press has been good."
2. How important is it for the fans to fill all 24,535 seats when Memphis comes to town Wednesday?
A - "It's vital. Memphis looks at itself as a national program. And it is. They look at Tennessee as a regional program. We are trying to become a national top 25 program. There is no program in the country that respects us less than Memphis, and that's because we haven't done enough to earn their respect. That should bother our fans enough that we should try to show Memphis we are indeed a national program. But we have to do it on the floor."
3. How does the future look for the Tennessee-Memphis rivalry, certainly a favorite with fans?
A - "It's a good rivalry because it is a favorite of fans. The players like it, too. It's good for basketball in the state of Tennessee."
4. What qualities does Memphis possess, bringing a high national rank to the Tigers?
A - "They are very athletic and pretty deep and as good a team as we'll play in driving and attacking the basket with spacing."
Tennessee vs. Memphis PreGame Notes:
• Tennessee will renew its cross-state rivalry with Memphis at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, when the Tigers visit Thompson-Boling Arena. ESPN2 will show the game to a national television audience.
• Since dropping two games in New York for the NIT Season Tip-Off finals the Vols have bounced back to win their last two outings. Chris Lofton led the Vols with 20 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field in an 89-64 victory over Murray State Friday, Dec. 1, in Knoxville.
• After playing five of their first seven games away from home this season, the Vols are in a stretch where they do not leave the state again until mid-January.
UT plays seven of its next eight at home, its only game away from home in that stretch is against Oklahoma State in Nashville on Dec. 18.
• Lofton leads the Vols and ranks second in the Southeastern Conference with 18.6 points per game. One of the top shooters in the nation, he is averaging 3.8 3-pointers per game and is connecting on 48.4 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. The junior from Maysville, Ky., needs four 3-pointers to move into second place on UT’s career 3-pointers made list.
• UT’s freshman post tandem of Duke Crews and Wayne Chism is combining to average 18.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. Crews is third on the team with 9.4 points and second with 5.0 rebounds. Chism leads the team with 6.6 rebounds and is fourth on the squad with 9.3 points. Neither is averaging more than 21 minutes per game.
• Tennessee has forced an average of 23.8 turnovers per game this season. Seven of eight opponents have turned the ball over at least 20 times against the Vols.
Looking At Memphis:
Memphis is 5-1 on the season heading into a Monday
night game against Marshall at FedEx Forum in
Memphis.
The Tigers have won three consecutive
games after their lone setback this season, an 85-92
loss to Georgia Tech at the Maui Invitational.
Sophomore guard Chris Douglas-Roberts leads four
Tigers in double figure scoring with 14.8 points per
game.
Jeremy Hunt adds 13.2 points while Robert
Dozier and Antonio Anderson average 12.2 and 11.3
points, respectively.
Joey Dorsey averages 9.0
points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds per game.
Four of UM’s five starters are taller than all but one
of UT’s starters.
Memphis is averaging 86.0 points and is forcing 21.5 turnovers per game.
The Tigersfinished in third place at the Maui Invitational this
year with wins over Oklahoma and Kentucky.
Memphis is playing the fourth game in a stretch
where the Tigers play five games in 11 days.
The Tigers were a consensus preseason pick to win the
Conference USA championship this year.
John Calipari is 153-60 in his seventh season at Memphis
and 346-131 in his 15th year has a head coach.
The Memphis Series:
Tennessee leads the all-time series 10-7.
Memphis has won the last two meetings after Tennessee had
won the previous five.
The Tigers took an 88-79 win last year at the FedEx Forum.
The Vols are 5-2 against the Tigers when playing in Knoxville.
The Tigers lead the series 4-4 when playing in Memphis.
The last six meetings have been decided by a total of 29 points.
Thirteen of the 17 all-time meetings between the two schools have been decided by 10 points or less.
Tennessee is 42-35 all-time against current members of Conference USA.
Last Meeting With Memphis
Dane Bradshaw’s career game wasn’t enough as the
Vols fell 79-88 to fourth-ranked Memphis Jan. 18, 2006, at the FedExForum.
Playing his first collegiate game in his hometown of Memphis, Bradshaw scored a career-high 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting to
go with 10 rebounds, five steals and four assists.
Memphis used a 10-0 run to turn a 69-69 tie with 6:45 left in the game into a 79-69 advantage with just over four minutes remaining to finally take control of the game.
Shawne Williams scored seven of the Tigers’ points during the run.
Bradshaw then scored four consecutive points to cut it to 80-74 with 2:54 remaining but the Vols could get no closer.
The two teams had battled back-and-forth in the first half with
Memphis leading by as many as nine points but the
Vols finish the half on a 16-6 run to take a 45-41 lead
at the break.
Chris Lofton scored 16 points and had three steals for the Vols while C.J. Watson added 14 points.
Major Wingate and Stanley Asumnu each had 11 points.
Rodney Carney led the Tigers with 22 points while Shawne Williams had a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds.
Tennessee shot a season-low 35.1 percent from the field and 28.0
percent from 3-point range.
Memphis registered 10 blocks in the game.
Updated, 12/05/06, 13:40 est
AOL Sports Analyzes Tennessee Basketball
Sweat-meister Bruce Pearl's 2007 Vols are a mixed bunch. Without the strong presence of Major Wingate (dismissed from the team earlier in the fall) in the paint, Tennessee looks alternately brilliant and horrid. Chris Lofton put an amazing 31 points on the board to accelerate the Vols past Louisiana Lafyette, winning 77-67, but the Vols should have had an easier time knocking off the Rajin' Cajuns with a true team effort. Tennessee's most recent game, against Murray State on December 1st, produced a respectable 89-64 win, but the Vols' 101-87 loss to UNC is probably what still resonates in the minds of most Vol fans. UT's other L, an upset loss to Butler in the NIT, has proven not to be such an upset after all; Butler went on to defeat Gonzaga in the finals, and finds itself in college basketball's Top 20 now with a 9-0 record to date.
My Commentary on the Marshall Game
Ok, much better..........
It's not perfect, but a big improvement over Saturday's Manhattan game. Overall, I was really happy with the defense once again. The offense still is having some problems, but tonight the offensive lulls didn't kill the Tigers because the defense stayed solid. Even when the Tigers failed to score for long streches, they didn't give up long runs (I'll exclude the last 4 minutes when Marshall made up 10 points). As a matter of fact, I think the longest strech was in the beginning of the second half when Marshall scored 6 straight to cut the lead to 11.
So, let's analyze.........
Robert Dozier is developing into a soild post player. While I'm still not real excited that he has decided he also has 3 point range, I'll accept it as long as he limits it to one or two per game.
I wish he'd work with Joey Dorsey on developing those post moves because he looks really solid with the curl to the lane and the turn around 5 footers.
Speaking of Joey Dorsey, another solid performance. I was disappointed with the 2 of 7 FGs (he definitely needs to work more on developing those shots), but 3 of 4 from the line (ok, your right, he didn't call the banked free-throw so he only gets credit for 2 of 4). How about the defensive presence. 4 blocks, 4 steals and 9 defensive boards. And how about this - only 2 personals in 26 minutes.
Anderson had an off-night and poor Doneal Mack is determined to keep throwing them up until the go in (1 of 7 from 3 point).
I thought Willie Kemp was outstanding. 8 points on 3 of 8 (2 of 5 3's), 7 boards, 5 assists and only 1 turnover. Perhaps his best game of the season.
Jeremy was solid once again and hit two huge three point shots to close the first half. I thought that eight point rally was really important to move the lead to 17 and probably deflate Marshall who was gunning to cut the lead under 10 going into the break.
Andre Allen was better. I thought he didn't try to shoot too much tonight. While he was only 2 of 5, I only thought one of his shots was ill-advised. He missed a little 15 footer, but it was a good shot and he was open. Allen picked up 3 assists versus only 1 turnover and stole the ball twice. Overall, pretty solid. I'll give him a 6.5 on the night.
CDR, what can you say? This kid is consistent and has an uncanny ability to score around the bucket. 14 points on 5 of 10 FGs, 3 of 3 from the line, 6 boards, 3 assists and one steal. Very nice.
And, I save the best for last - 85% from the line. Yippee!!!! They didn't seem nervous at all at the charity stripe. That was encouraging going into Knoxville.
CDR and Anderson scored 21 of the teams 78 (26.9%)
Kemp and Allen collected 8 assists and committed only 2 turnovers (4 to 1 ratio - excellent).
It's not perfect, but a big improvement over Saturday's Manhattan game. Overall, I was really happy with the defense once again. The offense still is having some problems, but tonight the offensive lulls didn't kill the Tigers because the defense stayed solid. Even when the Tigers failed to score for long streches, they didn't give up long runs (I'll exclude the last 4 minutes when Marshall made up 10 points). As a matter of fact, I think the longest strech was in the beginning of the second half when Marshall scored 6 straight to cut the lead to 11.
So, let's analyze.........
Robert Dozier is developing into a soild post player. While I'm still not real excited that he has decided he also has 3 point range, I'll accept it as long as he limits it to one or two per game.
I wish he'd work with Joey Dorsey on developing those post moves because he looks really solid with the curl to the lane and the turn around 5 footers.
Speaking of Joey Dorsey, another solid performance. I was disappointed with the 2 of 7 FGs (he definitely needs to work more on developing those shots), but 3 of 4 from the line (ok, your right, he didn't call the banked free-throw so he only gets credit for 2 of 4). How about the defensive presence. 4 blocks, 4 steals and 9 defensive boards. And how about this - only 2 personals in 26 minutes.
Anderson had an off-night and poor Doneal Mack is determined to keep throwing them up until the go in (1 of 7 from 3 point).
I thought Willie Kemp was outstanding. 8 points on 3 of 8 (2 of 5 3's), 7 boards, 5 assists and only 1 turnover. Perhaps his best game of the season.
Jeremy was solid once again and hit two huge three point shots to close the first half. I thought that eight point rally was really important to move the lead to 17 and probably deflate Marshall who was gunning to cut the lead under 10 going into the break.
Andre Allen was better. I thought he didn't try to shoot too much tonight. While he was only 2 of 5, I only thought one of his shots was ill-advised. He missed a little 15 footer, but it was a good shot and he was open. Allen picked up 3 assists versus only 1 turnover and stole the ball twice. Overall, pretty solid. I'll give him a 6.5 on the night.
CDR, what can you say? This kid is consistent and has an uncanny ability to score around the bucket. 14 points on 5 of 10 FGs, 3 of 3 from the line, 6 boards, 3 assists and one steal. Very nice.
And, I save the best for last - 85% from the line. Yippee!!!! They didn't seem nervous at all at the charity stripe. That was encouraging going into Knoxville.
CDR and Anderson scored 21 of the teams 78 (26.9%)
Kemp and Allen collected 8 assists and committed only 2 turnovers (4 to 1 ratio - excellent).
Post Game Quotes
Memphis Head Coach John Calipari
"I'm not real happy that we missed our last five or six shots, and they made their last five or six shots. But, we made our free throws, and we defended well. Against the zone, we did good stuff. We got the ball wherever we wanted to, and we were able to drive the ball. Defensively, we played some zone, and we played some trap down the side and did some different stuff. It was a pretty good effort."
"We had a lot of blocks and steals, and we pressed a little different today. We changed it up. We're going to try to press different against different teams. Jeremy Hunt was really good tonight, and I thought Robert Dozier was pretty good. I want Joey Dorsey to play as many minutes as he can and stay out of foul trouble. I just want him to play the game, and if he gets 31 or 32 minutes, then he's going to play that much."
Marshall Head Coach Ron Jirsa
"A good zone is a good defense, and it is tough stopping Memphis zone or man-to-man. We have played pretty good basketball, but not well enough to win the close games. We wanted to try to play a little better tonight, and I thought, in spurts, we played a little better against a very good team."
"Memphis took us out of a lot of things at the basket which I thought we could have made a difference. They blocked our shot eight times early in the game, and I thought that was a difference. They were also able to get the second-chance points and do a great job at the basket. Memphis is the best team we have played so far this season."
"I'm not real happy that we missed our last five or six shots, and they made their last five or six shots. But, we made our free throws, and we defended well. Against the zone, we did good stuff. We got the ball wherever we wanted to, and we were able to drive the ball. Defensively, we played some zone, and we played some trap down the side and did some different stuff. It was a pretty good effort."
"We had a lot of blocks and steals, and we pressed a little different today. We changed it up. We're going to try to press different against different teams. Jeremy Hunt was really good tonight, and I thought Robert Dozier was pretty good. I want Joey Dorsey to play as many minutes as he can and stay out of foul trouble. I just want him to play the game, and if he gets 31 or 32 minutes, then he's going to play that much."
Marshall Head Coach Ron Jirsa
"A good zone is a good defense, and it is tough stopping Memphis zone or man-to-man. We have played pretty good basketball, but not well enough to win the close games. We wanted to try to play a little better tonight, and I thought, in spurts, we played a little better against a very good team."
"Memphis took us out of a lot of things at the basket which I thought we could have made a difference. They blocked our shot eight times early in the game, and I thought that was a difference. They were also able to get the second-chance points and do a great job at the basket. Memphis is the best team we have played so far this season."
Monday, December 04, 2006
Official Box Score - Memphis 78, Marshall 59
Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS
Marshall vs Memphis
12/04/06 7:00 pm at Memphis, Tenn. (FedExForum)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VISITORS: Marshall 2-6, 0-1
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
03 AIKENS, Travis...... f 1-7 1-3 0-0 0 2 2 0 3 1 2 0 1 17
04 HUMPHREY, Markel.... f 5-11 0-3 2-4 2 7 9 1 12 1 2 0 2 30
21 BRO GREBE, Jean F... c 0-3 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 12
01 ROSS, Chris......... g 1-5 0-0 5-8 0 0 0 1 7 5 2 0 3 29
34 DORRIS, Mark........ g 3-8 1-3 1-1 0 1 1 1 8 0 2 0 0 16
00 MERTHIE, Darryl..... 1-6 0-2 2-6 0 2 2 3 4 2 2 0 0 14
05 WILLIAMS, Chris..... 1-4 0-1 2-3 2 5 7 3 4 2 1 0 1 19
14 WHITTED, Tre........ 5-10 4-6 0-0 0 1 1 2 14 0 2 0 0 18
15 JACKSON, Robbie..... 2-2 0-0 3-5 3 2 5 4 7 1 2 0 0 22
23 MARSHALL, Taurean... 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 1 0 1 2 0 0 11
32 WILKERSON, Tyler.... 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 7
43 OGLESBY, Jesse...... 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 5
TEAM................ 5 5
Totals.............. 19-58 6-19 15-27 14 24 38 19 59 13 17 2 7 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 6-27 22.2% 2nd Half: 13-31 41.9% Game: 32.8% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 2-9 22.2% 2nd Half: 4-10 40.0% Game: 31.6% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 8-16 50.0% 2nd Half: 7-11 63.6% Game: 55.6% 7,2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: Memphis 6-1, 1-0
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
02 Dozier, Robert...... f 5-6 1-1 5-5 1 2 3 3 16 2 2 2 0 21
32 Dorsey, Joey........ f 2-7 0-0 3-4 4 9 13 2 7 0 1 4 4 26
01 Kemp, Willie........ g 3-8 2-5 0-1 0 7 7 4 8 5 1 0 0 20
12 Anderson, Antonio... g 2-9 0-4 3-3 1 3 4 2 7 0 1 1 1 27
14 DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, C.. g 5-10 1-3 3-3 2 4 6 3 14 3 1 0 1 26
03 Willis, Tre'Von..... 2-3 2-3 1-2 1 0 1 0 7 0 2 0 0 7
04 Niles, Pierre....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 4 0 0 1 1 0 9
05 Hunt, Jeremy........ 3-6 2-5 1-1 0 0 0 0 9 1 4 2 2 25
15 Allen, Andre........ 2-5 0-1 1-1 0 1 1 0 5 3 1 0 2 19
20 Mack, Doneal........ 2-8 1-7 0-0 0 1 1 2 5 0 0 0 0 15
35 Bailey, Hashim...... 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 5
TEAM................ 2 2 1
Totals.............. 26-62 9-29 17-20 12 30 42 21 78 14 15 11 10 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 12-29 41.4% 2nd Half: 14-33 42.4% Game: 41.9% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 5-13 38.5% 2nd Half: 4-16 25.0% Game: 31.0% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 10-12 83.3% 2nd Half: 7-8 87.5% Game: 85.0% 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Officials: Steve Welmer, Jim Burr, Tom O'Neill
Technical fouls: Marshall-None. Memphis-None.
Attendance: 14183
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Marshall...................... 22 37 - 59
Memphis....................... 39 39 - 78
Points in the paint-MARSHALL 24,MEM 32. Points off turnovers-MARSHALL 14,MEM 26.
2nd chance points-MARSHALL 8,MEM 16. Fast break points-MARSHALL 12,MEM 23.
Bench points-MARSHALL 29,MEM 26. Score tied-1 time. Lead changed-1 time.
Last FG-MARSHALL 2nd-00:16, MEM 2nd-03:30.
Largest lead-MARSHALL by 2 1st-18:54, MEM by 33 2nd-04:44.
Marshall vs Memphis
12/04/06 7:00 pm at Memphis, Tenn. (FedExForum)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VISITORS: Marshall 2-6, 0-1
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
03 AIKENS, Travis...... f 1-7 1-3 0-0 0 2 2 0 3 1 2 0 1 17
04 HUMPHREY, Markel.... f 5-11 0-3 2-4 2 7 9 1 12 1 2 0 2 30
21 BRO GREBE, Jean F... c 0-3 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 12
01 ROSS, Chris......... g 1-5 0-0 5-8 0 0 0 1 7 5 2 0 3 29
34 DORRIS, Mark........ g 3-8 1-3 1-1 0 1 1 1 8 0 2 0 0 16
00 MERTHIE, Darryl..... 1-6 0-2 2-6 0 2 2 3 4 2 2 0 0 14
05 WILLIAMS, Chris..... 1-4 0-1 2-3 2 5 7 3 4 2 1 0 1 19
14 WHITTED, Tre........ 5-10 4-6 0-0 0 1 1 2 14 0 2 0 0 18
15 JACKSON, Robbie..... 2-2 0-0 3-5 3 2 5 4 7 1 2 0 0 22
23 MARSHALL, Taurean... 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 1 0 1 2 0 0 11
32 WILKERSON, Tyler.... 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 7
43 OGLESBY, Jesse...... 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 5
TEAM................ 5 5
Totals.............. 19-58 6-19 15-27 14 24 38 19 59 13 17 2 7 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 6-27 22.2% 2nd Half: 13-31 41.9% Game: 32.8% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 2-9 22.2% 2nd Half: 4-10 40.0% Game: 31.6% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 8-16 50.0% 2nd Half: 7-11 63.6% Game: 55.6% 7,2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: Memphis 6-1, 1-0
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
02 Dozier, Robert...... f 5-6 1-1 5-5 1 2 3 3 16 2 2 2 0 21
32 Dorsey, Joey........ f 2-7 0-0 3-4 4 9 13 2 7 0 1 4 4 26
01 Kemp, Willie........ g 3-8 2-5 0-1 0 7 7 4 8 5 1 0 0 20
12 Anderson, Antonio... g 2-9 0-4 3-3 1 3 4 2 7 0 1 1 1 27
14 DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, C.. g 5-10 1-3 3-3 2 4 6 3 14 3 1 0 1 26
03 Willis, Tre'Von..... 2-3 2-3 1-2 1 0 1 0 7 0 2 0 0 7
04 Niles, Pierre....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 4 0 0 1 1 0 9
05 Hunt, Jeremy........ 3-6 2-5 1-1 0 0 0 0 9 1 4 2 2 25
15 Allen, Andre........ 2-5 0-1 1-1 0 1 1 0 5 3 1 0 2 19
20 Mack, Doneal........ 2-8 1-7 0-0 0 1 1 2 5 0 0 0 0 15
35 Bailey, Hashim...... 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 5
TEAM................ 2 2 1
Totals.............. 26-62 9-29 17-20 12 30 42 21 78 14 15 11 10 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 12-29 41.4% 2nd Half: 14-33 42.4% Game: 41.9% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 5-13 38.5% 2nd Half: 4-16 25.0% Game: 31.0% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 10-12 83.3% 2nd Half: 7-8 87.5% Game: 85.0% 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Officials: Steve Welmer, Jim Burr, Tom O'Neill
Technical fouls: Marshall-None. Memphis-None.
Attendance: 14183
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Marshall...................... 22 37 - 59
Memphis....................... 39 39 - 78
Points in the paint-MARSHALL 24,MEM 32. Points off turnovers-MARSHALL 14,MEM 26.
2nd chance points-MARSHALL 8,MEM 16. Fast break points-MARSHALL 12,MEM 23.
Bench points-MARSHALL 29,MEM 26. Score tied-1 time. Lead changed-1 time.
Last FG-MARSHALL 2nd-00:16, MEM 2nd-03:30.
Largest lead-MARSHALL by 2 1st-18:54, MEM by 33 2nd-04:44.
Memphis 78, Marshall 59 - AP Story
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -The Memphis Tigers are at their best defensively with both Robert Dozier and Joey Dorsey on the court.
And they're pretty good at the other end of the court, too.
Dozier scored 16 points, and Chris Douglas-Roberts added 14 to lead No. 16 Memphis to a 78-59 victory over Marshall on Monday night in the Conference USA opener for both teams. Setting the defensive tone early, Memphis (6-1) held the Thundering Herd to 33 percent shooting en route to its fourth straight win.
''On the whole, they took us out of a lot of things at the basket,'' Marshall coach Ron Jirsa said. ''They blocked our shot eight times early. I thought that was the difference in the game. They did a great job on us at the basket.''
The pressure caused enough turnovers to allow the Tigers to maintain a comfortable lead, eventually building the advantage to 33 points late in the game. Dorsey had four of the 11 Memphis blocks, and added four steals and 13 rebounds.
Dozier was 5-of-6 from the field and made all five of his free throws in addition to his two first-half blocks.
At times, Dozier and Dorsey have suffered through foul trouble in early season games providing only a glimpse of what they bring when they are on the floor together.
''When they are in together, it's great for us because they're both on the glass, and (Dozier) is a scoring presence down low,'' Douglas-Roberts said.
''When we have both of them in at the same time, we're in great shape.''
Tre Whitted led Marshall with 14 points, and Markel Humphrey had 12 and nine rebounds.
The victory, another runaway for the Tigers, was a little more satisfying for Memphis than Saturday's 77-59 win over Manhattan. Memphis coach John Calipari thought his team looked a bit lackadaisical in the win over the Jaspers. Memphis players thought the intensity for Monday's conference opener was better.
''We knew we played sloppy (against Manhattan),'' Memphis senior guard Jeremy Hunt said. ''We knew we played slow. I told the team that we couldn't just come out. We needed to get right on them and jump the gun.''
Memphis built a double-digit lead in the first half, and maintained at least a 10-point advantage much of the rest of the game, although Marshall was able to slow the pace by switching to a zone defense.
''It's tough stopping Memphis in zone or man-to-man,'' Jirsa said. ''We have played pretty good basketball, but not well enough to win close games. We wanted to play a little better tonight, and I thought, in spurts, we played better against a very good team.''
Memphis opened a 15-point lead midway through the first half and was dominating with pressure defense, forcing turnovers and giving the Tigers easy baskets. Meanwhile, the Thundering Herd struggled from the field, shooting 18 percent at the time.
When Marshall switched to the zone, the Tigers began settling for outside jumpers with little success, missing six of seven shots.
''We were getting every shot we wanted, we just weren't making the shots,'' Douglas-Roberts said. ''A lot of teams are going to have to go to a zone or do halfcourt traps and press to slow us down because our offense is constantly running.''
Memphis struggled from the field in the opening stages of the second half, hitting only seven of its first 21 shots, but Marshall wasn't shooting much better. The Tigers extended the lead to 59-34 when Dozier scored on a breakaway dunk with just over 10 minutes left, capping an 18-4 Memphis run.
Jirsa said his team had played well against other teams, just not well enough to win, such as a 72-70 loss to California. He didn't want to change things that had worked early in the season, but hoped to do them better against a team ranked in the Top 20. Plus, he faced something no other C-USA team will face.
''No other team in our league is going to open up at Memphis,'' Jirsa said. ''That's, right now, the toughest game any team could have to start this league.''
And they're pretty good at the other end of the court, too.
Dozier scored 16 points, and Chris Douglas-Roberts added 14 to lead No. 16 Memphis to a 78-59 victory over Marshall on Monday night in the Conference USA opener for both teams. Setting the defensive tone early, Memphis (6-1) held the Thundering Herd to 33 percent shooting en route to its fourth straight win.
''On the whole, they took us out of a lot of things at the basket,'' Marshall coach Ron Jirsa said. ''They blocked our shot eight times early. I thought that was the difference in the game. They did a great job on us at the basket.''
The pressure caused enough turnovers to allow the Tigers to maintain a comfortable lead, eventually building the advantage to 33 points late in the game. Dorsey had four of the 11 Memphis blocks, and added four steals and 13 rebounds.
Dozier was 5-of-6 from the field and made all five of his free throws in addition to his two first-half blocks.
At times, Dozier and Dorsey have suffered through foul trouble in early season games providing only a glimpse of what they bring when they are on the floor together.
''When they are in together, it's great for us because they're both on the glass, and (Dozier) is a scoring presence down low,'' Douglas-Roberts said.
''When we have both of them in at the same time, we're in great shape.''
Tre Whitted led Marshall with 14 points, and Markel Humphrey had 12 and nine rebounds.
The victory, another runaway for the Tigers, was a little more satisfying for Memphis than Saturday's 77-59 win over Manhattan. Memphis coach John Calipari thought his team looked a bit lackadaisical in the win over the Jaspers. Memphis players thought the intensity for Monday's conference opener was better.
''We knew we played sloppy (against Manhattan),'' Memphis senior guard Jeremy Hunt said. ''We knew we played slow. I told the team that we couldn't just come out. We needed to get right on them and jump the gun.''
Memphis built a double-digit lead in the first half, and maintained at least a 10-point advantage much of the rest of the game, although Marshall was able to slow the pace by switching to a zone defense.
''It's tough stopping Memphis in zone or man-to-man,'' Jirsa said. ''We have played pretty good basketball, but not well enough to win close games. We wanted to play a little better tonight, and I thought, in spurts, we played better against a very good team.''
Memphis opened a 15-point lead midway through the first half and was dominating with pressure defense, forcing turnovers and giving the Tigers easy baskets. Meanwhile, the Thundering Herd struggled from the field, shooting 18 percent at the time.
When Marshall switched to the zone, the Tigers began settling for outside jumpers with little success, missing six of seven shots.
''We were getting every shot we wanted, we just weren't making the shots,'' Douglas-Roberts said. ''A lot of teams are going to have to go to a zone or do halfcourt traps and press to slow us down because our offense is constantly running.''
Memphis struggled from the field in the opening stages of the second half, hitting only seven of its first 21 shots, but Marshall wasn't shooting much better. The Tigers extended the lead to 59-34 when Dozier scored on a breakaway dunk with just over 10 minutes left, capping an 18-4 Memphis run.
Jirsa said his team had played well against other teams, just not well enough to win, such as a 72-70 loss to California. He didn't want to change things that had worked early in the season, but hoped to do them better against a team ranked in the Top 20. Plus, he faced something no other C-USA team will face.
''No other team in our league is going to open up at Memphis,'' Jirsa said. ''That's, right now, the toughest game any team could have to start this league.''
Memphis, Marshall Both Hunt for C-USA Opening Win
Memphis, Marshall both hunt for C-USA opening win
By Dan Wolken
December 4, 2006
Though it may sound obvious, Marshall coach Ron Jirsa sees a potential benefit in opening Conference USA play tonight against the University of Memphis.
"If you win," Jirsa said, "you're 1-0 in the league."
So if you're looking for stakes at FedExForum tonight, the earliest league game in C-USA history will provide either Marshall or No. 14-ranked Memphis the chance to get a jump on the competition before conference play begins in earnest the second week of January.
That could be especially important for the Tigers, given that their next conference game could theoretically be their toughest, Jan. 11 at Houston.
And sitting on an 0-1 league record for more than a month isn't something that particularly interests Tigers coach John Calipari.
"Oh, man," Calipari said, responding to that scenario. "But one of us is going to lose, and we just want to be prepared to put ourselves in position to do what we do.
"I would hope there's a big importance to every time we play a league game and especially a home league game. We'll figure out if these guys know."
If you're wondering why Memphis is playing Marshall so early, it's a product of C-USA expanding the league schedule from 14 to 16 games, something Calipari grudgingly went along with.
Memphis had already agreed to play at Gonzaga on Feb. 17, a Saturday that would normally be reserved for an open date during a 14-game conference schedule.
Marshall was in a similar predicament because of its game with in-state rival West Virginia on Jan. 24. Thus, when the league schedule went to 16 games, the C-USA office paired up the two teams to play a December game and avoid a scheduling conflict.
That provides an unusual challenge for Memphis, given that the Tigers were able to sleepwalk through victories over Arkansas State and Manhattan last week. Things probably won't be so easy tonight, given that the level of intensity usually goes up in league games, especially those involving Memphis.
For Marshall, beating the Tigers could be a season-maker, as it almost was last season when the Tigers got down by 11 points early in Huntington before sweating out a 91-81 victory.
"We're ranked and they're not, so we know they're going to be ready to play and try to give us their best effort and I'm pretty sure they will," senior guard Jeremy Hunt said. "Marshall is one of those teams that can easily beat you any kind of way."
Though Marshall is 2-5, it has been playing conference-style games all season. Its wins have come by a combined three points. Its five losses have been suffered by an average of 3.8 points.
Jirsa said playing so many games down to the wire is something his team can draw from as it moves into the league, where close games will probably be the norm.
"There's two sides to every game, and you have to stay focused on learning," Jirsa said. "We have to learn from our effort."
Marshall got the attention of Memphis players with a 72-70 loss to California in the Great Alaska Shootout, a game that the Thundering Herd had several opportunities to win.
"I know it's early for a conference game, and normally it's after New Year's, but it's early this year and we've got to be prepared," sophomore forward Robert Dozier said. "We saw Marshall lose a tough game to Cal, so we've got to come out to play."
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
By Dan Wolken
December 4, 2006
Though it may sound obvious, Marshall coach Ron Jirsa sees a potential benefit in opening Conference USA play tonight against the University of Memphis.
"If you win," Jirsa said, "you're 1-0 in the league."
So if you're looking for stakes at FedExForum tonight, the earliest league game in C-USA history will provide either Marshall or No. 14-ranked Memphis the chance to get a jump on the competition before conference play begins in earnest the second week of January.
That could be especially important for the Tigers, given that their next conference game could theoretically be their toughest, Jan. 11 at Houston.
And sitting on an 0-1 league record for more than a month isn't something that particularly interests Tigers coach John Calipari.
"Oh, man," Calipari said, responding to that scenario. "But one of us is going to lose, and we just want to be prepared to put ourselves in position to do what we do.
"I would hope there's a big importance to every time we play a league game and especially a home league game. We'll figure out if these guys know."
If you're wondering why Memphis is playing Marshall so early, it's a product of C-USA expanding the league schedule from 14 to 16 games, something Calipari grudgingly went along with.
Memphis had already agreed to play at Gonzaga on Feb. 17, a Saturday that would normally be reserved for an open date during a 14-game conference schedule.
Marshall was in a similar predicament because of its game with in-state rival West Virginia on Jan. 24. Thus, when the league schedule went to 16 games, the C-USA office paired up the two teams to play a December game and avoid a scheduling conflict.
That provides an unusual challenge for Memphis, given that the Tigers were able to sleepwalk through victories over Arkansas State and Manhattan last week. Things probably won't be so easy tonight, given that the level of intensity usually goes up in league games, especially those involving Memphis.
For Marshall, beating the Tigers could be a season-maker, as it almost was last season when the Tigers got down by 11 points early in Huntington before sweating out a 91-81 victory.
"We're ranked and they're not, so we know they're going to be ready to play and try to give us their best effort and I'm pretty sure they will," senior guard Jeremy Hunt said. "Marshall is one of those teams that can easily beat you any kind of way."
Though Marshall is 2-5, it has been playing conference-style games all season. Its wins have come by a combined three points. Its five losses have been suffered by an average of 3.8 points.
Jirsa said playing so many games down to the wire is something his team can draw from as it moves into the league, where close games will probably be the norm.
"There's two sides to every game, and you have to stay focused on learning," Jirsa said. "We have to learn from our effort."
Marshall got the attention of Memphis players with a 72-70 loss to California in the Great Alaska Shootout, a game that the Thundering Herd had several opportunities to win.
"I know it's early for a conference game, and normally it's after New Year's, but it's early this year and we've got to be prepared," sophomore forward Robert Dozier said. "We saw Marshall lose a tough game to Cal, so we've got to come out to play."
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
My Commentary on the Manhattan Game
Well, let's see I could complain about the Tigers inability to convert free throws or their poor percentage from the 3 point line, but that wouldn't add very much to anyone's analysis of the game. Let's face it, my seven and five year daughters could pick up on that, so nothing more needs to be said.
However, I will make one point that I don't think many people would have noticed. I think it is telling that not only are the poor free throw shooters like Andre Allen and the freshman having a hard time, but even the better shooters like CDR and Antonio Anderson are sub-par. In my opinion, this is stress-induced. Think about it. Cal tells the media that they aren't worried about it (read they are worried about it). We know that the Tigers are spending more official time in practice working on free throws and the players have been "encouraged" to work on it in their free time. So, I think everyone is tightening up when they go to the line to perform. Free throws under pressure are more difficult. These guys are trying too hard (at least those with the ability like CDR and Anderson).
Now that is a great lead into to my next topic - WHY DOES ANDRE ALLEN SHOOT? He is terrible - good assist man, good rebounder for a guard, fast, exciting, but he can't hit the side of a barn from 2 feet or from 23 feet. You don't believe me. Evidence - he was 1 of 6 from the floor versus Manhattan (including missing 2 of 3 LAY-UPS). He is 9 of 31 (29.0%) for the season. I didn't say from 3 point range. That is even WORSE - 3 fo 13 (23.1%). Just in case your wondering 8 or 20 (40%) from the free throw line.
Ok, you say, but he gets fouled a lot on those lay-ups. So what, he can't hit a free throw, so how does that help the team? Now, on occasion, he passes to another player and he gets an assist - I agree, that is beneficial. Conclusion - he should pass more and shoot less.
Ok, let's move on.
As my friend George loves to point out, Memphis does not know how to attack a ZONE defense. I wish I had kept the stats on this one. How many offensive baskets did Memphis score in the half-court offense against the zone. Well, I don't know the official number (I don't think I could watch the game again), but I can back into a pretty good estimate. Memphis scored 28 field goals. 10 were scored on fast-breaks. That means we start with approximately 18 in the half-court offense. There were at least 6 or 7 scored versus the man-to-man. So let's be liberal. We'll say 10 were scored versus the zone. Folks, that isn't going to cut it.
So, many of you will say I'm being overly negative. Yes, I am. I expect more from these guys. I really expect more from Cal to design better plays versus the zone.
Are there things I love - yes. I love this team's defensive energy and intensity. Nolan Richardson and Mike Anderson would be impressed. This is 40 minutes of hell.
Can Memphis win without good outside shooting and poor free throw shooting. Probably, if they lead the country in FG defense. Right now they are holding opponents to 38.8%. Ken Pomeroy ranks the Tigers #14 in total defensive efficiency. But, on the road things will get very hard.
At the moment I'm not feeling so good thinking about traveling to Tennessee (Wednesday) and Arizona (Dec 20).
Ok, for the intangibles. CDR and Anderson scored 20 of 77 (26.0%). Kemp and Allen had 8 assists and only 2 turnovers. Fantastic. See, I'm not always negative.
Jeremy Hunt proved he is human with a sub-par game for him. But Robert Dozier and Joey Dorsey were excellent. Great game for both. Check out Dorsey's line. 4 for 4 FGs, 2 of 4 FTs, 10 points, 12 RBs, 5 blocks and 4 steals. In 26 minutes, Wow!
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Clang! Free Throws Just Not Falling
Clang! Free throws just not falling
By Jim Masilak
December 3, 2006
The University of Memphis men's basketball team makes more free throws than it misses.
Barely, perhaps, but that's about the best thing that can be said at this point about the Tigers' accuracy, or
lack thereof, from the foul line.
The Tigers entered Saturday's game against Manhattan at FedExForum misfiring at a miserable 59.3-percent clip from 15 feet -- bad enough to rank 303rd in the country.
And things only got worse during a lackluster 77-59 victory over the Jaspers.
Missing short, long, left and right, the 14th-ranked Tigers (5-1) hit just 17-of-32 free-throw attempts (53.1 percent). Eight players missed at least one foul shot, and only sophomore forward Robert Dozier, who was 5-for-6, managed to hit more than two-thirds of his attempts.
"Our free-throw shooting woes, or whatever, I don't know what it is. I don't have an answer for it," sophomore guard Chris Douglas-Roberts said. "We're shooting 50 percent as a team and that's terrible."
Asked if the Tigers might prefer the option of taking the ball out of bounds after being fouled, rather than go to the line, Dozier chuckled but then turned serious.
"We can't be a great team and miss free throws like we do," he said. "We've got to start knocking them down in order to seal games."
The Tigers have never shot free throws particularly well during coach John Calipari's six-plus seasons in Memphis. Their shooting in dead-ball situations peaked at 68.4 percent during the 2004-05 season and reached its nadir in '00-01, his first year in charge, when they managed to make just 63.5 percent of their attempts.
This year, however, has seen their free-throw shooting reach a new low. By missing 74 foul shots through the first six games -- their percentage fell to 58.2 after Saturday's victory -- the Tigers are leaving an average of 12.3 points on the floor each time out.
The U of M's opponents, in contrast, are making a healthy 76.4 percent of their free throws.
While Calipari expressed frustration with his team's waywardness, he remains confident things will get better.
"You've got guys who want to be professional, but they go to the free-throw line and barely hit rim. When you get to the line, you've got to make free throws," Calipari said. "We've got good 3-point shooters, and we've got good free-throw shooters. Hopefully, in the games we need to make 3-pointers and free throws, we do."
The Tigers have found ways to fit more free-throw shooting into their practices, but assistant coach Derek Kellogg said it's incumbent on the players to work on that aspect of the game.
"I don't think it's anything we're too concerned about," he said, noting that the Tigers generally improve as the season wears on. "We have been working on it in practice some. Whenever we take a break, instead of just going over to get water, we shoot some free throws.
"We also want the guys to make a conscious effort to get in the gym more and work on their shooting if they're struggling, whether it's free throws, mid-range jumpers or 3-pointers. Free-throw shooting is something you can work on just by going to the gym."
Kellogg also stressed the importance of backcourt players converting on their attempts.
On Saturday, guards Andre Allen, Antonio Anderson, Jeremy Hunt, Willie Kemp and Doneal Mack went a combined 6-for-16 from the line.
Anderson came into the game as the Tigers' leading free-throw shooter at 76.2 percent and was one of just three players hitting more than 60 percent of his attempts. But he uncharacteristically missed both shots following a technical foul in the second half to underline the U of M's woes.
"Luckily it hasn't cost us yet," Kellogg said, "but there are gonna be some close games when we're gonna need to knock them down."
By Jim Masilak
December 3, 2006
The University of Memphis men's basketball team makes more free throws than it misses.
Barely, perhaps, but that's about the best thing that can be said at this point about the Tigers' accuracy, or
lack thereof, from the foul line.
The Tigers entered Saturday's game against Manhattan at FedExForum misfiring at a miserable 59.3-percent clip from 15 feet -- bad enough to rank 303rd in the country.
And things only got worse during a lackluster 77-59 victory over the Jaspers.
Missing short, long, left and right, the 14th-ranked Tigers (5-1) hit just 17-of-32 free-throw attempts (53.1 percent). Eight players missed at least one foul shot, and only sophomore forward Robert Dozier, who was 5-for-6, managed to hit more than two-thirds of his attempts.
"Our free-throw shooting woes, or whatever, I don't know what it is. I don't have an answer for it," sophomore guard Chris Douglas-Roberts said. "We're shooting 50 percent as a team and that's terrible."
Asked if the Tigers might prefer the option of taking the ball out of bounds after being fouled, rather than go to the line, Dozier chuckled but then turned serious.
"We can't be a great team and miss free throws like we do," he said. "We've got to start knocking them down in order to seal games."
The Tigers have never shot free throws particularly well during coach John Calipari's six-plus seasons in Memphis. Their shooting in dead-ball situations peaked at 68.4 percent during the 2004-05 season and reached its nadir in '00-01, his first year in charge, when they managed to make just 63.5 percent of their attempts.
This year, however, has seen their free-throw shooting reach a new low. By missing 74 foul shots through the first six games -- their percentage fell to 58.2 after Saturday's victory -- the Tigers are leaving an average of 12.3 points on the floor each time out.
The U of M's opponents, in contrast, are making a healthy 76.4 percent of their free throws.
While Calipari expressed frustration with his team's waywardness, he remains confident things will get better.
"You've got guys who want to be professional, but they go to the free-throw line and barely hit rim. When you get to the line, you've got to make free throws," Calipari said. "We've got good 3-point shooters, and we've got good free-throw shooters. Hopefully, in the games we need to make 3-pointers and free throws, we do."
The Tigers have found ways to fit more free-throw shooting into their practices, but assistant coach Derek Kellogg said it's incumbent on the players to work on that aspect of the game.
"I don't think it's anything we're too concerned about," he said, noting that the Tigers generally improve as the season wears on. "We have been working on it in practice some. Whenever we take a break, instead of just going over to get water, we shoot some free throws.
"We also want the guys to make a conscious effort to get in the gym more and work on their shooting if they're struggling, whether it's free throws, mid-range jumpers or 3-pointers. Free-throw shooting is something you can work on just by going to the gym."
Kellogg also stressed the importance of backcourt players converting on their attempts.
On Saturday, guards Andre Allen, Antonio Anderson, Jeremy Hunt, Willie Kemp and Doneal Mack went a combined 6-for-16 from the line.
Anderson came into the game as the Tigers' leading free-throw shooter at 76.2 percent and was one of just three players hitting more than 60 percent of his attempts. But he uncharacteristically missed both shots following a technical foul in the second half to underline the U of M's woes.
"Luckily it hasn't cost us yet," Kellogg said, "but there are gonna be some close games when we're gonna need to knock them down."
Commercial Appeal Story on Manhattan Game
Tigers get win, little else
By Dan Wolken
December 3, 2006
There is, ultimately, only so much satisfaction that can be gained from beating a badly overmatched opponent the first week of December, no matter the score or the style.
And so the University of Memphis must constantly find new ways to measure itself, always mindful that the result is sometimes less important than the progress toward what this basketball team believes it can be.
Take, for instance, Saturday's relatively easy 77-59 victory over Manhattan in front of an announced crowd of 15,087 at FedExForum.
On the surface, it was an 18-point win over a traditionally strong mid-major in which No. 14 Memphis sprinted to an early 10-2 lead and was never really threatened as it improved to 5-1.
Yet the Tigers' disappointment was palpable, in everything from their poor free-throw shooting to their lack of concentration after building a 25-point lead to their inability to stop Manhattan's penetration in the second half.
It didn't quite feel like a loss. But judged against Memphis' high standards, it wasn't exactly a victory.
"We got the win, but it was ugly," said sophomore Robert Dozier, who scored a game-high 19 points. "We can't afford to do that against teams like Arizona or Gonzaga or Tennessee. We've got to play the whole game. We can't have five- or six-minute stretches where we're not playing any D, just fouling, not making shots. We can't do that because we can't be a good team that way."
The story wasn't in the numbers. Memphis shot 42.4 percent, forced 26 turnovers and held Manhattan (2-5) to 34-percent shooting, all statistics the Tigers usually win with.
The disappointment was in Memphis' inability to sustain energy after starting the second half with a 12-0 run to extend the lead to 55-26 and in its propensity to make silly mistakes that could lead to bad habits down the road.
Like Andre Allen botching a wild alley-oop off the backboard late in the game when he could have had a layup. Like Antonio Anderson leaving his feet for a pass into traffic that resulted in a turnover. Like Willie Kemp jacking up a contested 3-pointer with Memphis ahead, 63-40, and plenty of time left on the shot clock.
It got so sloppy that, as the margin closed to 67-47 with 5:41 left, Calipari threatened to bench the next player who let a Manhattan guard beat the Tigers off the dribble. Over the next two minutes, the Tigers went on an 8-0 run, but as Calipari later explained, they shouldn't have needed that kind of jolt.
"I'm disappointed," he said. "We took our foot off the pedal a little bit and backed up, but that's no reason to stop scrambling.
"As you go through a season, you're going to have some bad games and good games. Some bad games are caused by the other team. They play a 2-3 zone, we get out of the press and break down defensively a little bit, but give Manhattan credit. We had them down 30 and it could have been 40 or 50, but they fight back and stay in the game."
One good sign from Memphis' second half was the effort of Joey Dorsey, who scored 10 points on 4-of-4 field goal shooting, with 12 rebounds, five blocked shots and four steals. His inside power was a nice complement to Dozier's finesse. Dozier had nine rebounds and four blocks but was more impressive offensively, making 7-of-11 from the field and showing a nice range of moves.
But that still wasn't enough to please the Tigers, who made just 4-of-22 from the 3-point line, 17-of-32 free throws and committed 18 turnovers.
"We're getting a little spoiled because even when we play bad, we still win by 20," sophomore guard Chris Douglas-Roberts (14 points) said. "And we've got to know we're going to play some real, real elite teams.
"If we play like that, like we played tonight, against Marshall or Tennessee, we'll lose."
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
By Dan Wolken
December 3, 2006
There is, ultimately, only so much satisfaction that can be gained from beating a badly overmatched opponent the first week of December, no matter the score or the style.
And so the University of Memphis must constantly find new ways to measure itself, always mindful that the result is sometimes less important than the progress toward what this basketball team believes it can be.
Take, for instance, Saturday's relatively easy 77-59 victory over Manhattan in front of an announced crowd of 15,087 at FedExForum.
On the surface, it was an 18-point win over a traditionally strong mid-major in which No. 14 Memphis sprinted to an early 10-2 lead and was never really threatened as it improved to 5-1.
Yet the Tigers' disappointment was palpable, in everything from their poor free-throw shooting to their lack of concentration after building a 25-point lead to their inability to stop Manhattan's penetration in the second half.
It didn't quite feel like a loss. But judged against Memphis' high standards, it wasn't exactly a victory.
"We got the win, but it was ugly," said sophomore Robert Dozier, who scored a game-high 19 points. "We can't afford to do that against teams like Arizona or Gonzaga or Tennessee. We've got to play the whole game. We can't have five- or six-minute stretches where we're not playing any D, just fouling, not making shots. We can't do that because we can't be a good team that way."
The story wasn't in the numbers. Memphis shot 42.4 percent, forced 26 turnovers and held Manhattan (2-5) to 34-percent shooting, all statistics the Tigers usually win with.
The disappointment was in Memphis' inability to sustain energy after starting the second half with a 12-0 run to extend the lead to 55-26 and in its propensity to make silly mistakes that could lead to bad habits down the road.
Like Andre Allen botching a wild alley-oop off the backboard late in the game when he could have had a layup. Like Antonio Anderson leaving his feet for a pass into traffic that resulted in a turnover. Like Willie Kemp jacking up a contested 3-pointer with Memphis ahead, 63-40, and plenty of time left on the shot clock.
It got so sloppy that, as the margin closed to 67-47 with 5:41 left, Calipari threatened to bench the next player who let a Manhattan guard beat the Tigers off the dribble. Over the next two minutes, the Tigers went on an 8-0 run, but as Calipari later explained, they shouldn't have needed that kind of jolt.
"I'm disappointed," he said. "We took our foot off the pedal a little bit and backed up, but that's no reason to stop scrambling.
"As you go through a season, you're going to have some bad games and good games. Some bad games are caused by the other team. They play a 2-3 zone, we get out of the press and break down defensively a little bit, but give Manhattan credit. We had them down 30 and it could have been 40 or 50, but they fight back and stay in the game."
One good sign from Memphis' second half was the effort of Joey Dorsey, who scored 10 points on 4-of-4 field goal shooting, with 12 rebounds, five blocked shots and four steals. His inside power was a nice complement to Dozier's finesse. Dozier had nine rebounds and four blocks but was more impressive offensively, making 7-of-11 from the field and showing a nice range of moves.
But that still wasn't enough to please the Tigers, who made just 4-of-22 from the 3-point line, 17-of-32 free throws and committed 18 turnovers.
"We're getting a little spoiled because even when we play bad, we still win by 20," sophomore guard Chris Douglas-Roberts (14 points) said. "And we've got to know we're going to play some real, real elite teams.
"If we play like that, like we played tonight, against Marshall or Tennessee, we'll lose."
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
AP Wire Story - Memphis 77, Manahattan 59
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -Memphis isn't easily pleased, and Tigers coach John Calipari says that's a good thing.
Robert Dozier had 19 points and nine rebounds Saturday to help No. 14 Memphis cruise past Manhattan 77-59. The Tigers dominated inside and their pressure defense was too much for the Jaspers to handle.
Memphis' five victories have come by an average of 23 points. Despite leading by as many 29 early in the second half against Manhattan, Calipari saw plenty of flaws in the performance. The Memphis coach noted mediocre guard play, inconsistency and a lack of emotion from his team.
''We're all upset by 18- to 20-point wins. That's a good sign,'' Calipari said.
Dozier shot 7-of-11 from the field and Memphis (5-1), which had five players in double figures, never trailed. The Jaspers managed only one tie, midway through the first half. Still, players, like Dozier, joined in Calipari's assessment of a less-than-stellar effort.
''Yeah, we got the win,'' Dozier said, ''but it was ugly.''
''I think we're getting a little spoiled because even when we play bad, we still win by 20,'' said Chris Douglas-Roberts, who finished with 14 points. ''We've got to know that we're going to play some elite teams and an effort like this won't get it done.''
Willie Kemp , Jeremy Hunt and Joey Dorsey scored 10 points apiece. Dorsey also had 12 rebounds. Dorsey had five blocks, and Dozier turned away four shots.
''I thought at times, Robert Dozier was really good making some plays,'' Calipari said. ''He's still not balanced, not making a play when he gets bumped. Those are things we're going to try and keep working on with him.''
Devon Austin led Manhattan with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Darryl Crawford scored 10 points. The Jaspers have lost four straight.
The Tigers forced 26 turnovers and caused the Jaspers to shoot 34 percent. Memphis scored 33 points off turnovers.
''We knew it would be a challenge, and we had too many turnovers,'' Manhattan coach Barry Rohrssen said.
Memphis outrebounded Manhattan 44-37 but shot 17-of-32 from the free-throw line.
''You've got guys who want to be professionals, who go to the line and barely hit the rim,'' Calipari said shaking his head.
The Memphis press caused early problems for the Jaspers and Dozier controlled the inside, scoring eight points before the first timeout. Manhattan was able to beat the press several times by going over the top of the defense with enough success to pull even midway through the first half.
The Tigers then began working inside and clicked off a 14-2 run, then continued to build the advantage, leading 43-26 at the half.
Dozier had 13 points in the half and Kemp had all 10 of his points before the break.
''They were moving the ball around a lot, and they are a difficult team to face because of their pressure and athleticism,'' Rohrssen said. ''It is a team that can hurt you in many ways and can wear you down during the course of the game.''
The Tigers continued to build the lead after the break, scoring the first 12 points of the half for their biggest lead at 55-26.
But Calipari said he did not see the drive and emotion that should come from such a win. He noted that despite being down by 29, Manhattan didn't let the game turn into more of a runaway - a sign his team did not keep putting on pressure when it had someone down.
''It shouldn't be hard at all, if you want to play,'' Calipari said. ''If you don't want to be out there playing, it's not a big deal. Let other guys play.
''Show some emotion. How about a smile? I told those guys: 'If you're going to act like you're not having fun, why? What's not fun?'''
Robert Dozier had 19 points and nine rebounds Saturday to help No. 14 Memphis cruise past Manhattan 77-59. The Tigers dominated inside and their pressure defense was too much for the Jaspers to handle.
Memphis' five victories have come by an average of 23 points. Despite leading by as many 29 early in the second half against Manhattan, Calipari saw plenty of flaws in the performance. The Memphis coach noted mediocre guard play, inconsistency and a lack of emotion from his team.
''We're all upset by 18- to 20-point wins. That's a good sign,'' Calipari said.
Dozier shot 7-of-11 from the field and Memphis (5-1), which had five players in double figures, never trailed. The Jaspers managed only one tie, midway through the first half. Still, players, like Dozier, joined in Calipari's assessment of a less-than-stellar effort.
''Yeah, we got the win,'' Dozier said, ''but it was ugly.''
''I think we're getting a little spoiled because even when we play bad, we still win by 20,'' said Chris Douglas-Roberts, who finished with 14 points. ''We've got to know that we're going to play some elite teams and an effort like this won't get it done.''
Willie Kemp , Jeremy Hunt and Joey Dorsey scored 10 points apiece. Dorsey also had 12 rebounds. Dorsey had five blocks, and Dozier turned away four shots.
''I thought at times, Robert Dozier was really good making some plays,'' Calipari said. ''He's still not balanced, not making a play when he gets bumped. Those are things we're going to try and keep working on with him.''
Devon Austin led Manhattan with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Darryl Crawford scored 10 points. The Jaspers have lost four straight.
The Tigers forced 26 turnovers and caused the Jaspers to shoot 34 percent. Memphis scored 33 points off turnovers.
''We knew it would be a challenge, and we had too many turnovers,'' Manhattan coach Barry Rohrssen said.
Memphis outrebounded Manhattan 44-37 but shot 17-of-32 from the free-throw line.
''You've got guys who want to be professionals, who go to the line and barely hit the rim,'' Calipari said shaking his head.
The Memphis press caused early problems for the Jaspers and Dozier controlled the inside, scoring eight points before the first timeout. Manhattan was able to beat the press several times by going over the top of the defense with enough success to pull even midway through the first half.
The Tigers then began working inside and clicked off a 14-2 run, then continued to build the advantage, leading 43-26 at the half.
Dozier had 13 points in the half and Kemp had all 10 of his points before the break.
''They were moving the ball around a lot, and they are a difficult team to face because of their pressure and athleticism,'' Rohrssen said. ''It is a team that can hurt you in many ways and can wear you down during the course of the game.''
The Tigers continued to build the lead after the break, scoring the first 12 points of the half for their biggest lead at 55-26.
But Calipari said he did not see the drive and emotion that should come from such a win. He noted that despite being down by 29, Manhattan didn't let the game turn into more of a runaway - a sign his team did not keep putting on pressure when it had someone down.
''It shouldn't be hard at all, if you want to play,'' Calipari said. ''If you don't want to be out there playing, it's not a big deal. Let other guys play.
''Show some emotion. How about a smile? I told those guys: 'If you're going to act like you're not having fun, why? What's not fun?'''
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Manhattan Jaspers' Start Dulls Hoped-For RPI Pop
Jaspers' start dulls hoped-for RPI pop
By Jim Masilak
December 2, 2006
John Calipari and Barry Rohrssen first met some 25 years ago as roommates and counselors at Howard Garfinkel's legendary Five-Star basketball camp.
"He's someone very special to me. I consider him even more family than friend. He's been a brother to me," said Rohrssen, the first-year coach at Manhattan, which faces the University of Memphis today at noon at FedExForum.
"He's been very generous with his time and guidance during my coaching career. That's something I'll always be appreciative of."
When Calipari scheduled Manhattan as one of the UofM's non-conference opponents, the Tigers' coach was doing more than a favor for an old friend.
With the Jaspers having played in either the NCAA tournament (2003-04) or the NIT ('02, '05) in four of the past five seasons, Calipari expected a solid mid-major opponent that would boost the Tigers' RPI.
What Calipari wasn't counting on was the Jaspers losing their season opener to a team, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, that was making its Division 1 debut.
Manhattan's 56-55 home loss to NJIT on Nov. 11 is one reason the Jaspers (2-4) enter today's game with a desultory RPI ranking of 317, according to Ken Pomeroy's Friday calculations. (Memphis is rated 20th.)
"New Jersey Tech? What is that, a prep school?" asked UofM guard Chris Douglas-Roberts. "In the past, Manhattan has been real good. That's surprising they lost to New Jersey Tech."
With so-called "buy" games still to come against Middle Tennessee (172nd in the RPI) Lamar (231) and Austin Peay (247), and an expanded slate of games against a seemingly weaker-than-ever Conference USA, the Tigers risk diminishing their own coefficient by playing a struggling team like Manhattan.
Calipari, however, isn't worried.
"At the end of the day, it will be (a good RPI game)," he said of today's clash with the Jaspers. "A good RPI game is a team that's gonna win 17, 18, 19 games. That's a good RPI game.
"All these teams will be good RPI teams."
Calipari cites the Jaspers' recent 79-77 win over Hofstra -- a trendy preseason selection as this year's George Mason but now scuffling at 3-3 -- as evidence of their potential for improvement.
With seven freshmen on their roster, including two in the starting lineup, Rohrssen says the Jaspers are full of players who were "big men on their high school campuses but are like deer in headlights right now."
"What was interesting when you look at the NJIT game," Rohrssen said, "was that team was playing in its first Division 1 basketball game ... but they had many guys who have played in several college basketball games, and we had way too many guys playing in their first game."
Led by junior forward Arturo Dubois and center Guy Ngarndi, Manhattan rebounded from the NJIT setback with wins over Wagner and Hofstra.
However, they flew to Memphis on Friday on the back of three straight defeats, to Princeton, Boston University and, on Thursday night, Fordham.
"For us, this is a high-level challenge," said Rohrssen, who was looking forward to taking his players to Gus's Fried Chicken for dinner Friday night. "It's an outstanding opportunity to play against a quality, top-notch opponent."
The 14th-ranked Tigers (4-1), for their part, expect to see a different Manhattan team than the one that capitulated to NJIT.
"New Jersey Tech? No, I've never heard of them. New Jersey Tech?" senior guard Jeremy Hunt said. "I'm sure they've recovered from it. Just by playing Memphis, they're gonna come in hyped up."
-- Jim Masilak: 529-2311
--------------------
No. 14 Tigers vs. Manhattan
When, where: Today, noon, at FedExForum
TV, radio: WLMT (30), WREC-AM (600)
By Jim Masilak
December 2, 2006
John Calipari and Barry Rohrssen first met some 25 years ago as roommates and counselors at Howard Garfinkel's legendary Five-Star basketball camp.
"He's someone very special to me. I consider him even more family than friend. He's been a brother to me," said Rohrssen, the first-year coach at Manhattan, which faces the University of Memphis today at noon at FedExForum.
"He's been very generous with his time and guidance during my coaching career. That's something I'll always be appreciative of."
When Calipari scheduled Manhattan as one of the UofM's non-conference opponents, the Tigers' coach was doing more than a favor for an old friend.
With the Jaspers having played in either the NCAA tournament (2003-04) or the NIT ('02, '05) in four of the past five seasons, Calipari expected a solid mid-major opponent that would boost the Tigers' RPI.
What Calipari wasn't counting on was the Jaspers losing their season opener to a team, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, that was making its Division 1 debut.
Manhattan's 56-55 home loss to NJIT on Nov. 11 is one reason the Jaspers (2-4) enter today's game with a desultory RPI ranking of 317, according to Ken Pomeroy's Friday calculations. (Memphis is rated 20th.)
"New Jersey Tech? What is that, a prep school?" asked UofM guard Chris Douglas-Roberts. "In the past, Manhattan has been real good. That's surprising they lost to New Jersey Tech."
With so-called "buy" games still to come against Middle Tennessee (172nd in the RPI) Lamar (231) and Austin Peay (247), and an expanded slate of games against a seemingly weaker-than-ever Conference USA, the Tigers risk diminishing their own coefficient by playing a struggling team like Manhattan.
Calipari, however, isn't worried.
"At the end of the day, it will be (a good RPI game)," he said of today's clash with the Jaspers. "A good RPI game is a team that's gonna win 17, 18, 19 games. That's a good RPI game.
"All these teams will be good RPI teams."
Calipari cites the Jaspers' recent 79-77 win over Hofstra -- a trendy preseason selection as this year's George Mason but now scuffling at 3-3 -- as evidence of their potential for improvement.
With seven freshmen on their roster, including two in the starting lineup, Rohrssen says the Jaspers are full of players who were "big men on their high school campuses but are like deer in headlights right now."
"What was interesting when you look at the NJIT game," Rohrssen said, "was that team was playing in its first Division 1 basketball game ... but they had many guys who have played in several college basketball games, and we had way too many guys playing in their first game."
Led by junior forward Arturo Dubois and center Guy Ngarndi, Manhattan rebounded from the NJIT setback with wins over Wagner and Hofstra.
However, they flew to Memphis on Friday on the back of three straight defeats, to Princeton, Boston University and, on Thursday night, Fordham.
"For us, this is a high-level challenge," said Rohrssen, who was looking forward to taking his players to Gus's Fried Chicken for dinner Friday night. "It's an outstanding opportunity to play against a quality, top-notch opponent."
The 14th-ranked Tigers (4-1), for their part, expect to see a different Manhattan team than the one that capitulated to NJIT.
"New Jersey Tech? No, I've never heard of them. New Jersey Tech?" senior guard Jeremy Hunt said. "I'm sure they've recovered from it. Just by playing Memphis, they're gonna come in hyped up."
-- Jim Masilak: 529-2311
--------------------
No. 14 Tigers vs. Manhattan
When, where: Today, noon, at FedExForum
TV, radio: WLMT (30), WREC-AM (600)
Friday, December 01, 2006
Tigers a #4 Seed in First ESPN.com's Power 16
ESPN.com's Power 16
It's back. ESPN.com's Power 16 makes its debut, with UCLA a nearly unanimous No. 1 and Butler settling in at a much-deserved 10th.
The Power 16 is voted on each week by a panel of experts. Power 16 comments are written by college hoops editor Andy Glockner. Comments/questions? E-mail him.
No. 1 Seeds
TEAM REC. COMMENT
UCLA 5-0 So far, the question of whether Darren Collison could replace Jordan Farmar at the point has been answered with a resounding "Yes." That and Josh Shipp's return have been two big early pluses for the Bruins.
Pittsburgh 6-0 Mike Cook has been a nice under-the-radar scoring boost to the Panthers, about whom we'll find out much more after four road games -- including at Wisconsin and Oklahoma State in Oklahoma City -- in their next five games. Look good so far.
Florida 7-1 Didn't seem to play terribly well for the first 30 minutes against a very good Kansas squad, but still was right there, despite some possible health concerns. Would be fun to see a rematch in March. There are no concerns, though, about Florida's talent.
Kansas 6-1 Home loss to ORU not as bad as many thought, but what better way to redeem things than by downing the defending champs on a "neutral" floor. Julian Wright had his star turn, if you were up late enough on the East Coast to see it.
No. 2 Seeds
TEAM REC. COMMENT
North Carolina 5-1 Did what it needed to in win over Odenless but very game Ohio State. Freshmen are living up to billing, especially explosive forward Brandan Wright.
Ohio State 6-1 May have earned more respect with gritty performance at the Dean Dome than with inherited No. 1 ranking. Buckeyes look likely to be very, very dangerous come March.
Marquette 7-0 Nova 2.0 has had a couple of very close calls, but Dominic James is the real deal. Golden Eagles are a legit upper-tier Big East team.
Alabama 6-0 Tide remains perfect despite Jermareo Davidson's personal tragedies. Ronald Steele's knee may be a bit of a concern, but when healthy, watch out.
No. 3 Seeds
TEAM REC. COMMENT
Texas A&M 6-0 So far, so good for one of the preseason's trendiest top-10 picks. Jones-Law tandem is punishing foes for a combined 30 a game, but contributions from sophomore Josh Carter have made the Aggies even more potent.
Butler 8-0 It's worth noting that Butler (after Xavier) was one of last season's most underrated teams statistically. Bulldogs easily won at Valpo right after the Crusaders nearly stunned Marquette.
Maryland 8-0 If you had some lingering doubts after the CvC, the strong performance at Illinois should have alleviated them. Looks like the NCAA Tournament drought will end at two.
Arizona 4-1 Cats get a bit of a pass for the opening-night loss at U.Va. We'll know more after a meeting with Louisville in the Jimmy V and a visit to very solid San Diego State.
No. 4 Seeds
TEAM REC. COMMENT
Georgia Tech 6-1 A little too early for the Jackets to knock off a team like UCLA. Young and Crittenton have been as advertised and Clinch is providing the needed scoring punch.
Gonzaga 6-1 Great W over UNC and getting beat by Butler may look better and better as the season goes along. As an aside, Derek Raivio's been terrific, but how many good players get less pub than Josh Heytvelt?
Duke 6-1 Perhaps a bit of a legacy pick at this point, but they did handle an Air Force team that's drilling everyone else in its path. Devils need more from Josh McRoberts and Greg Paulus.
Memphis 4-1 Coach Cal kept hinting that this team might be as good as last season's, despite heavy personnel losses. So far, you can't say for sure that he's wrong. We'll know more after meetings with Tennessee and Arizona.
It's back. ESPN.com's Power 16 makes its debut, with UCLA a nearly unanimous No. 1 and Butler settling in at a much-deserved 10th.
The Power 16 is voted on each week by a panel of experts. Power 16 comments are written by college hoops editor Andy Glockner. Comments/questions? E-mail him.
No. 1 Seeds
TEAM REC. COMMENT
UCLA 5-0 So far, the question of whether Darren Collison could replace Jordan Farmar at the point has been answered with a resounding "Yes." That and Josh Shipp's return have been two big early pluses for the Bruins.
Pittsburgh 6-0 Mike Cook has been a nice under-the-radar scoring boost to the Panthers, about whom we'll find out much more after four road games -- including at Wisconsin and Oklahoma State in Oklahoma City -- in their next five games. Look good so far.
Florida 7-1 Didn't seem to play terribly well for the first 30 minutes against a very good Kansas squad, but still was right there, despite some possible health concerns. Would be fun to see a rematch in March. There are no concerns, though, about Florida's talent.
Kansas 6-1 Home loss to ORU not as bad as many thought, but what better way to redeem things than by downing the defending champs on a "neutral" floor. Julian Wright had his star turn, if you were up late enough on the East Coast to see it.
No. 2 Seeds
TEAM REC. COMMENT
North Carolina 5-1 Did what it needed to in win over Odenless but very game Ohio State. Freshmen are living up to billing, especially explosive forward Brandan Wright.
Ohio State 6-1 May have earned more respect with gritty performance at the Dean Dome than with inherited No. 1 ranking. Buckeyes look likely to be very, very dangerous come March.
Marquette 7-0 Nova 2.0 has had a couple of very close calls, but Dominic James is the real deal. Golden Eagles are a legit upper-tier Big East team.
Alabama 6-0 Tide remains perfect despite Jermareo Davidson's personal tragedies. Ronald Steele's knee may be a bit of a concern, but when healthy, watch out.
No. 3 Seeds
TEAM REC. COMMENT
Texas A&M 6-0 So far, so good for one of the preseason's trendiest top-10 picks. Jones-Law tandem is punishing foes for a combined 30 a game, but contributions from sophomore Josh Carter have made the Aggies even more potent.
Butler 8-0 It's worth noting that Butler (after Xavier) was one of last season's most underrated teams statistically. Bulldogs easily won at Valpo right after the Crusaders nearly stunned Marquette.
Maryland 8-0 If you had some lingering doubts after the CvC, the strong performance at Illinois should have alleviated them. Looks like the NCAA Tournament drought will end at two.
Arizona 4-1 Cats get a bit of a pass for the opening-night loss at U.Va. We'll know more after a meeting with Louisville in the Jimmy V and a visit to very solid San Diego State.
No. 4 Seeds
TEAM REC. COMMENT
Georgia Tech 6-1 A little too early for the Jackets to knock off a team like UCLA. Young and Crittenton have been as advertised and Clinch is providing the needed scoring punch.
Gonzaga 6-1 Great W over UNC and getting beat by Butler may look better and better as the season goes along. As an aside, Derek Raivio's been terrific, but how many good players get less pub than Josh Heytvelt?
Duke 6-1 Perhaps a bit of a legacy pick at this point, but they did handle an Air Force team that's drilling everyone else in its path. Devils need more from Josh McRoberts and Greg Paulus.
Memphis 4-1 Coach Cal kept hinting that this team might be as good as last season's, despite heavy personnel losses. So far, you can't say for sure that he's wrong. We'll know more after meetings with Tennessee and Arizona.
SI.com's Seth Davis Includes CDR in His Ten Major Impact Sophomores
Seth Davis - Hoop Thoughts
SI.com
Second-year leap
Ten sophomores who are ready to make major impact
Posted: Thursday November 30, 2006 2:58PM; Updated: Thursday November 30, 2006 3:55PM
I've never gotten a consensus on which coach coined the phrase, "The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores," but the logic resonates today as much as ever. Thanks to intensified attention being paid to recruiting via the Internet, today's freshmen arrive on campus with more hype, more arrogance and more expectations. Yet, in most cases they still turn out to be overgrown teenagers who have a lot to learn.
Year 2 is a different story. Most of the time, a player will make the biggest improvement of his entire career between his freshman and sophomore years in college. This is true for three reasons. First, his body will have undergone a significant change after a full cycle of preseason, in-season and off-season conditioning. Second, he will have adapted to the speed of the college game and the elevated capabilities of his opponents. And third, thanks to graduation and early defection to the NBA of his freshman-year teammates, he will have a greater chance to earn minutes.
Thus, I have once again assembled a list of 10 sophomores who I believe are poised to have breakout seasons. Keep in mind, this is NOT a list of the top 10 sophomores in America. Rather, they are players who came upon the scene in relatively quiet fashion a year ago but are now ready to make some noise.
Not all freshmen arrive quietly, of course. And some choices are simply too obvious to mention as breakout sophomores. Scanning the current sophs, here are the names of the players I deemed ineligible for either of those reasons: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, UCLA; Josh McRoberts and Greg Paulus, Duke; Eric Devendorf, Syracuse; Richard Hendrix, Alabama; Brandon Rush and Julian Wright, Kansas; Dominic James, Marquette; Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina; and Jeff Adrien, UConn.
So here, then, are my 10 sophs to watch (listed in alphabetical order). In addition, I have also revisited the list of guys I assembled one year ago and provided an assessment of how prescient I was (or wasn't).
DARREN COLLISON
6-foot-1, G, UCLA
2005-06: 19.2 minutes, 5.5 pts, 2.3 assists, .9 steals, 40.2% FG, 32.8% 3FG
2006-07: 32.2 minutes, 13.2 pts, 7.4 assists, 3.6 steals, 53.8% FG, 40.0% 3FG
Skinny: This is the easiest pick on the board. Collison got promoted to full-time starter after Jordan Farmar turned pro following last season. Collison is not the scorer or playmaker Farmar was in the half-court, but he is a much, much better defender, and when it comes to feeding his teammates in transition he is as good as any point guard in the country.
DAUNTE CUNNINGHAM
6-9, F, Villanova
2005-06: 19.1 minutes, 2.2 pts, 4.0 rebs, 46.8% FG
2006-07: 29.8 minutes, 8.5 pts, 6.3 rebs, 65.2% FG
Skinny: You could flip a coin here between Cunningham and his frontcourtmate Shane Clark, who had an impressive 17 points in Villanova's loss to Xavier on Nov. 19. I went with Cunningham because he is a spectacular athlete who will do a great job crashing the offensive boards. And as his huge jump in field-goal percentage indicates, he will be a much more reliable scorer this season.
CHRIS DOUGLAS-ROBERTS
6-6, G, Memphis
2005-06: 22.6 minutes, 8.3 pts, 3.3 rebs, 53.1% FG, 31.0% 3FG
2006-07: 29.3 minutes, 16.8 pts, 5.5 rebs, 54.5% FG, 50.0% 3FG
Skinny: The fact that Douglas-Roberts' scoring average has more than doubled despite the modest increase in playing time illustrates the vastly changed role he is playing now that Darius Washington and Rodney Carney have moved on. Coach John Calipari was concerned during the preseason with how Douglas-Roberts would react to being vaulted to the top of every opponent's scouting report, but so far he's holding up well.
LEVANCE FIELDS
5-10, G, Pittsburgh
2005-06: 21.7 minutes, 6.8 pts, 2.2 assists, 1.97 assist to turnover ratio
2006-07: 25.3 minutes, 5.8 pts, 6.3 assists, 4.22 assist to turnover ratio
Skinny: I could have gone with either of Fields' classmates, forwards Sam Young and Tyrell Biggs, but I went with Fields because he has picked up the lead guard mantle left behind by Carl Krauser's graduation. Though he is actually scoring less than he did last season (largely because his shooting percentages have declined), Fields' role on the team has been dramatically enhanced because he is the only true point guard on the roster. He is also the closest thing Pitt has to a vocal leader.
JOSH HEYTVELT
6-11, C, Gonzaga
2005-06: 8.9 minutes, 3.4 pts, 2.0 rebs, 43.8% FG, 54.5% FT
2006-07: 25.7 minutes, 17.3 pts, 7.1 rebs, 53.6% FG, 70.7% FT
Skinny: This is the second easiest pick on the board. If you saw Heytvelt dominate UNC's Tyler Hansbrough on Nov. 22 (16 points, 11 rebounds to Hansbrough's 9 and 9), you know he's one of the best big men in the country, regardless of class. After redshirting his first year in Spokane, Heytvelt broke his left ankle in the Zags' second game last season, and though he returned in February he was never all that effective. If he had stayed healthy, he would probably have fallen into the too-good-as-a-frosh-to-be-included-here category. Gonzaga also might have won the national championship.
MARCUS JOHNSON
6-6, F, UConn
2005-06: 8.9 minutes, 3.8 pts, 1.5 rebs, .7 assists, 37.9% FT
2006-07: 23.2 minutes, 9.2 pts, 4.6 rebs, 1.6 assists, 57.1% FT
Skinny: On a team with no juniors or seniors, Johnson is one of many underclassmen who are suddenly getting pressed into playing time. So far, he has shown he can handle it, though he is only 2 for 9 from three-point range in the Huskies' first five games. I believe as the season goes on he'll continue to improve as a scorer, which should enable UConn to become a pretty formidable team by February.
JEREL McNEAL
6-3, G, Marquette
2005-06: 27.5 minutes, 11.1 pts, 4.5 rebs, 2.7 assists, 2.1 steals
2006-07: 29.7 minutes, 13.4 pts, 5.3 rebs, 3.9 assists, 3.6 steals
Skinny: Hard to choose here between McNeal and 6-5 guard Wes Matthews, but I picked McNeal because I think he sets an important tone for Marquette in terms of toughness and attitude. With 6-10 sharpshooter Steve Novak gone, McNeal is getting much more attention from defenses, which is why his shooting percentages are way down. But notice that he's almost doubled his steals from last season. As the year wears on, he will become an even bigger factor on a very good team.
MIKE MERCER
6-4, G, Georgia
2005-06: 24.0 minutes, 11.0 pts, 1.6 assists, 1.7 steals, 40.4% FG, 28.9% 3FG
2006-07: 27.2 minutes, 18.0 pts, 3.6 rebs, 3.8 assists, 3.2 steals, 49.3% FG, 36.0% 3FGSkinny: In high school, Mercer was best known for being Louis Williams' teammate, but he is quickly making a name for himself as one of the best guards in the SEC. His problem last year was never playing time, but rather some unsteady shooting as he adjusted to the realization he couldn't just dominate athletically anymore. He spent the summer completely retooling his shooting form, and as you can see he's getting results. He's also im proved his body considerably.
JAMAR SMITH
6-3, G, Illinois
2005-06: 19.2 minutes, 8.0 pts, 1.3 assists, 48.2% 3FG
2006-07: 17.7 minutes, 11.0 pts, 1.7 assists, 47.1% 3FG
Skinny: You might wonder why Smith is included given those numbers (especially after he posted a bagel in Tuesday night's loss to Maryland). Keep in mind, however, that Smith missed five games because of a high ankle sprain. He had already scored 19 points when he got injured in the season opener against Austin Peay early in the second half. Smith is a deadeye shooter whose production dropped off during the second half of last season. With Dee Brown gone, I expect he'll have the ball in his hands a lot more.
TERRENCE WILLIAMS
6-6, F, Louisville
2005-06: 25.1 minutes, 8.4 pts, 2.1 assists
2006-07: 35.0 minutes, 12.5 pts, 5.0 assists
Skinny: Williams' numbers haven't yet improved all that dramatically since last season, but keep in mind the Cardinals have only played two games. Williams was the team's leading scorer and rebounder during an off-season exhibition tour in Canada, and I believe his innate athleticism and burgeoning confidence will make him one of the best players in the Big East.
Last Year's Choices
• Arron Afflalo, 6-5, G, UCLA: Was one of the best players in the Pac-10 and proved instrumental in helping the Bruins to the national championship game.
• Brian Butch, 6-11, F, Wisconsin: His production did increase, but he still hasn't become the consistent force I thought he'd be.
• Rahshon Clark, 6-6, F, Iowa State: Ended up having a pretty good year, but seems to be struggling offensively this season under new coach Greg McDermott.
• Ra'Sean Dickey, 6-9, F, Georgia Tech: Definitely broke out last year, but with the arrival of freshman forwards Thaddeus Young and Zach Peacock, Dickey's role has been diminished so far as a junior.
• Shan Foster, 6-6 guard, Vanderbilt: Was an All-SEC selection last year but is making just 17.4 percent from three-point range during the Commodores' woeful 1-3 start.
• Taurean Green, 6-foot, G, Florida: I seem to recall Green and the Gators ended up having a pretty good season.
• Roy Hibbert, 7-2, C, Georgetown: Took a major step forward last season, but will he make that same kind of improvement this year?
• Sasha Kaun, 6-11, C, Kansas: Was a much bigger presence for the Jayhawks as a soph but only made 53.5 percent from the foul line. That needs to improve.
• Cedric Simmons, 6-9, C, NC State: I knew the kid was blowing up, but I certainly would not have predicted this time last year that Simmons would be the 15th pick in the NBA Draft.
• Martin Zeno, 6-5, G, Texas Tech: I included him on the assumption that his offensive skills would catch up to his strength and athleticism. Since he only went up to 29.4 percent from three-point range (from 28.0 percent as a freshman), I'd say I was off the mark.
SI.com
Second-year leap
Ten sophomores who are ready to make major impact
Posted: Thursday November 30, 2006 2:58PM; Updated: Thursday November 30, 2006 3:55PM
I've never gotten a consensus on which coach coined the phrase, "The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores," but the logic resonates today as much as ever. Thanks to intensified attention being paid to recruiting via the Internet, today's freshmen arrive on campus with more hype, more arrogance and more expectations. Yet, in most cases they still turn out to be overgrown teenagers who have a lot to learn.
Year 2 is a different story. Most of the time, a player will make the biggest improvement of his entire career between his freshman and sophomore years in college. This is true for three reasons. First, his body will have undergone a significant change after a full cycle of preseason, in-season and off-season conditioning. Second, he will have adapted to the speed of the college game and the elevated capabilities of his opponents. And third, thanks to graduation and early defection to the NBA of his freshman-year teammates, he will have a greater chance to earn minutes.
Thus, I have once again assembled a list of 10 sophomores who I believe are poised to have breakout seasons. Keep in mind, this is NOT a list of the top 10 sophomores in America. Rather, they are players who came upon the scene in relatively quiet fashion a year ago but are now ready to make some noise.
Not all freshmen arrive quietly, of course. And some choices are simply too obvious to mention as breakout sophomores. Scanning the current sophs, here are the names of the players I deemed ineligible for either of those reasons: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, UCLA; Josh McRoberts and Greg Paulus, Duke; Eric Devendorf, Syracuse; Richard Hendrix, Alabama; Brandon Rush and Julian Wright, Kansas; Dominic James, Marquette; Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina; and Jeff Adrien, UConn.
So here, then, are my 10 sophs to watch (listed in alphabetical order). In addition, I have also revisited the list of guys I assembled one year ago and provided an assessment of how prescient I was (or wasn't).
DARREN COLLISON
6-foot-1, G, UCLA
2005-06: 19.2 minutes, 5.5 pts, 2.3 assists, .9 steals, 40.2% FG, 32.8% 3FG
2006-07: 32.2 minutes, 13.2 pts, 7.4 assists, 3.6 steals, 53.8% FG, 40.0% 3FG
Skinny: This is the easiest pick on the board. Collison got promoted to full-time starter after Jordan Farmar turned pro following last season. Collison is not the scorer or playmaker Farmar was in the half-court, but he is a much, much better defender, and when it comes to feeding his teammates in transition he is as good as any point guard in the country.
DAUNTE CUNNINGHAM
6-9, F, Villanova
2005-06: 19.1 minutes, 2.2 pts, 4.0 rebs, 46.8% FG
2006-07: 29.8 minutes, 8.5 pts, 6.3 rebs, 65.2% FG
Skinny: You could flip a coin here between Cunningham and his frontcourtmate Shane Clark, who had an impressive 17 points in Villanova's loss to Xavier on Nov. 19. I went with Cunningham because he is a spectacular athlete who will do a great job crashing the offensive boards. And as his huge jump in field-goal percentage indicates, he will be a much more reliable scorer this season.
CHRIS DOUGLAS-ROBERTS
6-6, G, Memphis
2005-06: 22.6 minutes, 8.3 pts, 3.3 rebs, 53.1% FG, 31.0% 3FG
2006-07: 29.3 minutes, 16.8 pts, 5.5 rebs, 54.5% FG, 50.0% 3FG
Skinny: The fact that Douglas-Roberts' scoring average has more than doubled despite the modest increase in playing time illustrates the vastly changed role he is playing now that Darius Washington and Rodney Carney have moved on. Coach John Calipari was concerned during the preseason with how Douglas-Roberts would react to being vaulted to the top of every opponent's scouting report, but so far he's holding up well.
LEVANCE FIELDS
5-10, G, Pittsburgh
2005-06: 21.7 minutes, 6.8 pts, 2.2 assists, 1.97 assist to turnover ratio
2006-07: 25.3 minutes, 5.8 pts, 6.3 assists, 4.22 assist to turnover ratio
Skinny: I could have gone with either of Fields' classmates, forwards Sam Young and Tyrell Biggs, but I went with Fields because he has picked up the lead guard mantle left behind by Carl Krauser's graduation. Though he is actually scoring less than he did last season (largely because his shooting percentages have declined), Fields' role on the team has been dramatically enhanced because he is the only true point guard on the roster. He is also the closest thing Pitt has to a vocal leader.
JOSH HEYTVELT
6-11, C, Gonzaga
2005-06: 8.9 minutes, 3.4 pts, 2.0 rebs, 43.8% FG, 54.5% FT
2006-07: 25.7 minutes, 17.3 pts, 7.1 rebs, 53.6% FG, 70.7% FT
Skinny: This is the second easiest pick on the board. If you saw Heytvelt dominate UNC's Tyler Hansbrough on Nov. 22 (16 points, 11 rebounds to Hansbrough's 9 and 9), you know he's one of the best big men in the country, regardless of class. After redshirting his first year in Spokane, Heytvelt broke his left ankle in the Zags' second game last season, and though he returned in February he was never all that effective. If he had stayed healthy, he would probably have fallen into the too-good-as-a-frosh-to-be-included-here category. Gonzaga also might have won the national championship.
MARCUS JOHNSON
6-6, F, UConn
2005-06: 8.9 minutes, 3.8 pts, 1.5 rebs, .7 assists, 37.9% FT
2006-07: 23.2 minutes, 9.2 pts, 4.6 rebs, 1.6 assists, 57.1% FT
Skinny: On a team with no juniors or seniors, Johnson is one of many underclassmen who are suddenly getting pressed into playing time. So far, he has shown he can handle it, though he is only 2 for 9 from three-point range in the Huskies' first five games. I believe as the season goes on he'll continue to improve as a scorer, which should enable UConn to become a pretty formidable team by February.
JEREL McNEAL
6-3, G, Marquette
2005-06: 27.5 minutes, 11.1 pts, 4.5 rebs, 2.7 assists, 2.1 steals
2006-07: 29.7 minutes, 13.4 pts, 5.3 rebs, 3.9 assists, 3.6 steals
Skinny: Hard to choose here between McNeal and 6-5 guard Wes Matthews, but I picked McNeal because I think he sets an important tone for Marquette in terms of toughness and attitude. With 6-10 sharpshooter Steve Novak gone, McNeal is getting much more attention from defenses, which is why his shooting percentages are way down. But notice that he's almost doubled his steals from last season. As the year wears on, he will become an even bigger factor on a very good team.
MIKE MERCER
6-4, G, Georgia
2005-06: 24.0 minutes, 11.0 pts, 1.6 assists, 1.7 steals, 40.4% FG, 28.9% 3FG
2006-07: 27.2 minutes, 18.0 pts, 3.6 rebs, 3.8 assists, 3.2 steals, 49.3% FG, 36.0% 3FGSkinny: In high school, Mercer was best known for being Louis Williams' teammate, but he is quickly making a name for himself as one of the best guards in the SEC. His problem last year was never playing time, but rather some unsteady shooting as he adjusted to the realization he couldn't just dominate athletically anymore. He spent the summer completely retooling his shooting form, and as you can see he's getting results. He's also im proved his body considerably.
JAMAR SMITH
6-3, G, Illinois
2005-06: 19.2 minutes, 8.0 pts, 1.3 assists, 48.2% 3FG
2006-07: 17.7 minutes, 11.0 pts, 1.7 assists, 47.1% 3FG
Skinny: You might wonder why Smith is included given those numbers (especially after he posted a bagel in Tuesday night's loss to Maryland). Keep in mind, however, that Smith missed five games because of a high ankle sprain. He had already scored 19 points when he got injured in the season opener against Austin Peay early in the second half. Smith is a deadeye shooter whose production dropped off during the second half of last season. With Dee Brown gone, I expect he'll have the ball in his hands a lot more.
TERRENCE WILLIAMS
6-6, F, Louisville
2005-06: 25.1 minutes, 8.4 pts, 2.1 assists
2006-07: 35.0 minutes, 12.5 pts, 5.0 assists
Skinny: Williams' numbers haven't yet improved all that dramatically since last season, but keep in mind the Cardinals have only played two games. Williams was the team's leading scorer and rebounder during an off-season exhibition tour in Canada, and I believe his innate athleticism and burgeoning confidence will make him one of the best players in the Big East.
Last Year's Choices
• Arron Afflalo, 6-5, G, UCLA: Was one of the best players in the Pac-10 and proved instrumental in helping the Bruins to the national championship game.
• Brian Butch, 6-11, F, Wisconsin: His production did increase, but he still hasn't become the consistent force I thought he'd be.
• Rahshon Clark, 6-6, F, Iowa State: Ended up having a pretty good year, but seems to be struggling offensively this season under new coach Greg McDermott.
• Ra'Sean Dickey, 6-9, F, Georgia Tech: Definitely broke out last year, but with the arrival of freshman forwards Thaddeus Young and Zach Peacock, Dickey's role has been diminished so far as a junior.
• Shan Foster, 6-6 guard, Vanderbilt: Was an All-SEC selection last year but is making just 17.4 percent from three-point range during the Commodores' woeful 1-3 start.
• Taurean Green, 6-foot, G, Florida: I seem to recall Green and the Gators ended up having a pretty good season.
• Roy Hibbert, 7-2, C, Georgetown: Took a major step forward last season, but will he make that same kind of improvement this year?
• Sasha Kaun, 6-11, C, Kansas: Was a much bigger presence for the Jayhawks as a soph but only made 53.5 percent from the foul line. That needs to improve.
• Cedric Simmons, 6-9, C, NC State: I knew the kid was blowing up, but I certainly would not have predicted this time last year that Simmons would be the 15th pick in the NBA Draft.
• Martin Zeno, 6-5, G, Texas Tech: I included him on the assumption that his offensive skills would catch up to his strength and athleticism. Since he only went up to 29.4 percent from three-point range (from 28.0 percent as a freshman), I'd say I was off the mark.
Jackson (TN) Sun Article on Willie Kemp
Memphis Basketball: Kemp's debut was a little of this and a lot of learning
By JOSHUA PARROTT
jparrott@jacksonsun.com
MEMPHIS - Talk to John Calipari about the debut of University of Memphis freshman Willie Kemp and you can't help but be encouraged by what the longtime coach has to say.
"I was happy with him," said Calipari, now in his seventh year as the Tigers' head coach.
Still, Kemp - a Bolivar product - needed plenty of encouragement Thursday night after shooting 2-for-13 from the floor, though Memphis still cruised past Jackson State, 111-69, at FedExForum.
"Coaches just told me to keep on shooting," said Kemp, last year's Class AA Mr. Basketball who started at point guard and finished with five points, five assists and only two turnovers. "You make some, you miss some. I guess I was a little nervous tonight."
Can you blame him? Imagine being from a small town of 5,800 or so people and moving away from everything you've ever known - including your mother, Maxine - to go to a college located in a metro area of more than 1.2 million people.
(For those who care, the official attendance for Thursday's game was 10,027, or nearly twice the population of Kemp's hometown. Maxine was on hand, sitting a few rows behind the Memphis team bench.)
It's obvious from his first game with the No. 13 Tigers that Kemp is not yet the superstar he was in high school. At times, he played like a nervous freshman. At times, he played like a confident senior.
Still, Kemp is still the same player who was lighting up scoreboards across the state as a prep player. So what's changed?
"It's been a big change," Kemp said of making the adjustment to the college game. "The game is much faster. Everybody's bigger and stronger. We're all at the same level."
So granted, while even Michael Jordan was a gangly college freshman long before his glory days with the Chicago Bulls, Kemp doesn't appear to be a superstar right now.
But that isn't a problem for Memphis, either.
Calipari doesn't need a superstar. He needs a point guard. And for the time being, Kemp will split that duty with junior Andre Allen, who had six points and five assists off the bench Thursday.
And much like former Bolivar teammate Wayne Chism at the University of Tennessee, Kemp is learning how to deal with splitting time as a college player.
"I need for him to do what he's capable of doing and getting everyone involved," Calipari said of Kemp.
As much as he struggled shooting the ball Thursday, Kemp showed flashes of brilliance. For example:
When he saw a gap in the Jackson State defense with 8:58 left in the first half, Kemp drove the ball to the basket and hit a driving bankshot over 5-foot-8 guard Catraiva Givens.
Seconds later, Kemp hit teammate Chris Douglas-Roberts cutting to the basket with a sweet backdoor pass that led to an easy layup.
A Kemp touch pass with 3:45 left in the first half led to a layup by teammate Antonio Anderson.
All that put together made Calipari a happy man.
"That's exactly what we wanted," he said.
As for Kemp's shooting numbers?
"I'm stunned he missed those," Calipari said. "I couldn't believe he missed those."
Still, Kemp, Calipari and Rod Strickland - the team's director of student-athlete development - were encouraged after the game. (Keep in mind this is the same Rod Strickland who scored more than 14,000 points and dished out more than 7,000 assists in his NBA career.)
"Now that he has that under his belt, hopefully he will be better (next time)," Calipari said.
Strickland echoed similar encouragement.
"He still has a lot of things to learn," Strickland said. "But I think he played well tonight. He ran this team and did what he was asked to do."
Joshua Parrott is the preps editor for The Jackson Sun. He can be reached at 425-9634 or jparrott@jacksonsun.com
By JOSHUA PARROTT
jparrott@jacksonsun.com
MEMPHIS - Talk to John Calipari about the debut of University of Memphis freshman Willie Kemp and you can't help but be encouraged by what the longtime coach has to say.
"I was happy with him," said Calipari, now in his seventh year as the Tigers' head coach.
Still, Kemp - a Bolivar product - needed plenty of encouragement Thursday night after shooting 2-for-13 from the floor, though Memphis still cruised past Jackson State, 111-69, at FedExForum.
"Coaches just told me to keep on shooting," said Kemp, last year's Class AA Mr. Basketball who started at point guard and finished with five points, five assists and only two turnovers. "You make some, you miss some. I guess I was a little nervous tonight."
Can you blame him? Imagine being from a small town of 5,800 or so people and moving away from everything you've ever known - including your mother, Maxine - to go to a college located in a metro area of more than 1.2 million people.
(For those who care, the official attendance for Thursday's game was 10,027, or nearly twice the population of Kemp's hometown. Maxine was on hand, sitting a few rows behind the Memphis team bench.)
It's obvious from his first game with the No. 13 Tigers that Kemp is not yet the superstar he was in high school. At times, he played like a nervous freshman. At times, he played like a confident senior.
Still, Kemp is still the same player who was lighting up scoreboards across the state as a prep player. So what's changed?
"It's been a big change," Kemp said of making the adjustment to the college game. "The game is much faster. Everybody's bigger and stronger. We're all at the same level."
So granted, while even Michael Jordan was a gangly college freshman long before his glory days with the Chicago Bulls, Kemp doesn't appear to be a superstar right now.
But that isn't a problem for Memphis, either.
Calipari doesn't need a superstar. He needs a point guard. And for the time being, Kemp will split that duty with junior Andre Allen, who had six points and five assists off the bench Thursday.
And much like former Bolivar teammate Wayne Chism at the University of Tennessee, Kemp is learning how to deal with splitting time as a college player.
"I need for him to do what he's capable of doing and getting everyone involved," Calipari said of Kemp.
As much as he struggled shooting the ball Thursday, Kemp showed flashes of brilliance. For example:
When he saw a gap in the Jackson State defense with 8:58 left in the first half, Kemp drove the ball to the basket and hit a driving bankshot over 5-foot-8 guard Catraiva Givens.
Seconds later, Kemp hit teammate Chris Douglas-Roberts cutting to the basket with a sweet backdoor pass that led to an easy layup.
A Kemp touch pass with 3:45 left in the first half led to a layup by teammate Antonio Anderson.
All that put together made Calipari a happy man.
"That's exactly what we wanted," he said.
As for Kemp's shooting numbers?
"I'm stunned he missed those," Calipari said. "I couldn't believe he missed those."
Still, Kemp, Calipari and Rod Strickland - the team's director of student-athlete development - were encouraged after the game. (Keep in mind this is the same Rod Strickland who scored more than 14,000 points and dished out more than 7,000 assists in his NBA career.)
"Now that he has that under his belt, hopefully he will be better (next time)," Calipari said.
Strickland echoed similar encouragement.
"He still has a lot of things to learn," Strickland said. "But I think he played well tonight. He ran this team and did what he was asked to do."
Joshua Parrott is the preps editor for The Jackson Sun. He can be reached at 425-9634 or jparrott@jacksonsun.com
Tigers #19 in FoxSports.com Power Poll
NCAA Power Poll: Bruins on top
Jeff Goodman / FOXSports.com
1. UCLA (5-0) — The Bruins have more right to this spot than anyone else. Ben Howland's club knocked off a pair of Top 25 programs — Georgia Tech and Kentucky — on a neutral floor out in Maui. Darren Collison has been instrumental for the Bruins and Josh Shipp is working himself back to where he was prior to the hip injury that kept him out for nearly all of last season.
Next test: Dec. 9 vs. Texas A&M in Wooden Classic (Anaheim, Calif.)
2. Pittsburgh (7-0) — The Panthers haven't had to venture away from the Peterson Center other than for a game against Western Michigan in the Maggie Dixon Classic. They had little difficulty with UMass and Florida State — at home. The addition of Mike Cook has been instrumental, but the Panthers have plenty of other weapons.
Next test: Dec. 16 at Wisconsin
3. Kansas (6-1) — This was a tough call because of the Jayhawks' setback to Oral Roberts and a lackluster effort against Ball State. However, Bill Self's team knocked off the defending national champion Florida Gators. Julian Wright is a star and freshman Darrell Arthur has stepped up in a big way. The key will be whether Sasha Kaun can give KU consistent low-post play on both ends of the court.
Next test: Saturday at DePaul
4. Florida (7-1) — The Gators didn't exactly set the house on fire in a loss to Kansas in Las Vegas. Corey Brewer, who was playing with mononucleosis, missed a last second 3-pointer in overtime. Billy Donovan's team will be just fine because they have been there, have chemistry and play hard.
Next test: Sunday at Florida State (without Brewer)
5. North Carolina (5-1) — The Tar Heels got yet another dominating effort from sophomore big man Tyler Hansbrough in a terrific game against a Greg Oden-less Ohio State club. Wayne Ellington had a strong second half — as did fellow freshman Brandan Wright.
Next test: Saturday vs. Kentucky
6. Ohio State (6-1) — The Buckeyes gave a valiant effort without their star big man in a loss at Chapel Hill. Senior Ron Lewis went for 30, freshman Daequan Cook was terrific and fellow frosh Mike Conley Jr., was unrattled in one of the toughest environments. Thad Matta's group had played its first half-dozen games at home with its toughest opponent being Kent State.
Next test: Dec. 23 at Florida
7. Alabama (6-0) — The Crimson Tide have managed to remain unbeaten despite playing with a banged-up Ron Steele and an emotional Jermareo Davidson, whose girlfriend was killed in a car accident. Mark Gottfried's club beat a tough Xavier club in the Virgin Islands.
Next test: Dec. 7 at Notre Dame
8. Marquette (7-0) — Tom Crean's team needed overtime to knock off Idaho State, but the Golden Eagles have rebounded strong with neutral-court victories against Duke and Texas Tech. Sophomore point guard Dominic James has been every bit as good as advertised.
Next test: Dec. 9 vs. Wisconsin
9. Butler (8-0) — No one has had more quality wins than Todd Lickliter's Bulldogs. They knocked off Notre Dame, Indiana, Tennessee and Gonzaga en route to a Preseason NIT title. Then, one day after the win over the 'Zags, Butler came back to beat mid-major power Kent State in double overtime.
Next test: Dec. 16 vs. Purdue in the Wooden Tradition
10. Wichita State (5-0) — How can these guys not be in the Top 10 after road wins against two Final Four teams from a year ago — LSU and George Mason. Shockers coach Mark Turgeon's team has experience and balance.
Next test: Saturday at Syracuse
11. Texas A&M (6-0) — Billy Gillespie's Aggies have yet to venture away from College Station and haven't really played anyone of note. The victims include Prairie View A&M, Lamar, Louisiana Tech, St. Louis, Idaho State and Arkansas-Little Rock. Acie Law IV has led Texas A&M thus far.
Next test: Dec. 5 at LSU
12. Gonzaga (6-1) — The 'Zags knocked off arguably the most talented team in the nation, North Carolina, at Madison Square Garden before losing to Butler in the championship game. Guard Derek Ravio and big man Josh Heytvelt have done a good job making people forget about Adam Morrison.
Next test: Saturday vs. Texas in Phoenix
13. Arizona (4-1) — The Wildcats had a slip-up at Virginia on the night that the Cavaliers opened their new building. But the wing trio of freshman Chase Budinger as well as Marcus Williams and Jawann McClellan have been nearly unstoppable. Add in senior forward Ivan Radenovic and it's a team difficult to defend. The key is clearly point guard Mustafa Shakur.
Next test: Dec. 5 vs. Louisville in Jimmy V Classic in New York
14. Georgia Tech (6-1) — Paul Hewitt's club knocked off Memphis out in Maui and also took care of Purdue before losing badly to the No. 1 team in the land — UCLA. The Yellow Jackets will continue to get better as freshmen Javaris Crittenton and Thaddeus Young rack up experience.
Next test: Sunday at Miami
15. Duke (6-1) — Greg Paulus is still coming back from a foot injury and Josh McRoberts still isn't the same after off-season back surgery. That said, the Blue Devils are still 6-1 with a pair of quality wins against Air Force and Indiana.
Next test: Saturday vs. Georgetown
16. Maryland (8-0) — The Terps have earned it with a blowout win at St. John's, a road victory against Illinois and a win against Michigan State in New York. Heady guards Greivis Vasquez and Eric Hayes have made a huge difference.
Next test: Dec. 10 at Boston College
17. Washington (6-0) — The Huskies are young with a trio of freshman starters and Lorenzo Romar has primarily scheduled cupcakes early. The toughest opponent thus far has been Northern Iowa. Quincy Pondexter has emerged and fellow freshman Spencer Hawes is starting to come on of late.
Next test: Dec. 9 at Gonzaga
18. UConn (6-0) — These Huskies are just as young as the ones from Seattle. Jim Calhoun's group has found a big-time scoring guard in freshman Jerome Dyson and fellow frosh Hasheem Thabeet has been an intimidating presence down low.
Next test: Dec. 6 at LSU
19. Memphis (4-1) — The Tigers dropped a game against Top 25 team Georgia Tech, but ended up coming back from Hawaii with victories against Kentucky and Oklahoma. John Calipari will need to get more from Robert Dozier and could also use more consistent perimeter shooting.
Next test: Dec. 6 at Tennessee
20. Oklahoma State (8-0) — The Cowboys knocked off a Missouri State team that just got through taking care of Wisconsin. Mario Boggan has been tough inside while freshman Obi Muonelo has given Sean Sutton scoring punch from the wing.
Next test: Dec. 5 vs. Syracuse in New York
Jeff Goodman / FOXSports.com
1. UCLA (5-0) — The Bruins have more right to this spot than anyone else. Ben Howland's club knocked off a pair of Top 25 programs — Georgia Tech and Kentucky — on a neutral floor out in Maui. Darren Collison has been instrumental for the Bruins and Josh Shipp is working himself back to where he was prior to the hip injury that kept him out for nearly all of last season.
Next test: Dec. 9 vs. Texas A&M in Wooden Classic (Anaheim, Calif.)
2. Pittsburgh (7-0) — The Panthers haven't had to venture away from the Peterson Center other than for a game against Western Michigan in the Maggie Dixon Classic. They had little difficulty with UMass and Florida State — at home. The addition of Mike Cook has been instrumental, but the Panthers have plenty of other weapons.
Next test: Dec. 16 at Wisconsin
3. Kansas (6-1) — This was a tough call because of the Jayhawks' setback to Oral Roberts and a lackluster effort against Ball State. However, Bill Self's team knocked off the defending national champion Florida Gators. Julian Wright is a star and freshman Darrell Arthur has stepped up in a big way. The key will be whether Sasha Kaun can give KU consistent low-post play on both ends of the court.
Next test: Saturday at DePaul
4. Florida (7-1) — The Gators didn't exactly set the house on fire in a loss to Kansas in Las Vegas. Corey Brewer, who was playing with mononucleosis, missed a last second 3-pointer in overtime. Billy Donovan's team will be just fine because they have been there, have chemistry and play hard.
Next test: Sunday at Florida State (without Brewer)
5. North Carolina (5-1) — The Tar Heels got yet another dominating effort from sophomore big man Tyler Hansbrough in a terrific game against a Greg Oden-less Ohio State club. Wayne Ellington had a strong second half — as did fellow freshman Brandan Wright.
Next test: Saturday vs. Kentucky
6. Ohio State (6-1) — The Buckeyes gave a valiant effort without their star big man in a loss at Chapel Hill. Senior Ron Lewis went for 30, freshman Daequan Cook was terrific and fellow frosh Mike Conley Jr., was unrattled in one of the toughest environments. Thad Matta's group had played its first half-dozen games at home with its toughest opponent being Kent State.
Next test: Dec. 23 at Florida
7. Alabama (6-0) — The Crimson Tide have managed to remain unbeaten despite playing with a banged-up Ron Steele and an emotional Jermareo Davidson, whose girlfriend was killed in a car accident. Mark Gottfried's club beat a tough Xavier club in the Virgin Islands.
Next test: Dec. 7 at Notre Dame
8. Marquette (7-0) — Tom Crean's team needed overtime to knock off Idaho State, but the Golden Eagles have rebounded strong with neutral-court victories against Duke and Texas Tech. Sophomore point guard Dominic James has been every bit as good as advertised.
Next test: Dec. 9 vs. Wisconsin
9. Butler (8-0) — No one has had more quality wins than Todd Lickliter's Bulldogs. They knocked off Notre Dame, Indiana, Tennessee and Gonzaga en route to a Preseason NIT title. Then, one day after the win over the 'Zags, Butler came back to beat mid-major power Kent State in double overtime.
Next test: Dec. 16 vs. Purdue in the Wooden Tradition
10. Wichita State (5-0) — How can these guys not be in the Top 10 after road wins against two Final Four teams from a year ago — LSU and George Mason. Shockers coach Mark Turgeon's team has experience and balance.
Next test: Saturday at Syracuse
11. Texas A&M (6-0) — Billy Gillespie's Aggies have yet to venture away from College Station and haven't really played anyone of note. The victims include Prairie View A&M, Lamar, Louisiana Tech, St. Louis, Idaho State and Arkansas-Little Rock. Acie Law IV has led Texas A&M thus far.
Next test: Dec. 5 at LSU
12. Gonzaga (6-1) — The 'Zags knocked off arguably the most talented team in the nation, North Carolina, at Madison Square Garden before losing to Butler in the championship game. Guard Derek Ravio and big man Josh Heytvelt have done a good job making people forget about Adam Morrison.
Next test: Saturday vs. Texas in Phoenix
13. Arizona (4-1) — The Wildcats had a slip-up at Virginia on the night that the Cavaliers opened their new building. But the wing trio of freshman Chase Budinger as well as Marcus Williams and Jawann McClellan have been nearly unstoppable. Add in senior forward Ivan Radenovic and it's a team difficult to defend. The key is clearly point guard Mustafa Shakur.
Next test: Dec. 5 vs. Louisville in Jimmy V Classic in New York
14. Georgia Tech (6-1) — Paul Hewitt's club knocked off Memphis out in Maui and also took care of Purdue before losing badly to the No. 1 team in the land — UCLA. The Yellow Jackets will continue to get better as freshmen Javaris Crittenton and Thaddeus Young rack up experience.
Next test: Sunday at Miami
15. Duke (6-1) — Greg Paulus is still coming back from a foot injury and Josh McRoberts still isn't the same after off-season back surgery. That said, the Blue Devils are still 6-1 with a pair of quality wins against Air Force and Indiana.
Next test: Saturday vs. Georgetown
16. Maryland (8-0) — The Terps have earned it with a blowout win at St. John's, a road victory against Illinois and a win against Michigan State in New York. Heady guards Greivis Vasquez and Eric Hayes have made a huge difference.
Next test: Dec. 10 at Boston College
17. Washington (6-0) — The Huskies are young with a trio of freshman starters and Lorenzo Romar has primarily scheduled cupcakes early. The toughest opponent thus far has been Northern Iowa. Quincy Pondexter has emerged and fellow freshman Spencer Hawes is starting to come on of late.
Next test: Dec. 9 at Gonzaga
18. UConn (6-0) — These Huskies are just as young as the ones from Seattle. Jim Calhoun's group has found a big-time scoring guard in freshman Jerome Dyson and fellow frosh Hasheem Thabeet has been an intimidating presence down low.
Next test: Dec. 6 at LSU
19. Memphis (4-1) — The Tigers dropped a game against Top 25 team Georgia Tech, but ended up coming back from Hawaii with victories against Kentucky and Oklahoma. John Calipari will need to get more from Robert Dozier and could also use more consistent perimeter shooting.
Next test: Dec. 6 at Tennessee
20. Oklahoma State (8-0) — The Cowboys knocked off a Missouri State team that just got through taking care of Wisconsin. Mario Boggan has been tough inside while freshman Obi Muonelo has given Sean Sutton scoring punch from the wing.
Next test: Dec. 5 vs. Syracuse in New York
CSTV.........Manhattan Meets Young Memphis Side
Manhattan Meets Young Memphis Side
Memphis won a school-record 33 games last season
Dec. 1, 2006
Despite a younger and more inexperienced lineup, Memphis has figured out how to fill the void from the departure of its top three scorers.
The 14th-ranked Tigers have relied on a balanced attack to pick up where they left off last season, and look to continue that success Saturday when they host Manhattan.
Memphis (4-1) won a school-record 33 games last season and earned its first No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. After losing to UCLA in the regional final, Tigers' leading scorer Rodney Carney graduated and Shawne Williams and Darius Washington Jr. declared for the NBA draft.
Memphis averaged 80.0 points last season and has upped that mark in 2006-07 to 87.8 a contest. The Tigers have four players averaging double figures, including sophomore starters Chris Douglas-Roberts (15.0 points), Antonio Anderson (12.4) and Robert Dozier (10.8), and senior reserve Jeremy Hunt (13.8).
Anderson had a season-high 17 points as Memphis beat Arkansas State 86-60 on Wednesday. Hunt added 15 off the bench on 6-of-9 shooting while Dozier scored 13 and Joey Dorsey had 10.
"We have a team right now that really passes to one another, probably as unselfish as any team in the country," Tigers coach John Calipari said. "We're trying to work on us, and how we play. Overall, I thought it was a good effort. We've got a pretty good basketball team."
The opposition is taking notice.
"Studying them, you try to find some weakness. There are no weaknesses," Arkansas State coach Dickey Nutt said. "(Calipari's) got a special team. There are a lot of teams that would have been beaten (Wednesday night), and that includes anybody in the Big 12, the Pac 10 or the Big 10 or whatever."
The Tigers have been especially strong at home, beating Jackson State and Arkansas State by a combined 68 points. They've won 15 in a row at FedExForum by an average of 19.4 points.
The Jaspers (2-4) kicked off a three-game road trip with a 70-66 loss to Fordham on Thursday. They held the Rams to 33.9 percent shooting, but went just 15-for-27 from the free-throw line in suffering their third straight loss.
Memphis won a school-record 33 games last season
Dec. 1, 2006
Despite a younger and more inexperienced lineup, Memphis has figured out how to fill the void from the departure of its top three scorers.
The 14th-ranked Tigers have relied on a balanced attack to pick up where they left off last season, and look to continue that success Saturday when they host Manhattan.
Memphis (4-1) won a school-record 33 games last season and earned its first No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. After losing to UCLA in the regional final, Tigers' leading scorer Rodney Carney graduated and Shawne Williams and Darius Washington Jr. declared for the NBA draft.
Memphis averaged 80.0 points last season and has upped that mark in 2006-07 to 87.8 a contest. The Tigers have four players averaging double figures, including sophomore starters Chris Douglas-Roberts (15.0 points), Antonio Anderson (12.4) and Robert Dozier (10.8), and senior reserve Jeremy Hunt (13.8).
Anderson had a season-high 17 points as Memphis beat Arkansas State 86-60 on Wednesday. Hunt added 15 off the bench on 6-of-9 shooting while Dozier scored 13 and Joey Dorsey had 10.
"We have a team right now that really passes to one another, probably as unselfish as any team in the country," Tigers coach John Calipari said. "We're trying to work on us, and how we play. Overall, I thought it was a good effort. We've got a pretty good basketball team."
The opposition is taking notice.
"Studying them, you try to find some weakness. There are no weaknesses," Arkansas State coach Dickey Nutt said. "(Calipari's) got a special team. There are a lot of teams that would have been beaten (Wednesday night), and that includes anybody in the Big 12, the Pac 10 or the Big 10 or whatever."
The Tigers have been especially strong at home, beating Jackson State and Arkansas State by a combined 68 points. They've won 15 in a row at FedExForum by an average of 19.4 points.
The Jaspers (2-4) kicked off a three-game road trip with a 70-66 loss to Fordham on Thursday. They held the Rams to 33.9 percent shooting, but went just 15-for-27 from the free-throw line in suffering their third straight loss.
Tigers vs. Manhattan Available Nationwide on Pay-Per-View Internet, Being Shown Locally on WLMT
SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF SATURDAY'S MANHATTAN VS MEMPHIS BASKETBALL TO BE MADE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE
LIVE VIDEO STREAMING OF THIS MATCHUP TO BE OFFERED
Nov. 30, 2006
NEW YORK - CSTV Networks, Inc. has announced that the Saturday, December 2, men's basketball contest featuring Manhattan and Memphis will be available across the nation as part of a special pay-per-view event. The special presentation of this match-up will be available live and on-demand via Internet video streaming.
Exclusive online pay-per-view events offering live, streaming game video from tip-off to post-game.
Available nationwide.
Fast and easy sign-up online at cstvppv.com.
Pricing for this game will be $9.95.
These pay-per-view events are one-time special video presentations. Purchase price of an event entitles viewer to that game only.
LIVE VIDEO STREAMING OF THIS MATCHUP TO BE OFFERED
Nov. 30, 2006
NEW YORK - CSTV Networks, Inc. has announced that the Saturday, December 2, men's basketball contest featuring Manhattan and Memphis will be available across the nation as part of a special pay-per-view event. The special presentation of this match-up will be available live and on-demand via Internet video streaming.
Exclusive online pay-per-view events offering live, streaming game video from tip-off to post-game.
Available nationwide.
Fast and easy sign-up online at cstvppv.com.
Pricing for this game will be $9.95.
These pay-per-view events are one-time special video presentations. Purchase price of an event entitles viewer to that game only.
Manhattan Loses To Fordham Thursday, Plays at Memphis Saturday
FORDHAM DOWNS MEN'S BASKETBALL, 70-66
Release: 11/30/2006
Bronx, N.Y. (November 30, 2006)- In the 99th annual Battle of the Bronx game between boro-rivals Manhattan College and Fordham University, Fordham gradually pulled away in the second half to post a 70-66 win tonight at Rose Hill Gym on the Rams’ campus. Guy Ngarndi paced Manhattan with a career-high matching 16 points, adding nine rebounds.
After the teams traded two baskets apiece to begin the game, Fordham used a 12-0 run to open up a 16-4 lead with 14:04 left in the opening stanza. But Manhattan would settle down after a frenetic start, gradually whittling away at the lead, and ending the half on a 21-13 run to bring the Jaspers within two points, 30-28, at the half.
Manhattan would extend the run to 30-15 over the fist five minutes of the second half to take its largest lead of the game, 37-32, with 14:29 left on the clock. With the Jaspers still leading by five, 41-36, with 13:11 remaining, the Rams would respond with an 11-2 run of their own to take a four point lead, 47-43, with 8:39 left in the game. Fordham would gradually expand the lead by converting at the free throw line, before a late Manhattan surge provided the final margin.
Joining Ngarndi in double-figures were Jamel Ferguson (15 points, seven rebounds), Arturo Dubois (14 points, seven rebounds), and Darryl Crawford (11 points). Freshman Patrick Bouli pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.
Fordham’s Brenton Butler was named the Mike Cohen MVP after totaling a game-high 18 points.
Manhattan returns to the hardwood on Saturday, December 2, traveling to Memphis, Tenn. to take on the nationally ranked University of Memphis, with tip-off slated for 1:00 p.m. ET.
Release: 11/30/2006
Bronx, N.Y. (November 30, 2006)- In the 99th annual Battle of the Bronx game between boro-rivals Manhattan College and Fordham University, Fordham gradually pulled away in the second half to post a 70-66 win tonight at Rose Hill Gym on the Rams’ campus. Guy Ngarndi paced Manhattan with a career-high matching 16 points, adding nine rebounds.
After the teams traded two baskets apiece to begin the game, Fordham used a 12-0 run to open up a 16-4 lead with 14:04 left in the opening stanza. But Manhattan would settle down after a frenetic start, gradually whittling away at the lead, and ending the half on a 21-13 run to bring the Jaspers within two points, 30-28, at the half.
Manhattan would extend the run to 30-15 over the fist five minutes of the second half to take its largest lead of the game, 37-32, with 14:29 left on the clock. With the Jaspers still leading by five, 41-36, with 13:11 remaining, the Rams would respond with an 11-2 run of their own to take a four point lead, 47-43, with 8:39 left in the game. Fordham would gradually expand the lead by converting at the free throw line, before a late Manhattan surge provided the final margin.
Joining Ngarndi in double-figures were Jamel Ferguson (15 points, seven rebounds), Arturo Dubois (14 points, seven rebounds), and Darryl Crawford (11 points). Freshman Patrick Bouli pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.
Fordham’s Brenton Butler was named the Mike Cohen MVP after totaling a game-high 18 points.
Manhattan returns to the hardwood on Saturday, December 2, traveling to Memphis, Tenn. to take on the nationally ranked University of Memphis, with tip-off slated for 1:00 p.m. ET.
Calipari: Freshman On Pace
Calipari: Freshmen on pace
Early growing pains are no cause for alarm
By Dan Wolken
December 1, 2006
Willie Kemp is still mistake-prone. Pierre Niles isn't in shape yet. Doneal Mack sometimes gets lost in the shuffle and it's been a struggle to find minutes for Tre'Von Willis.
Five games into the University of Memphis basketball season, coach John Calipari's freshmen are still playing like, well, freshmen.
But as the No. 14-ranked Tigers (4-1) began preparations for Saturday's game against Manhattan, Calipari said his rookie class, which also includes center Hashim Bailey, might actually be ahead of schedule.
"I'd say all in all, it's pretty good," Calipari said.
Though Calipari has fully integrated Kemp, Mack and Niles into his regular nine-player rotation, all three have had their early ups-and-downs.
Kemp, who is starting at point guard but splitting minutes with junior Andre Allen, came to life against Kentucky in the EA Sports Maui Invitational, scoring 12 points in the second half of Memphis' 80-63 victory.
But Kemp still makes plenty of rookie mistakes, most of them caused by attempting difficult plays in traffic instead of easy ones. Like the one at the end of the first half of Wednesday's 86-60 victory against Arkansas State, when he forced up a jumper with six seconds left after Calipari had called a timeout to set up a play that never got off the ground.
Still, Calipari said Kemp (8.6 points per game) is a little further ahead of where he thought just one year after playing TSSAA Class AA basketball at Bolivar Central.
"I haven't been patient enough with Willie, to be honest," Calipari said. "His stuff isn't him not trying or listening. It's just, he doesn't know ... I don't mean that he hasn't been well-coached because he has been, but the style is so different from what that kid is used to."
Niles' biggest issue has been conditioning, which suffered a setback when he missed nearly three weeks of preseason practice due to minor knee surgery. Calipari still believes the 6-8, 285-pounder can still be the team's "X factor" once he gets in good enough shape to play at a high level for longer than a minute or two at a time.
"There may be people who have watched him saying, he's never been better than this," Calipari said. "He's never played harder than this. He's never tried like this, and I'm saying, yeah but it's not close yet. So sometimes, I'm not patient enough."
Though Memphis was never counting on Bailey to play major minutes this year, Mack and Willis were recruited with the idea that they might need to contribute right away at shooting guard behind sophomores Chris Douglas-Roberts and Antonio Anderson.
But when senior Jeremy Hunt was reinstated to the program in August, it suddenly became harder to find playing time for Mack and Willis, who are averaging 13.4 and 4.3 minutes, respectively.
Calipari said he's trying to find more time for them and even apologized to Mack after failing to play him in the second half of the Kentucky game.
"I didn't let that get me down," said Mack, who has chipped in 6.2 points per game. "Coach came after the game and apologized to me and told me I played a real good tournament. So I really didn't let that get to me. I'm a freshman. We've got Antonio, Chris and Jeremy, and they're all playing good. If they're producing, I'm happy because we're winning."
Though Memphis' freshmen last year -- including Shawne Williams -- almost immediately looked like big-time performers, the Tigers are counting on this class to make a bigger impact as the season goes on.
"We see it in practice," Douglas-Roberts said. "We're just waiting on it to come out in the game."
Etc.: Fans attending Saturday's game should be aware that the end of the St. Jude Memphis Marathon could cause traffic issues for the noon tip-off. Fans driving from from east Memphis and east Shelby County are asked to use Peabody, which leads to Linden Avenue that runs by FedExForum. Fans can also use I-55 to Riverside Drive to get to the arena. ... CSTV announced Thursday that Saturday's game will be available on a pay-per-view broadcast through the Internet. The cost is $9.95, and the game can be purchased at cstvppv.com.
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
Early growing pains are no cause for alarm
By Dan Wolken
December 1, 2006
Willie Kemp is still mistake-prone. Pierre Niles isn't in shape yet. Doneal Mack sometimes gets lost in the shuffle and it's been a struggle to find minutes for Tre'Von Willis.
Five games into the University of Memphis basketball season, coach John Calipari's freshmen are still playing like, well, freshmen.
But as the No. 14-ranked Tigers (4-1) began preparations for Saturday's game against Manhattan, Calipari said his rookie class, which also includes center Hashim Bailey, might actually be ahead of schedule.
"I'd say all in all, it's pretty good," Calipari said.
Though Calipari has fully integrated Kemp, Mack and Niles into his regular nine-player rotation, all three have had their early ups-and-downs.
Kemp, who is starting at point guard but splitting minutes with junior Andre Allen, came to life against Kentucky in the EA Sports Maui Invitational, scoring 12 points in the second half of Memphis' 80-63 victory.
But Kemp still makes plenty of rookie mistakes, most of them caused by attempting difficult plays in traffic instead of easy ones. Like the one at the end of the first half of Wednesday's 86-60 victory against Arkansas State, when he forced up a jumper with six seconds left after Calipari had called a timeout to set up a play that never got off the ground.
Still, Calipari said Kemp (8.6 points per game) is a little further ahead of where he thought just one year after playing TSSAA Class AA basketball at Bolivar Central.
"I haven't been patient enough with Willie, to be honest," Calipari said. "His stuff isn't him not trying or listening. It's just, he doesn't know ... I don't mean that he hasn't been well-coached because he has been, but the style is so different from what that kid is used to."
Niles' biggest issue has been conditioning, which suffered a setback when he missed nearly three weeks of preseason practice due to minor knee surgery. Calipari still believes the 6-8, 285-pounder can still be the team's "X factor" once he gets in good enough shape to play at a high level for longer than a minute or two at a time.
"There may be people who have watched him saying, he's never been better than this," Calipari said. "He's never played harder than this. He's never tried like this, and I'm saying, yeah but it's not close yet. So sometimes, I'm not patient enough."
Though Memphis was never counting on Bailey to play major minutes this year, Mack and Willis were recruited with the idea that they might need to contribute right away at shooting guard behind sophomores Chris Douglas-Roberts and Antonio Anderson.
But when senior Jeremy Hunt was reinstated to the program in August, it suddenly became harder to find playing time for Mack and Willis, who are averaging 13.4 and 4.3 minutes, respectively.
Calipari said he's trying to find more time for them and even apologized to Mack after failing to play him in the second half of the Kentucky game.
"I didn't let that get me down," said Mack, who has chipped in 6.2 points per game. "Coach came after the game and apologized to me and told me I played a real good tournament. So I really didn't let that get to me. I'm a freshman. We've got Antonio, Chris and Jeremy, and they're all playing good. If they're producing, I'm happy because we're winning."
Though Memphis' freshmen last year -- including Shawne Williams -- almost immediately looked like big-time performers, the Tigers are counting on this class to make a bigger impact as the season goes on.
"We see it in practice," Douglas-Roberts said. "We're just waiting on it to come out in the game."
Etc.: Fans attending Saturday's game should be aware that the end of the St. Jude Memphis Marathon could cause traffic issues for the noon tip-off. Fans driving from from east Memphis and east Shelby County are asked to use Peabody, which leads to Linden Avenue that runs by FedExForum. Fans can also use I-55 to Riverside Drive to get to the arena. ... CSTV announced Thursday that Saturday's game will be available on a pay-per-view broadcast through the Internet. The cost is $9.95, and the game can be purchased at cstvppv.com.
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
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