Cleaning out the notebook…Posted by Dan Wolken

Cleaning out the notebook…
Posted by Dan Wolken

…as I pack for New York.

– The exhibition game with CBU went about as expected, though 90-35 was somewhat surprising since CBU has some experience and has played Memphis tougher than that in years past. Most everybody got what they needed to get out of that game. Joey Dorsey got a tuneup after missing the first two games and made a difference in the paint. Chris Douglas-Roberts got back to making plays and finishing layups. Antonio Anderson had more pep defensively. Shawn Taggart had a good night, getting some rebounds and scoring when they posted him up. Derrick Rose went five assists with no turnovers. Willie Kemp and Doneal Mack made 3-pointers. The only guy who didn’t show up was Robert Dozier, whose inconsistency continues to baffle. Sure, it was an exhibition. But Dozier should have had enough pride to do more than go through the motions. Dozier can look like a pro at times (we saw it in last year’s NCAA Tournament), but last night was discouraging.

– The four coaches involved in the 2k College Hoops Classic semifinals were available to the media Tuesday on a teleconference. Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel had some interesting comments on Memphis.

“A lot of people will sometimes look at Memphis and the makeup of their team and unfairly assume that they’re a selfish group that doesn’t play well together, that guys are trying to get stats,” he said. “But if you really sit down and watch them with unbiased eyes, you see how selfless they are, how they share the ball, their spacing is so good. You see a team.”

Also, John Calipari was asked about the possibility of playing old rival Jim Calhoun if Memphis and Connecticut both make it to the championship game. The only interesting thing he said was, “I have respect for their program and the things they do. They recruit nationally, can you imagine, to Storrs, Connecticut?” If you were so inclinced, knowing the history between Calhoun and Calipari, you could take that comment as a nice little slap at UConn. But maybe I’m crazy.