From Hoopinion
www.hoopinion.blogspot.com
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Performance in At-risk Games: National Overview through 1/22/07
Let's spend some time with our one-bid friends...
Disclaimer: Obviously, all at-risk games (all losses plus road/neutral wins plus home wins against NCAA Tournament teams) are not created equally so I'll provide more information than just the numbers. I am listing teams in order of efficiency margin (points scored per 100 possessions minus points allowed per 100 possessions) simply as an organizational choice. These are not rankings.
Butler hasn't played any at-risk games since the last national update, but they have continued to hammer their conference opponents. They're the early co-favorites (with Memphis) to lead the nation in average efficiency margin in conference play.
Team Record OffEff DefEff Diff
Memphis 5-3 103 97 +6
vs. C-USA 5-0 113 88 +25
Wins: Oklahoma (+20), Kentucky (+18), @Houston (+15), @Southern Miss (+21), @East Carolina (+26)
Losses: vs. Georgia Tech (-9), @Tennessee (-26), @Arizona (-13)
The Tigers only managed 89 points per 100 possessions in their win at East Carolina. The weakness of the rest of their conference likely won't tell us where exactly they sit on the spectrum of teams who can defend but can't score consistently enough to be expecetd to reach the Final Four.
Kansas and Duke would sit on the high end, UConn would rest near the bottom, and LSU, Tennessee, and Oklahoma would all fall somewhere on the cusp of making the NCAA Tournament.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
AP Story on Memphis vs. Tulsa Game
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Joey Dorsey set a dominating tone inside for No. 11 Memphis. It wasn't good enough for coach John Calipari.
Dorsey scored 13 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots to lead No. 11 Memphis to a 72-59 victory over Tulsa on Wednesday night.
Dorsey, the 6-foot-9, 260-pound junior, dominated the inside in the first half and the Tigers (16-3, 6-0 Conference USA) built an early lead en route to their eighth straight victory, keeping them undefeated at home.
Despite the numbers, Calipari continued to harp on the Tigers' big man, bellowing at him to hustle and jerking him out of the game when he sensed Dorsey's effort wasn't there.
''Think about it,'' Calipari said. ''He's getting a double-double and I'm not happy, and everybody's looking at me like I'm out of my mind. Well, it depends. If you think I should accept what I think is less than he's capable of, you're right.
''... Joey could have 18 rebounds a game, so if you're capable of that, and I accept getting 12, I'm doing him a disservice.''
Tulsa (12-6, 2-3) lost its third straight, and the Golden Hurricane have lost all four road games this season.
Golden Hurricane coach Doug Wojcik was pleased that his team outrebounded Memphis 46-41, and held the Tigers to not only 40 percent shooting, but also eight points under their average. It was the 16th time out of 18 games that Tulsa has held an opponent under its scoring average.
''We're very good defensively,'' Wojcik said. ''We're a good defensive team, and you're going to earn your points scoring against us. But we also struggled to score.''
Robert Dozier had 12 points and eight rebounds along with four blocks for Memphis, while Jeremy Hunt scored 11 on 4-of-15 shooting from the field.
Ray Reese led Tulsa with 17 points, and Ben Uzoh added 10 and 12 rebounds. Rod Earls, Tulsa's leading scorer at 12.5 points, was limited to three points, missing five of his six shots from the field.
Tulsa was hindered by 18 turnovers and 34 percent shooting from the field.
''I thought we gave them too many layups,'' Wojcik said. ''When we played here last year, we had 11 turnovers for the game. It makes a world of difference between 18 and 11. Of those seven we gave them, five are probably layups.''
Memphis continued to play without leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts, who is recovering from a high ankle sprain.
Tulsa stayed fairly close with Memphis through the first half and the Tigers carried a 38-30 lead into the break.
Memphis used a 14-2 run midway through the half to build its first double-digit advantage as the Golden Hurricane struggled from the field, shooting 29 percent. Tulsa managed to stay within striking distance by switching defenses to throw the Tigers' offense out of rhythm in parts of the half.
Memphis' inside game was the difference. Led by Dorsey's 11 points and eight rebounds in the half, Memphis held a 24-10 advantage in the paint. Combined with 19 points off 11Tulsa turnovers, Memphis took the lead early and didn't relinquish it through the first half.
Memphis maintained the double-digit margin for the bulk of the second half, building the advantage to as many as 16. The Golden Hurricane were hindered by their continued shooting woes, and never seemed to get enough momentum going after the break to substantially cut into the Tiger lead.
But Calipari was disappointed with his team's competitive edge. He said they seemed to go through the motions without challenging the man they were playing against or pushing as hard as possible.
''To get guys to understand to play harder than the guys they are playing against, especially if they think they are better, is a tough challenge,'' Calipari said. ''That's the challenge we have in front of us to see if we can become special.
''Guys don't understand what it means to compete, and they still do fine. My thing is we need to compete against us and not the other team.''
Dorsey scored 13 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots to lead No. 11 Memphis to a 72-59 victory over Tulsa on Wednesday night.
Dorsey, the 6-foot-9, 260-pound junior, dominated the inside in the first half and the Tigers (16-3, 6-0 Conference USA) built an early lead en route to their eighth straight victory, keeping them undefeated at home.
Despite the numbers, Calipari continued to harp on the Tigers' big man, bellowing at him to hustle and jerking him out of the game when he sensed Dorsey's effort wasn't there.
''Think about it,'' Calipari said. ''He's getting a double-double and I'm not happy, and everybody's looking at me like I'm out of my mind. Well, it depends. If you think I should accept what I think is less than he's capable of, you're right.
''... Joey could have 18 rebounds a game, so if you're capable of that, and I accept getting 12, I'm doing him a disservice.''
Tulsa (12-6, 2-3) lost its third straight, and the Golden Hurricane have lost all four road games this season.
Golden Hurricane coach Doug Wojcik was pleased that his team outrebounded Memphis 46-41, and held the Tigers to not only 40 percent shooting, but also eight points under their average. It was the 16th time out of 18 games that Tulsa has held an opponent under its scoring average.
''We're very good defensively,'' Wojcik said. ''We're a good defensive team, and you're going to earn your points scoring against us. But we also struggled to score.''
Robert Dozier had 12 points and eight rebounds along with four blocks for Memphis, while Jeremy Hunt scored 11 on 4-of-15 shooting from the field.
Ray Reese led Tulsa with 17 points, and Ben Uzoh added 10 and 12 rebounds. Rod Earls, Tulsa's leading scorer at 12.5 points, was limited to three points, missing five of his six shots from the field.
Tulsa was hindered by 18 turnovers and 34 percent shooting from the field.
''I thought we gave them too many layups,'' Wojcik said. ''When we played here last year, we had 11 turnovers for the game. It makes a world of difference between 18 and 11. Of those seven we gave them, five are probably layups.''
Memphis continued to play without leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts, who is recovering from a high ankle sprain.
Tulsa stayed fairly close with Memphis through the first half and the Tigers carried a 38-30 lead into the break.
Memphis used a 14-2 run midway through the half to build its first double-digit advantage as the Golden Hurricane struggled from the field, shooting 29 percent. Tulsa managed to stay within striking distance by switching defenses to throw the Tigers' offense out of rhythm in parts of the half.
Memphis' inside game was the difference. Led by Dorsey's 11 points and eight rebounds in the half, Memphis held a 24-10 advantage in the paint. Combined with 19 points off 11Tulsa turnovers, Memphis took the lead early and didn't relinquish it through the first half.
Memphis maintained the double-digit margin for the bulk of the second half, building the advantage to as many as 16. The Golden Hurricane were hindered by their continued shooting woes, and never seemed to get enough momentum going after the break to substantially cut into the Tiger lead.
But Calipari was disappointed with his team's competitive edge. He said they seemed to go through the motions without challenging the man they were playing against or pushing as hard as possible.
''To get guys to understand to play harder than the guys they are playing against, especially if they think they are better, is a tough challenge,'' Calipari said. ''That's the challenge we have in front of us to see if we can become special.
''Guys don't understand what it means to compete, and they still do fine. My thing is we need to compete against us and not the other team.''
Tigers Replay
Tigers replay
January 25, 2007
AS THE GAME TURNED
The Tigers were nursing a two-point lead midway through the first half before their point guard combination of Willie Kemp and Andre Allen helped spark a decisive 12-0 run. Allen dropped in a layup and Kemp followed with a 3-pointer as Memphis rattled off a dozen straight points in the space of 3 minutes, 13 seconds, increasing its lead to 31-17.
AS THE ROTATION TURNED
Pierre Niles had played a not-so-grand total of three minutes in the Tigers' previous four games, but the massive freshman forward was thrown into the fray in the first half against the Golden Hurricane. The 6-8, 285-pound Niles played two minutes, hitting a pair of free throws and rebounding one of his two missed shots, before returning to the bench.
Chris Douglas-Roberts' absence allowed coach John Calipari to play Allen and Kemp together for long stretches. With Antonio Anderson also on the floor, Memphis essentially had three point guards on the court at once. The trio combined for eight assists.
After seeing five players log 30 or more minutes in Saturday's win over East Carolina, Calipari went slightly deeper into his bench against the Golden Hurricane. Anderson and Kemp -- who played just 12 minutes against ECU, were the only Tigers to play more than 30 minutes on Wednesday.
RIM GEMS
Doneal Mack capped his second straight start in place of Douglas-Roberts with a highlight reel dunk. With 7:19 left in the game, Mack took a pass from Kemp and drove past Calvin Walls along the baseline before rising for a big two-handed slam, giving the Tigers a 60-47 lead and bringing a crowd of 15,760 to its feet.
HIDE YOUR EYES
Tulsa guard Rod Earls was lucky to walk away with his head still connected to his shoulders following a second-half collision with Kemp.
When Darold Crow scrambled near midcourt to keep the ball inbounds, flinging it back toward the center circle, Kemp and Earls tangled while heading in opposite directions. Earls hit the floor hard after getting an (accidental) half-clothesline, but got up and walked away none the worse for the wear.
SCORER'S TABLE
Led by Robert Dozier's four rejections, the Tigers set a season high with 12 blocked shots. Joey Dorsey wiped out three shots and Hunt and Mack swatted two apiece as Memphis altered one shot after another.
"They got their hands on so many balls, it's incredible," Tulsa coach Doug Wojcik said.
The Tigers, however, still managed to lose the battle of the boards, with Tulsa outrebounding them 46-41.
LOCKERROOM CHATTER
"This may have been his worst game since I've coached him."
-- Calipari on the play of senior guard Jeremy Hunt, who missed 11 of his 15 shots from the floor, many of them on wild drives to the basket.
ODDS AND ENDS
Niles, whose only action of late had been at the end of games, was pleased to get some non-garbage time minutes.
But the former Ridgeway star understands why Calipari has been reluctant to play him more often so far this season.
"I've got to wait my turn. I know I'm not in shape," said Niles, who has yet to regain his fitness following minor preseason knee surgery. "I need to be in shape so I can stay on the floor longer than three or four minutes.
"As long as I get in the game, I'm all right. ... Coach Cal and me are getting on the same page. I'm starting to understand the plays and what he wants from me."
When Tulsa forward Charles Ramsdell missed the second of two free throws with 5:28 left in the first half, it marked the first time all season he failed to convert from the foul line. The senior entered Wednesday's game having gone a perfect 28 for 28 from the line. He ended up 3 for 4 against the Tigers and is now shooting his free throws at a mere 96.9 percent clip.
LOOKING AHEAD
Tigers vs. Southern Miss, Saturday, noon, at FedExForum
-- Jim Masilak
January 25, 2007
AS THE GAME TURNED
The Tigers were nursing a two-point lead midway through the first half before their point guard combination of Willie Kemp and Andre Allen helped spark a decisive 12-0 run. Allen dropped in a layup and Kemp followed with a 3-pointer as Memphis rattled off a dozen straight points in the space of 3 minutes, 13 seconds, increasing its lead to 31-17.
AS THE ROTATION TURNED
Pierre Niles had played a not-so-grand total of three minutes in the Tigers' previous four games, but the massive freshman forward was thrown into the fray in the first half against the Golden Hurricane. The 6-8, 285-pound Niles played two minutes, hitting a pair of free throws and rebounding one of his two missed shots, before returning to the bench.
Chris Douglas-Roberts' absence allowed coach John Calipari to play Allen and Kemp together for long stretches. With Antonio Anderson also on the floor, Memphis essentially had three point guards on the court at once. The trio combined for eight assists.
After seeing five players log 30 or more minutes in Saturday's win over East Carolina, Calipari went slightly deeper into his bench against the Golden Hurricane. Anderson and Kemp -- who played just 12 minutes against ECU, were the only Tigers to play more than 30 minutes on Wednesday.
RIM GEMS
Doneal Mack capped his second straight start in place of Douglas-Roberts with a highlight reel dunk. With 7:19 left in the game, Mack took a pass from Kemp and drove past Calvin Walls along the baseline before rising for a big two-handed slam, giving the Tigers a 60-47 lead and bringing a crowd of 15,760 to its feet.
HIDE YOUR EYES
Tulsa guard Rod Earls was lucky to walk away with his head still connected to his shoulders following a second-half collision with Kemp.
When Darold Crow scrambled near midcourt to keep the ball inbounds, flinging it back toward the center circle, Kemp and Earls tangled while heading in opposite directions. Earls hit the floor hard after getting an (accidental) half-clothesline, but got up and walked away none the worse for the wear.
SCORER'S TABLE
Led by Robert Dozier's four rejections, the Tigers set a season high with 12 blocked shots. Joey Dorsey wiped out three shots and Hunt and Mack swatted two apiece as Memphis altered one shot after another.
"They got their hands on so many balls, it's incredible," Tulsa coach Doug Wojcik said.
The Tigers, however, still managed to lose the battle of the boards, with Tulsa outrebounding them 46-41.
LOCKERROOM CHATTER
"This may have been his worst game since I've coached him."
-- Calipari on the play of senior guard Jeremy Hunt, who missed 11 of his 15 shots from the floor, many of them on wild drives to the basket.
ODDS AND ENDS
Niles, whose only action of late had been at the end of games, was pleased to get some non-garbage time minutes.
But the former Ridgeway star understands why Calipari has been reluctant to play him more often so far this season.
"I've got to wait my turn. I know I'm not in shape," said Niles, who has yet to regain his fitness following minor preseason knee surgery. "I need to be in shape so I can stay on the floor longer than three or four minutes.
"As long as I get in the game, I'm all right. ... Coach Cal and me are getting on the same page. I'm starting to understand the plays and what he wants from me."
When Tulsa forward Charles Ramsdell missed the second of two free throws with 5:28 left in the first half, it marked the first time all season he failed to convert from the foul line. The senior entered Wednesday's game having gone a perfect 28 for 28 from the line. He ended up 3 for 4 against the Tigers and is now shooting his free throws at a mere 96.9 percent clip.
LOOKING AHEAD
Tigers vs. Southern Miss, Saturday, noon, at FedExForum
-- Jim Masilak
Geoff Calkins Column "No Apologies As Tigers Rise In The Polls"
No apologies as Tigers rise in the polls
Geoff Calkins
January 25, 2007
Memphis, the No. 11 team in the country ...
That's right, the No. 11 team in the country. Anyone got a problem with that?
"I have them capped at No. 15," said Scott Cacciola, who writes for The Commercial Appeal and has the paper's vote in the AP poll.
"I don't think you can justify it," said Gary Parrish, who used to cover the Tigers for this paper and now writes for cbssportsline.com.
Hmmm.
Can't justify it, eh?
"No," Parrish said. "Memphis doesn't have a win over a Top 25 team. I fundamentally disagree with the idea that, after other teams lose difficult conference games, Memphis can climb in the polls by beating bad teams."
Which is one way of looking at it, certainly. The other way is -- um, how to put this -- tough beans.
I say this after watching Memphis dispatch the latest bad team on its schedule, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
Tulsa has an RPI of 164 despite having a forward in Charles Ramsdell who, OK, who has read a lot of books.
It says so, right there in the media notes. Since August of 2006, Ramsdell has read 26 books including "The Iliad," "Divine Comedy," "The Last of the Mohicans" and "Moby Dick."
This is quite an accomplishment. Call me -- no, not Ishmael -- impressed!
Alas, Ramsdell and his teammates are not as prolific on the basketball court. The Tigers won, 72-59, extending its record in Conference USA to a perfect 6-0.
So Memphis fans were left wondering what Memphis fans are always left wondering: What does it all mean?
What does it mean when Joey Dorsey delivers a stunning two-handed block against someone named Sam Mitchell?
What does it mean when Willie Kemp rediscovers his game against a team that lost to Marshall, Houston and North Texas?
"It means we won," said Andre Allen. "Other teams keep losing."
Exactly.
What he said.
Listen, I have no idea if Memphis is the 11th best team in the country. Memphis coach John Calipari even said that Parrish is "probably" right.
But given how thoroughly the broader system of college athletics has shafted the Tigers, if they benefit in one small way from a quirk in the system, they darn sure don't have to apologize.
Wednesday's game was a prime example of that and, at some level, just plain sad. Nothing against Tulsa, mind you. Unlike most of the garbage programs in Conference USA, Tulsa at least tries to be good.
But there were three league games in our area Wednesday night. Two of the visitors were worth making a trip to watch.
Ole Miss hosted Tennessee, led by Bruce Pearl. Mississippi State hosted Florida, led by Billy Donovan.
Memphis hosted Tulsa, led by, quick, can you even name the Tulsa coach? Or any of the Tulsa players? Or -- heck -- any five players from Conference USA?
"We need to try to compete against us, not the other team," said Calipari.
Think he'd say that if the Louisville and Cincinnati were still in the league?
But they're not. Neither are Marquette nor Saint Louis nor Charlotte nor DePaul.
Remarkably, the fans still show up, nearly 16,000, for a late, week-night game utterly lacking in drama or suspense.
Tulsa hit a long jumper to take a 3-0 lead. Memphis went ahead 4-3 and never again trailed.
The fans stayed the whole time, cheering and hooting and generally having fun. It was even a little hard to believe. Coaches always say that fans should come to see their own team play but, c'mon, how many do?
Memphis fans do. They've learned to live with what they have. Even if the entire BCS system is stacked against non-BCS schools. Even if Memphis has a harder time in football and in basketball and in making ends meet.
But the Tigers do get one small compensation: They don't lose as often as teams with more difficult league schedules. And because AP voters tend to drop teams when they lose -- even very good teams -- Memphis continues to rise in the polls.
Last week, Memphis rose from No. 17 to No. 11 while winning games over East Carolina (RPI of 318) and Southern Miss (RPI of 110).
"I don't see how you can make a case for that," said Parrish.
And I don't really care.
To reach Geoff Calkins, call him at 529-2364 or e-mail.
Geoff Calkins
January 25, 2007
Memphis, the No. 11 team in the country ...
That's right, the No. 11 team in the country. Anyone got a problem with that?
"I have them capped at No. 15," said Scott Cacciola, who writes for The Commercial Appeal and has the paper's vote in the AP poll.
"I don't think you can justify it," said Gary Parrish, who used to cover the Tigers for this paper and now writes for cbssportsline.com.
Hmmm.
Can't justify it, eh?
"No," Parrish said. "Memphis doesn't have a win over a Top 25 team. I fundamentally disagree with the idea that, after other teams lose difficult conference games, Memphis can climb in the polls by beating bad teams."
Which is one way of looking at it, certainly. The other way is -- um, how to put this -- tough beans.
I say this after watching Memphis dispatch the latest bad team on its schedule, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
Tulsa has an RPI of 164 despite having a forward in Charles Ramsdell who, OK, who has read a lot of books.
It says so, right there in the media notes. Since August of 2006, Ramsdell has read 26 books including "The Iliad," "Divine Comedy," "The Last of the Mohicans" and "Moby Dick."
This is quite an accomplishment. Call me -- no, not Ishmael -- impressed!
Alas, Ramsdell and his teammates are not as prolific on the basketball court. The Tigers won, 72-59, extending its record in Conference USA to a perfect 6-0.
So Memphis fans were left wondering what Memphis fans are always left wondering: What does it all mean?
What does it mean when Joey Dorsey delivers a stunning two-handed block against someone named Sam Mitchell?
What does it mean when Willie Kemp rediscovers his game against a team that lost to Marshall, Houston and North Texas?
"It means we won," said Andre Allen. "Other teams keep losing."
Exactly.
What he said.
Listen, I have no idea if Memphis is the 11th best team in the country. Memphis coach John Calipari even said that Parrish is "probably" right.
But given how thoroughly the broader system of college athletics has shafted the Tigers, if they benefit in one small way from a quirk in the system, they darn sure don't have to apologize.
Wednesday's game was a prime example of that and, at some level, just plain sad. Nothing against Tulsa, mind you. Unlike most of the garbage programs in Conference USA, Tulsa at least tries to be good.
But there were three league games in our area Wednesday night. Two of the visitors were worth making a trip to watch.
Ole Miss hosted Tennessee, led by Bruce Pearl. Mississippi State hosted Florida, led by Billy Donovan.
Memphis hosted Tulsa, led by, quick, can you even name the Tulsa coach? Or any of the Tulsa players? Or -- heck -- any five players from Conference USA?
"We need to try to compete against us, not the other team," said Calipari.
Think he'd say that if the Louisville and Cincinnati were still in the league?
But they're not. Neither are Marquette nor Saint Louis nor Charlotte nor DePaul.
Remarkably, the fans still show up, nearly 16,000, for a late, week-night game utterly lacking in drama or suspense.
Tulsa hit a long jumper to take a 3-0 lead. Memphis went ahead 4-3 and never again trailed.
The fans stayed the whole time, cheering and hooting and generally having fun. It was even a little hard to believe. Coaches always say that fans should come to see their own team play but, c'mon, how many do?
Memphis fans do. They've learned to live with what they have. Even if the entire BCS system is stacked against non-BCS schools. Even if Memphis has a harder time in football and in basketball and in making ends meet.
But the Tigers do get one small compensation: They don't lose as often as teams with more difficult league schedules. And because AP voters tend to drop teams when they lose -- even very good teams -- Memphis continues to rise in the polls.
Last week, Memphis rose from No. 17 to No. 11 while winning games over East Carolina (RPI of 318) and Southern Miss (RPI of 110).
"I don't see how you can make a case for that," said Parrish.
And I don't really care.
To reach Geoff Calkins, call him at 529-2364 or e-mail.
With Leading Scorer Still Out, Tigers Will Their Way Past Tulsa
With leading scorer still out, Tigers will their way past Tulsa
(11) Tigers 72, Tulsa 59
By Dan Wolken
January 25, 2007
They have not looked quite like themselves; not completely. Without leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts in the lineup, the University of Memphis has had to grind and defend, outlast opponents instead of pull away, endure stretches when its offense seems slightly out of sorts.
But there is nothing askew about the Tigers' Conference USA record, or their results. With Douglas-Roberts on the bench for a third straight game because of a sprained right ankle, the No. 11-ranked Tigers beat Tulsa 72-59 before a FedExForum crowd of 15,760.
Though Douglas-Roberts warmed up and was in uniform Wednesday, Memphis ultimately didn't need him. Despite shooting just 39.7 percent from the field and getting outrebounded 46-41, Memphis led practically the whole way and carried a double-digit margin most of the second half.
By winning their eighth consecutive game, the Tigers improved to 16-3 overall and 6-0 in Conference USA. Tulsa fell to 12-6 overall and 2-3 in the league.
"We made a lot of mistakes," senior guard Jeremy Hunt said. "We missed a lot of shots, made a couple dumb plays we shouldn't have made, but that's part of basketball. You're going to do things like that. As long as we come out with the win, I'm satisfied."
Still, the hole left by Douglas-Roberts' absence has seemed far bigger than his 6-6 frame, significantly greater than the 14.8 points per game he provides. And after a lethargic effort Saturday at East Carolina -- a game the Tigers won 61-44 -- Douglas-Roberts badly wanted to get back in the lineup.
But once again, his sore ankle forced him to watch what the Tigers are like without him: A team that struggles with its offensive spacing, a team that can go long stretches without scoring and a team that struggles to close out opponents.
To wit, the Tigers led Tulsa by 14 when sophomore Robert Dozier made two free throws with 7:33 left in the first half, but that margin shrank to 38-30 at halftime.
When Memphis pushed the lead to 16 in the second half, Tulsa came right back. Despite making 21-of-62 field goals and committing 18 turnovers, Tulsa pulled to 58-47 with 7:50 to go.
Only by the sheer will of sophomore guard Antonio Anderson were the Tigers able to halt Tulsa's momentum there, as he snatched a loose ball off his own missed jumper and fed freshman Doneal Mack for a driving slam. The Tigers couldn't exhale until Mack's 3-pointer with 4:45 left, which gave Memphis a 65-49 lead.
"It's definitely different (without Douglas-Roberts)," Anderson said. "He's our main guy on offense, and without him, other guys have to make other plays."
The Tigers made those plays mostly on the defensive end and on the glass. They outscored Tulsa 27-9 off turnovers and gave the Golden Hurricane problems inside, with junior forward Joey Dorsey scoring 13 points with 11 rebounds and Robert Dozier scoring 12 and grabbing nine boards.
"I thought we played with them; I just thought we gave them too many layups," Tulsa coach Doug Wojcik said. "Last year, we only had 11 turnovers here, and it makes a world of difference between 18 and 11. Of those seven, probably five of them are layups. If you take away those layups we gave them, I think we battle them."
The good news for Memphis is that Douglas-Roberts should return soon, probably Saturday against Southern Miss.
"More than likely, I'm going to be playing," he said. "Doc told me it's going to hurt, but I asked him, will it heal if I play on it? And he said yeah, so that's all I needed to know."
And it can't come quickly enough for Tigers coach John Calipari, who was happy with the win but not with the Tigers' effort.
"Kareem Cooper in the second half tried to play harder than the other guy instead of just being out there," Calipari said. "Other guys, they don't understand what it means to compete and they still do fine. But my thing is, we need to try to compete against us, not the other team. Let's compete against us and what we're trying to do."
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
(11) Tigers 72, Tulsa 59
By Dan Wolken
January 25, 2007
They have not looked quite like themselves; not completely. Without leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts in the lineup, the University of Memphis has had to grind and defend, outlast opponents instead of pull away, endure stretches when its offense seems slightly out of sorts.
But there is nothing askew about the Tigers' Conference USA record, or their results. With Douglas-Roberts on the bench for a third straight game because of a sprained right ankle, the No. 11-ranked Tigers beat Tulsa 72-59 before a FedExForum crowd of 15,760.
Though Douglas-Roberts warmed up and was in uniform Wednesday, Memphis ultimately didn't need him. Despite shooting just 39.7 percent from the field and getting outrebounded 46-41, Memphis led practically the whole way and carried a double-digit margin most of the second half.
By winning their eighth consecutive game, the Tigers improved to 16-3 overall and 6-0 in Conference USA. Tulsa fell to 12-6 overall and 2-3 in the league.
"We made a lot of mistakes," senior guard Jeremy Hunt said. "We missed a lot of shots, made a couple dumb plays we shouldn't have made, but that's part of basketball. You're going to do things like that. As long as we come out with the win, I'm satisfied."
Still, the hole left by Douglas-Roberts' absence has seemed far bigger than his 6-6 frame, significantly greater than the 14.8 points per game he provides. And after a lethargic effort Saturday at East Carolina -- a game the Tigers won 61-44 -- Douglas-Roberts badly wanted to get back in the lineup.
But once again, his sore ankle forced him to watch what the Tigers are like without him: A team that struggles with its offensive spacing, a team that can go long stretches without scoring and a team that struggles to close out opponents.
To wit, the Tigers led Tulsa by 14 when sophomore Robert Dozier made two free throws with 7:33 left in the first half, but that margin shrank to 38-30 at halftime.
When Memphis pushed the lead to 16 in the second half, Tulsa came right back. Despite making 21-of-62 field goals and committing 18 turnovers, Tulsa pulled to 58-47 with 7:50 to go.
Only by the sheer will of sophomore guard Antonio Anderson were the Tigers able to halt Tulsa's momentum there, as he snatched a loose ball off his own missed jumper and fed freshman Doneal Mack for a driving slam. The Tigers couldn't exhale until Mack's 3-pointer with 4:45 left, which gave Memphis a 65-49 lead.
"It's definitely different (without Douglas-Roberts)," Anderson said. "He's our main guy on offense, and without him, other guys have to make other plays."
The Tigers made those plays mostly on the defensive end and on the glass. They outscored Tulsa 27-9 off turnovers and gave the Golden Hurricane problems inside, with junior forward Joey Dorsey scoring 13 points with 11 rebounds and Robert Dozier scoring 12 and grabbing nine boards.
"I thought we played with them; I just thought we gave them too many layups," Tulsa coach Doug Wojcik said. "Last year, we only had 11 turnovers here, and it makes a world of difference between 18 and 11. Of those seven, probably five of them are layups. If you take away those layups we gave them, I think we battle them."
The good news for Memphis is that Douglas-Roberts should return soon, probably Saturday against Southern Miss.
"More than likely, I'm going to be playing," he said. "Doc told me it's going to hurt, but I asked him, will it heal if I play on it? And he said yeah, so that's all I needed to know."
And it can't come quickly enough for Tigers coach John Calipari, who was happy with the win but not with the Tigers' effort.
"Kareem Cooper in the second half tried to play harder than the other guy instead of just being out there," Calipari said. "Other guys, they don't understand what it means to compete and they still do fine. But my thing is, we need to try to compete against us, not the other team. Let's compete against us and what we're trying to do."
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
Cal and Wojcik's Comments on Memphis vs Tulsa Game
Memphis Head Coach John Calipari
"It's a good win for us. We're still trying to get guys to understand to play harder than the guys we're playing against. But that's the challenge we have in front of us -- to see if we can become special."
"Kareem Cooper in the second half tried to play harder than the other guy instead of just being out there. We had other guys who don't understand what it means to compete, and they still do fine. We need to try and compete against us, not the other team. Let's compete against us and what we're trying to do. You know when you're not going hard and when you have an attitude. Just cut it out and let's go."
"I thought Willie (Kemp) was way better. What we did with Willie is we showed him highlights we had cut out with some music and showed him how he's been playing this year. It's been pretty darn good for a freshman, especially against Kentucky and Cincinnati. I could name six or seven games (he played well in). He saw the pace he was playing. It wasn't out of control; he wasn't hurried. He was just playing. I think we did a couple of things, and I think it helped him. It calmed him a little bit."
"We still have a ways to go. It was a good win against a pretty good team as the league kind of shakes out. This team played us and it was a slower game. We still scored 72."
Tulsa Head Coach Doug Wojcik
"We won the war on the boards, and I'm proud of that. We really hustled. I told the team, 'I loved 19 offensive rebounds, but how about five more made baskets.' In terms of shooting the basketball better, we shot the ball very well from the three."
"(Ray) Reese is playing incredibly well. Ben (Uzoh) played a lot of minutes. He didn't shoot the ball great, but he still gets himself a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Mark Hill is a work in progress. I want him to stop driving toward the baseline. He gets himself in a lot of trouble there, and we lose floor bounds and give up lay-ups at the other end."
"If we eliminate some of those turnovers and those easy baskets, our defense guarded (and the result could have been different). They shoot 39 percent from the three, and they shoot 69 from the free-throw line. They have 12 blocked shots, and we're a pretty good shot blocking team, but they got their hands on so many balls it's just incredible."
"We're learning, and at the end of the game, we have two sophomores and three freshman on the floor. I'm proud of that although I just want better results. It's three games we've lost now, and we have to turn it around come Saturday."
"Memphis is very athletic. (Joey) Dorsey could be in the NFL instead of the NBA. Robert Dozier is a good player and a touch match-up for Charles Ramsdell."
"It's a good win for us. We're still trying to get guys to understand to play harder than the guys we're playing against. But that's the challenge we have in front of us -- to see if we can become special."
"Kareem Cooper in the second half tried to play harder than the other guy instead of just being out there. We had other guys who don't understand what it means to compete, and they still do fine. We need to try and compete against us, not the other team. Let's compete against us and what we're trying to do. You know when you're not going hard and when you have an attitude. Just cut it out and let's go."
"I thought Willie (Kemp) was way better. What we did with Willie is we showed him highlights we had cut out with some music and showed him how he's been playing this year. It's been pretty darn good for a freshman, especially against Kentucky and Cincinnati. I could name six or seven games (he played well in). He saw the pace he was playing. It wasn't out of control; he wasn't hurried. He was just playing. I think we did a couple of things, and I think it helped him. It calmed him a little bit."
"We still have a ways to go. It was a good win against a pretty good team as the league kind of shakes out. This team played us and it was a slower game. We still scored 72."
Tulsa Head Coach Doug Wojcik
"We won the war on the boards, and I'm proud of that. We really hustled. I told the team, 'I loved 19 offensive rebounds, but how about five more made baskets.' In terms of shooting the basketball better, we shot the ball very well from the three."
"(Ray) Reese is playing incredibly well. Ben (Uzoh) played a lot of minutes. He didn't shoot the ball great, but he still gets himself a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Mark Hill is a work in progress. I want him to stop driving toward the baseline. He gets himself in a lot of trouble there, and we lose floor bounds and give up lay-ups at the other end."
"If we eliminate some of those turnovers and those easy baskets, our defense guarded (and the result could have been different). They shoot 39 percent from the three, and they shoot 69 from the free-throw line. They have 12 blocked shots, and we're a pretty good shot blocking team, but they got their hands on so many balls it's just incredible."
"We're learning, and at the end of the game, we have two sophomores and three freshman on the floor. I'm proud of that although I just want better results. It's three games we've lost now, and we have to turn it around come Saturday."
"Memphis is very athletic. (Joey) Dorsey could be in the NFL instead of the NBA. Robert Dozier is a good player and a touch match-up for Charles Ramsdell."
Official Box Score - Memphis 72, Tulsa 59
Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS
Tulsa vs Memphis
01/24/07 8:00 pm at Memphis, Tenn. (FedExForum)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VISITORS: Tulsa 12-6 (2-3)
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
41 RAMSDELL, Charles... f 2-4 1-2 3-4 1 3 4 4 8 1 1 0 0 15
45 MITCHELL, Sam....... c 1-6 0-0 3-4 0 1 1 4 5 1 3 1 0 24
01 UZOH, Ben........... g 3-14 2-3 2-2 4 8 12 2 10 1 5 1 1 34
02 HILL, Mark.......... g 3-6 1-2 0-0 0 1 1 2 7 3 2 0 1 31
33 EARLS, Rod.......... g 1-6 1-4 0-0 1 2 3 2 3 0 2 2 0 19
04 WALLS, Calvin....... 1-4 0-0 0-0 3 3 6 3 2 0 1 0 0 16
15 CROW, Darold........ 0-4 0-2 0-0 3 2 5 0 0 1 2 0 0 11
22 McLEAN, Jamel....... 3-6 0-0 1-4 2 3 5 2 7 1 1 2 0 20
23 JORDAN, Jerome...... 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 2
42 COLEMAN, Sean....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
53 REESE, Ray.......... 7-11 2-3 1-2 0 2 2 1 17 0 1 0 0 27
TEAM................ 5 5
Totals.............. 21-62 7-16 10-16 19 27 46 20 59 9 18 6 2 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-35 28.6% 2nd Half: 11-27 40.7% Game: 33.9% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 4-8 50.0% 2nd Half: 3-8 37.5% Game: 43.8% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 6-8 75.0% 2nd Half: 4-8 50.0% Game: 62.5% 4,1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: Memphis 16-3 (6-0)
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
02 Dozier, Robert...... f 3-8 0-0 6-9 4 4 8 3 12 0 1 4 3 28
32 Dorsey, Joey........ f 6-14 0-0 1-2 7 4 11 2 13 1 2 3 1 25
01 Kemp, Willie........ g 4-5 1-1 0-0 1 6 7 1 9 3 1 0 2 32
12 Anderson, Antonio... g 2-6 0-2 3-4 1 2 3 4 7 4 2 1 4 34
20 Mack, Doneal........ g 3-7 1-3 0-0 0 3 3 1 7 1 2 2 1 17
04 Niles, Pierre....... 0-2 0-0 2-2 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 2
05 Hunt, Jeremy........ 4-15 2-8 1-3 0 2 2 1 11 0 1 2 2 25
15 Allen, Andre........ 1-4 0-2 2-2 0 1 1 1 4 1 1 0 1 24
42 Cooper, Kareem...... 2-2 0-0 3-4 2 0 2 2 7 0 0 0 0 13
TEAM................ 1 2 3 1
Totals.............. 25-63 4-16 18-26 17 24 41 15 72 10 11 12 14 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 15-35 42.9% 2nd Half: 10-28 35.7% Game: 39.7% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 3-9 33.3% 2nd Half: 1-7 14.3% Game: 25.0% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 5-6 83.3% 2nd Half: 13-20 65.0% Game: 69.2% 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Officials: Steve Olson, Tim Higgins, Warren Evans
Technical fouls: Tulsa-None. Memphis-None.
Attendance: 15760
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Tulsa......................... 30 29 - 59
Memphis....................... 38 34 - 72
Points in the paint-TLS 24,MEM 42. Points off turnovers-TLS 9,MEM 27.
2nd chance points-TLS 15,MEM 20. Fast break points-TLS 2,MEM 4.
Bench points-TLS 26,MEM 24. Score tied-0 times. Lead changed-1 time.
Last FG-TLS 2nd-01:02, MEM 2nd-01:47.
Largest lead-TLS by 3 1st-19:22, MEM by 16 2nd-12:04.
Tulsa vs Memphis
01/24/07 8:00 pm at Memphis, Tenn. (FedExForum)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VISITORS: Tulsa 12-6 (2-3)
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
41 RAMSDELL, Charles... f 2-4 1-2 3-4 1 3 4 4 8 1 1 0 0 15
45 MITCHELL, Sam....... c 1-6 0-0 3-4 0 1 1 4 5 1 3 1 0 24
01 UZOH, Ben........... g 3-14 2-3 2-2 4 8 12 2 10 1 5 1 1 34
02 HILL, Mark.......... g 3-6 1-2 0-0 0 1 1 2 7 3 2 0 1 31
33 EARLS, Rod.......... g 1-6 1-4 0-0 1 2 3 2 3 0 2 2 0 19
04 WALLS, Calvin....... 1-4 0-0 0-0 3 3 6 3 2 0 1 0 0 16
15 CROW, Darold........ 0-4 0-2 0-0 3 2 5 0 0 1 2 0 0 11
22 McLEAN, Jamel....... 3-6 0-0 1-4 2 3 5 2 7 1 1 2 0 20
23 JORDAN, Jerome...... 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 2
42 COLEMAN, Sean....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
53 REESE, Ray.......... 7-11 2-3 1-2 0 2 2 1 17 0 1 0 0 27
TEAM................ 5 5
Totals.............. 21-62 7-16 10-16 19 27 46 20 59 9 18 6 2 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-35 28.6% 2nd Half: 11-27 40.7% Game: 33.9% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 4-8 50.0% 2nd Half: 3-8 37.5% Game: 43.8% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 6-8 75.0% 2nd Half: 4-8 50.0% Game: 62.5% 4,1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: Memphis 16-3 (6-0)
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
02 Dozier, Robert...... f 3-8 0-0 6-9 4 4 8 3 12 0 1 4 3 28
32 Dorsey, Joey........ f 6-14 0-0 1-2 7 4 11 2 13 1 2 3 1 25
01 Kemp, Willie........ g 4-5 1-1 0-0 1 6 7 1 9 3 1 0 2 32
12 Anderson, Antonio... g 2-6 0-2 3-4 1 2 3 4 7 4 2 1 4 34
20 Mack, Doneal........ g 3-7 1-3 0-0 0 3 3 1 7 1 2 2 1 17
04 Niles, Pierre....... 0-2 0-0 2-2 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 2
05 Hunt, Jeremy........ 4-15 2-8 1-3 0 2 2 1 11 0 1 2 2 25
15 Allen, Andre........ 1-4 0-2 2-2 0 1 1 1 4 1 1 0 1 24
42 Cooper, Kareem...... 2-2 0-0 3-4 2 0 2 2 7 0 0 0 0 13
TEAM................ 1 2 3 1
Totals.............. 25-63 4-16 18-26 17 24 41 15 72 10 11 12 14 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 15-35 42.9% 2nd Half: 10-28 35.7% Game: 39.7% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 3-9 33.3% 2nd Half: 1-7 14.3% Game: 25.0% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 5-6 83.3% 2nd Half: 13-20 65.0% Game: 69.2% 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Officials: Steve Olson, Tim Higgins, Warren Evans
Technical fouls: Tulsa-None. Memphis-None.
Attendance: 15760
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Tulsa......................... 30 29 - 59
Memphis....................... 38 34 - 72
Points in the paint-TLS 24,MEM 42. Points off turnovers-TLS 9,MEM 27.
2nd chance points-TLS 15,MEM 20. Fast break points-TLS 2,MEM 4.
Bench points-TLS 26,MEM 24. Score tied-0 times. Lead changed-1 time.
Last FG-TLS 2nd-01:02, MEM 2nd-01:47.
Largest lead-TLS by 3 1st-19:22, MEM by 16 2nd-12:04.
CDR Doesn't Play, Tigers Beat Tulsa 72-59
Tigers Stay Perfect In C-USA Play, Beat Tulsa 72-59
Joey Dorsey records double double in win.
Jan. 24, 2007
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -Joey Dorsey scored 13 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots to lead No. 11 Memphis to a 72-59 victory over Tulsa on Wednesday night.
Dorsey dominated the inside in the first half and the Tigers (16-3, 6-0 Conference USA) built an early lead en route to their eighth straight victory, keeping them undefeated at home.
Tulsa (12-6, 2-3) lost its third straight, and the Golden Hurricane have lost all four road games this season.
Robert Dozier had 12 points and eight rebounds for Memphis, while Jeremy Hunt scored 11 on 4-of-15 shooting from the field.
Ray Reese led Tulsa with 17 points, and Ben Uzoh added 10. Rod Earls, Tulsa's leading scorer at 12.5 points, was limited to three points, missing five of his six shots from the field.
Tulsa was hindered by 18 turnovers and 34 percent shooting from the field.
Memphis continued to play without leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts, who still is recovering from a high ankle sprain.
Tulsa stayed fairly tight with Memphis through the first half before the Tigers carried a 38-30 lead into the half.
Memphis used a 14-2 run midway through the half to build it's first double-digit advantage as the Golden Hurricane struggled from the field, shooting 29 percent. Tulsa managed to stay within striking distance by switching defenses to throw the Tigers' offense out of rhythm in parts of the half.
The Memphis inside game was the difference. Led by Dorsey's 11 points and eight rebounds in the half, Memphis held a 24-10 advantage in the paint. Combined with 19 points off 11 Tulsa turnovers, Memphis took the lead early and didn't relinquish it through the first half.
Memphis maintained the double-digit lead in the bulk of the second half, building the advantage to as many as 16. The Golden Hurricane were hindered by their continued shooting woes, and never seemed to get enough momentum going after the break to cut substantially into the Tiger lead.
Joey Dorsey records double double in win.
Jan. 24, 2007
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -Joey Dorsey scored 13 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots to lead No. 11 Memphis to a 72-59 victory over Tulsa on Wednesday night.
Dorsey dominated the inside in the first half and the Tigers (16-3, 6-0 Conference USA) built an early lead en route to their eighth straight victory, keeping them undefeated at home.
Tulsa (12-6, 2-3) lost its third straight, and the Golden Hurricane have lost all four road games this season.
Robert Dozier had 12 points and eight rebounds for Memphis, while Jeremy Hunt scored 11 on 4-of-15 shooting from the field.
Ray Reese led Tulsa with 17 points, and Ben Uzoh added 10. Rod Earls, Tulsa's leading scorer at 12.5 points, was limited to three points, missing five of his six shots from the field.
Tulsa was hindered by 18 turnovers and 34 percent shooting from the field.
Memphis continued to play without leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts, who still is recovering from a high ankle sprain.
Tulsa stayed fairly tight with Memphis through the first half before the Tigers carried a 38-30 lead into the half.
Memphis used a 14-2 run midway through the half to build it's first double-digit advantage as the Golden Hurricane struggled from the field, shooting 29 percent. Tulsa managed to stay within striking distance by switching defenses to throw the Tigers' offense out of rhythm in parts of the half.
The Memphis inside game was the difference. Led by Dorsey's 11 points and eight rebounds in the half, Memphis held a 24-10 advantage in the paint. Combined with 19 points off 11 Tulsa turnovers, Memphis took the lead early and didn't relinquish it through the first half.
Memphis maintained the double-digit lead in the bulk of the second half, building the advantage to as many as 16. The Golden Hurricane were hindered by their continued shooting woes, and never seemed to get enough momentum going after the break to cut substantially into the Tiger lead.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
CDR Expected to Play vs. Tulsa Wednesday
Tigers' top scorer likely to play vs. Hurricane
By Dan Wolken
January 23, 2007
University of Memphis leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts, who has missed the last two games with a mild high ankle sprain, participated in some practice drills Monday and said he expected to play Wednesday against Tulsa.
"I don't think I can sit another game out," Douglas-Roberts said. "Being a competitor, I hate watching. More than likely, I'll be playing."
Douglas-Roberts, a sophomore guard who averages 14.8 points per game, injured his right ankle Jan. 11 at Houston but finished that game and played two days later at Southern Miss, where he scored 23 points.
But the injury progressively got worse, and Douglas-Roberts took himself out fewer than two minutes into Memphis' 79-54 victory over UAB last Tuesday.
Though Memphis didn't need him to beat East Carolina on Saturday, the Tigers were held to just two field goals during a 15-minute stretch in the first half, something that probably wouldn't have happened if Douglas-Roberts, whose nickname is "Buckets," had been available.
But coach John Calipari said he won't rush Douglas-Roberts back into the lineup, especially with the way freshman guard Doneal Mack played in his first career start Saturday.
"I told him, if you have to stay out a few more days, stay out," Calipari said. "We've got enough guys on this team. It's time for guys to be able to step up. I thought Doneal did a heck of a job stepping in and doing things and filled the role we needed. He got 15 points in 16 minutes. I'm not sure Chris could have done that."
If Douglas-Roberts returns Wednesday against the Golden Hurricane, his minutes will likely be limited. Asked whether he had to weigh the long-term possibilities in his decision to play, he said, "You do, but this might be a season-long thing. It's going to hurt, and I'll just have to play through pain."
Though Douglas-Roberts did play at full speed for short stretches Monday, he sat out more than half of the drills.
Poll watch: With several teams in front of them losing games last week, the Tigers (15-3, 5-0 Conference USA) made a significant jump from No. 17 to No. 11 in Monday's Associated Press poll. The Tigers climbed from No. 18 to No. 14 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll.
Memphis, however, fell from No. 11 to No. 15 over the past week in the Ratings Percentage Index, mostly because playing East Carolina (rated No. 319) significantly hurt the Tigers' strength of schedule.
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
--------------------
Next for No. 11 Tigers
Opponent: Tulsa
When, where: Wednesday, 8 p.m., at FedExForum
TV: CSS
By Dan Wolken
January 23, 2007
University of Memphis leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts, who has missed the last two games with a mild high ankle sprain, participated in some practice drills Monday and said he expected to play Wednesday against Tulsa.
"I don't think I can sit another game out," Douglas-Roberts said. "Being a competitor, I hate watching. More than likely, I'll be playing."
Douglas-Roberts, a sophomore guard who averages 14.8 points per game, injured his right ankle Jan. 11 at Houston but finished that game and played two days later at Southern Miss, where he scored 23 points.
But the injury progressively got worse, and Douglas-Roberts took himself out fewer than two minutes into Memphis' 79-54 victory over UAB last Tuesday.
Though Memphis didn't need him to beat East Carolina on Saturday, the Tigers were held to just two field goals during a 15-minute stretch in the first half, something that probably wouldn't have happened if Douglas-Roberts, whose nickname is "Buckets," had been available.
But coach John Calipari said he won't rush Douglas-Roberts back into the lineup, especially with the way freshman guard Doneal Mack played in his first career start Saturday.
"I told him, if you have to stay out a few more days, stay out," Calipari said. "We've got enough guys on this team. It's time for guys to be able to step up. I thought Doneal did a heck of a job stepping in and doing things and filled the role we needed. He got 15 points in 16 minutes. I'm not sure Chris could have done that."
If Douglas-Roberts returns Wednesday against the Golden Hurricane, his minutes will likely be limited. Asked whether he had to weigh the long-term possibilities in his decision to play, he said, "You do, but this might be a season-long thing. It's going to hurt, and I'll just have to play through pain."
Though Douglas-Roberts did play at full speed for short stretches Monday, he sat out more than half of the drills.
Poll watch: With several teams in front of them losing games last week, the Tigers (15-3, 5-0 Conference USA) made a significant jump from No. 17 to No. 11 in Monday's Associated Press poll. The Tigers climbed from No. 18 to No. 14 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll.
Memphis, however, fell from No. 11 to No. 15 over the past week in the Ratings Percentage Index, mostly because playing East Carolina (rated No. 319) significantly hurt the Tigers' strength of schedule.
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
--------------------
Next for No. 11 Tigers
Opponent: Tulsa
When, where: Wednesday, 8 p.m., at FedExForum
TV: CSS
Chicago Tribune Article on Derrick Rose, Simeon High School
Rose, Simeon sparkle in spotlight
By Bob Sakamoto
Tribune staff reporter
Published January 19, 2007
Every once in a while, a game comes along that transcends the usual boundaries of high school basketball.
It happened four years ago when LeBron James became a national phenomenon and had two of his games televised by ESPN2 on his way to becoming the NBA's top draft choice.
Thursday night at the UIC Pavilion was another one of those special moments when Simeon upset Oak Hill Academy (Va.), the nation's No. 1 team, 78-75 in front of a partisan crowd of 3,070.
It was the first high school basketball game televised nationally by the main ESPN network.
"It feels great," said Simeon standout Derrick Rose who just missed a triple-double with 28 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. "Before the game I was thinking I wanted to make history. LeBron, Greg Oden, none of them had played on ESPN.
"We came out strong because of my teammates, who believed in me. I wanted to attack early and then get them involved. Guys like Kenyon Smith (nine points), Daniel Green (11 points), Kevin Johnson (18 points, 10 rebounds), Tim Flowers (10 points, 10 rebounds) stepped it up."
Former Bulls guard B.J. Armstrong, now a vice-president of a Los Angeles media company, flew in to see the game.
"I've got to see Derrick Rose every chance I get," Armstrong said. "He is the best high school guard I have ever seen and has a chance to be something really special. He has all the ingredients to be a Hall-of-Famer. We'll see how it plays out."
Playing inspired ball, Simeon shot to a 40-30 halftime lead. Rose consistently beat Duke-bound Nolan Smith off the dribble to set up Daniel Green for three-pointers and setting up Johnson for layups.
The 6-foot-6-inch Johnson soared to the offensive backboard, outleaping Oak Hill's pair of 6-9 forwards, Howard Thompkins and Florida State signee Julian Vaughn. With Oak Hill defenders swarming toward Rose, Johnson made a living off weak-side putbacks.
"After losing to Rice in New York (on Sunday), it was a real downfall," Rose said. "Now we've got the momentum."
Simeon (13-2) led 68-54 when Oak Hill's Southern California recruit Brandon Jennings (19 points) scored 16 points in 2 minutes, 40 seconds. But Rose hit enough free throws down the stretch to hold off Oak Hill (22-1), which was led by Michigan-bound Alex Legion's 23 points.
bsakamoto@tribune.com
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
Former Memphis Tiger Rodney Carney Adjusting to the NBA
Ex-Tiger Carney adjusting
Sixers rookie has had inconsistent season
By Marlon W. Morgan
January 18, 2007
Nearly three months into his rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Rodney Carney is finding professional basketball to be like a whirlwind.
He's endured the usual ups and downs that all rookies go through with inconsistent play, which usually results in inconsistent playing time. Meanwhile, he's still learning the ins and outs of the NBA game.
And he's even had his share of off-the-court drama, first, with the Allen Iverson saga, which was followed by the circus surrounding Chris Webber's buyout last week.
But through it all, the former University of Memphis star has been able to endure, with the help of his teammates.
''The biggest thing I can say is some games you play, some games you don't,'' Carney said. ''You have to take it in stride. It's all a learning experience and I'm fine with it. I've got to get better and that's what I'm going to do.''
For those who watched Carney at the UofM, that's not surprising. He had the same approach while with the Tigers, where he started 101 games and came off the bench for 32 others.
Each year, though, he improved his game. And after leading the Tigers to an Elite Eight appearance last season when he averaged 17.2 points a game, Carney was the 16th player taken in last June's NBA draft.
Carney is averaging 5.3 points for the Sixers. He's started 15-of-36 games, posting career highs of 25 points and eight rebounds in a loss at Golden State Dec. 26.
''Rodney's been pretty good,'' Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. ''He's started some games, but he's come off the bench more than he's started. There have been times that he's been better than others, like the very first game he started he was very good against New Jersey. He had some good games after that.
''When people ask me about Rodney I always say he's still a rookie. He's an energy guy. He can get up and down the floor and do some spectacular things, but he still has a lot to learn.''
The main thing Carney has had to learn is to slow down. More often than not, he's played the game way too fast instead slowing down and getting into the flow of the game.
''He's really active and he's very fast out on the court,'' teammate Andre Iguodala said. ''At times you'll catch him going too fast. You have to tell him to slow down and just let things come to him.
''I think for him that's the biggest adjustment. Defensively, he's had to guard some tough wing guys. When we go and play New Jersey, they have two big guns on the wing in Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter. He has to learn how to guard one of them and stay out of foul trouble.''
Carney returned to FedExForum for the first time as a pro player Wednesday night as the Sixers lost, 118-102. Carney had a less than memorable experience, scoring eight points on 3-of-8 shooting, which included a couple of air balls and fumbling the ball away as he went up for a dunk.
But he was received well by the announced crowd of 14,681, which gave him an ovation when he entered the game with 1:23 left in the first quarter. He was often matched up against Grizzlies rookie Rudy Gay, who snapped out of a scoring slump to match his career high of 23 points.
Carney also got to take in the Tigers' win over UAB Tuesday night, where he got a loud standing ovation.
''It was nice to see that atmosphere again,'' he said. ''I kind of forgot what that was like, but I got a big reminder (Tuesday).''
With the help of players like Iguodala and veteran point guard Kevin Ollie, Carney plans to continue soaking up as much as he can until he's able to contribute on a more consistent basis.
''Since my first game in the NBA, I realized it's a non-stop pace,'' he said. ''It's boom-boom. Guys are so good that everyone will make a shot, no matter who they are. They'll get 20 on you on any given night. You've just got to make sure you try to defend them or contain them as much as possible.''
Sixers rookie has had inconsistent season
By Marlon W. Morgan
January 18, 2007
Nearly three months into his rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Rodney Carney is finding professional basketball to be like a whirlwind.
He's endured the usual ups and downs that all rookies go through with inconsistent play, which usually results in inconsistent playing time. Meanwhile, he's still learning the ins and outs of the NBA game.
And he's even had his share of off-the-court drama, first, with the Allen Iverson saga, which was followed by the circus surrounding Chris Webber's buyout last week.
But through it all, the former University of Memphis star has been able to endure, with the help of his teammates.
''The biggest thing I can say is some games you play, some games you don't,'' Carney said. ''You have to take it in stride. It's all a learning experience and I'm fine with it. I've got to get better and that's what I'm going to do.''
For those who watched Carney at the UofM, that's not surprising. He had the same approach while with the Tigers, where he started 101 games and came off the bench for 32 others.
Each year, though, he improved his game. And after leading the Tigers to an Elite Eight appearance last season when he averaged 17.2 points a game, Carney was the 16th player taken in last June's NBA draft.
Carney is averaging 5.3 points for the Sixers. He's started 15-of-36 games, posting career highs of 25 points and eight rebounds in a loss at Golden State Dec. 26.
''Rodney's been pretty good,'' Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. ''He's started some games, but he's come off the bench more than he's started. There have been times that he's been better than others, like the very first game he started he was very good against New Jersey. He had some good games after that.
''When people ask me about Rodney I always say he's still a rookie. He's an energy guy. He can get up and down the floor and do some spectacular things, but he still has a lot to learn.''
The main thing Carney has had to learn is to slow down. More often than not, he's played the game way too fast instead slowing down and getting into the flow of the game.
''He's really active and he's very fast out on the court,'' teammate Andre Iguodala said. ''At times you'll catch him going too fast. You have to tell him to slow down and just let things come to him.
''I think for him that's the biggest adjustment. Defensively, he's had to guard some tough wing guys. When we go and play New Jersey, they have two big guns on the wing in Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter. He has to learn how to guard one of them and stay out of foul trouble.''
Carney returned to FedExForum for the first time as a pro player Wednesday night as the Sixers lost, 118-102. Carney had a less than memorable experience, scoring eight points on 3-of-8 shooting, which included a couple of air balls and fumbling the ball away as he went up for a dunk.
But he was received well by the announced crowd of 14,681, which gave him an ovation when he entered the game with 1:23 left in the first quarter. He was often matched up against Grizzlies rookie Rudy Gay, who snapped out of a scoring slump to match his career high of 23 points.
Carney also got to take in the Tigers' win over UAB Tuesday night, where he got a loud standing ovation.
''It was nice to see that atmosphere again,'' he said. ''I kind of forgot what that was like, but I got a big reminder (Tuesday).''
With the help of players like Iguodala and veteran point guard Kevin Ollie, Carney plans to continue soaking up as much as he can until he's able to contribute on a more consistent basis.
''Since my first game in the NBA, I realized it's a non-stop pace,'' he said. ''It's boom-boom. Guys are so good that everyone will make a shot, no matter who they are. They'll get 20 on you on any given night. You've just got to make sure you try to defend them or contain them as much as possible.''
Bracketology 101's Field of 65 - Jan. 22 (Memphis Tigers a 3 Seed)
Monday, January 22, 2007
Bracketology 101's Field of 65 - Jan. 22
The Breakdown
Two heads are always better than one when compiling a bracket, and for the first time in a while, that was the case again at Bracketology 101. Craig took some time off from his Marine schedule and chipped in with his opinions and bracket expertise this week. The result, as has been the case in recent weeks, was a lot of movement on and around the bubble.
This week proved to be particularly interesting because it involved some changes to our projections of several teams and conferences. The team suffering the biggest fall this week was Boston College, who dropped out of the bracket altogether (from a 9 seed) with the news that center Sean Williams - the team's second best player and top defender - had been kicked off the team. Another factor in BC's removal was their brutal stretch of conference games at the end of February that, without Williams, could ultimately doom their tourney hopes. Overall, the ACC is getting tougher to figure out each week, as eight teams are viable options for bids. Florida State's upset win over Virginia Tech earned it the ACC's sixth bid. Maryland, at 1-4 in conference, is the league's seventh and final team in right now, and the Terps need to pick up some more good ACC wins soon to stay there.
The second biggest free-fall of the week was made by LSU, who fell from an admittedly high 4 seed to a 9 seed. Their current seed is mostly a projection, as the Tigers have too much talent to continue to play as inconsistently as they have in recent weeks. LSU was joined in this week's backet by the SEC's seventh bid, Vanderbilt. The Commodores make the field thanks to huge wins this week over Alabama and Kentucky.
The MVC continues to be a mess, as Missouri State and Creighton both lost twice (the Bluejays did win at Bradley, though). Both teams are hanging on to spots in the bracket, but more and more it looks like the MVC might end up being a 3-team league. Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois look solid right now, but all of the top- and middle-tier teams in the conference are beating each other up too much, especially on the road, for this to be a 5-team or maybe even a 4-team league as some predicted. Creighton, which already has seven losses, will be the next MVC team out if they don't beat Missouri State this week.
The Big East saw two of its teams, UConn and West Virginia, drop out of the bracket this week, while a hot Villanova team, off wins over Notre Dame and Texas, made its bracket return. The Big XII, meanwhile, picked up a bid thanks to Texas Tech's upset of Kansas.
The mid-majors also proved to be very interesting this week. Despite their loss to St. Joe's and thanks to a win over UMass last Thursday, Xavier remains our pick out of the one-bid A-10. Even though VCU finally had a semi-credible conference win in beating ODU, we still project the Colonial right now to be a one-bid league and are sticking with Hofstra as that one team. Our lone two-bid conferences remain the MWC and the WAC. We admittedly looked pretty foolish Wednesday as New Mexico State lost to pitiful Louisiana Tech, but our season-long love of the Aggies was rewarded Saturday, as they knocked off Nevada. The win not only confirmed our projection that they pose a huge threat to the Wolfpack come conference tournament time, but it also gave a serious boost to their at-large hopes. We'll see how many bracket experts jump aboard the Aggies bandwagon now...
Here is Bracketology 101's Field of 65 for Jan. 22:
Last Four In
Syracuse, Creighton, Missouri State, Maryland
Last Four Out
Boston College, West Virginia, Michigan, Drexel
Conference Breakdown
ACC (7), SEC (7), Pac-10 (6), Big East (6), Big XII (5), MVC (4), Big Ten (4), MWC (2), WAC (2)
America East - Vermont
ACC - North Carolina, Duke, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Maryland
Atlantic Sun - Belmont
A-10 - Xavier
Big East - Pittsburgh, Marquette, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Villanova, Syracuse
Big Sky - Idaho State
Big South - Winthrop
Big Ten - Wisconsin, Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan State
Big 12 - Texas A&M, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech
Big West - Long Beach State
Colonial - Hofstra
C-USA - Memphis
Horizon - Butler
Ivy - Penn
Metro Atlantic - Loyola (MD)
MAC - Ohio
MCC - Oral Roberts
MEAC - Delaware State
MVC - Southern Illinois, Norther Iowa, Creighton, Missouri State
MWC - Air Force, UNLV
Northeast - Sacred Heart
Ohio Valley - Austin Peay
Pac-10 - UCLA, Oregon, Arizona, Washington State, USC, Stanford
Patriot - Holy Cross
SEC - Florida, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas
Southern - Appalachian State
Southland - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
SWAC - Jackson State
Sun Belt - Western Kentucky
WAC - Nevada, New Mexico State
WCC - Gonzaga
The Seeds
The 1s
UCLA, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin
The 2s
Oregon, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Kansas
The 3s
Pittsburgh, Duke, Memphis, Oklahoma State
The 4s
Air Force, Clemson, Alabama, Arizona
The 5s
Washington State, Marquette, Butler, Nevada
The 6s
Indiana, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Kentucky
The 7s
USC, Tennessee, UNLV, Southern Illinois
The 8s
Texas, Georgetown, Northern Iowa, Texas Tech
The 9s
Villanova, Stanford, Michigan State, LSU
The 10s
Georgia Tech, Arkansas, Florida State, Vanderbilt
The 11s
Gonzaga, Syracuse, Creighton, Missouri State
The 12s
Maryland, Xavier, New Mexico State, Hofstra
The 13s
Winthrop, Western Kentucky, Ohio, Appalachian State
The 14s
Oral Roberts, Vermont, Holy Cross, Penn
The 15s
Loyola (MD), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Idaho State, Long Beach State
The 16s
Belmont, Austin Peay, Sacred Heart, Delaware State (Play-In Game), Jackson State (Play-In Game)
Questions? Comments? E-mail Bracketology 101 at bracketologyblog@yahoo.com
Bracketology 101's Field of 65 - Jan. 22
The Breakdown
Two heads are always better than one when compiling a bracket, and for the first time in a while, that was the case again at Bracketology 101. Craig took some time off from his Marine schedule and chipped in with his opinions and bracket expertise this week. The result, as has been the case in recent weeks, was a lot of movement on and around the bubble.
This week proved to be particularly interesting because it involved some changes to our projections of several teams and conferences. The team suffering the biggest fall this week was Boston College, who dropped out of the bracket altogether (from a 9 seed) with the news that center Sean Williams - the team's second best player and top defender - had been kicked off the team. Another factor in BC's removal was their brutal stretch of conference games at the end of February that, without Williams, could ultimately doom their tourney hopes. Overall, the ACC is getting tougher to figure out each week, as eight teams are viable options for bids. Florida State's upset win over Virginia Tech earned it the ACC's sixth bid. Maryland, at 1-4 in conference, is the league's seventh and final team in right now, and the Terps need to pick up some more good ACC wins soon to stay there.
The second biggest free-fall of the week was made by LSU, who fell from an admittedly high 4 seed to a 9 seed. Their current seed is mostly a projection, as the Tigers have too much talent to continue to play as inconsistently as they have in recent weeks. LSU was joined in this week's backet by the SEC's seventh bid, Vanderbilt. The Commodores make the field thanks to huge wins this week over Alabama and Kentucky.
The MVC continues to be a mess, as Missouri State and Creighton both lost twice (the Bluejays did win at Bradley, though). Both teams are hanging on to spots in the bracket, but more and more it looks like the MVC might end up being a 3-team league. Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois look solid right now, but all of the top- and middle-tier teams in the conference are beating each other up too much, especially on the road, for this to be a 5-team or maybe even a 4-team league as some predicted. Creighton, which already has seven losses, will be the next MVC team out if they don't beat Missouri State this week.
The Big East saw two of its teams, UConn and West Virginia, drop out of the bracket this week, while a hot Villanova team, off wins over Notre Dame and Texas, made its bracket return. The Big XII, meanwhile, picked up a bid thanks to Texas Tech's upset of Kansas.
The mid-majors also proved to be very interesting this week. Despite their loss to St. Joe's and thanks to a win over UMass last Thursday, Xavier remains our pick out of the one-bid A-10. Even though VCU finally had a semi-credible conference win in beating ODU, we still project the Colonial right now to be a one-bid league and are sticking with Hofstra as that one team. Our lone two-bid conferences remain the MWC and the WAC. We admittedly looked pretty foolish Wednesday as New Mexico State lost to pitiful Louisiana Tech, but our season-long love of the Aggies was rewarded Saturday, as they knocked off Nevada. The win not only confirmed our projection that they pose a huge threat to the Wolfpack come conference tournament time, but it also gave a serious boost to their at-large hopes. We'll see how many bracket experts jump aboard the Aggies bandwagon now...
Here is Bracketology 101's Field of 65 for Jan. 22:
Last Four In
Syracuse, Creighton, Missouri State, Maryland
Last Four Out
Boston College, West Virginia, Michigan, Drexel
Conference Breakdown
ACC (7), SEC (7), Pac-10 (6), Big East (6), Big XII (5), MVC (4), Big Ten (4), MWC (2), WAC (2)
America East - Vermont
ACC - North Carolina, Duke, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Maryland
Atlantic Sun - Belmont
A-10 - Xavier
Big East - Pittsburgh, Marquette, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Villanova, Syracuse
Big Sky - Idaho State
Big South - Winthrop
Big Ten - Wisconsin, Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan State
Big 12 - Texas A&M, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech
Big West - Long Beach State
Colonial - Hofstra
C-USA - Memphis
Horizon - Butler
Ivy - Penn
Metro Atlantic - Loyola (MD)
MAC - Ohio
MCC - Oral Roberts
MEAC - Delaware State
MVC - Southern Illinois, Norther Iowa, Creighton, Missouri State
MWC - Air Force, UNLV
Northeast - Sacred Heart
Ohio Valley - Austin Peay
Pac-10 - UCLA, Oregon, Arizona, Washington State, USC, Stanford
Patriot - Holy Cross
SEC - Florida, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas
Southern - Appalachian State
Southland - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
SWAC - Jackson State
Sun Belt - Western Kentucky
WAC - Nevada, New Mexico State
WCC - Gonzaga
The Seeds
The 1s
UCLA, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin
The 2s
Oregon, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Kansas
The 3s
Pittsburgh, Duke, Memphis, Oklahoma State
The 4s
Air Force, Clemson, Alabama, Arizona
The 5s
Washington State, Marquette, Butler, Nevada
The 6s
Indiana, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Kentucky
The 7s
USC, Tennessee, UNLV, Southern Illinois
The 8s
Texas, Georgetown, Northern Iowa, Texas Tech
The 9s
Villanova, Stanford, Michigan State, LSU
The 10s
Georgia Tech, Arkansas, Florida State, Vanderbilt
The 11s
Gonzaga, Syracuse, Creighton, Missouri State
The 12s
Maryland, Xavier, New Mexico State, Hofstra
The 13s
Winthrop, Western Kentucky, Ohio, Appalachian State
The 14s
Oral Roberts, Vermont, Holy Cross, Penn
The 15s
Loyola (MD), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Idaho State, Long Beach State
The 16s
Belmont, Austin Peay, Sacred Heart, Delaware State (Play-In Game), Jackson State (Play-In Game)
Questions? Comments? E-mail Bracketology 101 at bracketologyblog@yahoo.com
Memphis Flyer - "From My Seat: Questions and (a Few) Answers
FROM MY SEAT: Questions and (a Few) Answers
BY FRANK MURTAUGH | JANUARY 22, 2007
Memphis Flyer
I'm still trying to figure out the 2006-07 Memphis Tigers. Having won seven straight games, the Tigers appear to be running away with a second consecutive Conference USA championship. But that's part of the catch, isn't it? They're running away with, well, the C-USA championship. Sorry, but such title runs don't make the cover of Sports Illustrated. What will this team have to offer come March? Who is the go-to player in crunch time? (What would you have said a year ago about the answer to that question being Jeremy Hunt?) Can coach John Calipari toughen his young squad in ways C-USA competition cannot?
The answers to these questions await as winter winds gradually give way to spring's thaw. But for this week, here are three lessons we have learned at the season's midpoint.
RECLAMATION RULES. Among the new slogans I've heard Calipari preach this season is, "It's about the path, not the prize." If such is the case, the paths taken by Jeremy Hunt and Kareem Cooper have been as winding -- and rocky -- as a mistreated ski trail. A season ago, Hunt was "permanently" suspended for a pair of assaults that had the sharp-shooting swingman appearing at 201 Poplar. As for Cooper, the sophomore center was suspended for the first eight games this season for transgressions away from the basketball court. Were it not for his teammates making a public appeal, Cooper may well have played his last game as a Tiger.
Cutting to the present, Hunt is the team's second-leading scorer (13.6 points per game through Saturday's win at East Carolina) and one of the top sixth men in the country. Cooper has embraced the role of Joey Dorsey's backup, and played so well that highly touted freshman Pierre Niles has been a casualty of the limited minutes. Cooper's soft hands -- particularly evident on his lefty hook shoot -- complement the fearsome play of Dorsey and create matchup problems for Memphis opponents that can't go as large off the bench.
REBOUNDING WINS. Duh. There have been but three games this season in which the Tigers were outrebounded. Those games were against Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Arizona. Precisely the three games Memphis has lost. The Tigers are easy to brand as "small," considering the number of guards (six) they have in their nine-man rotation. But Dorsey has averaged just under 10 boards a game, Robert Dozier is pulling down almost six per contest, and Chris Douglas-Roberts is one of the best rebounding guards you'll ever see in a Tiger uniform. Add Kareem Cooper to the mix (more than five rebounds a game off the bench), and you have a team that can clean glass with the best of them. Well, at least the best C-USA has to offer (that qualifier, once again).
GUARDS, GUARDS, GUARDS. (Might be a nice rewrite for Motley Crue.) CDR, Hunt, Antonio Anderson, Andre Allen, Willie Kemp, and Doneal Mack. Six push-it-up playmakers crammed into a total of 200 player minutes per game. While it may have fans checking the scoreboard to remember who's in and who's out, Calipari is enjoying the luxury of substituting -- now! -- for any ball-handler who isn't getting the job done, at either end of the floor. With their top scorer (Douglas-Roberts) forced to the bench with an ankle injury early in last week's UAB game, Calipari utilized Mack for 20 minutes and got seven points and three assists out of the exchange. "I told Chris," said a smiling Calipari after the game, "you better be worried about your position right now, if that kid plays like that."
Through Saturday's win, Kemp, Allen, and Anderson have combined for 177 assists and only 93 turnovers. For some perspective, consider that last season, Darius Washington -- the team's starting point guard -- had 110 assists and 111 turnovers. It's the kind of efficiency that lets a coaching staff sleep well at night. And the kind of team play that helps a fan keep hope in his hip pocket, however many other questions remain to be answered.
BY FRANK MURTAUGH | JANUARY 22, 2007
Memphis Flyer
I'm still trying to figure out the 2006-07 Memphis Tigers. Having won seven straight games, the Tigers appear to be running away with a second consecutive Conference USA championship. But that's part of the catch, isn't it? They're running away with, well, the C-USA championship. Sorry, but such title runs don't make the cover of Sports Illustrated. What will this team have to offer come March? Who is the go-to player in crunch time? (What would you have said a year ago about the answer to that question being Jeremy Hunt?) Can coach John Calipari toughen his young squad in ways C-USA competition cannot?
The answers to these questions await as winter winds gradually give way to spring's thaw. But for this week, here are three lessons we have learned at the season's midpoint.
RECLAMATION RULES. Among the new slogans I've heard Calipari preach this season is, "It's about the path, not the prize." If such is the case, the paths taken by Jeremy Hunt and Kareem Cooper have been as winding -- and rocky -- as a mistreated ski trail. A season ago, Hunt was "permanently" suspended for a pair of assaults that had the sharp-shooting swingman appearing at 201 Poplar. As for Cooper, the sophomore center was suspended for the first eight games this season for transgressions away from the basketball court. Were it not for his teammates making a public appeal, Cooper may well have played his last game as a Tiger.
Cutting to the present, Hunt is the team's second-leading scorer (13.6 points per game through Saturday's win at East Carolina) and one of the top sixth men in the country. Cooper has embraced the role of Joey Dorsey's backup, and played so well that highly touted freshman Pierre Niles has been a casualty of the limited minutes. Cooper's soft hands -- particularly evident on his lefty hook shoot -- complement the fearsome play of Dorsey and create matchup problems for Memphis opponents that can't go as large off the bench.
REBOUNDING WINS. Duh. There have been but three games this season in which the Tigers were outrebounded. Those games were against Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Arizona. Precisely the three games Memphis has lost. The Tigers are easy to brand as "small," considering the number of guards (six) they have in their nine-man rotation. But Dorsey has averaged just under 10 boards a game, Robert Dozier is pulling down almost six per contest, and Chris Douglas-Roberts is one of the best rebounding guards you'll ever see in a Tiger uniform. Add Kareem Cooper to the mix (more than five rebounds a game off the bench), and you have a team that can clean glass with the best of them. Well, at least the best C-USA has to offer (that qualifier, once again).
GUARDS, GUARDS, GUARDS. (Might be a nice rewrite for Motley Crue.) CDR, Hunt, Antonio Anderson, Andre Allen, Willie Kemp, and Doneal Mack. Six push-it-up playmakers crammed into a total of 200 player minutes per game. While it may have fans checking the scoreboard to remember who's in and who's out, Calipari is enjoying the luxury of substituting -- now! -- for any ball-handler who isn't getting the job done, at either end of the floor. With their top scorer (Douglas-Roberts) forced to the bench with an ankle injury early in last week's UAB game, Calipari utilized Mack for 20 minutes and got seven points and three assists out of the exchange. "I told Chris," said a smiling Calipari after the game, "you better be worried about your position right now, if that kid plays like that."
Through Saturday's win, Kemp, Allen, and Anderson have combined for 177 assists and only 93 turnovers. For some perspective, consider that last season, Darius Washington -- the team's starting point guard -- had 110 assists and 111 turnovers. It's the kind of efficiency that lets a coaching staff sleep well at night. And the kind of team play that helps a fan keep hope in his hip pocket, however many other questions remain to be answered.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
ECU Game Cost Tigers 5 Spots in RPI, Memphis now #15, #10 in Pomeroy, #12 in Sagarin
Memphis' victory over C-USA last place ECU (#318) combined with losses by Arizona (#4), Kentucky (#7), Georgia Tech (#33) and Ole Miss (#93) cost Memphis five spots in the RPI down to #15.
The Tigers retained their 10th place in Ken Pomeroy's rankings (25th Offense, 10th Defense, 10th Overall).
Memphis is #12 in Sagarin
The Tigers retained their 10th place in Ken Pomeroy's rankings (25th Offense, 10th Defense, 10th Overall).
Memphis is #12 in Sagarin
Pirates Fail to Tame Tigers Again - From the Greenville NC Daily Reflector
Pirates fail to tame Tigers again
By Tony Castleberry
The Greenville (NC) Daily Reflector
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Memphis had a much easier time this year in Minges Coliseum.
But the No. 17 Tigers needed a second-half scoring outburst, aided by 25 free throws after halftime, to post a 61-44 victory over East Carolina (5-12, 0-4 Conference USA) in C-USA men's basketball action Saturday night. Memphis escaped Greenville with a 77-67 win last January, when the Tigers were ranked fifth in the nation.
It was a little more difficult this time around for coach John Calipari's club, which was without starting forward Chris Douglas-Roberts, who missed the game due to an ankle injury.
"In the second half we were more aggressive and did some good stuff," Calipari said. "Still, we turned it over 14 times in the first half. I mean, come on. You're on pace to get 30 turnovers. That's like an eighth-grade team."
Despite the turnovers and poor shooting, Jeremy Hunt and Doneal Mack, along with Memphis' stifling full-court pressure defense, allowed the Tigers (15-3, 5-0) to build a comfortable second-half cushion. Hunt led all players with 16 points and Mack, a freshman from Statesville, chipped in 15 to help Memphis move to 5-0 all-time against East Carolina.
But the Hunt-Mack combination and the Tigers' 48-33 advantage on the boards weren't the main reasons for concern for ECU. Memphis forced 24 Pirate turnovers and scored 19 points off ECU giveaways.
"It was the first time we've had a team press us to that extent, but it's hard to simulate their size and athletic ability," ECU coach Ricky Stokes said. "We had a hard time getting it across halfcourt."
The lead changed hands five times early in the second half, but a 7-0 Memphis run capped by Robert Dozier's putback dunk gave the Tigers a 33-28 lead with 16 minutes, 30 seconds remaining.
Mack scored 10 consecutive Memphis points to stretch the Tigers lead to 45-32 with 12:27 left in the game.
The Pirates closed to within 48-38 on Darrell Jenkins' jumper with 8:19 remaining, but could get no closer.
A 7-minute, 19-second field goal drought followed Jenkins' bucket and Memphis stretched its lead to as many as 21 points during that span.
"When we went in at halftime, we knew we didn't play like we wanted to play," said Hunt, who scored 13 of his points after intermission. "We just came out and tried to get on (the Pirates) early. We had the mind frame of play hard defense, rebound and get easy buckets."
Dozier scored 12 points and was one of three Tigers to grab at least 10 rebounds. Joey Dorsey pulled down a game-high 15 boards — eight of them of the offensive variety — and Antonio Anderson finished with 11 rebounds.
East Carolina freshman John Fields backed up his career-high 17-point night Wednesday against Tulane with a team-high 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting Saturday. But Fields was the only Pirate to score more than five points and ECU finished shooting just 36.2 percent from the field.
The 6-foot-9 Fayetteville Jack Britt product, who weighs 200 pounds, got some serious on-the-job training, having to battle down low with Dorsey (260 pounds) and Dozier, one of C-USA best leapers.
"Dozier, Dorsey, (Kareem) Cooper (290 pounds) . . . 200 and something across the board," Fields said. "It was the biggest challenge I've had yet. They played tough on the inside."
After Memphis took a 20-16 lead at the 2:50 mark in the first half, ECU closed the half with a 5-1 run and tied it 21-all on Fields' putback at the first-half buzzer. The teams combined to turn the ball over 27 times in the first half — 14 for the Pirates and 13 for Memphis.
However, the Tigers cured their turnover problems after the break, with just three second-half giveaways.
The Pirates will try to snap their four-game losing streak when the travel to Southern Miss Wednesday for an 8 p.m. tip-off.
Tony Castleberry can be reached at (252) 329-9591 or at tcaslteberry@coxnc.com.
By Tony Castleberry
The Greenville (NC) Daily Reflector
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Memphis had a much easier time this year in Minges Coliseum.
But the No. 17 Tigers needed a second-half scoring outburst, aided by 25 free throws after halftime, to post a 61-44 victory over East Carolina (5-12, 0-4 Conference USA) in C-USA men's basketball action Saturday night. Memphis escaped Greenville with a 77-67 win last January, when the Tigers were ranked fifth in the nation.
It was a little more difficult this time around for coach John Calipari's club, which was without starting forward Chris Douglas-Roberts, who missed the game due to an ankle injury.
"In the second half we were more aggressive and did some good stuff," Calipari said. "Still, we turned it over 14 times in the first half. I mean, come on. You're on pace to get 30 turnovers. That's like an eighth-grade team."
Despite the turnovers and poor shooting, Jeremy Hunt and Doneal Mack, along with Memphis' stifling full-court pressure defense, allowed the Tigers (15-3, 5-0) to build a comfortable second-half cushion. Hunt led all players with 16 points and Mack, a freshman from Statesville, chipped in 15 to help Memphis move to 5-0 all-time against East Carolina.
But the Hunt-Mack combination and the Tigers' 48-33 advantage on the boards weren't the main reasons for concern for ECU. Memphis forced 24 Pirate turnovers and scored 19 points off ECU giveaways.
"It was the first time we've had a team press us to that extent, but it's hard to simulate their size and athletic ability," ECU coach Ricky Stokes said. "We had a hard time getting it across halfcourt."
The lead changed hands five times early in the second half, but a 7-0 Memphis run capped by Robert Dozier's putback dunk gave the Tigers a 33-28 lead with 16 minutes, 30 seconds remaining.
Mack scored 10 consecutive Memphis points to stretch the Tigers lead to 45-32 with 12:27 left in the game.
The Pirates closed to within 48-38 on Darrell Jenkins' jumper with 8:19 remaining, but could get no closer.
A 7-minute, 19-second field goal drought followed Jenkins' bucket and Memphis stretched its lead to as many as 21 points during that span.
"When we went in at halftime, we knew we didn't play like we wanted to play," said Hunt, who scored 13 of his points after intermission. "We just came out and tried to get on (the Pirates) early. We had the mind frame of play hard defense, rebound and get easy buckets."
Dozier scored 12 points and was one of three Tigers to grab at least 10 rebounds. Joey Dorsey pulled down a game-high 15 boards — eight of them of the offensive variety — and Antonio Anderson finished with 11 rebounds.
East Carolina freshman John Fields backed up his career-high 17-point night Wednesday against Tulane with a team-high 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting Saturday. But Fields was the only Pirate to score more than five points and ECU finished shooting just 36.2 percent from the field.
The 6-foot-9 Fayetteville Jack Britt product, who weighs 200 pounds, got some serious on-the-job training, having to battle down low with Dorsey (260 pounds) and Dozier, one of C-USA best leapers.
"Dozier, Dorsey, (Kareem) Cooper (290 pounds) . . . 200 and something across the board," Fields said. "It was the biggest challenge I've had yet. They played tough on the inside."
After Memphis took a 20-16 lead at the 2:50 mark in the first half, ECU closed the half with a 5-1 run and tied it 21-all on Fields' putback at the first-half buzzer. The teams combined to turn the ball over 27 times in the first half — 14 for the Pirates and 13 for Memphis.
However, the Tigers cured their turnover problems after the break, with just three second-half giveaways.
The Pirates will try to snap their four-game losing streak when the travel to Southern Miss Wednesday for an 8 p.m. tip-off.
Tony Castleberry can be reached at (252) 329-9591 or at tcaslteberry@coxnc.com.
Tigers Replay
Tigers replay
January 21, 2007
AS THE GAME TURNED
When Courtney Captain hit a 3-pointer with 17:16 left, giving East Carolina a 23-21 lead, the upset watch was legitimately on. Nothing was going right for Memphis, from free-throw shooting to defensive breakdowns to sloppy turnovers. But with 17:06 left, senior guard Jeremy Hunt drew a foul shooting a 3-pointer and made all three free throws, putting the Tigers back in front 24-23. It was pretty much all Memphis from there. The Tigers scored the next eight points, keying 21-4 run that gave Memphis a 15-point lead with 11:11 left.
AS THE ROTATION TURNED
Freshman Willie Kemp's point guard struggles are beginning to become a major issue. Kemp turned the ball over on Memphis' first two possessions, forcing coach John Calipari to pull him 42 seconds into the game in favor of Andre Allen. Kemp played just five minutes in the first half, while Allen manned the point for 17. Calipari said he will have to evaluate the point guard situation, especially given that Kemp has struggled in all three of the Tigers' C-USA road games. Kemp played just 12 minutes total Saturday. "He's got to figure it out. I've got to figure it out," Calipari said. "I've got to make it (simpler) for him. But let me just say, 'turnover, turnover, missed shot.' You've got to come out (after that)."
RIM GEMS
It took a while, but the Tigers finally executed a pretty play with 2:23 left. After a steal, sophomore guard Antonio Anderson led a 3-on-1 fastbreak. He had a number of options, including taking the ball himself or simply slowing it down to milk some time off the clock. Instead, he looked off his defender and lobbed an alley-oop pass up high for Joey Dorsey, who came in from the left block to jam it in and give Memphis a 57-39 lead. Minges Coliseum, which just a few minutes earlier had been full and boisterous, emptied out almost as soon as Dorsey's dunk hit the bottom of the net.
HIDE YOUR EYES
East Carolina's sagging defense suckered Memphis into taking too many 3-pointers. The Tigers made their first two for an early 6-0 lead but went 2-of-21 the rest of the way. Hunt went 1-for-6, Doneal Mack went 2-for-6, and Allen went 1-for-5. "They kind of collapsed in the lane so much, but we've got to take them because if we don't shoot (Calipari) is going to pull us out," Hunt said.
SCORER'S TABLE
Memphis' free-throw shooting appeared to be getting better, but it regressed significantly early. The Tigers went 6-for-14 in the first half, with Mack the only Memphis player able to go 2-for-2 on any trip to the line. But even then, Mack went 0-for-2 on his first trip. Robert Dozier drew a foul to start the second half and front-rimmed both attempts. The Tigers regrouped, however, and hit their next 13. They finished 23-of-39.
LOCKERROOM CHATTER
"We had some guys struggle today but I like my team. I'm not trading with anybody I've seen on TV. We're fine. We have enough (depth) that I can just go to another guy until I figure out who's ready to go. And when we're all nine ready to go, we're pretty darn good. We just didn't hit it today." -- Calipari
ODDS AND ENDS
Leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts, who sat out due to a right ankle sprain, said it was difficult to watch the Tigers, especially given how much they struggled in the first half. Douglas-Roberts will have the ankle evaluated Monday to see if he might be able to play Wednesday against Tulsa. "It's hard watching games, I ain't gonna lie," Douglas-Roberts said. "I feel my ankle getting stronger, and hopefully I'll be back by next game. It's tough. I'm glad the game is over."
When Hunt shot three free throws to give Memphis the lead for good with 17:16 left, it seemed like a questionable call, especially to the 6,064 fans at Minges Coliseum. Hunt admitted after the game, he embellished his fall a bit. "I don't think it was (a foul)," Hunt said. "The ref asked me, 'Do you work on getting your leg kicked out like that?' It was a Reggie Miller trick."
LOOKING AHEAD
Tigers vs. Tulsa, Wednesday, 8 p.m., at FedExForum
-- Dan Wolken
January 21, 2007
AS THE GAME TURNED
When Courtney Captain hit a 3-pointer with 17:16 left, giving East Carolina a 23-21 lead, the upset watch was legitimately on. Nothing was going right for Memphis, from free-throw shooting to defensive breakdowns to sloppy turnovers. But with 17:06 left, senior guard Jeremy Hunt drew a foul shooting a 3-pointer and made all three free throws, putting the Tigers back in front 24-23. It was pretty much all Memphis from there. The Tigers scored the next eight points, keying 21-4 run that gave Memphis a 15-point lead with 11:11 left.
AS THE ROTATION TURNED
Freshman Willie Kemp's point guard struggles are beginning to become a major issue. Kemp turned the ball over on Memphis' first two possessions, forcing coach John Calipari to pull him 42 seconds into the game in favor of Andre Allen. Kemp played just five minutes in the first half, while Allen manned the point for 17. Calipari said he will have to evaluate the point guard situation, especially given that Kemp has struggled in all three of the Tigers' C-USA road games. Kemp played just 12 minutes total Saturday. "He's got to figure it out. I've got to figure it out," Calipari said. "I've got to make it (simpler) for him. But let me just say, 'turnover, turnover, missed shot.' You've got to come out (after that)."
RIM GEMS
It took a while, but the Tigers finally executed a pretty play with 2:23 left. After a steal, sophomore guard Antonio Anderson led a 3-on-1 fastbreak. He had a number of options, including taking the ball himself or simply slowing it down to milk some time off the clock. Instead, he looked off his defender and lobbed an alley-oop pass up high for Joey Dorsey, who came in from the left block to jam it in and give Memphis a 57-39 lead. Minges Coliseum, which just a few minutes earlier had been full and boisterous, emptied out almost as soon as Dorsey's dunk hit the bottom of the net.
HIDE YOUR EYES
East Carolina's sagging defense suckered Memphis into taking too many 3-pointers. The Tigers made their first two for an early 6-0 lead but went 2-of-21 the rest of the way. Hunt went 1-for-6, Doneal Mack went 2-for-6, and Allen went 1-for-5. "They kind of collapsed in the lane so much, but we've got to take them because if we don't shoot (Calipari) is going to pull us out," Hunt said.
SCORER'S TABLE
Memphis' free-throw shooting appeared to be getting better, but it regressed significantly early. The Tigers went 6-for-14 in the first half, with Mack the only Memphis player able to go 2-for-2 on any trip to the line. But even then, Mack went 0-for-2 on his first trip. Robert Dozier drew a foul to start the second half and front-rimmed both attempts. The Tigers regrouped, however, and hit their next 13. They finished 23-of-39.
LOCKERROOM CHATTER
"We had some guys struggle today but I like my team. I'm not trading with anybody I've seen on TV. We're fine. We have enough (depth) that I can just go to another guy until I figure out who's ready to go. And when we're all nine ready to go, we're pretty darn good. We just didn't hit it today." -- Calipari
ODDS AND ENDS
Leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts, who sat out due to a right ankle sprain, said it was difficult to watch the Tigers, especially given how much they struggled in the first half. Douglas-Roberts will have the ankle evaluated Monday to see if he might be able to play Wednesday against Tulsa. "It's hard watching games, I ain't gonna lie," Douglas-Roberts said. "I feel my ankle getting stronger, and hopefully I'll be back by next game. It's tough. I'm glad the game is over."
When Hunt shot three free throws to give Memphis the lead for good with 17:16 left, it seemed like a questionable call, especially to the 6,064 fans at Minges Coliseum. Hunt admitted after the game, he embellished his fall a bit. "I don't think it was (a foul)," Hunt said. "The ref asked me, 'Do you work on getting your leg kicked out like that?' It was a Reggie Miller trick."
LOOKING AHEAD
Tigers vs. Tulsa, Wednesday, 8 p.m., at FedExForum
-- Dan Wolken
Sluggish and Sloppy, Tigers Escape Pirates' Upset Bid
Sluggish and sloppy, Tigers escape Pirates' upset bid
By Dan Wolken
January 21, 2007
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- The moment John Calipari knew what kind of day this was going to be came long before his team clanked eight of its first 14 free throws and committed 14 first-half turnovers, long before Joey Dorsey tried to dribble through his legs (emphasis on tried to) and long before some East Carolina students started chanting "Overrated" with 3:28 left in the first half.
No, Calipari sensed the struggle he'd have on his hands before the No. 17-ranked Memphis Tigers even arrived at Minges Coliseum on Saturday.
"They were on the bus, messing around," Calipari said. "I heard it and didn't say anything. I got in the locker room. They're joking around 25 minutes before the game. Now, I'm smoking. There's smoke coming out of my ears, but I'm thinking, they understand. And then ... you saw what happened."
Though the final score read Memphis 61, East Carolina 44, nobody in the Tigers camp could claim that it felt like a 17-point win.
Against the nation's 323rd-ranked team according to the RPI, the Tigers had to fight much harder than they expected to secure their seventh straight victory, improving their record to 15-3 overall and 5-0 in Conference USA.
And frankly, it could have been worse.
On a night when Memphis shot 30.9 percent, committed 17 turnovers and didn't have the services of leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts due to a right ankle sprain, the Tigers finally took control with a 21-4 run, giving them a 47-32 lead with 11:11 left. But even then, the Tigers had to grind it out by making 13 straight free throws and constantly pressuring ECU, which finished with 24 turnovers.
Without Douglas-Roberts, the Tigers couldn't get their spacing offensively and got suckered into taking too many 3-pointers, finishing 4-of-23 for the game. The only thing Memphis could do, seemingly, was try to stay aggressive and get to the free-throw line, where it made 23-of-39 compared to ECU's 8-of-18.
But the second half was far prettier than the first, in which Memphis could only manage a 21-21 tie after failing to break down ECU's zone defense and scoring just two field goals in a span of 15:30.
"That was probably the worst half we've played all year, and we knew that," freshman Doneal Mack, who started in Douglas-Roberts' place, said. "We can't come out like that. Not to knock ECU, but they're struggling and we can't come out like that."
Calipari said he didn't come into the locker room yelling or screaming, but made his point by saying just "seven words." Though he wasn't willing to share which seven, the insinuation was clear. And the message, more or less, got through.
Dorsey, who tried to do too much in the first half, got back to his game in the second and finished with 15 rebounds and seven points. Sophomore forward Robert Dozier, who had just three points in the first half, scored nine in the second and finished with 12 rebounds. Mack scored 10 straight Memphis points early in the second half, giving the Tigers a 45-32 lead.
And senior guard Jeremy Hunt, who struggled from 3-point range (1-for-6), drove aggressively and finished with a team-high 16, drawing fouls and making baseline runners.
"It was a real rough game," Hunt said. "We didn't play how we wanted to play at the start. The game plan didn't go how we wanted, but we did it to ourselves. We said we're going to have to get together as a team and pull this out. It just seemed like we didn't play with the same emotion we had been playing with, but we picked it up in the second half."
It was such a rough game, the Tigers had to use Dozier for 34 minutes, Dorsey for 30, Hunt for 30, backup point guard Andre Allen for 32 and Antonio Anderson for 36.
And still, ECU played with enough energy and emotion in front of 6,064 fans to give the Tigers a scare here for the second straight year.
"We didn't handle the ball very well in the second half or make some key free throws, and that really hurt us," ECU coach Ricky Stokes said. "They really hurt us on the boards. Dorsey was just too much for us."
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
By Dan Wolken
January 21, 2007
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- The moment John Calipari knew what kind of day this was going to be came long before his team clanked eight of its first 14 free throws and committed 14 first-half turnovers, long before Joey Dorsey tried to dribble through his legs (emphasis on tried to) and long before some East Carolina students started chanting "Overrated" with 3:28 left in the first half.
No, Calipari sensed the struggle he'd have on his hands before the No. 17-ranked Memphis Tigers even arrived at Minges Coliseum on Saturday.
"They were on the bus, messing around," Calipari said. "I heard it and didn't say anything. I got in the locker room. They're joking around 25 minutes before the game. Now, I'm smoking. There's smoke coming out of my ears, but I'm thinking, they understand. And then ... you saw what happened."
Though the final score read Memphis 61, East Carolina 44, nobody in the Tigers camp could claim that it felt like a 17-point win.
Against the nation's 323rd-ranked team according to the RPI, the Tigers had to fight much harder than they expected to secure their seventh straight victory, improving their record to 15-3 overall and 5-0 in Conference USA.
And frankly, it could have been worse.
On a night when Memphis shot 30.9 percent, committed 17 turnovers and didn't have the services of leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts due to a right ankle sprain, the Tigers finally took control with a 21-4 run, giving them a 47-32 lead with 11:11 left. But even then, the Tigers had to grind it out by making 13 straight free throws and constantly pressuring ECU, which finished with 24 turnovers.
Without Douglas-Roberts, the Tigers couldn't get their spacing offensively and got suckered into taking too many 3-pointers, finishing 4-of-23 for the game. The only thing Memphis could do, seemingly, was try to stay aggressive and get to the free-throw line, where it made 23-of-39 compared to ECU's 8-of-18.
But the second half was far prettier than the first, in which Memphis could only manage a 21-21 tie after failing to break down ECU's zone defense and scoring just two field goals in a span of 15:30.
"That was probably the worst half we've played all year, and we knew that," freshman Doneal Mack, who started in Douglas-Roberts' place, said. "We can't come out like that. Not to knock ECU, but they're struggling and we can't come out like that."
Calipari said he didn't come into the locker room yelling or screaming, but made his point by saying just "seven words." Though he wasn't willing to share which seven, the insinuation was clear. And the message, more or less, got through.
Dorsey, who tried to do too much in the first half, got back to his game in the second and finished with 15 rebounds and seven points. Sophomore forward Robert Dozier, who had just three points in the first half, scored nine in the second and finished with 12 rebounds. Mack scored 10 straight Memphis points early in the second half, giving the Tigers a 45-32 lead.
And senior guard Jeremy Hunt, who struggled from 3-point range (1-for-6), drove aggressively and finished with a team-high 16, drawing fouls and making baseline runners.
"It was a real rough game," Hunt said. "We didn't play how we wanted to play at the start. The game plan didn't go how we wanted, but we did it to ourselves. We said we're going to have to get together as a team and pull this out. It just seemed like we didn't play with the same emotion we had been playing with, but we picked it up in the second half."
It was such a rough game, the Tigers had to use Dozier for 34 minutes, Dorsey for 30, Hunt for 30, backup point guard Andre Allen for 32 and Antonio Anderson for 36.
And still, ECU played with enough energy and emotion in front of 6,064 fans to give the Tigers a scare here for the second straight year.
"We didn't handle the ball very well in the second half or make some key free throws, and that really hurt us," ECU coach Ricky Stokes said. "They really hurt us on the boards. Dorsey was just too much for us."
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
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