Family affair for Wave coach
Walberg keeps wife, kids close to him
By Dan Wolken
Saturday, January 5, 2008
As Pepperdine coach Vance Walberg walked his team through its game plan Friday morning at FedExForum, his wife, Rose, was sitting at the scorer's table scribbling notes on greeting cards, his daughter, Jaimie-Rose, a Pepperdine senior and team manager, was running the clock and filling water bottles, and his son, Jason, was playing point guard.
For Walberg, being constantly surrounded by family has been one of the few comforting aspects of the season. And though he will get to see his second family today when the Waves play No. 2 Memphis, he suspects the Tigers won't be quite as accommodating.
"It's going to be quite eye-opening," Walberg said.
Though Memphis, indeed, is a heavy favorite to beat Pepperdine (5-9), the outcome in many ways will be a backdrop to the celebration of Walberg's basketball family tree, which has had a profound impact on the Tigers' run.
"What our fans should be doing is give him a standing ovation (during pregame introductions)," Tigers coach John Calipari said. "Let him know we appreciate his contribution."
The story has been told many times in various ways, but it boils down to this: When Walberg was a junior-college coach in Fresno, Calif., five years ago, he came to Memphis and spent a week observing Calipari. At dinner one night, Calipari asked Walberg about the offense that helped him compile a 133-11 record at Fresno City College.
As Walberg explained his system, which he called AASAA -- Attack, Attack, Skip, Attack, Attack -- Calipari became more intrigued. Over time, Calipari implemented elements of that style, which is based on spreading the court and driving for lay-ups rather than a more traditional motion offense propelled by passing and screening.
Everyone has benefited from their relationship. Calipari fully committed to the system when the Tigers' current junior class came in as freshmen, and it has helped them to two Elite Eight appearances and a current No. 2 ranking.
Then, once word got out, Walberg quickly advanced from the lower levels of basketball to a Division 1 head coaching job at Pepperdine. And former Memphis assistant Tony Barbee was plucked off the staff by UTEP, where he is already beginning to get results in his second year.
"Our fans should be appreciative he's been that sharing for us," Calipari said. "He's as good a friend as I have. He and I talk three times a week. It's been a great experience for me. I'm coaching a totally different way that I think is better for our players, better for the game of basketball, more exciting for our fans and a more effective way for us to try to win at the highest level."
If Memphis fans give Walberg a standing ovation, it might be the highlight of the day for the Waves.
Though Walberg has been able to bring in some talent, the Waves are light on experience. Pepperdine starts three freshmen and two transfers, in part because of two major preseason defections.
Michael Gerrity, an all-West Coast Conference freshman guard, transferred to Charlotte and senior guard Kingsley Costain, last year's leading scorer, was dismissed in October for violating school policy.
Meanwhile, Pepperdine has had to navigate a brutal schedule with just two home games among its first 15. The Waves haven't played at home in Malibu, Calif., since beating Long Beach State on Nov. 21.
"It's crazy, isn't it?" Walberg said. "Especially since seven of the 12 are freshmen, it's really unfair for them. Hopefully we can survive it (mentally), because that's the hard part. You know and I know it's a little easier winning at home than on the road. You get a few more calls, you don't have to worry about the travel, this, that. It would be good in one way, if we were more of a veteran team. But it's been really tough."
In December, Pepperdine went on a nine-day road trip from BYU to Arkansas-Little Rock to Manhattan, then back to California on Dec. 22. The Waves haven't played since then, and now must make the trip back across the country for this game, which Walberg certainly didn't have to schedule.
"I wanted the kids to see what it's really like at the top," he said. "And then just the friendship with John, to come out and see him. These kids, if they want to dream, that's what they should be dreaming."
The nice thing for Walberg is that two of his four children have roles with the team, and his wife comes on nearly every road trip, bringing a sense of stability to a profession that can be difficult on families.
"It's very hard," Walberg said, "and I went the different route than most. But family has always been very important to me, very, very important."
No. 2 Tigers vs. Pepperdine
When, where: Noon today at FedExForum
TV, radio: WLMT (30), WREC-AM (600)
Sunday, January 06, 2008
The Memphis Tigers' Keys to Success
The Memphis Tigers' Keys to Success
by Ethan Carman (Contributor)
http://bleacherreport.com
The Memphis Tigers have a lot of things going for them.
They are undefeated, they've gone to the Sweet 16 two years in a row, they have the second-longest active home winning streak in the country, and above all that, they're #2 in the polls.
The problem? That's not enough.
You see, the Tigers made it to the Sweet 16 two years ago and the Elite 8 last year, but no further (ACTUALLY, MEMPHIS MADE IT TO THE ELITE EIGHT IN EACH OF THE LAST TWO YEARS, ED).
Coach John Calipari wants more—a championship. The question is, how? Why won't they come up short again?
Well, there are a few factors in play this year that will help crown the Tigers champs.
For one, after two years of success, the Tigers have their fans invested in the team. Every home game they double the attendance brought in by the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies.
In addition, Memphis has a tougher schedule, which will better prepare them for the postseason. The strength of their opponents will result in closer victories, which will help them to pull through in close games down the road.
Finally, the North Carolina Tar Heels, currently #1, are going to stay number #1—which is what the Tigers need.
Last year the Tigers were #1 for a short stretch before the end of the year, and it spoiled them. This was a large factor in their loss to Ohio State in the Elite 8.
This year the Tigers are older, stronger, faster, more experienced, and better prepared.
This year Coach Calipari's wishes will be granted, and this year the tigers will be Champs.
by Ethan Carman (Contributor)
http://bleacherreport.com
The Memphis Tigers have a lot of things going for them.
They are undefeated, they've gone to the Sweet 16 two years in a row, they have the second-longest active home winning streak in the country, and above all that, they're #2 in the polls.
The problem? That's not enough.
You see, the Tigers made it to the Sweet 16 two years ago and the Elite 8 last year, but no further (ACTUALLY, MEMPHIS MADE IT TO THE ELITE EIGHT IN EACH OF THE LAST TWO YEARS, ED).
Coach John Calipari wants more—a championship. The question is, how? Why won't they come up short again?
Well, there are a few factors in play this year that will help crown the Tigers champs.
For one, after two years of success, the Tigers have their fans invested in the team. Every home game they double the attendance brought in by the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies.
In addition, Memphis has a tougher schedule, which will better prepare them for the postseason. The strength of their opponents will result in closer victories, which will help them to pull through in close games down the road.
Finally, the North Carolina Tar Heels, currently #1, are going to stay number #1—which is what the Tigers need.
Last year the Tigers were #1 for a short stretch before the end of the year, and it spoiled them. This was a large factor in their loss to Ohio State in the Elite 8.
This year the Tigers are older, stronger, faster, more experienced, and better prepared.
This year Coach Calipari's wishes will be granted, and this year the tigers will be Champs.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Tigers find their long-range shooting touch
Tigers find their long-range shooting touch
No. 2 Tigers 102, Siena 58
By Dan Wolken
Friday, January 4, 2008
As far as anyone at the University of Memphis knew, officials Ed Hightower, Ted Hilary and John Higgins did not request ice bags upon exiting FedExForum Thursday night. But nobody would have been surprised, given the shoulder workout they received courtesy of the suddenly 3-point bombing Tigers.
For awhile on Thursday, that crew was hoisting its arms in the air at a breakneck pace, signaling 15 3-pointers for No. 2-ranked Memphis in a 102-58 rout of Siena.
Though the Tigers were dominant in all aspects in front of an announced crowd of 16,836, who witnessed a school record-tying 39th straight home win, nothing was more impressive than their long-range shooting.
In a first half that was closely contested for about six minutes, Memphis (12-0) broke the game open by making 11-of-15 from the 3-point line, going into halftime with a 49-24 lead. It was the most 3-pointers in a half in school history, besting a 10-of-18 performance against Marquette on Feb. 24, 2004.
"We're going to be very tough to beat (when shooting like that)," said junior forward Robert Dozier, who chipped in two of those 3-pointers. "Sometimes it's streaky with our shooting. But when guys are knocking it down, it makes the game a lot easier for us and it puts the opposing team in a difficult position."
Though Memphis has had some success shooting the 3-pointer this season -- the Tigers made 13 against Arkansas State and 12 against Cincinnati -- it had not been a factor recently. In their past two games, the Tigers had made just nine total 3-pointers and saw their season percentage sink to 33.7.
Given the numbers, it was sound strategy for Siena (7-5) to start the game in a tightly-packed zone, and the Tigers cooperated by failing to penetrate for the first few minutes. But once junior guard Chris Douglas-Roberts got going -- he made 5-of-5 from 3-point range in the first half and finished with 19 points -- it didn't take Memphis long to compile some staggering offensive numbers.
In addition to 27 assists on 38 baskets with just 10 turnovers, Memphis scored 102 points despite missing 21 free throws. Three Tigers finished with double-doubles, including Dozier (13 points, 12 rebounds) and senior forward Joey Dorsey (12 points, 14 rebounds).
"Obviously, we shot the three better than we've shot the three, which is why the score was what it was," coach John Calipari said. "They'll win their league; I'll be surprised if they don't, and we just made shots."
Though the Tigers could not keep up that pace in the second half -- they fell one 3-pointer short of the school record -- they didn't need to. After a 10-1 Siena run coming out of the locker room to pull within 16, Memphis sprinted away again with layups in quick succession by Douglas-Roberts, Dorsey and Derrick Rose to spark an 11-0 run.
But the real story of the second half was the breakout game by freshman forward Jeff Robinson, who struggled to find a spot in the rotation for the first 11 games. Robinson, a top-50 recruit who has the most impressive physique on the team this side of Dorsey, played in just seven of those games and hadn't done much when given an opportunity.
That all changed in the second half, when Robinson came out of nowhere to finish with a team-high 20 minutes and 10 rebounds in 12 minutes, punctuating his night with a windmill dunk right before the buzzer. Robinson's hustle also earned the approval of a crowd that showered him with a standing ovation after he power-slammed an off-the-backboard alley-oop thrown by walk-on Chance McGrady for a 94-51 lead.
"I was making the transition from high school to college; it was a little bit different, I was a little nervous," said Robinson, who went 9-for-12 from the field. "So I just had to work my way in and wait for my turn. I've been working out with coach, and that's been giving me a lot of confidence, and getting me ready for the games to play fast and rebound, and I have more confidence in myself."
Robinson led a strong night for the bench, which contributed 45 points and gave the Tigers' starters a chance to rest after they shouldered the load during a grinding month of December.
"I love the fact that the guys on the bench performed," Calipari said. "When you get your minutes, get in there and perform and prove you should be playing more. We needed a game where we could get a lot of people playing time."
Reach Dan Wolken at 529-2365; read his blogs on the Tigers at thememphisedge.com.
No. 2 Tigers roll past Saints with relentless 3-point attack
Outmanned in Memphis
No. 2 Tigers roll past Saints with relentless 3-point attack
By PETE IORIZZO, Staff writer, Albany Times Union
Friday, January 4, 2008
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Within minutes of the final buzzer, the Siena men's basketball team decided to look forward, to talk about lessons learned for future goals, to harp on ways to improve and small measures of success.
Looking back painted a far less pretty picture.
The preceding 40 minutes of game time offered a beautiful display of college basketball -- from near-flawless 3-point shooting and relentless rebounding to suffocating defense -- that led only to a hideous final score.
No. 2 Memphis, the highest-ranked opponent ever to face Siena in the regular season, pummeled the Saints in every measurable manner. The final result was a 102-58 rout Thursday at FedExForum.
The loss marked Siena's worst in 19 years, since Syracuse scored a 123-72 victory over Siena in the 1987-88 season. No wonder the Saints elected not to dwell on defeat, but rather to seek solace in where the experience of having played the ultra-talented Tigers might lead.
"That's the type of team we're going to need to play and compete against if we win this MAAC championship like we want to," senior captain Tay Fisher said. "I'm glad we had this opportunity. If we can win this MAAC championship, we're going to see this kind of team again."
Should that situation arise, Siena surely hopes for a more palatable outcome. In improving their record to 12-0 and winning their 39th consecutive home game, the Tigers led by as many as 46 points.
Memphis posted overwhelming statistics in almost every major category. The Tigers grabbed 60 rebounds, including 26 on offense, made 15 3-pointers and shot 52.8 percent from the field.
"If they're shooting like that, I don't know if there's any team in the country that can beat them," Siena center Cory Magee said.
The Tigers entered the game coming off tightly contested wins over nationally ranked foes Georgetown and Arizona. This was no contest. Memphis led 49-24 at halftime, a lead Siena never threatened.
Memphis was led by 20 points from reserve guard Jeff Robinson, but it was a superlative 19-point effort from starting guard Chris Douglas-Roberts that turned the game early. Douglas-Roberts made all five of his first-half 3-point tries and finished with 19 points.
He was a catalyst behind Memphis' 11 first-half 3-pointers. The Saints, playing a zone defense and guarding against the Tigers' relentless penetration, afforded clean looks from beyond the arc -- and Memphis made almost all of them.
Three-pointers on three consecutive possessions midway through the first half turned a 10-point Memphis lead into a 41-20 advantage, a defining swing that spelled the beginning of a rout.
"We needed a game like this," Memphis coach John Calipari said. "This thing has been a grind for us."
Siena instead turned to the grind ahead. The Saints sought positives in a team-high 18 points from Kenny Hasbrouck as well as 14 points from Edwin Ubiles and Tay Fisher. Also, Magee collected 10 rebounds and seldom-used forward Steven Priestly grabbed four boards in 18 minutes.
The Saints face Saint Peter's on Sunday in a return to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play -- or, more aptly, a welcome return to more suitable opponents.
Collectively, you just hope we can learn from this," Siena coach Fran McCaffery said. "You hope if we're in this situation again, against a team of this caliber, we play with a little more composure."
: Siena landed its second and final recruit of the season Thursday when 6-foot-10 center Wolfgang Gieler, a junior college player from Allan Hancock (Calif.) College, gave his oral commitment, Hancock coach Ralph Gorton said.
Gieler, who averages 19.5 points this year for Hancock, can play for Siena next season and will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Iorizzo can be reached at 454-5425 or by e-mail at piorizzo@timesunion.com.
No. 2 Tigers roll past Saints with relentless 3-point attack
By PETE IORIZZO, Staff writer, Albany Times Union
Friday, January 4, 2008
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Within minutes of the final buzzer, the Siena men's basketball team decided to look forward, to talk about lessons learned for future goals, to harp on ways to improve and small measures of success.
Looking back painted a far less pretty picture.
The preceding 40 minutes of game time offered a beautiful display of college basketball -- from near-flawless 3-point shooting and relentless rebounding to suffocating defense -- that led only to a hideous final score.
No. 2 Memphis, the highest-ranked opponent ever to face Siena in the regular season, pummeled the Saints in every measurable manner. The final result was a 102-58 rout Thursday at FedExForum.
The loss marked Siena's worst in 19 years, since Syracuse scored a 123-72 victory over Siena in the 1987-88 season. No wonder the Saints elected not to dwell on defeat, but rather to seek solace in where the experience of having played the ultra-talented Tigers might lead.
"That's the type of team we're going to need to play and compete against if we win this MAAC championship like we want to," senior captain Tay Fisher said. "I'm glad we had this opportunity. If we can win this MAAC championship, we're going to see this kind of team again."
Should that situation arise, Siena surely hopes for a more palatable outcome. In improving their record to 12-0 and winning their 39th consecutive home game, the Tigers led by as many as 46 points.
Memphis posted overwhelming statistics in almost every major category. The Tigers grabbed 60 rebounds, including 26 on offense, made 15 3-pointers and shot 52.8 percent from the field.
"If they're shooting like that, I don't know if there's any team in the country that can beat them," Siena center Cory Magee said.
The Tigers entered the game coming off tightly contested wins over nationally ranked foes Georgetown and Arizona. This was no contest. Memphis led 49-24 at halftime, a lead Siena never threatened.
Memphis was led by 20 points from reserve guard Jeff Robinson, but it was a superlative 19-point effort from starting guard Chris Douglas-Roberts that turned the game early. Douglas-Roberts made all five of his first-half 3-point tries and finished with 19 points.
He was a catalyst behind Memphis' 11 first-half 3-pointers. The Saints, playing a zone defense and guarding against the Tigers' relentless penetration, afforded clean looks from beyond the arc -- and Memphis made almost all of them.
Three-pointers on three consecutive possessions midway through the first half turned a 10-point Memphis lead into a 41-20 advantage, a defining swing that spelled the beginning of a rout.
"We needed a game like this," Memphis coach John Calipari said. "This thing has been a grind for us."
Siena instead turned to the grind ahead. The Saints sought positives in a team-high 18 points from Kenny Hasbrouck as well as 14 points from Edwin Ubiles and Tay Fisher. Also, Magee collected 10 rebounds and seldom-used forward Steven Priestly grabbed four boards in 18 minutes.
The Saints face Saint Peter's on Sunday in a return to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play -- or, more aptly, a welcome return to more suitable opponents.
Collectively, you just hope we can learn from this," Siena coach Fran McCaffery said. "You hope if we're in this situation again, against a team of this caliber, we play with a little more composure."
: Siena landed its second and final recruit of the season Thursday when 6-foot-10 center Wolfgang Gieler, a junior college player from Allan Hancock (Calif.) College, gave his oral commitment, Hancock coach Ralph Gorton said.
Gieler, who averages 19.5 points this year for Hancock, can play for Siena next season and will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Iorizzo can be reached at 454-5425 or by e-mail at piorizzo@timesunion.com.
No. 2 Memphis Routs Siena
No. 2 Memphis Routs Siena
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Reserve Jeff Robinson scored 20 points and Chris Douglas-Roberts added 19, including 17 in the first half, to lead No. 2 Memphis to a 102-58 victory over Siena on Thursday night.
Joey Dorsey hit all five of his shots, scored 12 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked four shots for Memphis. Robert Dozier had 13 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks as the Tigers (12-0) won their 39th straight home game.
Memphis connected on 11 shots from 3-point range in the first half and built a 25-point lead. The Saints (7-5) could not get any closer than 16 in the second half.
Kenny Hasbrouck led Siena with 18 points, while Edwin Ubiles and Tay Fisher added 14 each.
Siena couldn't muster any offense after an early lead, shooting 32 percent for the game. Even with a short rally to open the second half that cut the deficit to 16, the Saints never threatened, primarily because Memphis answered the rally with a 25-3 run over the next 7 minutes.
The Tigers shot 50 percent outside the arc for the game with Douglas-Roberts missing only one of his six 3-pointers.
Memphis finished with 11 blocks and forced 15 turnovers.
The Tigers used a barrage of 3-point field goals to build a 49-24 halftime lead. They were 11-of-16 from outside the arc, led by Douglas-Roberts, who hit all five of his and had 17 points.
Siena led early as Memphis coach John Calipari was so dissatisfied with the way his starters were playing, he made wholesale substitutions a minute into the game.
The Tigers erased the early deficit with a 10-0 run with Douglas-Roberts recording half of the points. The Tigers added a handful of 3-pointers over the final 3:26 of the half.
Siena was unable to get much offense going outside of Hasbrouck, shooting 31 percent in the first half.
In the second half, Memphis would extend the lead to as many as 46 points with just under 3 minutes left as Calipari had emptied his bench.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Reserve Jeff Robinson scored 20 points and Chris Douglas-Roberts added 19, including 17 in the first half, to lead No. 2 Memphis to a 102-58 victory over Siena on Thursday night.
Joey Dorsey hit all five of his shots, scored 12 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked four shots for Memphis. Robert Dozier had 13 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks as the Tigers (12-0) won their 39th straight home game.
Memphis connected on 11 shots from 3-point range in the first half and built a 25-point lead. The Saints (7-5) could not get any closer than 16 in the second half.
Kenny Hasbrouck led Siena with 18 points, while Edwin Ubiles and Tay Fisher added 14 each.
Siena couldn't muster any offense after an early lead, shooting 32 percent for the game. Even with a short rally to open the second half that cut the deficit to 16, the Saints never threatened, primarily because Memphis answered the rally with a 25-3 run over the next 7 minutes.
The Tigers shot 50 percent outside the arc for the game with Douglas-Roberts missing only one of his six 3-pointers.
Memphis finished with 11 blocks and forced 15 turnovers.
The Tigers used a barrage of 3-point field goals to build a 49-24 halftime lead. They were 11-of-16 from outside the arc, led by Douglas-Roberts, who hit all five of his and had 17 points.
Siena led early as Memphis coach John Calipari was so dissatisfied with the way his starters were playing, he made wholesale substitutions a minute into the game.
The Tigers erased the early deficit with a 10-0 run with Douglas-Roberts recording half of the points. The Tigers added a handful of 3-pointers over the final 3:26 of the half.
Siena was unable to get much offense going outside of Hasbrouck, shooting 31 percent in the first half.
In the second half, Memphis would extend the lead to as many as 46 points with just under 3 minutes left as Calipari had emptied his bench.
Albany Times Union - Calipari Siena-savvy
Calipari Siena-savvy
By PETE IORIZZO, Staff writer
Click byline for more stories by writer.
First published: Thursday, January 3, 2008
Tenn. -- John Calipari broke from practice for a moment Wednesday to talk to a smattering of reporters about his No. 2 Memphis team's game against Siena tonight.
But Calipari's thoughts soon turned to a different game, from a different era, against a different Siena team.
Calipari coached Massachusetts in a 1991 National Invitation Tournament game against Siena at Knickerbocker Arena, with a berth in the NIT Final Four at Madison Square Garden at stake.
Calipari's team trailed by three points with 2.9 seconds left, when a public-address announcer informed fans, "The bus for Madison Square Garden will leave Siena College tomorrow ..."
But that bus never left -- the Minutemen hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer and won in overtime.
"One of my players grabbed the mike and yelled, 'What time is the bus leaving?' " Calipari said with a laugh. "That's my experience with Siena, even though I really love the school and the people there."
Indeed, Calipari spent much of his Wednesday chat talking up the Saints, who face the Tigers at 9 p.m. at FedExForum. Calipari cited concerns about Siena's guards, its speed and its exceptional ball-handling, some of it probably coachspeak, some probably genuine.
Still, one of the Tigers' biggest worries is looking past the Saints. Memphis (11-0) comes off victories over No. 5 Georgetown and No. 17 Arizona, bringing its home winning streak to 38 games.
Memphis boasts an NBA prospect at every position and maybe another off the bench. NBA- Draft.net, a Web site that predicts future NBA Drafts, forecasts freshman point guard Derrick Rose to be the third overall selection, should he turn pro.
Calipari put his team through a spirited workout a day before facing Siena, a practice that included intensive one-on-one work beforehand. His message was clear -- no letting up allowed.
"This is one we better not look by," Calipari said.
Success is new neither to Calipari, in his eighth year at Memphis, nor his players. His teams won 33 games each of the past two seasons, boosting his record here to 192-63. The Tigers also have made consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
But when it was suggested to Memphis players that they might overlook Siena, they refused to buy it.
"They have a pretty good team," sophomore forward Shawn Taggart said.
"We're definitely not going to look past them," reserve guard Doneal Mack said. "We're going to try to give them trouble for 40 minutes."
The Saints (7-4), who arrived in town Wednesday and practiced at FedEXForum, look to play David to Memphis' Goliath. A victory would mark the biggest upset of the year. But even in defeat, Siena likely can find solace, given Memphis is the highest-ranked opponent the school ever has faced in the regular season.
"I feel like this team has a certain confidence level and sophistication," Siena coach Fran McCaffery said. "They understand what this game is all about. They understand this is not just another game."
The Saints prepared for a Memphis team relentless at both ends of the floor. Memphis runs a motion offense that attacks, attacks, attacks. On defense, the Tigers employ a press for the majority of the game and play man-to-man so tight it's more skin-to-skin.
Still, Siena vowed to play to win, to try to accomplish what their 1991 forbearers couldn't against one of college basketball's most recognizable coaches.
"It's going to be a good experience for us," junior captain Kenny Hasbrouck said. "But we're not just coming out here to come out here. We want to get the W."
Iorizzo can be reached at 454-5425 or by e-mail at piorizzo@timesunion.com.
By PETE IORIZZO, Staff writer
Click byline for more stories by writer.
First published: Thursday, January 3, 2008
Tenn. -- John Calipari broke from practice for a moment Wednesday to talk to a smattering of reporters about his No. 2 Memphis team's game against Siena tonight.
But Calipari's thoughts soon turned to a different game, from a different era, against a different Siena team.
Calipari coached Massachusetts in a 1991 National Invitation Tournament game against Siena at Knickerbocker Arena, with a berth in the NIT Final Four at Madison Square Garden at stake.
Calipari's team trailed by three points with 2.9 seconds left, when a public-address announcer informed fans, "The bus for Madison Square Garden will leave Siena College tomorrow ..."
But that bus never left -- the Minutemen hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer and won in overtime.
"One of my players grabbed the mike and yelled, 'What time is the bus leaving?' " Calipari said with a laugh. "That's my experience with Siena, even though I really love the school and the people there."
Indeed, Calipari spent much of his Wednesday chat talking up the Saints, who face the Tigers at 9 p.m. at FedExForum. Calipari cited concerns about Siena's guards, its speed and its exceptional ball-handling, some of it probably coachspeak, some probably genuine.
Still, one of the Tigers' biggest worries is looking past the Saints. Memphis (11-0) comes off victories over No. 5 Georgetown and No. 17 Arizona, bringing its home winning streak to 38 games.
Memphis boasts an NBA prospect at every position and maybe another off the bench. NBA- Draft.net, a Web site that predicts future NBA Drafts, forecasts freshman point guard Derrick Rose to be the third overall selection, should he turn pro.
Calipari put his team through a spirited workout a day before facing Siena, a practice that included intensive one-on-one work beforehand. His message was clear -- no letting up allowed.
"This is one we better not look by," Calipari said.
Success is new neither to Calipari, in his eighth year at Memphis, nor his players. His teams won 33 games each of the past two seasons, boosting his record here to 192-63. The Tigers also have made consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
But when it was suggested to Memphis players that they might overlook Siena, they refused to buy it.
"They have a pretty good team," sophomore forward Shawn Taggart said.
"We're definitely not going to look past them," reserve guard Doneal Mack said. "We're going to try to give them trouble for 40 minutes."
The Saints (7-4), who arrived in town Wednesday and practiced at FedEXForum, look to play David to Memphis' Goliath. A victory would mark the biggest upset of the year. But even in defeat, Siena likely can find solace, given Memphis is the highest-ranked opponent the school ever has faced in the regular season.
"I feel like this team has a certain confidence level and sophistication," Siena coach Fran McCaffery said. "They understand what this game is all about. They understand this is not just another game."
The Saints prepared for a Memphis team relentless at both ends of the floor. Memphis runs a motion offense that attacks, attacks, attacks. On defense, the Tigers employ a press for the majority of the game and play man-to-man so tight it's more skin-to-skin.
Still, Siena vowed to play to win, to try to accomplish what their 1991 forbearers couldn't against one of college basketball's most recognizable coaches.
"It's going to be a good experience for us," junior captain Kenny Hasbrouck said. "But we're not just coming out here to come out here. We want to get the W."
Iorizzo can be reached at 454-5425 or by e-mail at piorizzo@timesunion.com.
Dan McGuinness Pub to Host Tiger Pre-Game and Post-Game Radio Shows
Dan McGuinness Pub to Host Tiger Pre-Game and Post-Game Radio Shows
Jan. 3, 2008
Peabody Place invites Tiger fans to stop by Dan McGuinness Pub (150 Peabody Place, Memphis) before and after tonight's Tiger Men's Basketball game versus Siena. The NewsRadio WREC AM 600 live pre-game and post-game radio shows will be broadcast live from Dan McGuinness Pub where the crew from WREC AM 600 will preview the game at the pre-game show beginning at 7 p.m. The post-game show will be broadcast live following the game.
Dan McGuinness Pub offers live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. The menu features many authentic Irish dishes such as, Irish Stew, Shepherd's Pie, Beef and Guinness, and Irish Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
For each game broadcast, one of the Peabody Place restaurants will host the show and offer fans a variety of food and drink specials.
Make plans to be at Dan McGuinness Pub for the pre-game and post-game radio shows to enjoy great food and drinks and to talk about Tiger basketball.
Jan. 3, 2008
Peabody Place invites Tiger fans to stop by Dan McGuinness Pub (150 Peabody Place, Memphis) before and after tonight's Tiger Men's Basketball game versus Siena. The NewsRadio WREC AM 600 live pre-game and post-game radio shows will be broadcast live from Dan McGuinness Pub where the crew from WREC AM 600 will preview the game at the pre-game show beginning at 7 p.m. The post-game show will be broadcast live following the game.
Dan McGuinness Pub offers live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. The menu features many authentic Irish dishes such as, Irish Stew, Shepherd's Pie, Beef and Guinness, and Irish Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
For each game broadcast, one of the Peabody Place restaurants will host the show and offer fans a variety of food and drink specials.
Make plans to be at Dan McGuinness Pub for the pre-game and post-game radio shows to enjoy great food and drinks and to talk about Tiger basketball.
Albany Times Union - Saints quality foe for Tigers' rating
Saints quality foe for Tigers' rating
By PETE IORIZZO, Staff writer, Albany Times Union
Thursday, January 3, 2008
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Siena might not carry the name recognition of Georgetown or Arizona, Memphis's past two opponents, but John Calipari still believes scheduling the Saints helps his program.
Siena ranked No. 68 in Wednesday evening's RPI, according to CollegeRPI.com. That gives the Tigers, No. 1 in the RPI, a quality opponent, even if not a nationally ranked one.
"This was simply an RPI game," Calipari said. "This is a team ... that will beat you if you don't play. But if you play and beat them, it becomes a quality win. We not only want to play the marquee teams, but also teams like this, who are like your first- or second-round opponents in the NCAA Tournament."
Siena benefits from the game financially, because it receives an undisclosed sum, usually five-figures and called a "guarantee," to schedule the game.
But Saints coach Fran McCaffery said his program also improves by playing such high-level competition at this point in the season. Siena begins Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play on Sunday against Saint Peter's.
"You always want to look at the big picture," McCaffery said. "We'll learn how to play a team that's bigger than us, learn to protect the lead if we get one and learn to keep our composure if we get behind. We'll utilize a lot of things and see how we execute against a very high-caliber opponent." Scouts aplenty
There figures to be a number of NBA and professional scouts in attendance tonight, as there are at most Memphis games.
Siena junior guard Kenny Hasbrouck, who often talks about his lifelong dream being a chance to play in the NBA, said he looks forward to showcasing his ability against Memphis players.
"This is a good chance to show how good we are, especially me and (Edwin Ubiles)," Hasbrouck said. "But if we don't win or don't even compete, it can hurt us, too. So we have to be ready."
McCaffery said after the game against Syracuse on Nov. 12 a number of scouts raved about Ubiles, a sophomore forward. So some might be eager to take a second look.
"If Edwin, Kenny and some of the other players want to get looks by the pros," McCaffery said, "they have to do it in situations like this."
TV time for Siena
Tonight's game will air on Time Warner 3, because several local sponsors, including All Star Wine & Spirits, fronted enough money to pick up the feed from Comcast Sports Southeast.
Television, in fact, is one more reason Siena scheduled the game, McCaffery said.
"If we can get our program on television, it's that many more people who can see who we are and get to know our players," McCaffery said.
Eleven of Siena's last 17 regular-season games will be on TV.
By PETE IORIZZO, Staff writer, Albany Times Union
Thursday, January 3, 2008
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Siena might not carry the name recognition of Georgetown or Arizona, Memphis's past two opponents, but John Calipari still believes scheduling the Saints helps his program.
Siena ranked No. 68 in Wednesday evening's RPI, according to CollegeRPI.com. That gives the Tigers, No. 1 in the RPI, a quality opponent, even if not a nationally ranked one.
"This was simply an RPI game," Calipari said. "This is a team ... that will beat you if you don't play. But if you play and beat them, it becomes a quality win. We not only want to play the marquee teams, but also teams like this, who are like your first- or second-round opponents in the NCAA Tournament."
Siena benefits from the game financially, because it receives an undisclosed sum, usually five-figures and called a "guarantee," to schedule the game.
But Saints coach Fran McCaffery said his program also improves by playing such high-level competition at this point in the season. Siena begins Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play on Sunday against Saint Peter's.
"You always want to look at the big picture," McCaffery said. "We'll learn how to play a team that's bigger than us, learn to protect the lead if we get one and learn to keep our composure if we get behind. We'll utilize a lot of things and see how we execute against a very high-caliber opponent." Scouts aplenty
There figures to be a number of NBA and professional scouts in attendance tonight, as there are at most Memphis games.
Siena junior guard Kenny Hasbrouck, who often talks about his lifelong dream being a chance to play in the NBA, said he looks forward to showcasing his ability against Memphis players.
"This is a good chance to show how good we are, especially me and (Edwin Ubiles)," Hasbrouck said. "But if we don't win or don't even compete, it can hurt us, too. So we have to be ready."
McCaffery said after the game against Syracuse on Nov. 12 a number of scouts raved about Ubiles, a sophomore forward. So some might be eager to take a second look.
"If Edwin, Kenny and some of the other players want to get looks by the pros," McCaffery said, "they have to do it in situations like this."
TV time for Siena
Tonight's game will air on Time Warner 3, because several local sponsors, including All Star Wine & Spirits, fronted enough money to pick up the feed from Comcast Sports Southeast.
Television, in fact, is one more reason Siena scheduled the game, McCaffery said.
"If we can get our program on television, it's that many more people who can see who we are and get to know our players," McCaffery said.
Eleven of Siena's last 17 regular-season games will be on TV.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Siena fits the bill as Tigers' opponent
Siena fits the bill as Tigers' opponent
MAAC team offers challenge, may aid RPI
By Dan Wolken
Thursday, January 3, 2008
University of Memphis coach John Calipari was relaxing poolside last May at the Conference USA meetings in Florida when assistant John Robic called with some bad news.
Holy Cross had just pulled out of an agreement to play this season at FedExForum, leaving the Tigers with a hole on the schedule that would need to be filled by a very specific kind of team.
A team that would be willing to play in Memphis on a one-year contract.
A team from a mid-major conference that could resemble a first- or second-round opponent in the NCAA Tournament.
And, more than anything, a team that would win 20-plus games, helping the Tigers' schedule strength in the Ratings Percentage Index.
Of all the potential replacements, Siena appeared to fit the bill best of all. And Siena has cooperated, emerging as the favorite to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title. Now, the No. 2 Tigers must live up to their end of the bargain and fend off any slip-up against a team Calipari believes is capable of an upset.
"They're a veteran team, and we're definitely not going to look past them," sophomore guard Doneal Mack said. "They've got good guards, and we've been working on them like all the other teams we've played, and we'll just try to make it hard for 40 minutes."
And if the Tigers play hard for 40 minutes tonight, it will be an RPI bonanza for a Memphis team that won't have many opportunities to improve its power numbers once the C-USA schedule begins.
According to Ken Pomeroy's calculations on his Web site, kenpom.com, the Tigers are No.1 in the RPI, the primary tool used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee to compare teams from different conferences.
It's no surprise Memphis is No. 1 right now, given that the Tigers have already beaten Georgetown, Arizona, Oklahoma and Southern California. Staying there, however, isn't guaranteed once Memphis enters league play, where it will see a steady diet of teams ranked outside the top-100.
Siena, however, comes into tonight's game ranked 65th in the RPI with, ironically, a win over Holy Cross. And the more victories over top-100 teams Memphis can claim, the better chance it has of landing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
"This was simply an RPI game," Calipari said. "They can beat you if you don't play (well), but if you play and you can beat them, it's great at the end of the year. It becomes a quality win."
But it could also become a nerve-wracking experience for Calipari, who compared this Siena team to the 2005-06 Winthrop squad that finished 23-7 and gave the Tigers a tussle before succumbing, 73-63.
Siena has much the same look, with a win over nationally ranked Stanford already on its resume. And like most of the successful mid-major teams, Siena lacks size but has a bevy of experienced guards. That can sometimes create matchup problems, especially if those guards are hitting 3-pointers, which the Saints have done at a 41 percent clip this season.
"They have good guards," Calipari said. "And the scary thing for us, in a game like this, they can shoot threes. And the biggest thing is, our press may not have the effect it's had on other teams because they'll play two small guards who are basically two point guards."
The Tigers also catch Siena after their run of victories over Georgetown and Arizona on back-to-back weekends, clearly the high point in the preconference schedule. The Tigers must guard against a letdown tonight and again Saturday against Pepperdine, or all that work they did to get in position for a No. 1 seed will suddenly seem less impressive.
"It's no different every game for us," sophomore forward Shawn Taggart said. "Everybody wants to play games now, not be in the gym beating up on each other. We'd rather be out there beating up on other teams."
Etc.: Memphis has made 600 unclaimed student tickets on the terrace level available to the public for each of the next four home games, beginning tonight. The tickets can be purchased for $12 apiece through the athletic department Web site (gotigersgo.com), at the ticket office on Normal and Southern or by calling 678-2331.
Reach Dan Wolken at 529-2365; read his blogs on the Tigers at thememphisedge.com.
Go to thememphisedge.com at about 7:30 p.m. today to catch Dan Wolken's pregame thoughts live from FedExForum.
MAAC team offers challenge, may aid RPI
By Dan Wolken
Thursday, January 3, 2008
University of Memphis coach John Calipari was relaxing poolside last May at the Conference USA meetings in Florida when assistant John Robic called with some bad news.
Holy Cross had just pulled out of an agreement to play this season at FedExForum, leaving the Tigers with a hole on the schedule that would need to be filled by a very specific kind of team.
A team that would be willing to play in Memphis on a one-year contract.
A team from a mid-major conference that could resemble a first- or second-round opponent in the NCAA Tournament.
And, more than anything, a team that would win 20-plus games, helping the Tigers' schedule strength in the Ratings Percentage Index.
Of all the potential replacements, Siena appeared to fit the bill best of all. And Siena has cooperated, emerging as the favorite to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title. Now, the No. 2 Tigers must live up to their end of the bargain and fend off any slip-up against a team Calipari believes is capable of an upset.
"They're a veteran team, and we're definitely not going to look past them," sophomore guard Doneal Mack said. "They've got good guards, and we've been working on them like all the other teams we've played, and we'll just try to make it hard for 40 minutes."
And if the Tigers play hard for 40 minutes tonight, it will be an RPI bonanza for a Memphis team that won't have many opportunities to improve its power numbers once the C-USA schedule begins.
According to Ken Pomeroy's calculations on his Web site, kenpom.com, the Tigers are No.1 in the RPI, the primary tool used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee to compare teams from different conferences.
It's no surprise Memphis is No. 1 right now, given that the Tigers have already beaten Georgetown, Arizona, Oklahoma and Southern California. Staying there, however, isn't guaranteed once Memphis enters league play, where it will see a steady diet of teams ranked outside the top-100.
Siena, however, comes into tonight's game ranked 65th in the RPI with, ironically, a win over Holy Cross. And the more victories over top-100 teams Memphis can claim, the better chance it has of landing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
"This was simply an RPI game," Calipari said. "They can beat you if you don't play (well), but if you play and you can beat them, it's great at the end of the year. It becomes a quality win."
But it could also become a nerve-wracking experience for Calipari, who compared this Siena team to the 2005-06 Winthrop squad that finished 23-7 and gave the Tigers a tussle before succumbing, 73-63.
Siena has much the same look, with a win over nationally ranked Stanford already on its resume. And like most of the successful mid-major teams, Siena lacks size but has a bevy of experienced guards. That can sometimes create matchup problems, especially if those guards are hitting 3-pointers, which the Saints have done at a 41 percent clip this season.
"They have good guards," Calipari said. "And the scary thing for us, in a game like this, they can shoot threes. And the biggest thing is, our press may not have the effect it's had on other teams because they'll play two small guards who are basically two point guards."
The Tigers also catch Siena after their run of victories over Georgetown and Arizona on back-to-back weekends, clearly the high point in the preconference schedule. The Tigers must guard against a letdown tonight and again Saturday against Pepperdine, or all that work they did to get in position for a No. 1 seed will suddenly seem less impressive.
"It's no different every game for us," sophomore forward Shawn Taggart said. "Everybody wants to play games now, not be in the gym beating up on each other. We'd rather be out there beating up on other teams."
Etc.: Memphis has made 600 unclaimed student tickets on the terrace level available to the public for each of the next four home games, beginning tonight. The tickets can be purchased for $12 apiece through the athletic department Web site (gotigersgo.com), at the ticket office on Normal and Southern or by calling 678-2331.
Reach Dan Wolken at 529-2365; read his blogs on the Tigers at thememphisedge.com.
Go to thememphisedge.com at about 7:30 p.m. today to catch Dan Wolken's pregame thoughts live from FedExForum.
The case against Tulsa grows
The case against Tulsa grows
Posted by Dan Wolken
Anybody else catch this article in the Tulsa World detailing a postgame rant by coach Doug Wojcik about fan apathy at Tulsa games? According to the article, the actual crowd for a game against Mississippi Valley State was about 2,500, and Wojcik was ticked off. I don’t blame him. Tulsa should be a better program than that. Though I wouldn’t pretend to know what a good crowd should be for Tulsa, there has to be more interest in that town.
I’m sure the fans are telling Wojcik that they’d come if the team was better, and that’s understandable. Wojcik is building the program back up from nothing, and he’s doing a good job. But Tulsa isn’t an NCAA Tournament team this season, and they’re probably not going to be an NCAA Tournament team next season. So if that’s the standard, then maybe Conference USA should reconsider the ridiculous decision to bring the league tournament to Tulsa in 2009. The local interest right now just isn’t there. It’s going to be an absolute embarrassment to the conference if it happens.
And no, UTEP fans, the league tournament doesn’t belong in El Paso. (Believe me, I’m reading your e-mails). For now, keep it in Memphis. It’s the only solution that makes sense.
Beijing Cha-Ching?
Beijing Cha-Ching?
The University of Memphis prospects for gold on foreign hard courts
By Donnie Snow, Tennessee Business Magazine
Two years ago, ranking members of the Chinese government, including Vice-Premier Wu Yi, met with Memphis cotton moguls in the Peabody Hotel to cut a $300 million cotton deal. Given China's position as the world's fabric maker, the Chinese were understandably ravenous for our cotton. But few would have anticipated that the next sizzling Bluff City export could be college basketball.
Last September, Coach John Calipari visited Beijing with University of Memphis executives. There they formalized an exchange program with the Chinese Basketball Association to bring to Memphis Chinese coaches (75 over five years) for college coaching clinics covering everything from practice strategies to academics.
Sure, the move will open up the under-recruited coffers of the billion-strong nation that produced NBA star Yao Ming, but in the international marketplace, the Sino-Memphis connection could open up a brand new passing lane on the golden road to China—a road culture icons like Coke, Yahoo and McDonald's have found extremely lucrative.
"We probably are not going to see an immediate impact on what this does in every area, including the economic side," Calipari says. "We are now in the process of seeing if we can get our games on television in China. The NBA has shown games there and it's crazy how the game has been taken up by the Chinese. I hear the two top-selling NBA jerseys in China are [Cleveland's] LeBron James and [Houston's] Tracy McGrady because they are on television so much.
"If you're on television in China, then millions and millions—maybe even billions—are watching since they only have two or three TV stations."
It's not hard to imagine the financial windfall that size of captive audience could produce if a star Chinese athlete was seen dominating the hardwood wearing Memphis blue.
UM administrators and Memphis business leaders believe the exchange program's commercial opportunities can outstretch increased jersey sales, licensing deals or six-figure sneaker endorsements for the coach, but due to the program's unique quality, few seem prepared to capitalize on the program apart from the University registrar.
"The exchange program," Calipari says, "is hopefully going to bring 100 Chinese undergraduates [to UM] each year over the next five years. The hope is they enjoy their experience and encourage others to take part in this initiative."
A viral marketer might say such an endeavor constitutes the university having its own street team, if you will, in classrooms and boardrooms across China. Nevertheless, the grassroots good word is bound to bolster the buzz already begun by the CBA exchange program, a program national and international news agencies project will establish the smaller of the two major land-grant universities in Tennessee as a major brand on the international market—and possibly the major brand, as schools in this state go.
The University of Memphis prospects for gold on foreign hard courts
By Donnie Snow, Tennessee Business Magazine
Two years ago, ranking members of the Chinese government, including Vice-Premier Wu Yi, met with Memphis cotton moguls in the Peabody Hotel to cut a $300 million cotton deal. Given China's position as the world's fabric maker, the Chinese were understandably ravenous for our cotton. But few would have anticipated that the next sizzling Bluff City export could be college basketball.
Last September, Coach John Calipari visited Beijing with University of Memphis executives. There they formalized an exchange program with the Chinese Basketball Association to bring to Memphis Chinese coaches (75 over five years) for college coaching clinics covering everything from practice strategies to academics.
Sure, the move will open up the under-recruited coffers of the billion-strong nation that produced NBA star Yao Ming, but in the international marketplace, the Sino-Memphis connection could open up a brand new passing lane on the golden road to China—a road culture icons like Coke, Yahoo and McDonald's have found extremely lucrative.
"We probably are not going to see an immediate impact on what this does in every area, including the economic side," Calipari says. "We are now in the process of seeing if we can get our games on television in China. The NBA has shown games there and it's crazy how the game has been taken up by the Chinese. I hear the two top-selling NBA jerseys in China are [Cleveland's] LeBron James and [Houston's] Tracy McGrady because they are on television so much.
"If you're on television in China, then millions and millions—maybe even billions—are watching since they only have two or three TV stations."
It's not hard to imagine the financial windfall that size of captive audience could produce if a star Chinese athlete was seen dominating the hardwood wearing Memphis blue.
UM administrators and Memphis business leaders believe the exchange program's commercial opportunities can outstretch increased jersey sales, licensing deals or six-figure sneaker endorsements for the coach, but due to the program's unique quality, few seem prepared to capitalize on the program apart from the University registrar.
"The exchange program," Calipari says, "is hopefully going to bring 100 Chinese undergraduates [to UM] each year over the next five years. The hope is they enjoy their experience and encourage others to take part in this initiative."
A viral marketer might say such an endeavor constitutes the university having its own street team, if you will, in classrooms and boardrooms across China. Nevertheless, the grassroots good word is bound to bolster the buzz already begun by the CBA exchange program, a program national and international news agencies project will establish the smaller of the two major land-grant universities in Tennessee as a major brand on the international market—and possibly the major brand, as schools in this state go.
Lost your job? John Calipari can help you
Lost your job? John Calipari can help you
By Sam Alipour
Special to ESPN The Magazine, Page 2
Updated: January 2, 2008, 5:07 PM ET
John Calipari straight-up laughed at me. Or was it with me? I'm not really sure.
I am, however, certain that the Memphis Tigers men's basketball coach called me "a walking billboard" for his upcoming book "Bouncing Back," a how-to for losers like him and me … er, men and women who've been fired.
In the book, Calipari recounts his comeback after getting canned as the New Jersey Nets' head coach and executive VP of basketball operations in 1999, just one year after leading the team to its highest-ever divisional finish (second) since joining the NBA in 1976 and three years removed from a Final Four appearance with UMass. Calipari, who humbly returned to the coaching ranks later that season as an assistant with Larry Brown's Philadelphia 76ers before signing with Memphis in 2000, also dishes out advice on spin-control, discerning true friends from business suck-ups and comforting your family -- tips that speak to anyone who has suffered through a loss of employment.
And if Calipari's recent history is any indication, pink slips can spur you on to greater success. In his first seven seasons at Memphis, the Tigers have posted seven 20-win seasons, including a school-record 33 victories each of the past two campaigns. Now the reigning Conference USA Coach of the Year is the skipper of the No. 2 team in the nation, one that ESPN The Magazine has picked to win it all.
Calipari recently took some time to talk about the keys to a post-canning comeback. If you've been fired, or happen to coach the Knicks, read on.
Alipour: Why write a book about an embarrassing chapter in your life?
Calipari: A lot of people have asked how I climbed out of that hole. I write about an absolute embarrassing public flameout, but it's also a chance to help people. You learn more about yourself through that bad experience than you do through all your success. You also learn about the people around you and how things really are because you're down to the bare bones of it. These are some of the 15 topics that I cover. I wish I had a book when I was fired to tell me how to get myself right again.
Alipour: After you've been canned, how ugly can it get?
Calipari: First, there's this immediate feeling, like you fell down a flight of stairs and you can't stop. When you get fired in a public, vicious way like I did, it rocks you to your core. You're in a total daze, in shock, numb for two weeks, hiding under the covers. It's humbling. But it's only permanent if you make it permanent. You need to get out from under the covers and say, "I'm going to rebuild, get my mind right."
Alipour: What's the first step toward recovery?
Calipari: Understanding you're not alone. Some will read this and say, "Yeah, you got fired, but you have all of that money!" Do you think the money matters at that point? Whether you're a CEO or laborer, what you're going through is similar, even for those whose circumstances are out of their control. I know a guy who had a tick bite and almost died. He was in the house for four months and had to rebuild his life. And what about someone from [Hurricane] Katrina? Someone who had nothing to do with that, but had his businesses wiped out?
I'm also going to have 10 people from all walks of life who've failed miserably to share their stories [in the book]. I'd love to get Al Gore. His life was over, but he made himself significant again. When I was on "Best Damn Sports Show," Rodney Peete talked about the worst time in his life when, in a contract year with the [Detroit] Lions, he blows his Achilles for a second time. He was on a stretcher, saying "This is over." Rob Dibble had to go to Puerto Rico to pitch his way back into the [major] league[s]. Chris Rose, who was fired from that show for three months, said he went home and cried.
Alipour: When I got fired, I had to answer a lot of questions from the parental units. How should one deal with concerned family members?
Calipari: That's the immediate thing. I have three children who are all young. I know it was important to me to not uproot my kids again. You need to ask, "How are they taking this? Where are they with this?" A lot of times, there's bitterness in your spouse. With my wife, lets just say, if I didn't get a job, it would've hurt us. She was getting tired of seeing me. She said I was giving too many suggestions around the house and I needed to get a job. That's when I knew it was time to get back to it.
Alipour: What's the most important step in the comeback process?
Calipari: You need to stay positive. You want to hold a grudge, to be vicious to those who did this to you. If you're obsessed with that, you lose. Be obsessed with positive thoughts. Conduct the phone call test -- Sam, pay attention to your phone calls with friends. There are those who you talk to who make you feel good. But there's one person who, every time you talk to them, they're negative. We all know people like that. Do you really want to talk to them? No. Don't be that person.
You need to let go and move on. Look in the mirror and say, "Everything I'm going to do today will be positive. I'll be upbeat when people talk to me." You'll notice it'll change how people look at you and talk about you. You want to be able to draw people to you because, at some level, someone is going to have to reach out and help.
Alipour: At this point, it seems you're suggesting "spin control." How does that factor into the recovery process?
Calipari: You need to start thinking, "How do I position everything and where am I going to go with this?" Hopefully you have enough people to call on to give you a hand. That's when you find out who's with you. After I got out from under the covers, I called maybe a hundred people -- administrators, coaches, commissioners -- for their thoughts and how [my firing] looked on the outside. Sitting next to your phone, you'll find out there's a difference between friendships and business relationships.
Alipour: How so?
Calipari: Twenty percent of those people never called me back. I'm already at the bottom of the steps and some people tried to kick me down further. It's funny, when I was hired, I got 100 calls. When I got fired, I got two calls. You need to be aware that people love to see you fail. But I'll tell you this, this country loves a comeback story. They love Seabiscuit, Martha Stewart and Al Gore.
Alipour: Sometimes, all you need is one person to believe in you. Who was there for you?
Calipari: Larry Brown. We talked five days a week, and at the end of the year he asked me to join his staff. At the time, he was trying to tell me that he needs my help. In reality, I needed his help. I had to decide, "What am I trying to accomplish? Did I want to go back to coaching? If so, college or NBA?" It was a great six months of rehabbing. I was around a giant, a Hall of Famer, a guy who cared about me. And as I helped him, I reconfirmed what I felt about the game and rebuilt my confidence. I was fortunate. My position with him made me more of an appealing coaching candidate for Memphis.
Alipour: Have you mended fences with the Nets?
Calipari: Oh yeah, you have to. You need to accept responsibility. You can't blame others. I got fired because we were 3-17. And if any of the players quit on me or worked against me [as was reported], that's my fault. I drafted or traded for them. Now, I could say Sam Cassell got hurt; that the year before, we were in the playoffs; that they sold the team and made $50 million over a two year period and increased the team's value; that we changed the direction of the Nets and we were picked to win the division that year. Bottom line? We were 3-17 and the new ownership wanted to get another coach. That's their right. What, like I'm going to get a raise? I'm not mad at them. I might not think they were right, but take responsibility and say, "If I'm in this situation again, what can I do better?"
Alipour: This whole thing seems like a blessing in disguise. Your Tigers are ranked second [in the nation]. No chance you'll get fired anytime soon, right?
Calipari: Well, that's not true. What if three guys get injured and this thing goes south? All of a sudden, I'm bouncing back again. Most people have more than one bounce-back. How about those guys who were bankrupted four different times? To say that I went through my one bounce-back is crazy. Something could happen at work -- maybe an illness, maybe marriage. All kinds of things can knock you for a loop.
Alipour: Any final thoughts you'd like to add?
Calipari: Yeah, you said you were fired?
Alipour: Depending on who you ask, I've been fired one or three times in my previous careers.
Calipari: (Whistles) Man, that's great. (Laughs) That's just great. (Laughs) Can you do me a favor and put that in your story?
Alipour: Sure thing.
Calipari: (Laughs)
Sam Alipour is based in Los Angeles. His Media Blitz column appears in ESPN The Magazine and regularly on Page 2. You can reach him at sam.alipour@gmail.com.
By Sam Alipour
Special to ESPN The Magazine, Page 2
Updated: January 2, 2008, 5:07 PM ET
John Calipari straight-up laughed at me. Or was it with me? I'm not really sure.
I am, however, certain that the Memphis Tigers men's basketball coach called me "a walking billboard" for his upcoming book "Bouncing Back," a how-to for losers like him and me … er, men and women who've been fired.
In the book, Calipari recounts his comeback after getting canned as the New Jersey Nets' head coach and executive VP of basketball operations in 1999, just one year after leading the team to its highest-ever divisional finish (second) since joining the NBA in 1976 and three years removed from a Final Four appearance with UMass. Calipari, who humbly returned to the coaching ranks later that season as an assistant with Larry Brown's Philadelphia 76ers before signing with Memphis in 2000, also dishes out advice on spin-control, discerning true friends from business suck-ups and comforting your family -- tips that speak to anyone who has suffered through a loss of employment.
And if Calipari's recent history is any indication, pink slips can spur you on to greater success. In his first seven seasons at Memphis, the Tigers have posted seven 20-win seasons, including a school-record 33 victories each of the past two campaigns. Now the reigning Conference USA Coach of the Year is the skipper of the No. 2 team in the nation, one that ESPN The Magazine has picked to win it all.
Calipari recently took some time to talk about the keys to a post-canning comeback. If you've been fired, or happen to coach the Knicks, read on.
Alipour: Why write a book about an embarrassing chapter in your life?
Calipari: A lot of people have asked how I climbed out of that hole. I write about an absolute embarrassing public flameout, but it's also a chance to help people. You learn more about yourself through that bad experience than you do through all your success. You also learn about the people around you and how things really are because you're down to the bare bones of it. These are some of the 15 topics that I cover. I wish I had a book when I was fired to tell me how to get myself right again.
Alipour: After you've been canned, how ugly can it get?
Calipari: First, there's this immediate feeling, like you fell down a flight of stairs and you can't stop. When you get fired in a public, vicious way like I did, it rocks you to your core. You're in a total daze, in shock, numb for two weeks, hiding under the covers. It's humbling. But it's only permanent if you make it permanent. You need to get out from under the covers and say, "I'm going to rebuild, get my mind right."
Alipour: What's the first step toward recovery?
Calipari: Understanding you're not alone. Some will read this and say, "Yeah, you got fired, but you have all of that money!" Do you think the money matters at that point? Whether you're a CEO or laborer, what you're going through is similar, even for those whose circumstances are out of their control. I know a guy who had a tick bite and almost died. He was in the house for four months and had to rebuild his life. And what about someone from [Hurricane] Katrina? Someone who had nothing to do with that, but had his businesses wiped out?
I'm also going to have 10 people from all walks of life who've failed miserably to share their stories [in the book]. I'd love to get Al Gore. His life was over, but he made himself significant again. When I was on "Best Damn Sports Show," Rodney Peete talked about the worst time in his life when, in a contract year with the [Detroit] Lions, he blows his Achilles for a second time. He was on a stretcher, saying "This is over." Rob Dibble had to go to Puerto Rico to pitch his way back into the [major] league[s]. Chris Rose, who was fired from that show for three months, said he went home and cried.
Alipour: When I got fired, I had to answer a lot of questions from the parental units. How should one deal with concerned family members?
Calipari: That's the immediate thing. I have three children who are all young. I know it was important to me to not uproot my kids again. You need to ask, "How are they taking this? Where are they with this?" A lot of times, there's bitterness in your spouse. With my wife, lets just say, if I didn't get a job, it would've hurt us. She was getting tired of seeing me. She said I was giving too many suggestions around the house and I needed to get a job. That's when I knew it was time to get back to it.
Alipour: What's the most important step in the comeback process?
Calipari: You need to stay positive. You want to hold a grudge, to be vicious to those who did this to you. If you're obsessed with that, you lose. Be obsessed with positive thoughts. Conduct the phone call test -- Sam, pay attention to your phone calls with friends. There are those who you talk to who make you feel good. But there's one person who, every time you talk to them, they're negative. We all know people like that. Do you really want to talk to them? No. Don't be that person.
You need to let go and move on. Look in the mirror and say, "Everything I'm going to do today will be positive. I'll be upbeat when people talk to me." You'll notice it'll change how people look at you and talk about you. You want to be able to draw people to you because, at some level, someone is going to have to reach out and help.
Alipour: At this point, it seems you're suggesting "spin control." How does that factor into the recovery process?
Calipari: You need to start thinking, "How do I position everything and where am I going to go with this?" Hopefully you have enough people to call on to give you a hand. That's when you find out who's with you. After I got out from under the covers, I called maybe a hundred people -- administrators, coaches, commissioners -- for their thoughts and how [my firing] looked on the outside. Sitting next to your phone, you'll find out there's a difference between friendships and business relationships.
Alipour: How so?
Calipari: Twenty percent of those people never called me back. I'm already at the bottom of the steps and some people tried to kick me down further. It's funny, when I was hired, I got 100 calls. When I got fired, I got two calls. You need to be aware that people love to see you fail. But I'll tell you this, this country loves a comeback story. They love Seabiscuit, Martha Stewart and Al Gore.
Alipour: Sometimes, all you need is one person to believe in you. Who was there for you?
Calipari: Larry Brown. We talked five days a week, and at the end of the year he asked me to join his staff. At the time, he was trying to tell me that he needs my help. In reality, I needed his help. I had to decide, "What am I trying to accomplish? Did I want to go back to coaching? If so, college or NBA?" It was a great six months of rehabbing. I was around a giant, a Hall of Famer, a guy who cared about me. And as I helped him, I reconfirmed what I felt about the game and rebuilt my confidence. I was fortunate. My position with him made me more of an appealing coaching candidate for Memphis.
Alipour: Have you mended fences with the Nets?
Calipari: Oh yeah, you have to. You need to accept responsibility. You can't blame others. I got fired because we were 3-17. And if any of the players quit on me or worked against me [as was reported], that's my fault. I drafted or traded for them. Now, I could say Sam Cassell got hurt; that the year before, we were in the playoffs; that they sold the team and made $50 million over a two year period and increased the team's value; that we changed the direction of the Nets and we were picked to win the division that year. Bottom line? We were 3-17 and the new ownership wanted to get another coach. That's their right. What, like I'm going to get a raise? I'm not mad at them. I might not think they were right, but take responsibility and say, "If I'm in this situation again, what can I do better?"
Alipour: This whole thing seems like a blessing in disguise. Your Tigers are ranked second [in the nation]. No chance you'll get fired anytime soon, right?
Calipari: Well, that's not true. What if three guys get injured and this thing goes south? All of a sudden, I'm bouncing back again. Most people have more than one bounce-back. How about those guys who were bankrupted four different times? To say that I went through my one bounce-back is crazy. Something could happen at work -- maybe an illness, maybe marriage. All kinds of things can knock you for a loop.
Alipour: Any final thoughts you'd like to add?
Calipari: Yeah, you said you were fired?
Alipour: Depending on who you ask, I've been fired one or three times in my previous careers.
Calipari: (Whistles) Man, that's great. (Laughs) That's just great. (Laughs) Can you do me a favor and put that in your story?
Alipour: Sure thing.
Calipari: (Laughs)
Sam Alipour is based in Los Angeles. His Media Blitz column appears in ESPN The Magazine and regularly on Page 2. You can reach him at sam.alipour@gmail.com.
Pete Iorizzo, Albany Times Union - Moore's job: Trim Rose
Moore's job: Trim Rose
Siena guard primary defender against Memphis' No. 2 scorer
By PETE IORIZZO, Staff writer
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Ronald Moore spent the summer playing basketball with his cousin John Salmons of the Sacramento Kings, and his brother Chuck, who played at Vanderbilt.
Their workouts also included players like Temple forward Mark Tyndale, a professional prospect, and Mardy Collins, a guard for the New York Knicks.
"That did a lot for my confidence," Moore said.
Moore finds out Thursday just how much it did for his game.
Siena's sophomore point guard faces his stiffest test of the season, perhaps even of his college career, when Siena plays at No. 2 Memphis.
The Tigers (11-0) boast one of the most talented freshmen in the country in point guard Derrick Rose, whom scouts project as a top-five pick in the NBA draft, should he elect to turn pro after this season.
Rose arrived at Memphis from Chicago as one of college basketball's most ballyhooed recruits, ranking among the top five players by almost every major scouting service. He has met every expectation, leading Memphis in assists and ranking second on the team in scoring with 15.5 points per game.
"He definitely has a future in the NBA," league director of scouting Marty Blake said.
Moore, who ranks fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with 4.91 assists per game, said he embraces the challenge.
"I'm definitely very excited," Moore said. "If I can do well against a guy like that, I can make a little name for myself."
Moore and Rose share one similarity -- both are billed as playmaking, pass-friendly point guards. But there are differences in size -- Rose is 6 feet, 3 inches and weighs 190 pounds, while Moore is 3 inches shorter and 40 pounds lighter -- and strength.
Rose is a fearless penetrator, too, with a penchant for the acrobatic did-you-just-see-that sort of finish around the basket. Even his shooting, thought to be one of his few flaws, is coming around; he's made 7 of his past 14 3-pointers, raising that shooting percentage to .367.
"He forces a lot of stuff," said Siena assistant coach Adam Chaskin, who is compiling a scouting report on Memphis for the Saints. "He puts up some shots that make you say, 'You've got to be kidding me.' But it's part of what makes him great, because he hits a lot of them."
Moore continues to be a smooth operator of Siena's offense. His shot selection still needs improvement, evidenced by his .369 shooting percentage. But his low-turnover, high-assist production is a boon to the Saints' up-tempo style.
Moore won't be left alone to handle Rose. Teams have varied their defenses against the Tigers, with everything from a triangle-and-two approach by Southern California to a man-to-man look from Arizona. Siena figures to employ more of the latter, meaning Moore will get help.
But Moore still will be the player at the top of any defense, the one who decides if he should take a step back to guard against Rose's penetration or stay in his face, taking away his shot.
"If Rose starts making 3s, I don't know how you guard the kid," Chaskin said. "If you get too close, he goes right by you."
As a freshman at Wake Forest, Siena coach Fran McCaffery said he guarded former North Carolina point guard Phil Ford, who also won a gold medal with the United States 1976 Olympic Team.
"I played pretty well, stole the ball from him," said McCaffery, who faced Ford three times. "I still remember it, though I doubt he does."
Based on that experience, McCaffery said he'll offer Moore this advice: Enjoy the challenge, savor the memory, and, most important, play your game.
"Ronald Moore has the attitude you need," McCaffery said. "He's not afraid of anybody."
Iorizzo can be reached at 454-5425 or by e-mail at piorizzo@timesunion.com.
Siena guard primary defender against Memphis' No. 2 scorer
By PETE IORIZZO, Staff writer
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Ronald Moore spent the summer playing basketball with his cousin John Salmons of the Sacramento Kings, and his brother Chuck, who played at Vanderbilt.
Their workouts also included players like Temple forward Mark Tyndale, a professional prospect, and Mardy Collins, a guard for the New York Knicks.
"That did a lot for my confidence," Moore said.
Moore finds out Thursday just how much it did for his game.
Siena's sophomore point guard faces his stiffest test of the season, perhaps even of his college career, when Siena plays at No. 2 Memphis.
The Tigers (11-0) boast one of the most talented freshmen in the country in point guard Derrick Rose, whom scouts project as a top-five pick in the NBA draft, should he elect to turn pro after this season.
Rose arrived at Memphis from Chicago as one of college basketball's most ballyhooed recruits, ranking among the top five players by almost every major scouting service. He has met every expectation, leading Memphis in assists and ranking second on the team in scoring with 15.5 points per game.
"He definitely has a future in the NBA," league director of scouting Marty Blake said.
Moore, who ranks fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with 4.91 assists per game, said he embraces the challenge.
"I'm definitely very excited," Moore said. "If I can do well against a guy like that, I can make a little name for myself."
Moore and Rose share one similarity -- both are billed as playmaking, pass-friendly point guards. But there are differences in size -- Rose is 6 feet, 3 inches and weighs 190 pounds, while Moore is 3 inches shorter and 40 pounds lighter -- and strength.
Rose is a fearless penetrator, too, with a penchant for the acrobatic did-you-just-see-that sort of finish around the basket. Even his shooting, thought to be one of his few flaws, is coming around; he's made 7 of his past 14 3-pointers, raising that shooting percentage to .367.
"He forces a lot of stuff," said Siena assistant coach Adam Chaskin, who is compiling a scouting report on Memphis for the Saints. "He puts up some shots that make you say, 'You've got to be kidding me.' But it's part of what makes him great, because he hits a lot of them."
Moore continues to be a smooth operator of Siena's offense. His shot selection still needs improvement, evidenced by his .369 shooting percentage. But his low-turnover, high-assist production is a boon to the Saints' up-tempo style.
Moore won't be left alone to handle Rose. Teams have varied their defenses against the Tigers, with everything from a triangle-and-two approach by Southern California to a man-to-man look from Arizona. Siena figures to employ more of the latter, meaning Moore will get help.
But Moore still will be the player at the top of any defense, the one who decides if he should take a step back to guard against Rose's penetration or stay in his face, taking away his shot.
"If Rose starts making 3s, I don't know how you guard the kid," Chaskin said. "If you get too close, he goes right by you."
As a freshman at Wake Forest, Siena coach Fran McCaffery said he guarded former North Carolina point guard Phil Ford, who also won a gold medal with the United States 1976 Olympic Team.
"I played pretty well, stole the ball from him," said McCaffery, who faced Ford three times. "I still remember it, though I doubt he does."
Based on that experience, McCaffery said he'll offer Moore this advice: Enjoy the challenge, savor the memory, and, most important, play your game.
"Ronald Moore has the attitude you need," McCaffery said. "He's not afraid of anybody."
Iorizzo can be reached at 454-5425 or by e-mail at piorizzo@timesunion.com.
Bumpy roads ahead for the six teams still undefeated
Bumpy roads ahead for the six teams still undefeated
By Dana O'Neil, ESPN.com
January 2, 2008
Last To Lose
Six unbeaten teams remain throughout college hoops. Since 2000, how long have teams managed to remain unbeaten?
Year Team Started Final First loss
2007 Clemson 17-0 25-11 Jan. 13 at Maryland
2006 Florida 17-0 33-6 Jan. 21 at Tennessee
2005 Illinois 29-0 37-2 March 6 at Ohio State
2004 Saint Joseph's 27-0 30-2 March 11 vs. Xavier
2003 Duke 12-0 26-7 Jan. 18 at Maryland
2002 Duke 12-0 31-4 Jan. 6 at Florida State
2001 Stanford 20-0 31-3 Feb. 3 vs. UCLA
2000 Syracuse 19-0 26-2 Feb. 7 vs. Seton Hall
**Note: Every team went to the Sweet 16 except Clemson.
There are no Bill Belichick hoodies in college hoops. There are sport coats with mock turtlenecks, angry men in sweaters and a GQ issue's worth of three-button designer Italian suits tailored by a guy who visits the office while the coach designs new ways to defend the pick and roll.
But no hoodies.
There also are six teams in "pursuit of perfection" -- to borrow the latest term for the New England Patriots' undefeated run -- and the road to a goose egg in the loss column is no less daunting in basketball than it is in the NFL. UNLV was the last team to run to a perfect regular-season mark, but the Runnin' Rebels were stunned by Duke in the 1991 national championship game. Not since Indiana toppled Michigan in the 1976 NCAA title game has a hoops team gone wire-to-wire without a blemish.
So, as the calendar flips to January and the pursuit becomes about as smooth as a backwater country road after a rough winter, ditch the hoodie, embrace the suit and keep an eye on these six Patriots-in-training.
KANSAS: 13-0
Road to perfection: It's hard to imagine that a team whose campus intersects history -- Allen Fieldhouse sits on Naismith Drive -- can be overlooked. But in the season of the sexy, studly freshmen, the Jayhawks are lacking; they don't have a head-turning rookie. They just have what might be the deepest team in the country. Bill Self's 10th man, freshman Cole Aldrich, is a McDonald's All-American. Four players -- Darrell Arthur, Mario Chalmers, Darnell Jackson and Brandon Rush -- average double figures, and Kansas is steamrolling competition by a 25-point margin that would make Belichick proud.
Reality check: Beyond the absence of a future one-and-done NBAer, there is another reason no one is saying much about Kansas. The Jayhawks' early season schedule has been so-so. They beat a then-unranked Arizona team by four and won at then-No. 24 USC by the same margin. Otherwise, it has been a lot of directional victories -- Northern Arizona, Florida Atlantic, Eastern Washington -- that have done little to generate interest.
Potential potholes: It's tempting to circle a Jan. 30 date with state-rival Kansas State and the stud among those freshmen, Michael Beasley, as the next stumbling block. But a Saturday date at Boston College (ESPN, noon ET) can't be overlooked for a team that has left the state just twice in the early going. And, of course, there's always a Texas two-step on Feb. 11 in Austin.
MEMPHIS: 11-0
Road to perfection: John Chaney threatened John Calipari in the last memorable event to occur at a postgame podium. Now the Memphis coach is taking a page out of his nemesis' handbook, albeit with his own tweak. The wise old Owl played anyone, anywhere to put his team through a nonconference obstacle course that left little doubt as to Temple's legitimacy, no matter the condition of the Atlantic 10. Having seen the value placed on a 16-0 run through Conference USA last season (Memphis and its 33-4 record were awarded a No. 2 seed), Calipari is playing anyone. Just mostly in Memphis. The Tigers already have dispatched three ranked teams -- USC (in New York City), Georgetown and Arizona (at home) -- plus Connecticut and Oklahoma (both in New York) to beef up their résumé in pursuit of a coveted No. 1 seed.
Reality check: Minnesota Timberwolves general manager Kevin McHale likely would swap teams straight up with Memphis if he could. The Tigers are that good, but it's not the expected prodigious offensive talent of Chris Douglas-Roberts, Derrick Rose, Joey Dorsey and Robert Dozier that is turning heads. It's Memphis' defense. In the second half of the Georgetown game, the Tigers swarmed the Hoyas, a team that knows a thing or two about defense, and turned a much-ballyhooed matchup of top-five teams into a 14-point rout. Against Arizona, it was a crippling 12-minute, first-half stretch in which the Wildcats couldn't muster a field goal.
Potential potholes: Calipari still has a few treats in store for his team -- a Jan. 26 date against Gonzaga (ESPN, noon ET) and a Feb. 23 date with Tennessee (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET) -- but again, both of those are in Memphis, which begs the question of what will happen when the Tigers leave home. Memphis doesn't have a ton of daunting road games, but one does jump out of the pack -- Houston on Jan. 30. The Cougars have won 10 in a row to run their record to 11-1.
MISSISSIPPI: 12-0
Road to perfection: All those who had Mississippi 12-0, ranked 18th in the country and owning the SEC's only win over a ranked opponent heading into January, raise your hand. And now go play the ponies. On the Richter scale of hoops surprises, the Rebels' sizzling start is seismically behind only Kentucky's cataclysmic collapse. With nine of the 13 players on the roster new to Oxford, Andy Kennedy's bunch was picked to finish dead last in the SEC West. But one of those newbies, rookie point guard Chris Warren (15.3 points and 5.6 assists), has been downright sensational. He and previously little-used Eniel Polynice (12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists) have settled a backcourt that had zero returners. Mix in senior big man Dwayne Curtis and his team-high 15.6 points and 8.1 rebounds, and the surprising start isn't so surprising.
Reality check: Beating then-unbeaten Clemson for the San Juan Shootout championship put some muscle behind the Rebels' record. They count New Mexico, Central Florida and Winthrop -- all decent, if not great, teams -- among their victims. But like that of Vanderbilt, Ole Miss' early season schedule has left a lot to be desired. Back when Ray Meyer stomped the sidelines in the 1980s and the L-Train, Lionel Simmons, won player of the year honors in 1990, beating DePaul and LaSalle meant something. Now, not so much.
Potential potholes: Running unscathed through the SEC is practically impossible. Just ask Les Miles. Mississippi will see pretty quickly where it ranks in the league's pecking order when it opens conference play at Tennessee on Jan. 9 (ESPN Full Court, 8 p.m. ET).
NORTH CAROLINA: 13-0
Road to perfection: That Carolina is 13-0 heading into ACC play is about as surprising as a Spears girl in crisis. Talented, experienced and deep, the Heels had their toughest test in the season opener against an upstart Davidson team looking to puff its chest. Since then, it has been a pasting of the opponent of the week. UNC averages 92.4 points per game, pushing the ball upcourt like some sort of swirling acid trip in baby blue.
Reality check: Roy Williams took his team on a November/December barnstorming tour -- against BYU in Vegas, at Ohio State, at Kentucky, at Penn and at Rutgers. None of them are top teams, but all of them play in gyms that aren't exactly hospitable. And the Heels won by an average of 17.7 points. That's the sign Carolina, dogged last season for being long on talent but short on toughness, is developing an attitude. The sluggish 10-point win against Nicholls State remains the nagging doubt. But for a team that's beating its opponents by about 19 a game, it's a doubt smaller than the scar on Tyler Hansbrough's nose.
Potential potholes: Duke and Duke. Sure, the Feb. 6 date (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET) in Chapel Hill and the March 8 meeting (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET) in Durham are easy picks, but those aren't nearly the only hurdles for the Heels to hop. Carolina will open its ACC slate Sunday at Clemson and will have to contend with a Jan. 23 date at Miami (ESPN Full Court, 9 p.m. ET). Until last week, the Hurricanes were in pursuit of perfection, too.
VANDERBILT: 13-0
Road to perfection: Long overlooked in the powerful SEC, Vanderbilt would like to remind you that only two conference teams have reached the Sweet 16 twice in the past four years. Florida, with those two nice pieces of hardware to show for it, is one. The Commodores are the other, which is a long-winded way of saying this 13-0 mark isn't entirely a fluke. Swingman Shan Foster (20.1 points) and Aussie import Andrew Ogilvy (19.2, 6.8 rebounds) pack a powerful 1-2 punch for a team off to its best start since 2004.
Reality check: Kevin Stallings called his Commodores the most overrated undefeated team in the nation. He was not entirely wrong. Vandy's blemish-free run has come against teams whose combined record now stands at 86-79. There has not been an NCAA Tournament lock among the bunch, and eight teams sport RPIs of 101 or worse.
Potential potholes: For Vandy, the Volunteers are like the big brother who aces every test, hits every home run and always gets the girl. So when the Dores visit Bruce Pearl and Tennessee on Jan. 17 (ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET), they will relish the chance to simultaneously thumb their nose at the doubters who picked them fifth in the SEC East, assert their legitimacy and best big brother. Tennessee leads the all-time series 105-66.
WASHINGTON STATE: 12-0
Road to perfection: The rest of the world is just now learning what hoops junkies and East Coast insomniacs have known for a year and a half: Washington State is for real. The Cougars finished second in a tough Pac-10 last season and rolled to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Yet, the uninformed wondered how they got an 80-year-old crooner to coach their team. They didn't. Pullman's Tony Bennett is 37 and can shoot 3s (he's the NCAA all-time leader at 49.7 percent), but his singing voice remains a mystery. Thanks to its 51-47 win over Gonzaga in Spokane, Washington State isn't a mystery any more.
Reality check: The Cougars have won six games by 20 points or more and have held seven teams to fewer than 50. Even folks with limited math skills could recognize those numbers generally work in your favor. Unlike previous nation-leading defenses that earned their stripes by running methodic offense (see: Princeton offense disciples), Washington State merits its spot based on swarming defense. The Cougars average 6.2 swipes per game, hold opponents to 36.3 percent shooting from the floor, get to the line almost twice as often as their foes and win the board battle by five. Oh, and opponents average 49.7 points per game.
Potential potholes: There is nothing like a trip to L.A., where everyone is blonde, beautiful and Botoxed, to make a kid from the sticks take a real measure of himself. Washington State will try to turn its Norma Jean self into Marilyn the second weekend of January. After opening the Pac-10 season at Washington on Saturday, Wazzou will be at USC on Jan. 10 to face its exposure-hunting freshman, O.J. Mayo. Two days later, it will be on to Westwood and UCLA's old-school-loving freshman, Kevin Love. The Cougars have pulled off the L.A. sweep just once in school history.
Dana O'Neil covers college basketball for ESPN.com and can be reached at espnoneil@live.com.
By Dana O'Neil, ESPN.com
January 2, 2008
Last To Lose
Six unbeaten teams remain throughout college hoops. Since 2000, how long have teams managed to remain unbeaten?
Year Team Started Final First loss
2007 Clemson 17-0 25-11 Jan. 13 at Maryland
2006 Florida 17-0 33-6 Jan. 21 at Tennessee
2005 Illinois 29-0 37-2 March 6 at Ohio State
2004 Saint Joseph's 27-0 30-2 March 11 vs. Xavier
2003 Duke 12-0 26-7 Jan. 18 at Maryland
2002 Duke 12-0 31-4 Jan. 6 at Florida State
2001 Stanford 20-0 31-3 Feb. 3 vs. UCLA
2000 Syracuse 19-0 26-2 Feb. 7 vs. Seton Hall
**Note: Every team went to the Sweet 16 except Clemson.
There are no Bill Belichick hoodies in college hoops. There are sport coats with mock turtlenecks, angry men in sweaters and a GQ issue's worth of three-button designer Italian suits tailored by a guy who visits the office while the coach designs new ways to defend the pick and roll.
But no hoodies.
There also are six teams in "pursuit of perfection" -- to borrow the latest term for the New England Patriots' undefeated run -- and the road to a goose egg in the loss column is no less daunting in basketball than it is in the NFL. UNLV was the last team to run to a perfect regular-season mark, but the Runnin' Rebels were stunned by Duke in the 1991 national championship game. Not since Indiana toppled Michigan in the 1976 NCAA title game has a hoops team gone wire-to-wire without a blemish.
So, as the calendar flips to January and the pursuit becomes about as smooth as a backwater country road after a rough winter, ditch the hoodie, embrace the suit and keep an eye on these six Patriots-in-training.
KANSAS: 13-0
Road to perfection: It's hard to imagine that a team whose campus intersects history -- Allen Fieldhouse sits on Naismith Drive -- can be overlooked. But in the season of the sexy, studly freshmen, the Jayhawks are lacking; they don't have a head-turning rookie. They just have what might be the deepest team in the country. Bill Self's 10th man, freshman Cole Aldrich, is a McDonald's All-American. Four players -- Darrell Arthur, Mario Chalmers, Darnell Jackson and Brandon Rush -- average double figures, and Kansas is steamrolling competition by a 25-point margin that would make Belichick proud.
Reality check: Beyond the absence of a future one-and-done NBAer, there is another reason no one is saying much about Kansas. The Jayhawks' early season schedule has been so-so. They beat a then-unranked Arizona team by four and won at then-No. 24 USC by the same margin. Otherwise, it has been a lot of directional victories -- Northern Arizona, Florida Atlantic, Eastern Washington -- that have done little to generate interest.
Potential potholes: It's tempting to circle a Jan. 30 date with state-rival Kansas State and the stud among those freshmen, Michael Beasley, as the next stumbling block. But a Saturday date at Boston College (ESPN, noon ET) can't be overlooked for a team that has left the state just twice in the early going. And, of course, there's always a Texas two-step on Feb. 11 in Austin.
MEMPHIS: 11-0
Road to perfection: John Chaney threatened John Calipari in the last memorable event to occur at a postgame podium. Now the Memphis coach is taking a page out of his nemesis' handbook, albeit with his own tweak. The wise old Owl played anyone, anywhere to put his team through a nonconference obstacle course that left little doubt as to Temple's legitimacy, no matter the condition of the Atlantic 10. Having seen the value placed on a 16-0 run through Conference USA last season (Memphis and its 33-4 record were awarded a No. 2 seed), Calipari is playing anyone. Just mostly in Memphis. The Tigers already have dispatched three ranked teams -- USC (in New York City), Georgetown and Arizona (at home) -- plus Connecticut and Oklahoma (both in New York) to beef up their résumé in pursuit of a coveted No. 1 seed.
Reality check: Minnesota Timberwolves general manager Kevin McHale likely would swap teams straight up with Memphis if he could. The Tigers are that good, but it's not the expected prodigious offensive talent of Chris Douglas-Roberts, Derrick Rose, Joey Dorsey and Robert Dozier that is turning heads. It's Memphis' defense. In the second half of the Georgetown game, the Tigers swarmed the Hoyas, a team that knows a thing or two about defense, and turned a much-ballyhooed matchup of top-five teams into a 14-point rout. Against Arizona, it was a crippling 12-minute, first-half stretch in which the Wildcats couldn't muster a field goal.
Potential potholes: Calipari still has a few treats in store for his team -- a Jan. 26 date against Gonzaga (ESPN, noon ET) and a Feb. 23 date with Tennessee (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET) -- but again, both of those are in Memphis, which begs the question of what will happen when the Tigers leave home. Memphis doesn't have a ton of daunting road games, but one does jump out of the pack -- Houston on Jan. 30. The Cougars have won 10 in a row to run their record to 11-1.
MISSISSIPPI: 12-0
Road to perfection: All those who had Mississippi 12-0, ranked 18th in the country and owning the SEC's only win over a ranked opponent heading into January, raise your hand. And now go play the ponies. On the Richter scale of hoops surprises, the Rebels' sizzling start is seismically behind only Kentucky's cataclysmic collapse. With nine of the 13 players on the roster new to Oxford, Andy Kennedy's bunch was picked to finish dead last in the SEC West. But one of those newbies, rookie point guard Chris Warren (15.3 points and 5.6 assists), has been downright sensational. He and previously little-used Eniel Polynice (12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists) have settled a backcourt that had zero returners. Mix in senior big man Dwayne Curtis and his team-high 15.6 points and 8.1 rebounds, and the surprising start isn't so surprising.
Reality check: Beating then-unbeaten Clemson for the San Juan Shootout championship put some muscle behind the Rebels' record. They count New Mexico, Central Florida and Winthrop -- all decent, if not great, teams -- among their victims. But like that of Vanderbilt, Ole Miss' early season schedule has left a lot to be desired. Back when Ray Meyer stomped the sidelines in the 1980s and the L-Train, Lionel Simmons, won player of the year honors in 1990, beating DePaul and LaSalle meant something. Now, not so much.
Potential potholes: Running unscathed through the SEC is practically impossible. Just ask Les Miles. Mississippi will see pretty quickly where it ranks in the league's pecking order when it opens conference play at Tennessee on Jan. 9 (ESPN Full Court, 8 p.m. ET).
NORTH CAROLINA: 13-0
Road to perfection: That Carolina is 13-0 heading into ACC play is about as surprising as a Spears girl in crisis. Talented, experienced and deep, the Heels had their toughest test in the season opener against an upstart Davidson team looking to puff its chest. Since then, it has been a pasting of the opponent of the week. UNC averages 92.4 points per game, pushing the ball upcourt like some sort of swirling acid trip in baby blue.
Reality check: Roy Williams took his team on a November/December barnstorming tour -- against BYU in Vegas, at Ohio State, at Kentucky, at Penn and at Rutgers. None of them are top teams, but all of them play in gyms that aren't exactly hospitable. And the Heels won by an average of 17.7 points. That's the sign Carolina, dogged last season for being long on talent but short on toughness, is developing an attitude. The sluggish 10-point win against Nicholls State remains the nagging doubt. But for a team that's beating its opponents by about 19 a game, it's a doubt smaller than the scar on Tyler Hansbrough's nose.
Potential potholes: Duke and Duke. Sure, the Feb. 6 date (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET) in Chapel Hill and the March 8 meeting (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET) in Durham are easy picks, but those aren't nearly the only hurdles for the Heels to hop. Carolina will open its ACC slate Sunday at Clemson and will have to contend with a Jan. 23 date at Miami (ESPN Full Court, 9 p.m. ET). Until last week, the Hurricanes were in pursuit of perfection, too.
VANDERBILT: 13-0
Road to perfection: Long overlooked in the powerful SEC, Vanderbilt would like to remind you that only two conference teams have reached the Sweet 16 twice in the past four years. Florida, with those two nice pieces of hardware to show for it, is one. The Commodores are the other, which is a long-winded way of saying this 13-0 mark isn't entirely a fluke. Swingman Shan Foster (20.1 points) and Aussie import Andrew Ogilvy (19.2, 6.8 rebounds) pack a powerful 1-2 punch for a team off to its best start since 2004.
Reality check: Kevin Stallings called his Commodores the most overrated undefeated team in the nation. He was not entirely wrong. Vandy's blemish-free run has come against teams whose combined record now stands at 86-79. There has not been an NCAA Tournament lock among the bunch, and eight teams sport RPIs of 101 or worse.
Potential potholes: For Vandy, the Volunteers are like the big brother who aces every test, hits every home run and always gets the girl. So when the Dores visit Bruce Pearl and Tennessee on Jan. 17 (ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET), they will relish the chance to simultaneously thumb their nose at the doubters who picked them fifth in the SEC East, assert their legitimacy and best big brother. Tennessee leads the all-time series 105-66.
WASHINGTON STATE: 12-0
Road to perfection: The rest of the world is just now learning what hoops junkies and East Coast insomniacs have known for a year and a half: Washington State is for real. The Cougars finished second in a tough Pac-10 last season and rolled to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Yet, the uninformed wondered how they got an 80-year-old crooner to coach their team. They didn't. Pullman's Tony Bennett is 37 and can shoot 3s (he's the NCAA all-time leader at 49.7 percent), but his singing voice remains a mystery. Thanks to its 51-47 win over Gonzaga in Spokane, Washington State isn't a mystery any more.
Reality check: The Cougars have won six games by 20 points or more and have held seven teams to fewer than 50. Even folks with limited math skills could recognize those numbers generally work in your favor. Unlike previous nation-leading defenses that earned their stripes by running methodic offense (see: Princeton offense disciples), Washington State merits its spot based on swarming defense. The Cougars average 6.2 swipes per game, hold opponents to 36.3 percent shooting from the floor, get to the line almost twice as often as their foes and win the board battle by five. Oh, and opponents average 49.7 points per game.
Potential potholes: There is nothing like a trip to L.A., where everyone is blonde, beautiful and Botoxed, to make a kid from the sticks take a real measure of himself. Washington State will try to turn its Norma Jean self into Marilyn the second weekend of January. After opening the Pac-10 season at Washington on Saturday, Wazzou will be at USC on Jan. 10 to face its exposure-hunting freshman, O.J. Mayo. Two days later, it will be on to Westwood and UCLA's old-school-loving freshman, Kevin Love. The Cougars have pulled off the L.A. sweep just once in school history.
Dana O'Neil covers college basketball for ESPN.com and can be reached at espnoneil@live.com.
Pete Iorizzo, Albany Times Union - Siena hopes to be The King in Memphis
Siena hopes to be The King in Memphis
January 2, 2008 at 7:05 pm
by Pete Iorizzo, Staff writer
Albany Times Union
Greetings from Memphis, where Elvis and endless barbecue live. To borrow a line from Marc Cohn, I’m walking with my feet 10 feet of Beale.
Well, not really.
I’m tired, actually. Our flight left Albany at 6 this morning and arrived about 10:30 a.m. Central Time, with a stopover in Detroit along the way.
So I can only imagine how the Saints feel. Siena, which took the same flights, went through a spirited two-plus hour workout at FedExForum, the 17,000-seat arena in downtown Memphis, late in the afternoon.
The team got a chance to enjoy some of the city, too. They planned a dinner at a local BBQ join after practice. Their dinner choices were ribs or steak.
I know I’m planning on the ribs later.
And on that note, here’s your blog advance, Southern style:
The Game: Siena at Memphis, 9 p.m. EST, FedExForum
Radio/TV: WROW 590 AM / Time Warner 3
Probable starters:
Siena (7-4): So. G Ronald Moore, 6-0 (11.2 ppg, 5.0 apg); Jr. G Kenny Hasbrouck, 6-3 (16.6 ppg, 2.7 apg); Sr. G Tay Fisher, 5-9 (8.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg); So. F Edwin Ubiles, 6-7 (17.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg); Fr. F Ryan Rossiter, 6-9 (2.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg).
Memphis (11-0): Fr. G Derrick Rose, 6-3 (15.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg); Jr. G Antonio Anderson, 6-6 (7.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg); Jr. G Chris Douglas-Roberts (17.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg); Sr. F Joey Dorsey, 6-9 (7.9 ppg, 9.4 rpg); Jr. F Robert Dozier, 6-9 (10.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg).
Matchup to watch: Joey Dorsey vs. Siena’s post players
Make no mistake – every matchup in this game is key. Siena can’t afford to be dominated at any one position. If Chris Douglas-Roberts pops off for 25, Siena will be in trouble. If Derrick Rose scores 20 and dishes 10 assists, the Saints have big problems.
So you could argue every matchup bears watching.
But let’s zero in on Dorsey.
One coach who’s seen Dorsey play quipped, “He looks like he should be playing defensive end for the Giants.”
He’s 6 feet, 9 inches and almost 300 pounds.
Dorsey isn’t a dominant scorer – he averages only 7.9 points – but his shooting percentage is an unfathomable 73.8 percent.
Dorsey doesn’t force anything, which makes him a terrific fit for Memphis’s offense. He passes very well out of the post and averages 9.4 rebounds, which keeps alive a lot of possessions.
He’s blocked 24 shots, too.
Rebounding-wise, this is the biggest test yet for Ryan Rossiter, to say the least. If nothing else, he shouldn’t be intimidated by anyone he sees the rest of the season after battling Dorsey.
Siena will win if … pigs fly, hell freezes … pick your cliché.
But that’s not really what this game is about.
This is about Siena’s players getting a chance to face the No. 2 team in the country, to guard and score against some of the best at their positions in college basketball.
The Saints might as well relish the chance to play in front of 17,000-plus fans and handful of NBA scouts against a team many think can win a national championship.
Sure, Siena should be play to win.
But they also should remember to enjoy this, the final score be damned.
Memphis will win if … well … Memphis will win the game.
Siena had better make some 3s to stay in this game.
Memphis coach John Calipari said he was worried about Siena’s ability to break its press, because it puts so many ball-handlers on the floor. I suspect the Saints will go right at the press, looking to use their quickness to get behind it.
Some 3-pointers, some easy buckets in transition, Siena can be in this thing. I don’t necessarily foresee a big-time blowout.
Did you know: Memphis has won 38 consecutive home games. Its last home loss came Dec. 20, 2006, against Arizona.
Prediction: Well, you know where this is going.
I’ll give Siena the benefit of the doubt. Siena hasn’t been blown out many times in the Fran McCaffery Era, although you can argue they haven’t played a team of this caliber, either.
Still, I think the Saints can have enough success against Memphis’ press and make enough shots to keep the score within reason.
I think this will be very high-scoring, maybe reminiscent of last year’s loss to Maryland. In fact, it’s sort of ironic – 80 percent of the teams Siena faces try to slow down the Saints; this time, Siena will be the team wanting to limit the number of possessions.
Saints lose by 15, which I bet covers the spread in Vegas.
Memphis 91, Siena 76
(My record: 7-4)
January 2, 2008 at 7:05 pm
by Pete Iorizzo, Staff writer
Albany Times Union
Greetings from Memphis, where Elvis and endless barbecue live. To borrow a line from Marc Cohn, I’m walking with my feet 10 feet of Beale.
Well, not really.
I’m tired, actually. Our flight left Albany at 6 this morning and arrived about 10:30 a.m. Central Time, with a stopover in Detroit along the way.
So I can only imagine how the Saints feel. Siena, which took the same flights, went through a spirited two-plus hour workout at FedExForum, the 17,000-seat arena in downtown Memphis, late in the afternoon.
The team got a chance to enjoy some of the city, too. They planned a dinner at a local BBQ join after practice. Their dinner choices were ribs or steak.
I know I’m planning on the ribs later.
And on that note, here’s your blog advance, Southern style:
The Game: Siena at Memphis, 9 p.m. EST, FedExForum
Radio/TV: WROW 590 AM / Time Warner 3
Probable starters:
Siena (7-4): So. G Ronald Moore, 6-0 (11.2 ppg, 5.0 apg); Jr. G Kenny Hasbrouck, 6-3 (16.6 ppg, 2.7 apg); Sr. G Tay Fisher, 5-9 (8.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg); So. F Edwin Ubiles, 6-7 (17.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg); Fr. F Ryan Rossiter, 6-9 (2.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg).
Memphis (11-0): Fr. G Derrick Rose, 6-3 (15.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg); Jr. G Antonio Anderson, 6-6 (7.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg); Jr. G Chris Douglas-Roberts (17.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg); Sr. F Joey Dorsey, 6-9 (7.9 ppg, 9.4 rpg); Jr. F Robert Dozier, 6-9 (10.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg).
Matchup to watch: Joey Dorsey vs. Siena’s post players
Make no mistake – every matchup in this game is key. Siena can’t afford to be dominated at any one position. If Chris Douglas-Roberts pops off for 25, Siena will be in trouble. If Derrick Rose scores 20 and dishes 10 assists, the Saints have big problems.
So you could argue every matchup bears watching.
But let’s zero in on Dorsey.
One coach who’s seen Dorsey play quipped, “He looks like he should be playing defensive end for the Giants.”
He’s 6 feet, 9 inches and almost 300 pounds.
Dorsey isn’t a dominant scorer – he averages only 7.9 points – but his shooting percentage is an unfathomable 73.8 percent.
Dorsey doesn’t force anything, which makes him a terrific fit for Memphis’s offense. He passes very well out of the post and averages 9.4 rebounds, which keeps alive a lot of possessions.
He’s blocked 24 shots, too.
Rebounding-wise, this is the biggest test yet for Ryan Rossiter, to say the least. If nothing else, he shouldn’t be intimidated by anyone he sees the rest of the season after battling Dorsey.
Siena will win if … pigs fly, hell freezes … pick your cliché.
But that’s not really what this game is about.
This is about Siena’s players getting a chance to face the No. 2 team in the country, to guard and score against some of the best at their positions in college basketball.
The Saints might as well relish the chance to play in front of 17,000-plus fans and handful of NBA scouts against a team many think can win a national championship.
Sure, Siena should be play to win.
But they also should remember to enjoy this, the final score be damned.
Memphis will win if … well … Memphis will win the game.
Siena had better make some 3s to stay in this game.
Memphis coach John Calipari said he was worried about Siena’s ability to break its press, because it puts so many ball-handlers on the floor. I suspect the Saints will go right at the press, looking to use their quickness to get behind it.
Some 3-pointers, some easy buckets in transition, Siena can be in this thing. I don’t necessarily foresee a big-time blowout.
Did you know: Memphis has won 38 consecutive home games. Its last home loss came Dec. 20, 2006, against Arizona.
Prediction: Well, you know where this is going.
I’ll give Siena the benefit of the doubt. Siena hasn’t been blown out many times in the Fran McCaffery Era, although you can argue they haven’t played a team of this caliber, either.
Still, I think the Saints can have enough success against Memphis’ press and make enough shots to keep the score within reason.
I think this will be very high-scoring, maybe reminiscent of last year’s loss to Maryland. In fact, it’s sort of ironic – 80 percent of the teams Siena faces try to slow down the Saints; this time, Siena will be the team wanting to limit the number of possessions.
Saints lose by 15, which I bet covers the spread in Vegas.
Memphis 91, Siena 76
(My record: 7-4)
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Pete Iorizzo, Albany Times Union - I voted Memphis No. 2 every week this season … until this past one
Follow Capital Region college basketball throughout the season with the TU's beat writers. Pete Iorizzo reports from Siena's camp, while Mark Singelais will bring you all things UAlbany. Have questions, comments, rants and/or raves? Join the discussion.
Memphis stays at No. 2 in AP Poll
January 1, 2008 at 6:11 pm by Pete Iorizzo, Staff writer
I tried.
I voted Memphis No. 2 every week this season … until this past one. The Tigers body of work is now way too impressive to ignore. They were the No. 1 team on my Associated Press Poll ballot this week.
So I gave Siena a shot to face the No. 1 team in the land.
It didn’t work.
Memphis stayed No. 2 in the poll.
Still, the Saints face quite a challenge, to say the least.
Consider Memphis’ big victories: At Oklahoma, at Connecticut, USC on a neutral court, at Cincinnati, Georgetown and Arizona.
Don’t get me wrong — North Carolina is good. But the Tar Heels haven’t played that kind of schedule yet. Its best wins are at Davidson, at Ohio State and at Kentucky.
I might swing back Carolina’s way when ACC play starts. But for now, I’m rewarding the team that’s played the better schedule.
Here’s the poll, followed by my ballot:
AP Top 25
1. North Carolina (45)
2. Memphis (26)
3. Kansas (1)
4. Washington State
5. UCLA
6. Michigan State
7. Georgetown
8. Tennessee
9. Duke
10. Marquette
11. Indiana
12. Texas A&M
13. Pittsburgh
14. Texas
15. Vanderbilt
16. Butler
17. Villanova
18. Mississippi
19. Clemson
20. Dayton
21. Arizona
22. USC
23. Rhode Island
24. Stanford
25. Wisconsin
Others Receiving Votes
Saint Mary’s 85, Miami (FL) 59, Oklahoma 46, Brigham Young 27, Baylor 19, West Virginia 15, Xavier 11, Virginia 11, Houston 10, Massachusetts 8, Drake 8, Arizona State 6, Gonzaga 5, Notre Dame 3, Oregon 3, Florida 2, Louisville 1, New Mexico 1, Sam Houston State 1.
Pete’s ballot
1. Memphis
2. North Carolina
3. Kansas
4. UCLA
5. Georgetown
6. Michigan State
7. Washington State
8. Duke
9. Tennessee
10. Pittsburgh
11. Marquette
12. Indiana
13. Texas A&M
14. Butler
15. Texas
16. Villanova
17. Arizona
18. Vanderbilt
19. Clemson
20. Dayton
21. USC
22. Mississippi
23. Stanford
24. Rhode Island
25. Saint Mary’s
Memphis stays at No. 2 in AP Poll
January 1, 2008 at 6:11 pm by Pete Iorizzo, Staff writer
I tried.
I voted Memphis No. 2 every week this season … until this past one. The Tigers body of work is now way too impressive to ignore. They were the No. 1 team on my Associated Press Poll ballot this week.
So I gave Siena a shot to face the No. 1 team in the land.
It didn’t work.
Memphis stayed No. 2 in the poll.
Still, the Saints face quite a challenge, to say the least.
Consider Memphis’ big victories: At Oklahoma, at Connecticut, USC on a neutral court, at Cincinnati, Georgetown and Arizona.
Don’t get me wrong — North Carolina is good. But the Tar Heels haven’t played that kind of schedule yet. Its best wins are at Davidson, at Ohio State and at Kentucky.
I might swing back Carolina’s way when ACC play starts. But for now, I’m rewarding the team that’s played the better schedule.
Here’s the poll, followed by my ballot:
AP Top 25
1. North Carolina (45)
2. Memphis (26)
3. Kansas (1)
4. Washington State
5. UCLA
6. Michigan State
7. Georgetown
8. Tennessee
9. Duke
10. Marquette
11. Indiana
12. Texas A&M
13. Pittsburgh
14. Texas
15. Vanderbilt
16. Butler
17. Villanova
18. Mississippi
19. Clemson
20. Dayton
21. Arizona
22. USC
23. Rhode Island
24. Stanford
25. Wisconsin
Others Receiving Votes
Saint Mary’s 85, Miami (FL) 59, Oklahoma 46, Brigham Young 27, Baylor 19, West Virginia 15, Xavier 11, Virginia 11, Houston 10, Massachusetts 8, Drake 8, Arizona State 6, Gonzaga 5, Notre Dame 3, Oregon 3, Florida 2, Louisville 1, New Mexico 1, Sam Houston State 1.
Pete’s ballot
1. Memphis
2. North Carolina
3. Kansas
4. UCLA
5. Georgetown
6. Michigan State
7. Washington State
8. Duke
9. Tennessee
10. Pittsburgh
11. Marquette
12. Indiana
13. Texas A&M
14. Butler
15. Texas
16. Villanova
17. Arizona
18. Vanderbilt
19. Clemson
20. Dayton
21. USC
22. Mississippi
23. Stanford
24. Rhode Island
25. Saint Mary’s
Tuesday (1/1) update
Tuesday (1/1) update
Posted by Dan Wolken
- As the Tigers were starting practice at FedExForum, Cincinnati was finishing off a 58-57 upset over Louisville in Freedom Hall. Cincinnati, obviously is an improved squad from last year — you could see that in how well they played against Memphis — but this is still a huge surprise. In the Big East, Cincinnati at home is one of the few games you should have in the bag. Louisville better make some hay in its next six league games — vs. West Virginia, @Rutgers, vs. Marquette, @Seton Hall, @South Florida, vs. St. John’s — because it only gets tougher from there. I imagine Louisville will put together enough wins to make the NCAA Tournament. Probably as something like a 9 seed. Perhaps in Little Rock? Could be interesting, assuming Memphis is the No. 1 seed in that sub-regional…
- Pierre Niles has looked good two days in a row. Stay tuned to tomorrow’s paper for more info…
- Hashim Bailey sat out with a strained pectoral muscle. Apparently, it was a weight room injury. He’s out indefinitely, not that it has a major impact on the Tigers’ rotation. He has only appeared in five games.
- Tigers missed a lot of jump shots Tuesday, though both Doneal Mack and Willie Kemp shot the ball pretty well.
- White Station junior forward Farrakohn Hall watched the Tigers practice. He’s a top-75 player nationally.
- Memphis should not take Siena lightly. Coach John Calipari stressed over and over that Siena is right around 65th in the RPI and has already beaten Stanford. He said it could be a lot like the Winthrop game two years ago, which was very competitive.
Posted Tuesday, January 1st, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Some Harsh Words From CSTV's Josh Herwitt - Don't Be Deceived By Tigers' Wins
Don't Be Deceived By Tigers' Wins
By Josh Herwitt - January 01, 2008
After last weekend's assortment of upsets and surprises, there now remain six teams in the nation who have yet to suffer defeat this season.
One of those happens to be, of course, second-ranked Memphis, who gained some more first-place votes this week from the AP voters, yet only trails No. 1 North Carolina by 28 points now.
But while I've given my fair share of props to John Calipari and his kids, I'm not about to write the Tigers off as national champs or even the No. 1 team in the country as we ring in the New Year with conference play beginning this week.
Memphis, first off, should have lost its game against USC in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. The Tigers' Chris Douglas-Roberts stupidly decided to foul Daniel Hackett after missing the second of two free throws, giving the sophomore combo guard a chance to win the game with a pair of free throws with 5.9 seconds left.
Luckily for the Tigers, though, Hackett missed the second one and Memphis eventually escaped in overtime with a 62-58 victory in a game that it most likely should have lost, particularly after shooting under 40 percent from the field and free throw line.
Those numbers are certainly not going to win you games in March.
And even better, following the win over the Trojans, Calipari openly admitted he got "thoroughly outcoached" by USC's Tim Floyd, something that you don't hear the former UMass head man saying too often, or possibly at all (you can ask blogger extraordinaire D. Scott yourself and see what the Professor has to say on the matter).
So for Calipari's' sake, let's just hope that someone else like Floyd doesn't decide to throw out the triangle and two on the Tigers during conference play or in the NCAA Tournament this season. But the eighth-year coach better be prepared to face your everyday 2-3 zones, match-up zones and box-and-ones any time they step on the hardwood.
Because at 33.3 percent from the three-point line, that's not really going to cut it. Not in the NCAA Tournament and not when you're going up against teams like No. 14 Texas (42.9), No. 9 Duke (42.3), No. 20 Dayton (41.6) and No. 22 USC (41.1) -- all teams that have foreseeable futures in the Big Dance this season.
"You guys know I don't call timeouts very often," Calipari said after last Saturday's 76-63 victory over No. 21 Arizona. "That's why you play games like this. This is all good for us."
But if Memphis can't find of a way to attack the zone through the rest of this season, you can bet that Calipari will be calling a lot more timeouts.
Of course, it's no secret either that Calipari has one of the worst free throw-shooting teams in the country, coming in at 60.2 percent, and we all know how important those free points are come tourney time.
Look, I'm not here to totally bash Memphis and what they've accomplished so far. The Tigers have certainly taken care of business and done what I expected them to do up until this point.
"Look at who we've beat," sophomore transfer Shawn Taggart said. "We still have some really tough games ahead. But to be where we are right now, it's hard not to be happy."
Yeah, I am looking at who they've beat and it says "FedExForum" next to the location of every game except the win over USC in New York City. That night a rather large section of Memphis fans made their presence known, in fact, as the Trojans were cheered on by a number of fans that could be counted on two hands. Trust me, I was there.
Oh, and that big game against now unranked Gonzaga on Jan. 26 and big rivalry game against No. 8 Tennessee on Feb. 23, yeah, those are both in Memphis as well.
So while I won't be divulging any New Year's resolutions right now, I am confident in saying that Memphis is not the No. 1 team in the nation at the moment.
That will likely change when North Carolina suffers its first loss of the season in the trenches of the ACC over the next two months, but don't be fooled by quality home wins and shooting percentages from the perimeter that make it hard for anyone not to see those being potential issues when other teams are finally peaking in March.
Posted by Josh Herwitt at 09:01 PM on January 01, 2008
Hard work pays off for Tiger bench
Calipari spending extra time with reserves, just in case
By Dan Wolken
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
In nearly two years at the University of Memphis, 6-8 forward Pierre Niles has never worked harder than he did Tuesday afternoon during a 25-minute, one-on-one workout with coach John Calipari.
"When the head coach puts you through something, you know it's going to be hard," Niles said. "It's going to be crazy."
Though Niles may be more exhausted these days, he also has never been more confident in himself as a college basketball player.
And that, ultimately, that is why Calipari has taken a special interest recently in Niles, sophomore Doneal Mack, sophomore Willie Kemp, senior Andre Allen and freshman Jeff Robinson, trying to get his bench revved up as the No.2 Tigers prepare for Siena on Thursday and Pepperdine on Saturday at FedExForum.
"At this point, we've got to find more minutes for the guys on the bench, but they've also got to perform at a higher level," Calipari said. "To help them perform at a higher level, I'm going to work individually with guys, so that they know what I expect, the level of intensity I expect, and the only way they know that is if I'm doing it myself."
As the Tigers have collectively stormed to an 11-0 record, several individuals have suffered through slumps.
After the team's victory at Cincinnati Dec.19 in which junior guard Chris Douglas-Roberts and sophomore forward Shawn Taggart played poorly, Calipari worked with them separately before the next two practices. It paid dividends, as Douglas-Roberts broke out with 24 points in a victory over Georgetown and Taggart followed with 15 points in 19 minutes against Arizona last Saturday.
The results were so encouraging, Calipari decided that similar tactics might bring others back to life including Mack, who played just seven total minutes the last two games, and Allen, who has not found a comfortable or consistent role yet behind freshman point guard Derrick Rose. Meanwhile, the Tigers would love to get something out of Robinson, a top-50 recruit, and Niles during the second half of the season after struggling to crack the rotation early on.
"We need to make sure we're playing 10, 11 guys or we have 10, 11 guys at all times to go to," Calipari said. "You can go small with Jeff and still have rebounding. Doneal Mack is an absolute guy that will break open a game athletically and shooting the ball. Willie leads us in 3-point shooting. Andre, I think you'll start seeing Andre play differently now.
"When I'm going through all this, they kind of reconnect themselves to their game, and sometimes I forget how good they are. Then you get out here and start working with them, and you're like, son of a gun, this guy is good."
It has not necessarily been easy this season to come off the bench for Memphis. Despite all the preseason chatter about depth, Calipari has leaned on his starters for big minutes, especially in the games against marquee opponents like Georgetown, Arizona, Connecticut and Southern California.
That isn't unusual for an elite team; Florida, for instance, basically played with a seven-man rotation during its national title run last season.
But using the starters more minutes has put pressure on the likes of Allen, Mack and Kemp to play with more efficiency because they have not been on the court as much as they are accustomed to. Allen, last season, averaged 20.4 minutes per game but has dropped to 14.2 minutes this season. Mack's average minutes have only dropped slightly, from 14.2 to 11.8, but he's had several short outings this year. Kemp played 21.4 minutes as the starting point guard last season, and he's now playing 15.5 per game as a backup.
Except for Kemp's 42.2 percent 3-point shooting, none of the three have played to their abilities yet this season.
"It's very hard because last year, I knew I would play a certain amount of minutes, what I had to do," Allen said. "This year, some games I'll play, some games I won't. Some games I might get in and might not perform well, then I may not get in no more to show what I can do. It's all a matter of performing in the minutes I get."
Niles and Robinson have had even fewer minutes in which to make a positive impression, and they have only appeared in seven of 11 games so far.
Though Calipari told the 300-pound Niles he would not be able to contribute until he lost weight, Niles has shown enough in short stints against Georgetown and Arizona to merit further consideration for playing time. And the raw ability Niles has displayed in his workouts the past two days has only confirmed the idea that he could be a major force for the Tigers if he gets in shape.
"I think I've I stepped up my game a little bit," Niles said. "With me practicing and him working me out, I think I'm starting to come along, like I'm starting to get my game back. When I'm on the court, I'm usually just out there to be out there. Now I'm happy to be out there, I'm having fun. In practice, I'm having fun. I'm building my confidence back up."
Calipari said he's enjoyed the individual workouts, which are basically a series of drills in an energy-packed 25 minutes. He said he might even put players through them on game days for 15 minutes just to get the blood pumping so they can come off the bench and be ready to contribute right away.
"It's good for my confidence in them and their confidence in themselves," Calipari said. "I just wish I had time myself personally to go work with 12 guys. I'd need 12 hours for practice and then every once in a while go recruit. You just don't have enough time in the day. I just told the first six, seven guys, look, I have to make time for these guys. I told them as a group; I'm working with these five guys, and I'm going to make time for them. And I need to do that to get them ready."
Reach Dan Wolken at 529-2365; read his blogs on the Tigers at thememphisedge.com.
Next for No. 2 Tigers
Opponent: Siena
When, where: 8 p.m. Thursday at FedExForum
TV: CSS
Monday (12/31) update (See the End of the Story on the Almost, Kind-of Ejected from the Game Andre Allen)
Monday (12/31) update
Posted by Dan Wolken
– After taking Sunday off, the Tigers had a short practice today. Coach John Calipari was all set to scrimmage for awhile, but after just two four-minute segments, he saw what he needed to see and called it a day. No need to spoil a good thing.
– Calipari left on a recruiting trip at the end of practice, but players stayed to do some individual work. That all ended when Willie Kemp did a 360-degree dunk, then ripped off his shirt and ran back to the locker room. When Willie does a 360, there’s no reason for anybody to stay on the court.
– Before practice, Calipari held an individual workout with Pierre Niles and was highly complimentary of his effort. Despite his ongoing weight issues, Niles does some impressive things. I think Calipari is going to try everything possible to get him into the rotation now, even if it’s just a 5, 6 minute cameo.
– Matt Simpkins, the 6-9, 215-pound power forward from The Patterson School, will be in Memphis on his official visit this weekend. Simpkins is ranked 47th overall in the class of 2008 by Rivals.com. Simpkins has had some academic difficulties, and Patterson is his sixth school in five years. Simpkins is originally from Berkley, Calif., and several Pac-10 schools are recruiting him. My sense is that Memphis wants a commitment from either Simpkins or Wesley Witherspoon, whichever one they can get first. Getting both is probably not too realistic, since they are both in the 6-8, 6-9 range.
– As of now, point guard Andre Allen will be eligible to participate Thursday against Siena. Allen was thrown out of the game Saturday against Arizona for coming off the bench with 8:11 remaining when Chris Douglas-Roberts was fouled hard by Kirk Walters. Though Allen, by rule, probably should be subject to a one-game suspension for being ejected from the game, the officiating crew never recorded an ejection with the official scorekeeper. As it was happening, I heard the official near the Memphis bench tell Calipari that Allen had to go to the locker room for coming off the bench. But no technical foul was called, so I’m not sure it really was an official ejection. Therefore, I’m not sure how a penalty could be enforced.
Jeff Goodman, Fox Sports - College Hoop Blog: Good 'N Plenty
College Hoop Blog: Good 'N Plenty
Jeff Goodman, Fox Sports
by: goodmanonfox
TRIP OBSERVATIONS: MEMPHIS CHEMISTRY, ARIZONA'S INTENSITY
Dec 31, 2007
After catching four more ranked teams in addition to one that was ranked in the preseason over the last three days, here are a few observations:
1) I find it hard to believe that there’s a team out there with better chemistry than the second-ranked Memphis Tigers. They play extremely unselfish together and go everywhere as a group – and we’re not just talking about a few of them. They go to the mall, out for meals and just about everywhere in a group of 13.
2) This is no disrespect to Hall of Famer Lute Olson, but this Arizona team plays harder than the Wildcats have played in recent years. Interim coach Kevin O’Neill, the future successor once Olson retires, will be scary once he adds some depth in the next couple of years. Right now Arizona has virtually nothing up front besides Jordan Hill.
3) Butler’s senior backcourt of A.J. Graves and Mike Green is among the nation’s best. Graves is an unconscious shooter with unlimited range and Green is a guy who powers his way to the basket and can also distribute the ball. They’ll be a tough out come tournament time because of their guard play and the toughness in the paint from freshman Matt Howard.
4) Southern Illinois just isn’t the same team this year. Don’t expect them to just roll through the Missouri Valley, either. The Salukis lack the overall toughness they had a year ago now than guards Jamaal Tatum and Tony Young are gone.
5) The worst call that I’ve seen this entire season came when Arizona big man Kirk Walters was hit with an intentional foul late in the game against Memphis. It was a clear block and there was nothing blatant about it.
6) If I were the AD at Ole Miss, I’d try and lock up Andy Kennedy for a long, long time. He’s one of the best up-and-coming coaches in the business. He can coach, is a proven recruiter and has a way about him with the players.
7) I got a chance to watch Illinois 2009 commitment D.J. Richardson, a long wing out of Peoria High. Illini coach Bruce Weber’s new approach of trying to offer a few of the state’s top young players has worked thus far – and Richardson has the potential to become a big-time player. He scored 28 points and was 5-for-10 from long distance against a team that had three D-1 players.
TEXAS GETTING JOHNSON BACK
I’ve seen Texas freshman Gary Johnson play at least 30 games while at Aldine High and throughout the spring and summers.
He’ll make a difference, but he’s certainly no savior.
Johnson, who will make his regular-season debut this week against TCU, will give Rick Barnes’ team energy, a rebounder and a player who can score in the low post, but the Longhorns will still need more consistency out of Connor Atchley and Justin Mason.
RANDOM NOTES: Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said he will play his former boss, Bob Huggins, in a home-and-home series with West Virginia beginning next season. Huggins is going to Ole Miss next season. ``Would have rather lose to someone you like or someone you don’t like?” Kennedy said. … One of the more overlooked additions at the break was that of South Florida wing Aaron Holmes, who left Florida State a year ago after just a few games. Holmes scored 20 points in 19 minutes and was 5-of-8 from long range in a win over Winston Salem State – his third game with the Bulls. … Ohio State freshman Jon Diebler just needed a little time to relax. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard struggled early and was just 7-of-45 from long range, but he’s 14-of-23 from long distance in the last four games. … Speaking of guys who like to let it fly from deep, UAB’s Robert Vaden has averaged more than 13 attempts from 3-point land in the last four games. He’s 23-of-53 in that span.
Siena trying to avoid trap
Siena trying to avoid trap
Saints eye Dartmouth, not Memphis
By PETE IORIZZO, Staff writer
Albany Times Union
First published: Monday, December 31, 2007
LOUDONVILLE -- Several members of the Siena men's basketball program spent their Saturday night watching No. 2 Memphis beat No. 19 Arizona on ESPN2.
Those Saints saw the Tigers improve their home winning streak to 38 games, a mark Siena can test Thursday.
But make no mistake: Siena said its focus remains on no team other than Dartmouth.
The Saints hope to avoid a slip-up in what sets up as a classic "trap game" today at Times Union Center. The Big Green arrives between Siena games against big-time teams -- Saint Joseph's and Memphis.
No matter, Siena players said.
"Whoever is next, whether it's the No. 2 team in the country or not, we have to play like we want to win," Siena senior Tay Fisher said.
Dartmouth, of the Ivy League, isn't the No. 2 team in the country. In fact, RealTimeRpi.com ranked Big Green No. 232 out of 342 Division I teams. Siena was ranked 58th.
Here are the recent results of Siena's next two foes: In its past two games, Memphis beat No. 5 Georgetown and No. 19 Arizona; in its past two games, Dartmouth lost to Quinnipiac and Army.
Dartmouth (5-6), picked to finish at the bottom of its conference, managed 10 wins only once in the past six seasons. Its most recent NCAA Tournament appearance came in 1959.
"We just have to go out there and approach every game like it is Stanford or Saint Joe's," Fisher said. "All these teams are good. It's Division I."
Siena, which won four consecutive games before losing Friday to Saint Joseph's, learned a lesson about trap games earlier this season. Between a win over Stanford and a rivalry game against the University at Albany, Siena flopped in a road game at Cornell, another Ivy League school.
"It is absolutely necessary that you approach every game the exact same way," Siena coach Fran McCaffery said.
Siena beat Dartmouth on the road last season, winning 83-69, but saw signs of an improving Big Green program. Small forward Alex Barnett, Dartmouth's leading scorer this year with 16.5 points per game, scored 11 against Siena a year ago, when he was one of four Big Green players in double figures.
Dartmouth leads the Ivy League in several statistical categories, including 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.286), turnover margin (plus-0.78) and offensive rebounding (12.33 per game). But it's scored less than 60 points five times.
"One of the things that will be helpful in this situation is how tough a game it was last year when we played this team," McCaffery said. "Had we gone up there and won by 30 then you worry. The players at Dartmouth already have the respect of our players, so that makes my job easier."
The Saints again might play without forward Alex Franklin, their leading rebounder, who injured his back Dec. 22 and missed Friday's game. Franklin sat out practice the past two days.
But Siena will get back Kenny Hasbrouck (back, ankle) and Cory Magee (illness), both of whom left Friday's game. Both players participated in Sunday's workout at Times Union Center.
Magee said he planned to check out the Memphis game on television, though only out of curiosity. For now, he said, Dartmouth remains the focus.
"That's the game in front of us," Magee said. "Memphis is a great team, but we have to win (today). We just have to worry about Dartmouth."
Pete Iorizzo can be reached at 454-5425 or by e-mail at piorizzo@timesunion.com.
Saints eye Dartmouth, not Memphis
By PETE IORIZZO, Staff writer
Albany Times Union
First published: Monday, December 31, 2007
LOUDONVILLE -- Several members of the Siena men's basketball program spent their Saturday night watching No. 2 Memphis beat No. 19 Arizona on ESPN2.
Those Saints saw the Tigers improve their home winning streak to 38 games, a mark Siena can test Thursday.
But make no mistake: Siena said its focus remains on no team other than Dartmouth.
The Saints hope to avoid a slip-up in what sets up as a classic "trap game" today at Times Union Center. The Big Green arrives between Siena games against big-time teams -- Saint Joseph's and Memphis.
No matter, Siena players said.
"Whoever is next, whether it's the No. 2 team in the country or not, we have to play like we want to win," Siena senior Tay Fisher said.
Dartmouth, of the Ivy League, isn't the No. 2 team in the country. In fact, RealTimeRpi.com ranked Big Green No. 232 out of 342 Division I teams. Siena was ranked 58th.
Here are the recent results of Siena's next two foes: In its past two games, Memphis beat No. 5 Georgetown and No. 19 Arizona; in its past two games, Dartmouth lost to Quinnipiac and Army.
Dartmouth (5-6), picked to finish at the bottom of its conference, managed 10 wins only once in the past six seasons. Its most recent NCAA Tournament appearance came in 1959.
"We just have to go out there and approach every game like it is Stanford or Saint Joe's," Fisher said. "All these teams are good. It's Division I."
Siena, which won four consecutive games before losing Friday to Saint Joseph's, learned a lesson about trap games earlier this season. Between a win over Stanford and a rivalry game against the University at Albany, Siena flopped in a road game at Cornell, another Ivy League school.
"It is absolutely necessary that you approach every game the exact same way," Siena coach Fran McCaffery said.
Siena beat Dartmouth on the road last season, winning 83-69, but saw signs of an improving Big Green program. Small forward Alex Barnett, Dartmouth's leading scorer this year with 16.5 points per game, scored 11 against Siena a year ago, when he was one of four Big Green players in double figures.
Dartmouth leads the Ivy League in several statistical categories, including 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.286), turnover margin (plus-0.78) and offensive rebounding (12.33 per game). But it's scored less than 60 points five times.
"One of the things that will be helpful in this situation is how tough a game it was last year when we played this team," McCaffery said. "Had we gone up there and won by 30 then you worry. The players at Dartmouth already have the respect of our players, so that makes my job easier."
The Saints again might play without forward Alex Franklin, their leading rebounder, who injured his back Dec. 22 and missed Friday's game. Franklin sat out practice the past two days.
But Siena will get back Kenny Hasbrouck (back, ankle) and Cory Magee (illness), both of whom left Friday's game. Both players participated in Sunday's workout at Times Union Center.
Magee said he planned to check out the Memphis game on television, though only out of curiosity. For now, he said, Dartmouth remains the focus.
"That's the game in front of us," Magee said. "Memphis is a great team, but we have to win (today). We just have to worry about Dartmouth."
Pete Iorizzo can be reached at 454-5425 or by e-mail at piorizzo@timesunion.com.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Calipari's Tigers end 2007 on a 'special run'
Calipari's Tigers end 2007 on a 'special run'
Some memorable moments over U of M's calendar year
By Dan Wolken
Monday, December 31, 2007
As coach John Calipari analyzed, then re-analyzed what happened at FedExForum late Saturday night, he finally came back to the simplest, yet most important part of No. 2-ranked Memphis' 76-63 victory over No. 17 Arizona.
"We're in a special run," Calipari said. "So enjoy it."
Indeed, by beating Arizona, Memphis closed out 2007 with a 34-1 record, including victories over some of college basketball's great programs like Texas A&M, Cincinnati, Gonzaga, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Southern California, and Georgetown. Though the Tigers hope to make 2008 even more memorable with a trip to the Final Four, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to ever match the record they compiled during this calendar year.
Before the Tigers look ahead to the next part of their schedule, beginning Thursday at FedExForum against Siena, here are the 10 moments that stand out most from this last trip around the sun.
1. "The Free Throws," March 22, San Antonio: The pressure of making game-deciding free throws in the NCAA Tournament can crack even the best of shooters. So imagine the situation facing Antonio Anderson with 3.1 seconds left in a Sweet 16 game against Texas A&M. Not only did Anderson have to overcome the fact that he had missed three straight from the line before that, but he somehow had to drown out a football-like crowd of 25,000 screaming Aggies.
All season, Calipari had said that the Tigers would make the free throws that mattered, despite the team's 62.1 shooting percentage. And on this occasion, he was right, as Anderson swished both to send Memphis into the Elite Eight, 65-64. Though Anderson's free throws will stick out forever in Tiger history, they would not have occurred without a brilliant sequence of offensive rebounding. After Andre Allen missed a 3-pointer, Jeremy Hunt snatched away the long carom and tried a putback runner that missed. Then, Robert Dozier missed a tip-in attempt, and Anderson followed with a miss. In that chaos, however, the officiating crew correctly saw that Donald Sloan had whacked Anderson on the right arm, sending him to the free throw line.
2. "The Spectacle," Dec. 22, Memphis: When Calipari was presented with an opportunity to get Georgetown on his home schedule, he jumped at it with full force. Indeed, to make it happen, Calipari persuaded the athletic department to buy out a game at Ole Miss, arguing that playing Georgetown at FedExForum would be not just a basketball game but an event. Calipari was right, as 18,864 fans packed the arena and several national media members came to Memphis to cover the season's only scheduled matchup between top-five teams.
The electric atmosphere produced a memorable game, as the Tigers finished a fast-paced first half with a 17-5 flurry, then pulled away with a dominating second half for an 85-71 victory. Georgetown, ranked No. 5 coming into the game, didn't even appear to be in the same league as Memphis, which won the rebounding battle 43-30 and made 11 of its final 19 field goals to solidify its claim as one of the nation's elite.
3. "The Tip Dunk," Nov. 5, Memphis: After a year of hype and anticipation, freshman phenom Derrick Rose signaled his arrival in college basketball with an explosive debut against Tennessee-Martin. Rose contributed 17 points, five assists, six rebounds and two blocked shots in a 102-71 victory, and Tiger fans didn't have to wait long to see why he was labeled as special coming out of Chicago.
With 3:17 left in the first half, Chris Douglas-Roberts missed a jumper from the near wing. From across the court, Rose read the trajectory of the shot as a miss. Instinctively, he launched himself from his position near the free throw line toward the rim and soared for a thunderous tip-dunk, rising higher than any 6-foot-3 point guard should be able to.
4. "David and Goliath," March 23, San Antonio: It may be awhile before Joey Dorsey can go somewhere without being reminded of his ill-timed comments about freshman center Greg Oden on the eve of Memphis' Elite Eight game with Ohio State.
"It's going to be David and Goliath," Dorsey said, with a room full of reporters around him at the Alamodome. "I'm Goliath. He's the little man. I'm going to outwork him to every ball. I think I'm going to have like a 20 rebound night. Coach Cal said this is going to be my breakout game."
And on it on went, with Dorsey later calling Oden overrated. After he failed to show up the next day -- zero points, three rebounds -- Dorsey was mocked nationally, and not just for messing up his Biblical history. Though Dorsey's comments may or may not have had much to do with Ohio State's 92-76 victory, you just can't tip the karmic scales that overtly and expect to get rewarded.
5. "The Ankle Sprain," March 18, New Orleans: In truth, the outcome of Memphis' second-round NCAA Tournament game against Nevada should have been decided long before the 8-minute mark. To that point, the No. 2-seed Tigers had pretty much controlled the Wolfpack, but a mess of missed layups invited trouble all afternoon long.
And by the time Douglas-Roberts went down with a severe left ankle sprain, Memphis had blown its opportunity to put the game away. Indeed, when their leading scorer was carried into the locker room with no hope of coming back, the Tigers suddenly were in big trouble, as Nevada cut the deficit to 64-62 with five minutes to go. But Memphis kept its composure and played nearly perfect basketball down the stretch, finishing the game on a 14-0 run to advance to its second straight Sweet 16 for the second time in school history.
6. "The Gonzaga Saga," Feb. 17, Spokane, Wash.: After failing to capitalize on early-season opportunities, the Tigers badly needed a signature win to solidify a high NCAA Tournament seed. And to get it, Memphis would have to fly more than four hours to the Inland Northwest and play in front of a sold-out, hostile crowd of 11,272 fans. Despite opening a 13-point lead early in the second half, Memphis had to withstand a charge from Gonzaga to send the game to overtime. But Tigers senior Jeremy Hunt, who went 0-for-4 from the field in regulation, hit two huge 3-pointers to keep them in it. Then, with the Tigers down a point, Douglas-Roberts slashed across the lane and hit a one-handed game-winner from eight feet with 5.6 seconds left. The 78-77 victory was Memphis' 15th straight.
7. "The Payback," Nov. 15, New York: Calipari and UConn coach Jim Calhoun were New England rivals in the early 1990s, but Calipari did not have an opportunity to beat him since his first two years at UMass. Though both coaches downplayed the matchup, Memphis' 81-70 victory in the 2k Sports College Hoops Classic championship game was a satisfying victory for Calipari. Douglas-Roberts scored a career-high 33 points, while Rose added 24 points at Madison Square Garden.
8. "The Breakaway," Jan. 4, Memphis: Memphis likes to say it always improves after Camp Cal, the all-basketball period between semesters. And the Tigers showed it in an 88-55 dissection of Cincinnati on national television, providing hints of just how good they could be. Against a former C-USA rival, Memphis made 20-of-33 field goals in the first half and built a 31-point lead. The game was so lopsided, ESPN broke away from it in the second half to show the finish of Southern California and Oregon.
9. "The Dragon," Feb. 8, Birmingham, Ala.: At halftime, the score was UAB 25, Jeremy Hunt 25. In a career performance for the senior, Hunt finished with 30 points in Memphis' 70-56 victory at Bartow Arena. Hunt made six 3-pointers in the first half, willing Memphis to a 12-point lead, including a 30-footer to beat the buzzer. When he made the final shot, Hunt simply laid down on UAB's dragon logo, right where it spits a stream of fire.
10. "The Circus," Jan. 31, Orlando: After a series of unimpressive victories against East Carolina, Tulsa and Southern Miss, the Tigers seemed vulnerable in late January. Central Florida sensed it too, filling 5,000-seat UCF Arena for the biggest home game in school history. As players were being introduced, the mascot of practically every pro team in the state of Florida was on the floor, contributing to a circus-like atmosphere that seemed a potential hurdle to Memphis' perfect C-USA record. But the Tigers didn't give the crowd much chance to get revved up, sprinting to a 13-4 lead and ultimately blowing out the second-place Knights, 87-65.
Reach Dan Wolken at 529-2365.
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