Memphis blues
Tulsa's big to knock off No. 1 falls short
TULSA (AP) — Without another standout performance off the bench, Memphis’ second chance to be the top-ranked team in the country might have ended in defeat, just like the first time.
Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 20 points, and reserve Shawn Taggart scored 12 of his 14 in the second half to help No. 1 Memphis beat pesky Tulsa 56-41 Wednesday night and avoid the fate that befell the Tigers their only other time with the No. 1 ranking 25 years earlier.
“We always were No. 1 in our eyes, but now they finally put us in their top notch,” said Taggart, who had his third-highest point total of the season. “We’re going to go out there and we’re going to play exactly how we played when we were No. 3 and exactly how we played when we were No. 2.”
After winning each of its last six games by at least 20 points, Memphis (18-0, 5-0 Conference USA) didn’t take a double-digit lead until Douglas-Roberts’ two-handed jam with 6:21 remaining made it 48-38.
Freshman point guard Derrick Rose set up the dunk by tipping away Calvin Walls’ pass and then tracking it down in the frontcourt before firing a pass to Douglas-Roberts.
Taggart followed with a 3-pointer — only his sixth in 11 attempts this season — and Douglas-Roberts added a layup off a baseline inbounds pass as Memphis reeled off nine straight points to go up 54-38 with 4:02 left.
Memphis coach John Calipari thought for a while that the ascent to No. 1 might have been affecting his team’s performance. By the end, he decided it was more about the impact of the ranking on his opponent.
“You know it’s inspiring the other team. You’ve got to hope that it’s inspiring to your team even more,” Calipari said. “If it becomes an anvil around their neck, let’s lose. If it becomes something that drags us back, let’s lose.
“I think a lot of this had to do with Tulsa.”
The last time Memphis reached No. 1, Virginia Tech was waiting hours later to pull off a 64-56 upset on Jan. 10, 1983. It took the school just over a quarter-century to get back to the top.
“I’ve been wanting to be No. 1 since I was a freshman. It was great for me,” said senior Joey Dorsey, who had a career-high 19 rebounds to pass 1,000 for his career. “I ain’t trying to lose it. I’m trying to be No. 1 until the year’s over.”
Walls scored 12 points to lead the Golden Hurricane (9-7, 1-3), which dispatched the triangle-and-two defense for the first time and also relied on the 2-3 zone instead of coach Doug Wojcik’s usual man-to-man style.
“I’m not sure that anybody does a better job of preparing their team for us than what Doug does,” Calipari said. “The problem is that when you’re playing them early in the season, he exposes some of the stuff for other people to kind of come after you a little bit.”
The Tigers’ next test comes at home Saturday against Gonzaga, and Wojcik said he’d already spoken with Zags coach Mark Few — a close friend.
“I’m proud of my guys. ... We really had a chance tonight,” Wojcik said. “We really did.”
The Tigers’ inside tandem of Dorsey and Robert Dozier was neutralized much of the night by 7-footer Jerome Jordan, and the Tigers couldn’t get much going from outside.
Memphis shot only 37.9 percent, its third-lowest mark of the season, and was 4-for-16 from 3-point range but was able to make up for it by holding the Golden Hurricane to their season-low in scoring and only 22 percent shooting in the second half.
Dorsey, who was held scoreless Saturday against Southern Miss, had only two points, Dozier had three and fellow starter Antonio Anderson didn’t score. Rose had 14 points.
Tulsa drew its first sellout crowd in over two years, and the first capacity crowd at the Reynolds Center for an opponent other than Oklahoma since sixth-ranked Gonzaga visited in February 2004.
“Doug had them ready, their team was excited about playing, their fans were excited about it, and Shawn Taggart spoiled their party,” Calipari said.
“Let me say it again: Shawn Taggart spoiled their party, because the rest of us were just OK.”
Friday, January 25, 2008
The Oklahoman - Memphis has top rank, but Kansas is more deserving
Memphis has top rank, but Kansas is more deserving
By John Rohde
The Oklahoman
TULSA — Give the nod to Kansas.
After losing by 30 points against the Jayhawks last week, Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel proclaimed KU as the best team in the land over Memphis.
The Sooners have played the nation's top two ranked teams, and Capel gave a convincing nod to the Jayhawks. Said it wasn't even close.
Given the way the top-ranked Tigers performed Wednesday night at Tulsa, it's easy to nod right alongside Capel.
Memphis pushed its record to 18-0 with a 56-41 survival against the Golden Hurricane before a sellout crowd of 8,475 inside the Donald W. Reynolds Center.
Tulsa played gallantly.
The Tigers played poorly.
Somewhere in the middle is an explanation why.
Memphis starters Robert Dozier (1 for 7), Joey Dorsey (0-4) and Antonio Anderson (0-4) shot a combined 1 for 15 from the field.
No telling what might have happened had Tigers forward Shawn Taggart not come off the bench and thrown in 14 points in 19 minutes.
Memphis coach John Calipari said he didn't feel comfortable "until the 1:20 mark" in the second half.
"Shawn Taggart spoiled their party,” Calipari said. "If we don't have Shawn Taggart, they beat us.”
It was the first game for Memphis since being anointed No. 1 on Monday.
The last time the Tigers reached No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, the ranking lasted only a few hours before losing 64-56 at Virginia Tech on Jan. 10, 1983.
Calipari was curious how his team would react to its top-billing.
"You know it's inspiring the other team,” Calipari said. "You have to hope it's inspiring your team even more. If it (the No. 1 ranking) becomes an anvil around their neck, then let's lose. If it's becomes something to drag us back, let's lose. But tonight I think a lot of it had to do with Tulsa.
"I'm not sure anybody does a better job of preparing their team for us than (TU coach) Doug Wojcik does.”
With bloodshot eyes afterward, Calipari said he appreciated the challenge.
Memphis led 28-24 at halftime and clung to a 40-36 lead with nine minutes remaining.
"I said at halftime, ‘I'm happy they're playing us this way,' ” Calipari said. "These kids are not machines. They're not playing great every night out. It's how it is. You hope you win anyway.”
Calipari insists he wasn't taking it easy on the Hurricane. This was no Conference USA pity party.
"We did go after them. It wasn't like we were trying to back up,” Calipari said. "I thought they would get tired, and they never got tired.”
After what happened on this night, the No. 1 nod goes to Kansas.
After some other night, maybe not.
"Here's what happens during a season,” Calipari explained. "You're going to have three games where you absolutely lay an egg. You just hope they're against team that you can beat. This (tonight) was not laying an egg. We just didn't play real well.”
Calipari admits he has glanced at 19-0 Kansas a few times this season.
He is no stranger to KU. He met his wife there while serving as an assistant under Ted Owens and Larry Brown (1982-85).
"The games I've seen, they're unbelievable,” Calipari said of the Jayhawks. "What I'm saying is we're the most highly thought-of team. I don't know if we're the best.”
By John Rohde
The Oklahoman
TULSA — Give the nod to Kansas.
After losing by 30 points against the Jayhawks last week, Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel proclaimed KU as the best team in the land over Memphis.
The Sooners have played the nation's top two ranked teams, and Capel gave a convincing nod to the Jayhawks. Said it wasn't even close.
Given the way the top-ranked Tigers performed Wednesday night at Tulsa, it's easy to nod right alongside Capel.
Memphis pushed its record to 18-0 with a 56-41 survival against the Golden Hurricane before a sellout crowd of 8,475 inside the Donald W. Reynolds Center.
Tulsa played gallantly.
The Tigers played poorly.
Somewhere in the middle is an explanation why.
Memphis starters Robert Dozier (1 for 7), Joey Dorsey (0-4) and Antonio Anderson (0-4) shot a combined 1 for 15 from the field.
No telling what might have happened had Tigers forward Shawn Taggart not come off the bench and thrown in 14 points in 19 minutes.
Memphis coach John Calipari said he didn't feel comfortable "until the 1:20 mark" in the second half.
"Shawn Taggart spoiled their party,” Calipari said. "If we don't have Shawn Taggart, they beat us.”
It was the first game for Memphis since being anointed No. 1 on Monday.
The last time the Tigers reached No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, the ranking lasted only a few hours before losing 64-56 at Virginia Tech on Jan. 10, 1983.
Calipari was curious how his team would react to its top-billing.
"You know it's inspiring the other team,” Calipari said. "You have to hope it's inspiring your team even more. If it (the No. 1 ranking) becomes an anvil around their neck, then let's lose. If it's becomes something to drag us back, let's lose. But tonight I think a lot of it had to do with Tulsa.
"I'm not sure anybody does a better job of preparing their team for us than (TU coach) Doug Wojcik does.”
With bloodshot eyes afterward, Calipari said he appreciated the challenge.
Memphis led 28-24 at halftime and clung to a 40-36 lead with nine minutes remaining.
"I said at halftime, ‘I'm happy they're playing us this way,' ” Calipari said. "These kids are not machines. They're not playing great every night out. It's how it is. You hope you win anyway.”
Calipari insists he wasn't taking it easy on the Hurricane. This was no Conference USA pity party.
"We did go after them. It wasn't like we were trying to back up,” Calipari said. "I thought they would get tired, and they never got tired.”
After what happened on this night, the No. 1 nod goes to Kansas.
After some other night, maybe not.
"Here's what happens during a season,” Calipari explained. "You're going to have three games where you absolutely lay an egg. You just hope they're against team that you can beat. This (tonight) was not laying an egg. We just didn't play real well.”
Calipari admits he has glanced at 19-0 Kansas a few times this season.
He is no stranger to KU. He met his wife there while serving as an assistant under Ted Owens and Larry Brown (1982-85).
"The games I've seen, they're unbelievable,” Calipari said of the Jayhawks. "What I'm saying is we're the most highly thought-of team. I don't know if we're the best.”
Memphis Wins First Game As No. 1
Memphis Wins First Game As No. 1
By JEFF LATZKE
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 20 points, Derrick Rose added 19 points and top-ranked Memphis beat pesky Tulsa 56-41 Wednesday night to avoid the fate that befell the Tigers their only other time with the No. 1 ranking 25 years earlier.
After winning each of its last six games by at least 20 points, Memphis (18-0, 5-0 Conference USA) didn't take a double-digit lead until Douglas-Roberts' two-handed jam with 6:21 remaining made it 48-38.
Rose set up the dunk by tipping away Calvin Walls' pass and then tracking it down in the frontcourt before firing a pass to Douglas-Roberts.
Shawn Taggart followed with a 3-pointer — only his sixth 3 in 11 attempts this season — and Douglas-Roberts added a layup off a baseline inbounds pass as Memphis reeled off nine straight points to go up 54-38 with 4:02 left.
The last time Memphis reached No. 1, Virginia Tech was waiting hours later to pull off a 64-56 upset on Jan. 10, 1983. It took the school just over a quarter-century to get back to the top.
Taggart, a reserve who'd played only 10 minutes in the Tigers' two previous games, ended up with 14 points for his third-highest total of the season and Joey Dorsey matched his career high with 18 rebounds.
Calvin Walls led the Golden Hurricane (9-7, 1-3) with 12 points.
The Tigers' inside tandem of Dorsey and Robert Dozier was neutralized much of the night by 7-footer Jerome Jordan, and the Tigers couldn't get much going from outside.
Memphis shot only 37.9 percent, its third-lowest mark of the season, and was 4-for-16 from 3-point range but was able to make up for it by holding the Golden Hurricane to their season-low in scoring and only 22 percent shooting in the second half.
Tulsa drew its first sellout crowd in over two years, and the first capacity crowd at the Reynolds Center for an opponent other than Oklahoma since sixth-ranked Gonzaga visited in February 2004.
The Golden Hurricane fell behind 12-4 early after three straight baskets by Douglas-Roberts but were able to stay in it by locking down on defense and holding Memphis to only 35 percent shooting in the first half.
Sam Mitchell's putback got Tulsa within 28-24 at halftime, but the Golden Hurricane missed six of their first seven shots in the second half and missed their chance to put real pressure on the Tigers.
Memphis has won 28 straight Conference USA games.
By JEFF LATZKE
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 20 points, Derrick Rose added 19 points and top-ranked Memphis beat pesky Tulsa 56-41 Wednesday night to avoid the fate that befell the Tigers their only other time with the No. 1 ranking 25 years earlier.
After winning each of its last six games by at least 20 points, Memphis (18-0, 5-0 Conference USA) didn't take a double-digit lead until Douglas-Roberts' two-handed jam with 6:21 remaining made it 48-38.
Rose set up the dunk by tipping away Calvin Walls' pass and then tracking it down in the frontcourt before firing a pass to Douglas-Roberts.
Shawn Taggart followed with a 3-pointer — only his sixth 3 in 11 attempts this season — and Douglas-Roberts added a layup off a baseline inbounds pass as Memphis reeled off nine straight points to go up 54-38 with 4:02 left.
The last time Memphis reached No. 1, Virginia Tech was waiting hours later to pull off a 64-56 upset on Jan. 10, 1983. It took the school just over a quarter-century to get back to the top.
Taggart, a reserve who'd played only 10 minutes in the Tigers' two previous games, ended up with 14 points for his third-highest total of the season and Joey Dorsey matched his career high with 18 rebounds.
Calvin Walls led the Golden Hurricane (9-7, 1-3) with 12 points.
The Tigers' inside tandem of Dorsey and Robert Dozier was neutralized much of the night by 7-footer Jerome Jordan, and the Tigers couldn't get much going from outside.
Memphis shot only 37.9 percent, its third-lowest mark of the season, and was 4-for-16 from 3-point range but was able to make up for it by holding the Golden Hurricane to their season-low in scoring and only 22 percent shooting in the second half.
Tulsa drew its first sellout crowd in over two years, and the first capacity crowd at the Reynolds Center for an opponent other than Oklahoma since sixth-ranked Gonzaga visited in February 2004.
The Golden Hurricane fell behind 12-4 early after three straight baskets by Douglas-Roberts but were able to stay in it by locking down on defense and holding Memphis to only 35 percent shooting in the first half.
Sam Mitchell's putback got Tulsa within 28-24 at halftime, but the Golden Hurricane missed six of their first seven shots in the second half and missed their chance to put real pressure on the Tigers.
Memphis has won 28 straight Conference USA games.
Kansas City Star - Memphis’ Rose could be thorn to KU
Memphis’ Rose could be thorn to KU
By BLAIR KERKHOFF, Kansas City Star
T ULSA, Okla. | Memphis freshman sensation Derrick Rose blew past Tulsa’s Brett McDade. Would he have slipped past Mario Chalmers or Russell Robinson?
Tigers big man Joey Dorsey got position on Golden Hurricanes center Jerome Jordan. Would Darnell Jackson have let Dorsey catch it in such an advantageous position?
Memphis put the finishing touches on a 56-41 punch out of Tulsa on Wednesday about 220 miles from and an hour after Kansas took out Iowa State in Lawrence — a perfect occasion for a fantasy hoop challenge.
The 18-0 and top-ranked Tigers versus the 19-0 and second-ranked Jayhawks in college basketball’s duel of perfection. At their rate of winning, the only time they’d see each other would be in the NCAA championship game at San Antonio.
But why wait? Let the debate begin.
One player, Memphis’ forward Shawn Taggert, may be in the best position to compare. He started his career at Iowa State and played against several current Jayhawks. Taggert also was a high school teammate of Brandon Rush at Mount Zion in North Carolina.
But the lean 6-10 sophomore who scored 14 off the bench on Wednesday wasn’t biting.
“How would we stack up against each other? Well, he’s a small forward and I’m not,” Taggert said.
No, your teams.
“Ah, I don’t want to talk about that,” Taggert said.
Coach John Calipari did, briefly.
“The games I’ve seen, they’re unbelievable,” Calipari said. “I don’t know if we’re the best team, but we’re the most highly thought-of team right now.”
So let’s put them together, if only on paper.
The backcourt matchups would pit some of the game’s best players. Rose and Antonio Anderson on Robinson and Chalmers. Rose is the quickest of the bunch with a wicked first step. Robinson is the best defender, but it might be Chalmers drawing the assignment. Either way, Rose would be challenged by some of the nation’s top defensive guards.
The game’s marquee battle pits wingmen Chris Douglas-Roberts, the Tigers’ leading scorer, against Rush, the Jayhawks’ most skilled offensive player. Roberts is excellent at getting his shot. Rush is a top-notch defender.
Up front, Dorsey is a bruiser who bulled his way to 19 rebounds against Tulsa, and Robert Dozier is the leaner shot-blocker. Put Darnell Jackson on Dorsey and Darrell Arthur on Dozier and see who stays out of foul trouble. Better offense with Kansas, better defense with Memphis.
Give the backcourt edge to Kansas — although Rose could take over a game — and the frontcourt edge to Memphis.
Both teams have excellent benches. The Tigers might have the nation’s deepest team with 10 who play at least 10 minutes.
“We have a second five that could be top 20 in the nation,” said Taggert.
Memphis needed some of the reserve strength Wednesday. Dozier and Dorsey went a combined one for 11 from the floor.
Kansas and Memphis entered the night first and second in scoring margin with the Jayhawks beating teams by 24.3 points and Memphis by 22.6. The Jayhawks’ defensive reputation is deserved, but the Tigers are also ferocious.
Wednesday, several Tulsa shots — once they cleared the defender’s outstretched arms — missed the rim. The Tigers’ press suffocated Tulsa.
With both teams about two weeks into conference play, it is easy to pick on Memphis’ softer league schedule. But a few figures reveal something else.
The Tigers have played more teams in the RPI top 50 than Kansas, five to four. And the Jayhawks don’t have a victory more impressive than Memphis’ over Georgetown.
But, if they meet this year, give the edge to Kansas. Slightly.
To reach Blair Kerkhoff, send e-mail to bkerkhoff@kcstar.com
By BLAIR KERKHOFF, Kansas City Star
T ULSA, Okla. | Memphis freshman sensation Derrick Rose blew past Tulsa’s Brett McDade. Would he have slipped past Mario Chalmers or Russell Robinson?
Tigers big man Joey Dorsey got position on Golden Hurricanes center Jerome Jordan. Would Darnell Jackson have let Dorsey catch it in such an advantageous position?
Memphis put the finishing touches on a 56-41 punch out of Tulsa on Wednesday about 220 miles from and an hour after Kansas took out Iowa State in Lawrence — a perfect occasion for a fantasy hoop challenge.
The 18-0 and top-ranked Tigers versus the 19-0 and second-ranked Jayhawks in college basketball’s duel of perfection. At their rate of winning, the only time they’d see each other would be in the NCAA championship game at San Antonio.
But why wait? Let the debate begin.
One player, Memphis’ forward Shawn Taggert, may be in the best position to compare. He started his career at Iowa State and played against several current Jayhawks. Taggert also was a high school teammate of Brandon Rush at Mount Zion in North Carolina.
But the lean 6-10 sophomore who scored 14 off the bench on Wednesday wasn’t biting.
“How would we stack up against each other? Well, he’s a small forward and I’m not,” Taggert said.
No, your teams.
“Ah, I don’t want to talk about that,” Taggert said.
Coach John Calipari did, briefly.
“The games I’ve seen, they’re unbelievable,” Calipari said. “I don’t know if we’re the best team, but we’re the most highly thought-of team right now.”
So let’s put them together, if only on paper.
The backcourt matchups would pit some of the game’s best players. Rose and Antonio Anderson on Robinson and Chalmers. Rose is the quickest of the bunch with a wicked first step. Robinson is the best defender, but it might be Chalmers drawing the assignment. Either way, Rose would be challenged by some of the nation’s top defensive guards.
The game’s marquee battle pits wingmen Chris Douglas-Roberts, the Tigers’ leading scorer, against Rush, the Jayhawks’ most skilled offensive player. Roberts is excellent at getting his shot. Rush is a top-notch defender.
Up front, Dorsey is a bruiser who bulled his way to 19 rebounds against Tulsa, and Robert Dozier is the leaner shot-blocker. Put Darnell Jackson on Dorsey and Darrell Arthur on Dozier and see who stays out of foul trouble. Better offense with Kansas, better defense with Memphis.
Give the backcourt edge to Kansas — although Rose could take over a game — and the frontcourt edge to Memphis.
Both teams have excellent benches. The Tigers might have the nation’s deepest team with 10 who play at least 10 minutes.
“We have a second five that could be top 20 in the nation,” said Taggert.
Memphis needed some of the reserve strength Wednesday. Dozier and Dorsey went a combined one for 11 from the floor.
Kansas and Memphis entered the night first and second in scoring margin with the Jayhawks beating teams by 24.3 points and Memphis by 22.6. The Jayhawks’ defensive reputation is deserved, but the Tigers are also ferocious.
Wednesday, several Tulsa shots — once they cleared the defender’s outstretched arms — missed the rim. The Tigers’ press suffocated Tulsa.
With both teams about two weeks into conference play, it is easy to pick on Memphis’ softer league schedule. But a few figures reveal something else.
The Tigers have played more teams in the RPI top 50 than Kansas, five to four. And the Jayhawks don’t have a victory more impressive than Memphis’ over Georgetown.
But, if they meet this year, give the edge to Kansas. Slightly.
To reach Blair Kerkhoff, send e-mail to bkerkhoff@kcstar.com
A No. 1 ranking now means nothing
A No. 1 ranking now means nothing
Roderick Boone, Newsday
5:31 PM EST, January 23, 2008
Tyler Hansbrough's potential game-winning three-pointer for North Carolina clanked off the back rim, and the winning Maryland players euphorically ran all around the court. Television cameras panned the Dean Dome crowd, catching tears falling down the faces of a few fans clad in North Carolina blue who were acting as if all was lost in that area of Tobacco Road.
Fear not, however, ye Tar Heel fans. Just because your beloved team lost its No. 1 ranking, - and yes its undefeated season, too - isn't reason enough to wallow in sorrow. We've barely scratched the surface of conference play around the nation, so who cares who's No. 1 anyway? This isn't that con game otherwise known as the NCAA's Bowl Subdivision, where you need to finish the season in one of the top two spots in order to get a crack at the ridiculously mythical BCS national championship.
In fact, fans of the 'Heels should pray their team isn't the top-ranked squad come eight weeks from today, when March Madness and one of the nation's most exciting sporting events truly tips off with first-round action in Denver, Omaha, Washington and Anaheim. Being ranked No. 1 going into the tournament is akin to Eli Manning's face being plastered on this week's cover of Sports Illustrated as the Giants vie for their third Lombardi Trophy.
Since the NCAA adopted the seeding process, only six teams that entered the tournament as the top-ranked squad in at least one of the polls raced through the field and emerged as the champion. Kentucky (1978), North Carolina (1982), Duke (1992), UCLA (1995), Michigan State (2000) and the 2001 Duke team took home titles.
Will Memphis, wearer of the No. 1 crown this week after UNC's defeat, be the latest addition? Not hardly. Memphis certainly has the talent with players like Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts. But the odds are stacked against the Tigers. Consider: Memphis is only the fourth non-BCS school to be dubbed the top-ranked team since Greg Anthony, Larry Johnson and Co.'s 1990-91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels had the distinction.
"Now what I've called this ranking - it's the most highly thought of team in the country," Memphis coach John Calipari said earlier this week. "That's what we are right now. It doesn't mean we're the best team in the country. Kansas may well be. It could be North Carolina. It could be UCLA. It could be Georgetown. They all may be the best team in the country. We don't know, but we're the most highly thought of team in the country right now."
Right 'now' being the appropriate choice of words. Who's No. 1 gives us something to talk about and debate on the eight zillion different platforms we have to chat about sports nowadays. Other than that, it means nothing. Let's wait to see who's really No. 1 on April 8, the day after some team busts out the scissors and cuts down the nets at the Alamodome, OK?
Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.
Roderick Boone, Newsday
5:31 PM EST, January 23, 2008
Tyler Hansbrough's potential game-winning three-pointer for North Carolina clanked off the back rim, and the winning Maryland players euphorically ran all around the court. Television cameras panned the Dean Dome crowd, catching tears falling down the faces of a few fans clad in North Carolina blue who were acting as if all was lost in that area of Tobacco Road.
Fear not, however, ye Tar Heel fans. Just because your beloved team lost its No. 1 ranking, - and yes its undefeated season, too - isn't reason enough to wallow in sorrow. We've barely scratched the surface of conference play around the nation, so who cares who's No. 1 anyway? This isn't that con game otherwise known as the NCAA's Bowl Subdivision, where you need to finish the season in one of the top two spots in order to get a crack at the ridiculously mythical BCS national championship.
In fact, fans of the 'Heels should pray their team isn't the top-ranked squad come eight weeks from today, when March Madness and one of the nation's most exciting sporting events truly tips off with first-round action in Denver, Omaha, Washington and Anaheim. Being ranked No. 1 going into the tournament is akin to Eli Manning's face being plastered on this week's cover of Sports Illustrated as the Giants vie for their third Lombardi Trophy.
Since the NCAA adopted the seeding process, only six teams that entered the tournament as the top-ranked squad in at least one of the polls raced through the field and emerged as the champion. Kentucky (1978), North Carolina (1982), Duke (1992), UCLA (1995), Michigan State (2000) and the 2001 Duke team took home titles.
Will Memphis, wearer of the No. 1 crown this week after UNC's defeat, be the latest addition? Not hardly. Memphis certainly has the talent with players like Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts. But the odds are stacked against the Tigers. Consider: Memphis is only the fourth non-BCS school to be dubbed the top-ranked team since Greg Anthony, Larry Johnson and Co.'s 1990-91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels had the distinction.
"Now what I've called this ranking - it's the most highly thought of team in the country," Memphis coach John Calipari said earlier this week. "That's what we are right now. It doesn't mean we're the best team in the country. Kansas may well be. It could be North Carolina. It could be UCLA. It could be Georgetown. They all may be the best team in the country. We don't know, but we're the most highly thought of team in the country right now."
Right 'now' being the appropriate choice of words. Who's No. 1 gives us something to talk about and debate on the eight zillion different platforms we have to chat about sports nowadays. Other than that, it means nothing. Let's wait to see who's really No. 1 on April 8, the day after some team busts out the scissors and cuts down the nets at the Alamodome, OK?
Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.
Tulsa falls to No. 1 Memphis, 56-41
Tulsa falls to No. 1 Memphis, 56-41
By By Eric Bailey, World sports writer
1/23/2008 9:37 PM
Last Modified: 1/23/2008 9:49 PM
The University of Tulsa stayed close for most of the night but faded in the final minutes of a 56-41 loss to top-ranked Memphis in a men's college basketball game at the Reynolds Center.
A sellout crowd of 8,475 saw the Hurricane challenge the undeated Tigers for the game's first 30 minutes. TU trailed by four at halftime, and the Golden Hurricane still had upset hopes after Glenn Andrews' 3-pointer with nine minutes left. Andrews' shot pulled TU within 40-36.
But Memphis pulled away from there and ended Wednesday night's game on a 16-5 run.
Memphis (18-0 overall, 5-0 in C-USA) was led by Chris Douglas-Roberts' 20 points. Derrick Rose and Shawn Taggart added 14 points each for the Tigers, who moved up to No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 rankings on Monday.
Tulsa, which trailed 28-24 at halftime, was paced by Calvin Walls' 12 points. The Hurricane only scored 17 points after intermission.
The Hurricane (9-7, 1-3) resumes play on Saturday with a road trip to UTEP. Game time is 8:35 p.m.
By By Eric Bailey, World sports writer
Rivals.com Player & Coach Power Rankings
collegebasketball.rivals.com
Point Guard
#5 Derrick Rose
Shooting Guard
#4 Chris Douglas-Roberts
Power Forward
#21 Robert Dozier
Center
#5 Joey Dorsey
Coach
#1 John Calipari
Point Guard
#5 Derrick Rose
Shooting Guard
#4 Chris Douglas-Roberts
Power Forward
#21 Robert Dozier
Center
#5 Joey Dorsey
Coach
#1 John Calipari
NCAA Tournament could draw Memphis
NCAA Tournament could draw Memphis
This article was published on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 7:10 PM CST in Columns
By Harry King
THE MORNING NEWS (Northwest Arkansas)
Email this story Print this story Comment on this story LITTLE ROCK -- Fans who scarfed up the tickets to the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in Arkansas could be at the center of the college basketball world in late March.
Memphis, the new No. 1 in the land, is a logical choice for North Little Rock. Although there is an occasional head-scratching site assignment -- No. 4 seed Texas playing in Spokane, Wash., last year comes to mind -- the NCAA tries to accommodate the nation's best teams in the name of the pod system.
Created a few years after Maryland, Georgetown, George Mason, and Hampton -- all East Coast teams -- were sent to Idaho in 2000, it's about regional games in the first two rounds. Last March, No. 1 seeds Florida, Ohio State, Kansas and North Carolina played their first two games in New Orleans, Lexington, Chicago and Winston-Salem -- accessible in a day's drive or less.
Barely two hours west, Alltel Arena is a natural for the Tigers if they remain No. 1. The only other regional contender is Birmingham. Other first-round sites include Anaheim, Denver, Omaha, Raleigh, Tampa and Washington, D.C., but there are only four No. 1s.
Arkansas fans have some history with Memphis coach John Calipari, including his response when asked about continuing the series with the Razorbacks. You cannot build a program playing regional rivals, he said in early 2003.
Calipari's name also came up when Arkansas was looking for a replacement for Stan Heath, but he said he met with then-athletic director Frank Broyles only to offer advice about candidates.
Abrasive at times, Calipari was head-on about the possibility of being No. 1 after North Carolina lost Saturday. He said some TV types would contend that Kansas deserves the top spot.
"But we played the No. 1 nonconference schedule in the country with Gonzaga and Tennessee still to come," he told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "We've taken care of business, done what we're supposed to do."
After the votes were counted, he said, "If you said to me I could have the No. 1 ranking or a No. 1 seeding, I'd take the seeding every time. For players and the school, though, this is huge."
Calipari has been around a No. 1 before, for two stretches in the mid-90s during his days at Massachusetts.
His Tigers are expected to get through the Conference USA schedule and Gonzaga is down a bit, so Tennessee on Feb. 23 figures as the biggest threat to an unbeaten season. Kansas, the only other major unbeaten, is up against it in the Big 12.
Memphis fans have already called San Antonio asking about rooms for the Final Four so, of course, they've been in contact with people in Arkansas, where tickets went fast last year.
Meanwhile, folks at the new Arkansas River Cities Sports Commission want to provide visitors from Memphis and beyond every opportunity to enjoy their time in Central Arkansas, and that is a challenge considering that March 21-23 is Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Some downtown restaurants don't open on Sunday, anyway, and it's possible that folks who attend the second-round games won't exit the arena until up in the night. They're going to need vittles and a place to unwind. If Central Arkansas wants to get those people to think about a return trip, the idea that the cities roll up the sidewalks at 7 p.m. is a step in the direction of Hicksville.
North Little Rock is farther west than any of the other Friday-Sunday sites, but it is not a given that the late games will be in Arkansas. It all depends on which teams are in town.
For instance, UCLA or Washington State, or Stanford, or Arizona State could be involved in a late-night game designed to catch prime time on the West Coast. In that case, the fourth game on March 21 might not end until after midnight, just another reason that all four hotels housing the teams must have full-service room service.
The window for first-round games begins at 11 a.m. and the who-plays-when is at the discretion of the network. That's the perk CBS bought when it agreed to $6 billion for an 11-year deal for the NCAA Tournament in 1999.
This article was published on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 7:10 PM CST in Columns
By Harry King
THE MORNING NEWS (Northwest Arkansas)
Email this story Print this story Comment on this story LITTLE ROCK -- Fans who scarfed up the tickets to the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in Arkansas could be at the center of the college basketball world in late March.
Memphis, the new No. 1 in the land, is a logical choice for North Little Rock. Although there is an occasional head-scratching site assignment -- No. 4 seed Texas playing in Spokane, Wash., last year comes to mind -- the NCAA tries to accommodate the nation's best teams in the name of the pod system.
Created a few years after Maryland, Georgetown, George Mason, and Hampton -- all East Coast teams -- were sent to Idaho in 2000, it's about regional games in the first two rounds. Last March, No. 1 seeds Florida, Ohio State, Kansas and North Carolina played their first two games in New Orleans, Lexington, Chicago and Winston-Salem -- accessible in a day's drive or less.
Barely two hours west, Alltel Arena is a natural for the Tigers if they remain No. 1. The only other regional contender is Birmingham. Other first-round sites include Anaheim, Denver, Omaha, Raleigh, Tampa and Washington, D.C., but there are only four No. 1s.
Arkansas fans have some history with Memphis coach John Calipari, including his response when asked about continuing the series with the Razorbacks. You cannot build a program playing regional rivals, he said in early 2003.
Calipari's name also came up when Arkansas was looking for a replacement for Stan Heath, but he said he met with then-athletic director Frank Broyles only to offer advice about candidates.
Abrasive at times, Calipari was head-on about the possibility of being No. 1 after North Carolina lost Saturday. He said some TV types would contend that Kansas deserves the top spot.
"But we played the No. 1 nonconference schedule in the country with Gonzaga and Tennessee still to come," he told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "We've taken care of business, done what we're supposed to do."
After the votes were counted, he said, "If you said to me I could have the No. 1 ranking or a No. 1 seeding, I'd take the seeding every time. For players and the school, though, this is huge."
Calipari has been around a No. 1 before, for two stretches in the mid-90s during his days at Massachusetts.
His Tigers are expected to get through the Conference USA schedule and Gonzaga is down a bit, so Tennessee on Feb. 23 figures as the biggest threat to an unbeaten season. Kansas, the only other major unbeaten, is up against it in the Big 12.
Memphis fans have already called San Antonio asking about rooms for the Final Four so, of course, they've been in contact with people in Arkansas, where tickets went fast last year.
Meanwhile, folks at the new Arkansas River Cities Sports Commission want to provide visitors from Memphis and beyond every opportunity to enjoy their time in Central Arkansas, and that is a challenge considering that March 21-23 is Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Some downtown restaurants don't open on Sunday, anyway, and it's possible that folks who attend the second-round games won't exit the arena until up in the night. They're going to need vittles and a place to unwind. If Central Arkansas wants to get those people to think about a return trip, the idea that the cities roll up the sidewalks at 7 p.m. is a step in the direction of Hicksville.
North Little Rock is farther west than any of the other Friday-Sunday sites, but it is not a given that the late games will be in Arkansas. It all depends on which teams are in town.
For instance, UCLA or Washington State, or Stanford, or Arizona State could be involved in a late-night game designed to catch prime time on the West Coast. In that case, the fourth game on March 21 might not end until after midnight, just another reason that all four hotels housing the teams must have full-service room service.
The window for first-round games begins at 11 a.m. and the who-plays-when is at the discretion of the network. That's the perk CBS bought when it agreed to $6 billion for an 11-year deal for the NCAA Tournament in 1999.
Vols Beat Commodores, But Fans Commit Flagrant Foul
Vols Beat Commodores, But Fans Commit Flagrant Foul
www.insidevandy.com
Submitted by on 01-22-08, 11:06 pm | Updated on 01-22-08, 11:25 pm
To the Editor:
The Tennessee Volunteers beat the Vanderbilt Commodores on Thursday night, but their hostile fans committed a flagrant foul: ethnocentrism. Welcome to the prejudiced American South, the Vols fans said to Australian Commodore A.J. Ogilvy. While the Tennessee defense held the freshman phenom to 12 points (his second lowest total of the season), its fans went on the "offensive," taunting him with chants such as the nationalistic "USA, USA" and the mocking "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oy, Oy, Oy." The packed Thompson-Boling Arena was surging with xenophobia.
I understand that passionate Southeastern Conference fans, no matter the school, will say or do anything for their teams. To them, neither moral codes nor governmental rules oversee their language and actions. But to me, a line should be drawn between chanting "air ball" and mocking another nation's expressions (while also "patriotically" boasting of their own nation's supremacy). Do we chant "African" when a black player steps on the court? No. Do NBA fans stigmatize Chinese basketball stars Yi Jianlian and Yao Ming as "Chinamen"? No. Ogilvy is a foreign student who should be treated just the same as any of his peers, regardless of race, ethnicity, culture and religion.
According to the American Council on Education, there are over half a million international students currently pursuing postsecondary degrees in the United States. In 2004, there were 2.5 million international students worldwide. We live in a global society. The American South of today is not the American South of the 20th century. A large proportion of the country still thinks of the South as regressive, their citizens racist and ignorant. In some ways, unfortunately, this stereotype might still be true. The behavior by Vols fans last Thursday certainly wasn't exactly welcoming of "ethnic others."
I've lived in the South for over half of my life, and in this time I've watched the region grow more progressive, tolerant and diverse. For example, I live in Memphis, and one night my friends and I were dining in one of the city's most famous restaurants, Gus' Fried Chicken, and in walks a large group of Chinese basketball coaches dressed in blue jump suits. Odd, right? Not in the American South of the 21st century. The coaches were visiting America as part of the Chinese Basketball Association's partnership with the University of Memphis. As I saw Tigers coach John Calipari and his cross-cultural peers drink sweet tea and eat fried chicken, they presumably discussed basketball wisdom — offenses, plays and theory. Secrets of the game are being passed across the seas every minute.
Calipari is not unusually progressive among American coaches. He is one of many who believe that basketball is one of the world's fastest growing sports. In many ways the game's growing global popularity — from China to Australia to America — is a larger metaphor of how countries can, to put it bluntly, get along. In fact, Calipari hopes that the partnership will help recruit more Chinese basketball players to the University of Memphis. When Chinese student-athletes start attending Memphis and other American universities in larger numbers, will fans chant "USA" and ridicule the language or expressions of foreign cultures? I certainly hope not.
Last Thursday night, Tennessee fans revealed their "U.S."-against-the-world mentality, in which they believe that "we" (zealously patriotic, and therefore militaristic, U.S. citizens) are "better" and more "moral" than all foreigners ("others"). President Bush smirks over Volunteer nation, I'm sure. In my opinion, we do not live in an age in which blind ethnocentrism and stubborn nationalism is something nobler than mere ignorance and disillusionment. Stop living in the intolerant past, Vols fans, because the basketball is being dribbled all over the world.
--Bryan Hearn is a junior at Rhodes College and a former Vanderbilt University summer student.
www.insidevandy.com
Submitted by on 01-22-08, 11:06 pm | Updated on 01-22-08, 11:25 pm
To the Editor:
The Tennessee Volunteers beat the Vanderbilt Commodores on Thursday night, but their hostile fans committed a flagrant foul: ethnocentrism. Welcome to the prejudiced American South, the Vols fans said to Australian Commodore A.J. Ogilvy. While the Tennessee defense held the freshman phenom to 12 points (his second lowest total of the season), its fans went on the "offensive," taunting him with chants such as the nationalistic "USA, USA" and the mocking "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oy, Oy, Oy." The packed Thompson-Boling Arena was surging with xenophobia.
I understand that passionate Southeastern Conference fans, no matter the school, will say or do anything for their teams. To them, neither moral codes nor governmental rules oversee their language and actions. But to me, a line should be drawn between chanting "air ball" and mocking another nation's expressions (while also "patriotically" boasting of their own nation's supremacy). Do we chant "African" when a black player steps on the court? No. Do NBA fans stigmatize Chinese basketball stars Yi Jianlian and Yao Ming as "Chinamen"? No. Ogilvy is a foreign student who should be treated just the same as any of his peers, regardless of race, ethnicity, culture and religion.
According to the American Council on Education, there are over half a million international students currently pursuing postsecondary degrees in the United States. In 2004, there were 2.5 million international students worldwide. We live in a global society. The American South of today is not the American South of the 20th century. A large proportion of the country still thinks of the South as regressive, their citizens racist and ignorant. In some ways, unfortunately, this stereotype might still be true. The behavior by Vols fans last Thursday certainly wasn't exactly welcoming of "ethnic others."
I've lived in the South for over half of my life, and in this time I've watched the region grow more progressive, tolerant and diverse. For example, I live in Memphis, and one night my friends and I were dining in one of the city's most famous restaurants, Gus' Fried Chicken, and in walks a large group of Chinese basketball coaches dressed in blue jump suits. Odd, right? Not in the American South of the 21st century. The coaches were visiting America as part of the Chinese Basketball Association's partnership with the University of Memphis. As I saw Tigers coach John Calipari and his cross-cultural peers drink sweet tea and eat fried chicken, they presumably discussed basketball wisdom — offenses, plays and theory. Secrets of the game are being passed across the seas every minute.
Calipari is not unusually progressive among American coaches. He is one of many who believe that basketball is one of the world's fastest growing sports. In many ways the game's growing global popularity — from China to Australia to America — is a larger metaphor of how countries can, to put it bluntly, get along. In fact, Calipari hopes that the partnership will help recruit more Chinese basketball players to the University of Memphis. When Chinese student-athletes start attending Memphis and other American universities in larger numbers, will fans chant "USA" and ridicule the language or expressions of foreign cultures? I certainly hope not.
Last Thursday night, Tennessee fans revealed their "U.S."-against-the-world mentality, in which they believe that "we" (zealously patriotic, and therefore militaristic, U.S. citizens) are "better" and more "moral" than all foreigners ("others"). President Bush smirks over Volunteer nation, I'm sure. In my opinion, we do not live in an age in which blind ethnocentrism and stubborn nationalism is something nobler than mere ignorance and disillusionment. Stop living in the intolerant past, Vols fans, because the basketball is being dribbled all over the world.
--Bryan Hearn is a junior at Rhodes College and a former Vanderbilt University summer student.
Kansas City Star - No. 1 ranking means a lot to Calipari’s Memphis team
Kansas City Star
Posted on Tue, Jan. 22, 2008 10:15
No. 1 ranking means a lot to Calipari’s Memphis team
Memphis coach John Calipari said his players were upset when they heard talk that KU should be No. 1.
When the No. 1 ranking went up for grabs after North Carolina’s loss to Maryland on Saturday, Memphis coach John Calipari figured his second-ranked team would gladly accept the top spot.
But he had no idea how much the Tigers wanted it.
“I was surprised how badly the team wanted to be No. 1,” Calipari said Tuesday. “I was taken aback by it.”
Memphis and Kansas remain the nation’s lone undefeated teams, moving to first and second, respectively, in the major polls. Calipari believed his team’s desire for the attention was fueled partly by a perceived slight.
“They knew what the television announcers had said,” Calipari said. “When North Carolina lost, no one mentioned that we should step up to the No. 1 spot. Guys were saying Kansas should be No. 1 and jump Memphis.
“These kids, they’re on the Internet, they know what people are saying and being written. I was surprised they took so much pride in (being No. 1) and that they felt like they really deserve to be No. 1.”
But do they?
“I told our team, this doesn’t mean we’re the best,” Calipari said. “Kansas might well be the best. Or it could be North Carolina, it could be UCLA or Georgetown. We don’t know. But we are the most highly thought of team right now.”
Blair Kerkhoff, bkerkhoff@kcstar.com
Posted on Tue, Jan. 22, 2008 10:15
No. 1 ranking means a lot to Calipari’s Memphis team
Memphis coach John Calipari said his players were upset when they heard talk that KU should be No. 1.
When the No. 1 ranking went up for grabs after North Carolina’s loss to Maryland on Saturday, Memphis coach John Calipari figured his second-ranked team would gladly accept the top spot.
But he had no idea how much the Tigers wanted it.
“I was surprised how badly the team wanted to be No. 1,” Calipari said Tuesday. “I was taken aback by it.”
Memphis and Kansas remain the nation’s lone undefeated teams, moving to first and second, respectively, in the major polls. Calipari believed his team’s desire for the attention was fueled partly by a perceived slight.
“They knew what the television announcers had said,” Calipari said. “When North Carolina lost, no one mentioned that we should step up to the No. 1 spot. Guys were saying Kansas should be No. 1 and jump Memphis.
“These kids, they’re on the Internet, they know what people are saying and being written. I was surprised they took so much pride in (being No. 1) and that they felt like they really deserve to be No. 1.”
But do they?
“I told our team, this doesn’t mean we’re the best,” Calipari said. “Kansas might well be the best. Or it could be North Carolina, it could be UCLA or Georgetown. We don’t know. But we are the most highly thought of team right now.”
Blair Kerkhoff, bkerkhoff@kcstar.com
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Fox Sports - College Basketball Power Rankings
College Basketball Power Rankings
FoxSports Frank Burlison
CBK Power Rankings Week Of 01/21/2008
Rk Team Last Wk Rise/Fall High/Low Comment
1 Memphis 2 (+1) 1/4 Things finally leave the realm of “yawn” once against Saturday when the Gonzaga Bulldogs come to town.
2 Kansas 3 (+1) 2/5 Yes, I think the Jayhawks are the best team in the country right now. But I couldn’t let them leapfrog Memphis after the Tigers won games by 27 and 36 points, respectively.
3 North Carolina 1 (-2) 1/3 The Tar Heels were going to lose, eventually. It’s just that I didn’t see it coming against a seven-loss Maryland team at home.
4 UCLA 4 - 1/8 The Bruins led by six points with a little more than seven minutes to play and then five consecutive possessions with zero points (three bad shots, a blown lay-up and a turnover) proved their undoing at home against USC.
5 Washington State 5 - 4/9 The Cougars trailed by as many as 11 points, in Pullman, before finally snapping a 13-game losing streak to University of Oregon teams Sunday night.
6 Duke 6 - 6/15 Sunday the Blue Devils visit College Park to face the same Maryland team that stunned North Carolina Saturday afternoon.
7 Indiana 9 (+2) 7/16 A non-conference game of note (vs. Connecticut) is on tap for the Hoosiers in Bloomington on Saturday.
8 Tennessee 10 (+2) 3/17 Three of the Volunteers’ next four SEC games are away from the cozy confines of Knoxville.
9 Michigan State 13 (+4) 4/13 The Spartans figure to be 21-2 when they play at Purdue (Feb. 12), which is four days before they’re at Indiana.
10 Georgetown 7 (-3) 4/11 Freshman Austin Freeman has scored in double figures in eight of the Hoyas’ past 10 games.
FoxSports Frank Burlison
CBK Power Rankings Week Of 01/21/2008
Rk Team Last Wk Rise/Fall High/Low Comment
1 Memphis 2 (+1) 1/4 Things finally leave the realm of “yawn” once against Saturday when the Gonzaga Bulldogs come to town.
2 Kansas 3 (+1) 2/5 Yes, I think the Jayhawks are the best team in the country right now. But I couldn’t let them leapfrog Memphis after the Tigers won games by 27 and 36 points, respectively.
3 North Carolina 1 (-2) 1/3 The Tar Heels were going to lose, eventually. It’s just that I didn’t see it coming against a seven-loss Maryland team at home.
4 UCLA 4 - 1/8 The Bruins led by six points with a little more than seven minutes to play and then five consecutive possessions with zero points (three bad shots, a blown lay-up and a turnover) proved their undoing at home against USC.
5 Washington State 5 - 4/9 The Cougars trailed by as many as 11 points, in Pullman, before finally snapping a 13-game losing streak to University of Oregon teams Sunday night.
6 Duke 6 - 6/15 Sunday the Blue Devils visit College Park to face the same Maryland team that stunned North Carolina Saturday afternoon.
7 Indiana 9 (+2) 7/16 A non-conference game of note (vs. Connecticut) is on tap for the Hoosiers in Bloomington on Saturday.
8 Tennessee 10 (+2) 3/17 Three of the Volunteers’ next four SEC games are away from the cozy confines of Knoxville.
9 Michigan State 13 (+4) 4/13 The Spartans figure to be 21-2 when they play at Purdue (Feb. 12), which is four days before they’re at Indiana.
10 Georgetown 7 (-3) 4/11 Freshman Austin Freeman has scored in double figures in eight of the Hoyas’ past 10 games.
Top-ranked Tigers put city in spotlight for the right reasons
Top-ranked Tigers put city in spotlight for the right reasons
By Geoff Calkins
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Go ahead, take a another look. It really does say what you think it says:
1. Memphis.
That's right:
1. Memphis.
Can't quite believe it, can you?
1. Memphis.
What do you think of Memphis being ranked #1
I knew they were the best all along.
It's nice in January, but the NCAA tournament is the important thing.
And the ranking isn't for crime rates, obesity or public corruption.
The AP poll and the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll were both released Monday. For the first time since 1983, the Memphis Tigers are atop the college basketball universe.
"Last time, they lost on the day the poll came out," said Memphis coach John Calipari. "We can't do that because we don't play
today."
All the more reason to take another look.
1. Memphis.
It's going to be hard to get tired of this, isn't it?
And, yes, absolutely, it's understood that the ranking doesn't mean anything. A No. 1 ranking and four dollars will get the Tigers a non-fat, double-shot, venti latte.
But there's something to be said for the privilege of sticking your blue foam finger in the air. For knowing that every newspaper in the country this morning has a little headline somewhere proclaiming that Memphis is the No. 1 team in the country.
"It's very satisfying," said Memphis point guard Andre Allen.
Especially given all the people who doubted that a team could do this from such a cruddy conference.
It is a cruddy conference, too, a collection of has-beens and never-weres. When Louisville and Cincinnati bolted for the Big East, most of the experts assumed the Memphis basketball program would slowly sink into irrelevance.
"Why do they hate us, Coach?" said Tiger forward Joey Dorsey, at the start of Monday's practice.
It was a wonderfully naive and complicated question.
Nobody "hates" Memphis. That's paranoia talking. But nobody gave the Tigers a shot to do what they're doing, either. And nobody quite knows what to make of it.
So even though it seemed inevitable that the Tigers would be ranked No. 1 in Monday's polls after North Carolina's loss to Maryland over the weekend, the players and coaches waited and wondered.
"If we are No. 1, they don't want us to be," said Memphis guard Antonio Anderson.
They? Who is they?
"Everybody," he said. "Just everybody. Everybody in general."
Calipari talked ominously about hanging chads and recounts.
"It may be a split," he said. "I'm not sure that won't happen."
Except, of course, it didn't happen.
The USA Today/ESPN coaches poll came out first:
1. Memphis.
The AP poll came out next:
1. Memphis.
In the coaches poll, Memphis had 21 first-place votes to 10 for Kansas. In the AP poll, Memphis had 49 first-place votes to 23 for Kansas.
"I'm stunned," said Calipari. "I thought it would be really close."
They love you, John. They really love you.
Mind you, Calipari isn't about to believe this or anything, or breathe a word of it to his players.
Remember that question from Dorsey? The one about why everyone hates Memphis?
"You're not supposed to win," Calipari said. "You're not North Carolina, you're not UCLA. You're not supposed to be up there with all those guys. And on top of that, they didn't recruit you."
Long pause.
"But don't play angry," Calipari said. "There's a fine line between anger and fear. That's why I've never talked about us against the world."
Ahhhhh, so that's why.
It was something to see, and something to hear, this adjustment to the glorious new reality.
The coaching staff talked about the responsibility that comes with being No. 1. The players interpreted it as only they knew how.
"We have to go out," said Allen, "and kill everybody."
To reach Geoff Calkins, call him at 529-2364 or e-mail calkins@commercialappeal.com
Jeff Goodman - GIVING KANSAS THE EDGE
College Hoop Blog: Good 'N Plenty
by: goodmanonfox
GIVING KANSAS THE EDGE
Jan 21, 2008 | 11:57AM | report this I’ve already received a plethora of negative feedback regarding my thoughts Saturday that Kansas should be No. 1 in the country.
It’s not that I feel that Memphis isn’t worthy at all of the top ranking. I just feel that the Jayhawks are the more dangerous team and give them the slight edge.
I’m not alone, either. USC coach Tim Floyd has faced – and lost to – both clubs.
"UCLA and Kansas are the two best teams in the country,” Floyd said. “Kansas shoots it a little better than Memphis and they have more depth on the frontline.”
My take is that Kansas has more guys that can hurt you, is more effective defensively – and also is a better perimeter scoring team than Memphis.
Chris Douglas Roberts is shooting the ball extremely well from three-point range, but let’s face it: He’s not as good of a shooter as the numbers indicate.
Mario Chalmers is the only shooter on either team who can consistently make shots from long distance.
The Jayhawks don’t have a Joey Dorsey, but Sasha Kaun has been terrific defensively coming off the bench – and Darnell Jackson has made a dramatic improvement this season.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Memphis takes over top spot in men's hoops poll
Memphis takes over top spot in men's hoops poll
By Craig Bennett, USA TODAY
The state of college men's basketball in the state of Tennessee is definitely on the rise.
After a weekend of upsets throughout the Top 10, Memphis supplanted North Carolina atop the USA TODAY/ESPN coaches' poll released Monday. And the University of Tennessee is in the top five for the first time in seven seasons.
The Tigers (17-0) rose to the No. 1 spot for the first time since USA TODAY began administering the coaches' poll in the 1991-92 season. They had 21 of the 31 first-place votes and were second on the other 10 ballots.
Kansas, at 18-0 the only other unbeaten men's team in Division I, grabbed the other 10 first-place votes. The No. 2 Jayhawks are followed by Duke, North Carolina and Tennessee.
UNC, which was atop the rankings for the last seven weeks, suffered its first loss of the season Saturday 82-80 at home to Maryland.
For the Vols (16-1), the No. 5 ranking is their best since they were fifth during the same week of the 2001 season. Tennessee was as high as No. 4 earlier that season. Propelling the Vols' rise was an 80-60 win last week against another in-state rival, then-No. 14 Vanderbilt.
Should Memphis and UT maintain their rankings, it would set up a huge showdown Feb. 23 in Memphis.
UCLA, Georgetown and Texas A&M were the other Top 10 teams to drop this week after losses. UCLA dropped three spots to seventh, Georgetown three spots to ninth and A&M — which lost twice — seven spots to 16th.
New to the rankings this week: No. 21 Stanford, No. 23 Drake and No. 24 Saint Mary's.
Drake (16-1), on a 15-game winning streak and alone atop the Missouri Valley Conference under first-year coach Keno Davis, has the school's first ranking since the end of the 1974-75 season. The Bulldogs had gone without a winning season for 22 years until finishing 2006-07 at 17-15.
Stanford and Saint Mary's had appearances in the Top 25 earlier this season. The Cardinal (15-3) is coming off a 67-52 win against then-No. 25 Arizona State that knocked the Sun Devils from the rankings.
By Craig Bennett, USA TODAY
The state of college men's basketball in the state of Tennessee is definitely on the rise.
After a weekend of upsets throughout the Top 10, Memphis supplanted North Carolina atop the USA TODAY/ESPN coaches' poll released Monday. And the University of Tennessee is in the top five for the first time in seven seasons.
The Tigers (17-0) rose to the No. 1 spot for the first time since USA TODAY began administering the coaches' poll in the 1991-92 season. They had 21 of the 31 first-place votes and were second on the other 10 ballots.
Kansas, at 18-0 the only other unbeaten men's team in Division I, grabbed the other 10 first-place votes. The No. 2 Jayhawks are followed by Duke, North Carolina and Tennessee.
UNC, which was atop the rankings for the last seven weeks, suffered its first loss of the season Saturday 82-80 at home to Maryland.
For the Vols (16-1), the No. 5 ranking is their best since they were fifth during the same week of the 2001 season. Tennessee was as high as No. 4 earlier that season. Propelling the Vols' rise was an 80-60 win last week against another in-state rival, then-No. 14 Vanderbilt.
Should Memphis and UT maintain their rankings, it would set up a huge showdown Feb. 23 in Memphis.
UCLA, Georgetown and Texas A&M were the other Top 10 teams to drop this week after losses. UCLA dropped three spots to seventh, Georgetown three spots to ninth and A&M — which lost twice — seven spots to 16th.
New to the rankings this week: No. 21 Stanford, No. 23 Drake and No. 24 Saint Mary's.
Drake (16-1), on a 15-game winning streak and alone atop the Missouri Valley Conference under first-year coach Keno Davis, has the school's first ranking since the end of the 1974-75 season. The Bulldogs had gone without a winning season for 22 years until finishing 2006-07 at 17-15.
Stanford and Saint Mary's had appearances in the Top 25 earlier this season. The Cardinal (15-3) is coming off a 67-52 win against then-No. 25 Arizona State that knocked the Sun Devils from the rankings.
Boston Globe - Giving his all at Memphis
Giving his all at Memphis
By Julian Benbow
Boston Globe Staff / January 20, 2008
The University of Memphis men's basketball team was in this situation last year, only the stakes were higher.
The Tigers had a 24-game winning streak that extended all the way to their Elite Eight matchup against Ohio State.
In Antonio Anderson's eyes, none of those wins mattered as much as that loss.
"We were a very good team last year," said the junior guard. "Unfortunately we lost to a great team, who had three first-round picks [in the NBA draft]. There's nothing you could do; they were the better team that day. Guys learned from that experience, and hopefully if we get a chance to get there again guys can use their experience for the better for us."
The Tigers are streaking again this season. It's habitual. They started the season with 15 straight wins.
"Last year in the tournament, they weren't predicting us to win any games, so there wasn't any pressure," said 6-foot-6,, 210-pound Anderson, who turned four years at Lynn Tech plus time at a couple of prep schools into a role as a starter for the nation's second-ranked squad.
"Now it's still no pressure. We're just going out and playing game by game. We don't worry about the record or the streak or anything. We just take it game by game and go from there."
The Tigers dropped Oklahoma early, and UConn long before the Huskies collapsed against Gonzaga. They edged out O.J. Mayo's USC Trojans, 62-58, in their closest game of the year. Then they made games against No. 4 Georgetown and No. 18 Arizona look like open gym, pulling off two wins within a week of each other and making them look casual.
A defensive stopper, Anderson is averaging 6.9 points and 3.5 assists per game. His numbers are down from last season when he led the team in assists. But the team on the whole is up, and playing games like the ones they have already can only help.
"When you play a bunch of good teams who are all going to be in the NCAA tournament, that makes you ready for big games as well. You play against different styles and different types of players, and that means you have to adjust to every team you play."
Experts at a certain four-letter network will talk about the fact that all of those wins came on the Tigers' home court, except for the Oklahoma and UConn games, which were at neutral sites. They'll talk about the quality of Conference USA. But mostly they're talking about how all those things could work in their favor if the Tigers are trying to run the table.
Which, of course, they aren't. Not necessarily at least, Anderson said.
"We just want to focus," he said. "We're out here trying to continue doing what we've been doing since preseason. Guys are just buying into what coach is talking about. Just worry about defending."
By Julian Benbow
Boston Globe Staff / January 20, 2008
The University of Memphis men's basketball team was in this situation last year, only the stakes were higher.
The Tigers had a 24-game winning streak that extended all the way to their Elite Eight matchup against Ohio State.
In Antonio Anderson's eyes, none of those wins mattered as much as that loss.
"We were a very good team last year," said the junior guard. "Unfortunately we lost to a great team, who had three first-round picks [in the NBA draft]. There's nothing you could do; they were the better team that day. Guys learned from that experience, and hopefully if we get a chance to get there again guys can use their experience for the better for us."
The Tigers are streaking again this season. It's habitual. They started the season with 15 straight wins.
"Last year in the tournament, they weren't predicting us to win any games, so there wasn't any pressure," said 6-foot-6,, 210-pound Anderson, who turned four years at Lynn Tech plus time at a couple of prep schools into a role as a starter for the nation's second-ranked squad.
"Now it's still no pressure. We're just going out and playing game by game. We don't worry about the record or the streak or anything. We just take it game by game and go from there."
The Tigers dropped Oklahoma early, and UConn long before the Huskies collapsed against Gonzaga. They edged out O.J. Mayo's USC Trojans, 62-58, in their closest game of the year. Then they made games against No. 4 Georgetown and No. 18 Arizona look like open gym, pulling off two wins within a week of each other and making them look casual.
A defensive stopper, Anderson is averaging 6.9 points and 3.5 assists per game. His numbers are down from last season when he led the team in assists. But the team on the whole is up, and playing games like the ones they have already can only help.
"When you play a bunch of good teams who are all going to be in the NCAA tournament, that makes you ready for big games as well. You play against different styles and different types of players, and that means you have to adjust to every team you play."
Experts at a certain four-letter network will talk about the fact that all of those wins came on the Tigers' home court, except for the Oklahoma and UConn games, which were at neutral sites. They'll talk about the quality of Conference USA. But mostly they're talking about how all those things could work in their favor if the Tigers are trying to run the table.
Which, of course, they aren't. Not necessarily at least, Anderson said.
"We just want to focus," he said. "We're out here trying to continue doing what we've been doing since preseason. Guys are just buying into what coach is talking about. Just worry about defending."
No. 2 Memphis Remains Undefeated
No. 2 Memphis Remains Undefeated
AP
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 19 points and Derrick Rose added 13 to help No. 2 Memphis stake its claim to the nation's top spot with an 83-47 victory over Southern Mississippi on Saturday night.
Douglas-Roberts, the Tigers' leading scorer with a 16.3 average, connected on 7-of-10, including both shots outside the arc, as Memphis (17-0, 4-0 Conference USA) won its 42nd straight home game and extended its streak of consecutive league wins to 27. Doneal Mack added 12 points, missing only one of his five shots from 3-point range.
Southern Mississippi (9-9, 1-3) lost its second straight and has dropped six of its last seven.
With top-ranked North Carolina's 82-80 loss to Maryland earlier Saturday, Memphis is poised to move into the No. 1 spot next week. The only time the Tigers were previously ranked No. 1 was in 1983. They moved into the top spot on Jan. 10, but lost at Virginia Tech that same night and dropped to No. 6 the next week.
With about 3 minutes left on Saturday night, the Memphis crowd began chanting, "We're No. 1. We're No. 1" as the Tigers built the lead to 39 points. Even Memphis coach John Calipari stood and clapped with the crowd adding a little hip-shake dance.
Memphis and Kansas are the only undefeated teams left in the country.
Jeremy Wise and R.L. Horton led Southern Miss with 9 points apiece. Andre Stephens had 10 rebounds for the Golden Eagles.
The Tigers held Southern Miss to 26 percent shooting for the game, including 0-for-14 on 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Memphis shot 52 percent and had only five turnovers.
AP
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 19 points and Derrick Rose added 13 to help No. 2 Memphis stake its claim to the nation's top spot with an 83-47 victory over Southern Mississippi on Saturday night.
Douglas-Roberts, the Tigers' leading scorer with a 16.3 average, connected on 7-of-10, including both shots outside the arc, as Memphis (17-0, 4-0 Conference USA) won its 42nd straight home game and extended its streak of consecutive league wins to 27. Doneal Mack added 12 points, missing only one of his five shots from 3-point range.
Southern Mississippi (9-9, 1-3) lost its second straight and has dropped six of its last seven.
With top-ranked North Carolina's 82-80 loss to Maryland earlier Saturday, Memphis is poised to move into the No. 1 spot next week. The only time the Tigers were previously ranked No. 1 was in 1983. They moved into the top spot on Jan. 10, but lost at Virginia Tech that same night and dropped to No. 6 the next week.
With about 3 minutes left on Saturday night, the Memphis crowd began chanting, "We're No. 1. We're No. 1" as the Tigers built the lead to 39 points. Even Memphis coach John Calipari stood and clapped with the crowd adding a little hip-shake dance.
Memphis and Kansas are the only undefeated teams left in the country.
Jeremy Wise and R.L. Horton led Southern Miss with 9 points apiece. Andre Stephens had 10 rebounds for the Golden Eagles.
The Tigers held Southern Miss to 26 percent shooting for the game, including 0-for-14 on 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Memphis shot 52 percent and had only five turnovers.
Geoff Caulkins - It's going to be a Blue Monday for the 'little team in Memphis'
It's going to be a Blue Monday for the 'little team in Memphis'
By Geoff Calkins
Sunday, January 20, 2008
The cheer started with two minutes left, loud and exultant and certain.
"We're No. 1!
"We're No. 1!
"We're No. 1!"
And they are, too. Or will be when the AP poll is released Monday.
The Memphis Tigers hammered Southern Miss Saturday, 83-47, on a night that was part basketball game, part civic celebration. For only the second time in 87 seasons of basketball, Memphis will be ranked No. 1 in the country.
That's ahead of North Carolina and ahead of UCLA and ahead of, well, everyone.
Memphis coach John Calipari was so tickled he did a little jig as the clock ran down.
"We told him after the game, 'Don't do that again, Coach,'" said center Joey Dorsey.
But just this once, you could understand it.
"This is the third year they're saying this little team in Memphis is not that good," Dorsey said.
Except the little team down in Memphis doesn't ever seem to lose. Which is more than the big team over in North Carolina can say.
North Carolina has been ranked No. 1 since the start of the year. The Tar Heels were 19-point favorites over Maryland Saturday. But when Maryland took a 41-35 at the half, fans all over Memphis started to pay attention.
Maryland built the lead to 11; North Carolina came back to tie.
Maryland took the lead again; North Carolina had one last chance.
The ball went to all-American Tyler Hansbrough. He let it fly and -- Tiger hearts stood still -- missed it.
"There will be a new No. 1," said Brent Musberger, in the way that only he can.
In the R.C. Johnson household, the phones went crazy.
"The moment the game ended, my phone rang, Melba's phone rang and our home phone rang," said Johnson.
First thought: Woo-hoo!
Second thought: History can't repeat, can it?
On Jan. 10, 1983, Memphis rose to No. 1 -- and went out that night and lost to Virginia Tech at Blacksburg.
Three years later, the Tigers were in position to ascend to No. 1 once again after a loss by of No. 1 -- how's this for symmetry? -- North Carolina.
Sure enough, Memphis blew it again, losing another game to Virginia Tech at Blacksburg.
So the fans filed into FedExForum Saturday expectant but cautious, too, jubilant but wary.
Southern Miss always plays Memphis tough, right? And the North Carolina-Maryland upset proved that anything can happen in a basketball game.
Unless the Tigers are playing, evidently. Say what you want about Memphis' junky conference schedule, but the team never loses to teams it's supposed to beat.
The Tigers haven't lost to a non-tournament team since March 2, 2005, when St. Louis beat them. Just last season, Kansas lost to DePaul, Georgetown lost to Old Dominion and North Carolina lost to three -- three! -- non-tournament teams.
The Tigers don't have that kind of slip-up; indeed they can't afford to.
They just go out and win. And win. And win. And if it's so dang easy, why don't other teams try it?
Saturday's game wasn't pretty or anything, starting with another television debacle. Local viewers couldn't watch the start of the Memphis game on CSS-TV because New Orleans-MTSU went into overtime.
That's right, Memphis fans couldn't watch their team play for history because of New Orleans-MTSU. And people still think it's rude to point out that C-USA is a joke of a conference?
In a certain way, it makes the No. 1 ranking all that much more impressive. Surrounded by bunglers, the Tigers muster brilliance.
Southern Miss tried gamely Saturday. Memphis led just 14-12 eight minutes in. Then the Tigers went on one of their ridiculous runs. By halftime, the score 44-23, it was all over but the AP voting.
And yes, this being Memphis, there is some paranoia over how that might go. Memphis was No. 2 in last week's poll; Kansas was No. 3. Could voters leap Kansas over Memphis?
Theoretically, sure. But a close look at last week's poll makes it seem wildly unlikely.
Twenty-four voters had Memphis No. 1 last week; only three had Kansas No. 1.
Even more tellingly, of the 45 voters who had North Carolina No. 1 last week -- and who will presumably be looking for a new No. 1 team -- 34 had Memphis No. 2, compared to 11 for Kansas.
So Memphis will be No. 1 come Monday, just like the crowd was saying.
"We're No. 1!"
"We're No. 1!"
It's hard not to like that sound of that.
To reach Geoff Calkins, call him at 529-2364 or e-mail calkins@commercial appeal.com. You can hear his radio show, "The Geoff & Gary Show," from 7 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday on ESPN 730.
By Geoff Calkins
Sunday, January 20, 2008
The cheer started with two minutes left, loud and exultant and certain.
"We're No. 1!
"We're No. 1!
"We're No. 1!"
And they are, too. Or will be when the AP poll is released Monday.
The Memphis Tigers hammered Southern Miss Saturday, 83-47, on a night that was part basketball game, part civic celebration. For only the second time in 87 seasons of basketball, Memphis will be ranked No. 1 in the country.
That's ahead of North Carolina and ahead of UCLA and ahead of, well, everyone.
Memphis coach John Calipari was so tickled he did a little jig as the clock ran down.
"We told him after the game, 'Don't do that again, Coach,'" said center Joey Dorsey.
But just this once, you could understand it.
"This is the third year they're saying this little team in Memphis is not that good," Dorsey said.
Except the little team down in Memphis doesn't ever seem to lose. Which is more than the big team over in North Carolina can say.
North Carolina has been ranked No. 1 since the start of the year. The Tar Heels were 19-point favorites over Maryland Saturday. But when Maryland took a 41-35 at the half, fans all over Memphis started to pay attention.
Maryland built the lead to 11; North Carolina came back to tie.
Maryland took the lead again; North Carolina had one last chance.
The ball went to all-American Tyler Hansbrough. He let it fly and -- Tiger hearts stood still -- missed it.
"There will be a new No. 1," said Brent Musberger, in the way that only he can.
In the R.C. Johnson household, the phones went crazy.
"The moment the game ended, my phone rang, Melba's phone rang and our home phone rang," said Johnson.
First thought: Woo-hoo!
Second thought: History can't repeat, can it?
On Jan. 10, 1983, Memphis rose to No. 1 -- and went out that night and lost to Virginia Tech at Blacksburg.
Three years later, the Tigers were in position to ascend to No. 1 once again after a loss by of No. 1 -- how's this for symmetry? -- North Carolina.
Sure enough, Memphis blew it again, losing another game to Virginia Tech at Blacksburg.
So the fans filed into FedExForum Saturday expectant but cautious, too, jubilant but wary.
Southern Miss always plays Memphis tough, right? And the North Carolina-Maryland upset proved that anything can happen in a basketball game.
Unless the Tigers are playing, evidently. Say what you want about Memphis' junky conference schedule, but the team never loses to teams it's supposed to beat.
The Tigers haven't lost to a non-tournament team since March 2, 2005, when St. Louis beat them. Just last season, Kansas lost to DePaul, Georgetown lost to Old Dominion and North Carolina lost to three -- three! -- non-tournament teams.
The Tigers don't have that kind of slip-up; indeed they can't afford to.
They just go out and win. And win. And win. And if it's so dang easy, why don't other teams try it?
Saturday's game wasn't pretty or anything, starting with another television debacle. Local viewers couldn't watch the start of the Memphis game on CSS-TV because New Orleans-MTSU went into overtime.
That's right, Memphis fans couldn't watch their team play for history because of New Orleans-MTSU. And people still think it's rude to point out that C-USA is a joke of a conference?
In a certain way, it makes the No. 1 ranking all that much more impressive. Surrounded by bunglers, the Tigers muster brilliance.
Southern Miss tried gamely Saturday. Memphis led just 14-12 eight minutes in. Then the Tigers went on one of their ridiculous runs. By halftime, the score 44-23, it was all over but the AP voting.
And yes, this being Memphis, there is some paranoia over how that might go. Memphis was No. 2 in last week's poll; Kansas was No. 3. Could voters leap Kansas over Memphis?
Theoretically, sure. But a close look at last week's poll makes it seem wildly unlikely.
Twenty-four voters had Memphis No. 1 last week; only three had Kansas No. 1.
Even more tellingly, of the 45 voters who had North Carolina No. 1 last week -- and who will presumably be looking for a new No. 1 team -- 34 had Memphis No. 2, compared to 11 for Kansas.
So Memphis will be No. 1 come Monday, just like the crowd was saying.
"We're No. 1!"
"We're No. 1!"
It's hard not to like that sound of that.
To reach Geoff Calkins, call him at 529-2364 or e-mail calkins@commercial appeal.com. You can hear his radio show, "The Geoff & Gary Show," from 7 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday on ESPN 730.
Can USM beat Memphis?
Can USM beat Memphis?
BY PATRICK MAGEE • HATTIESBURG AMERICAN • JANUARY 19, 2008
HATTIESBURG - When most fans and experts think of Conference USA basketball, only one school comes to mind: the University of Memphis.
The undefeated Tigers have earned every bit of that attention, considering they enter today's game against Southern Miss ranked No. 2 nationally and sporting a 26-game winning streak against C-USA teams.
"I get tired of hearing about (Memphis)," said USM guard Courtney Beasley. "They just have to be beaten before all that stuff can stop."
But can USM beat the Tigers?
Can anyone?
Not many people give the Golden Eagles, who are 22.5-point underdogs, a chance in tonight's game at the FedEx Forum.
ESPN analyst Steve Lavin, speaking earlier this week on the cable network's late-night college basketball recap show, listed five potential stumbling blocks as the Tigers chase an undefeated regular season, chief among them a February non-conference game against sixth-ranked Tennessee.
He didn't mention USM, the Tigers' next opponent.
USM coach Larry Eustachy is among those who don't see Memphis as invincible.
At the same time, Eustachy stopped far short from predicting an upset tonight.
"They'll get beat, mark my word," Eustachy said. "It will be good for the conference because we don't get the recognition we should get because Memphis is so highly ranked. This is a tough league and it's very well-coached. I think they'll get beat, but it will have to be on the road."
The Golden Eagles (9-8, 1-2 C-USA) have won just one of their last six games.
But if last year's two games with Memphis are any indication of what will happen, it could be a tight affair. The Golden Eagles lost to Memphis at home 75-62 and nearly pulled off the upset in the River City, taking the Tigers to the final minute before falling 67-64.
Chris Douglas-Roberts, who will be Beasley's responsibility on defense, is the biggest threat in the backcourt for the Tigers, averaging 16.3 points while shooting 50 percent on 3-pointers.
On Wednesday, UAB's Robert Vaden poured in 33 points in a 72-65 victory over USM.
"I have to redeem myself," Beasley said. "(Vaden) did a little too much against me."
A win over Memphis (16-0, 3-0) would be a huge boost for any Conference USA team.
"I think it would be terrific," Eustachy said. "In the long term, I don't know if it would change the program. It would be a great win to get people excited.
"We have to keep growing as a program, which I think we're doing. We're better than the first year, better than the second year, better than the third year and we're better than last year. So it would be nice and it would pump a little energy into the program. I just have to continue to recruit and work with these players."
Memphis reached the Elite Eight last season, falling to eventual NCAA runner-up Ohio State. Eustachy believes the team taking the floor today is even better.
"(Freshman guard Derrick) Rose is a huge help and (transfer forward Shawn) Taggart helps," Eustachy said. "That's what makes them clearly better. Guys like Antonio Anderson and Douglas-Roberts are better than they were last season."
Eustachy sees national championship potential in John Calipari's team, but they have weaknesses.
"When they get in the halfcourt game, they're not great shooters," Eustachy said. "There comes a time when you meet your match from the athleticism and experience standpoint when you have to be able to shoot. I'm not sure about that. That could be their Achilles' heel."
A packed FedEx Forum will be waiting for the Golden Eagles, but the homecourt advantage isn't a huge concern for Eustachy and his players.
"I don't think it's a tough place to play," Eustachy said. "I've taken teams into Phog Allen Fieldhouse (at Kansas) and beat them twice in a row. That's a tough place to play."
Contact Patrick Magee at pmagee@hattiesburgamerican.com.
BY PATRICK MAGEE • HATTIESBURG AMERICAN • JANUARY 19, 2008
HATTIESBURG - When most fans and experts think of Conference USA basketball, only one school comes to mind: the University of Memphis.
The undefeated Tigers have earned every bit of that attention, considering they enter today's game against Southern Miss ranked No. 2 nationally and sporting a 26-game winning streak against C-USA teams.
"I get tired of hearing about (Memphis)," said USM guard Courtney Beasley. "They just have to be beaten before all that stuff can stop."
But can USM beat the Tigers?
Can anyone?
Not many people give the Golden Eagles, who are 22.5-point underdogs, a chance in tonight's game at the FedEx Forum.
ESPN analyst Steve Lavin, speaking earlier this week on the cable network's late-night college basketball recap show, listed five potential stumbling blocks as the Tigers chase an undefeated regular season, chief among them a February non-conference game against sixth-ranked Tennessee.
He didn't mention USM, the Tigers' next opponent.
USM coach Larry Eustachy is among those who don't see Memphis as invincible.
At the same time, Eustachy stopped far short from predicting an upset tonight.
"They'll get beat, mark my word," Eustachy said. "It will be good for the conference because we don't get the recognition we should get because Memphis is so highly ranked. This is a tough league and it's very well-coached. I think they'll get beat, but it will have to be on the road."
The Golden Eagles (9-8, 1-2 C-USA) have won just one of their last six games.
But if last year's two games with Memphis are any indication of what will happen, it could be a tight affair. The Golden Eagles lost to Memphis at home 75-62 and nearly pulled off the upset in the River City, taking the Tigers to the final minute before falling 67-64.
Chris Douglas-Roberts, who will be Beasley's responsibility on defense, is the biggest threat in the backcourt for the Tigers, averaging 16.3 points while shooting 50 percent on 3-pointers.
On Wednesday, UAB's Robert Vaden poured in 33 points in a 72-65 victory over USM.
"I have to redeem myself," Beasley said. "(Vaden) did a little too much against me."
A win over Memphis (16-0, 3-0) would be a huge boost for any Conference USA team.
"I think it would be terrific," Eustachy said. "In the long term, I don't know if it would change the program. It would be a great win to get people excited.
"We have to keep growing as a program, which I think we're doing. We're better than the first year, better than the second year, better than the third year and we're better than last year. So it would be nice and it would pump a little energy into the program. I just have to continue to recruit and work with these players."
Memphis reached the Elite Eight last season, falling to eventual NCAA runner-up Ohio State. Eustachy believes the team taking the floor today is even better.
"(Freshman guard Derrick) Rose is a huge help and (transfer forward Shawn) Taggart helps," Eustachy said. "That's what makes them clearly better. Guys like Antonio Anderson and Douglas-Roberts are better than they were last season."
Eustachy sees national championship potential in John Calipari's team, but they have weaknesses.
"When they get in the halfcourt game, they're not great shooters," Eustachy said. "There comes a time when you meet your match from the athleticism and experience standpoint when you have to be able to shoot. I'm not sure about that. That could be their Achilles' heel."
A packed FedEx Forum will be waiting for the Golden Eagles, but the homecourt advantage isn't a huge concern for Eustachy and his players.
"I don't think it's a tough place to play," Eustachy said. "I've taken teams into Phog Allen Fieldhouse (at Kansas) and beat them twice in a row. That's a tough place to play."
Contact Patrick Magee at pmagee@hattiesburgamerican.com.
LA Times - Pepperdine basketball coach quits
Pepperdine basketball coach quits
Vance Walberg cites 'family issues' but had been under scrutiny by the university for his treatment of players.
By Robyn Norwood and Peter Yoon, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
January 18, 2008
Pepperdine Coach Vance Walberg resigned abruptly Thursday for what he and Athletic Director John Watson called personal and family reasons, although Pepperdine recently questioned the basketball players about Walberg's treatment of them.
Watson said Walberg had made "mistakes in judgment" that included derogatory remarks toward players and last season made a player suck his thumb during practice for acting like "a baby."
Watson called that situation "inappropriate" but said he did not believe Walberg's actions rose to the level of abuse and said he had not been facing action by the school.
"Vance said he is dealing with family issues and he simply couldn't deal with both," Watson said. "I can assure you part of his frustration was trying to bring the team together."
Pepperdine is 6-12 this season and 0-2 in the West Coast Conference after a 92-57 loss to Gonzaga on Monday. Walberg finished 8-23 in his first season at the school last year.
Assistant coach Eric Bridgeland will take over the team as interim coach.
"I think it's a complete shock," said Bridgeland, previously the head coach at Puget Sound and UC Santa Cruz, both Division III schools.
Bridgeland called the players "resilient young men" and said none had told him they planned to leave the program. He had not yet met with Walberg's son, Jason, a senior on the team.
Watson said Walberg's decision took him by surprise Thursday morning, although Watson had met with players recently after receiving a phone call raising questions about Walberg's treatment of them.
"I took it very seriously," Watson said. "I talked to the coaches and I spoke with every player."
According to Watson, players said Walberg had made "a couple of derogatory comments toward players" and had apologized. The player involved in the thumb-sucking incident is no longer at the school, Watson said.
The basketball staff also committed two minor NCAA violations, considered "isolated or inadvertent" under NCAA guidelines, but Watson said the violations were unrelated to Walberg's resignation.
Walberg did not return messages to his cellphone but issued a statement.
"It just comes down to what I need to do personally and what's best for my family," he said. "We've got some really good kids on this team and I wish them well."
Pepperdine players were not at the news conference and a spokesman said they would not be made available.
Terry Tucker, the father of players Rico and Tyler Tucker -- and the high school coach of freshman players Tyrone Shelley and Malcolm Thomas from San Diego Crawford High -- said he had been concerned about the situation.
"I just know my boys were unhappy with some of the things Coach Walberg said," said Tucker, now coach at San Ysidro High. " . . . Just from a coaching standpoint, you just don't hear that anymore. Nobody wants to send their children to Bob Knight, other than the 800 wins."
Former Laker Mychal Thompson, whose son Mychel is a freshman on the team, said he had been "unaware of any turmoil or dissension."
"He was disappointed because he liked Coach Walberg," Thompson said. "I've been on teams where the players and coach feuded. Guys get mad. To me, that's part of being a team."
Walberg, who had great success at Fresno City College, is widely known for the offensive system he called Attack- Attack-Skip-Attack-Attack, which has been adapted by Memphis Coach John Calipari, among others. Yet since arriving at Pepperdine, Walberg had dealt with player defections and the team's struggles.
"The last three or four weeks, he just said, 'It's not what I expected it to be,' " said Calipari, who spoke to Walberg by phone Thursday. "I said, 'You've got to give it time.'
"He was just so unhappy with how it was all playing out."
robyn.norwood@latimes.com
peter.yoon@latimes.com
Vance Walberg cites 'family issues' but had been under scrutiny by the university for his treatment of players.
By Robyn Norwood and Peter Yoon, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
January 18, 2008
Pepperdine Coach Vance Walberg resigned abruptly Thursday for what he and Athletic Director John Watson called personal and family reasons, although Pepperdine recently questioned the basketball players about Walberg's treatment of them.
Watson said Walberg had made "mistakes in judgment" that included derogatory remarks toward players and last season made a player suck his thumb during practice for acting like "a baby."
Watson called that situation "inappropriate" but said he did not believe Walberg's actions rose to the level of abuse and said he had not been facing action by the school.
"Vance said he is dealing with family issues and he simply couldn't deal with both," Watson said. "I can assure you part of his frustration was trying to bring the team together."
Pepperdine is 6-12 this season and 0-2 in the West Coast Conference after a 92-57 loss to Gonzaga on Monday. Walberg finished 8-23 in his first season at the school last year.
Assistant coach Eric Bridgeland will take over the team as interim coach.
"I think it's a complete shock," said Bridgeland, previously the head coach at Puget Sound and UC Santa Cruz, both Division III schools.
Bridgeland called the players "resilient young men" and said none had told him they planned to leave the program. He had not yet met with Walberg's son, Jason, a senior on the team.
Watson said Walberg's decision took him by surprise Thursday morning, although Watson had met with players recently after receiving a phone call raising questions about Walberg's treatment of them.
"I took it very seriously," Watson said. "I talked to the coaches and I spoke with every player."
According to Watson, players said Walberg had made "a couple of derogatory comments toward players" and had apologized. The player involved in the thumb-sucking incident is no longer at the school, Watson said.
The basketball staff also committed two minor NCAA violations, considered "isolated or inadvertent" under NCAA guidelines, but Watson said the violations were unrelated to Walberg's resignation.
Walberg did not return messages to his cellphone but issued a statement.
"It just comes down to what I need to do personally and what's best for my family," he said. "We've got some really good kids on this team and I wish them well."
Pepperdine players were not at the news conference and a spokesman said they would not be made available.
Terry Tucker, the father of players Rico and Tyler Tucker -- and the high school coach of freshman players Tyrone Shelley and Malcolm Thomas from San Diego Crawford High -- said he had been concerned about the situation.
"I just know my boys were unhappy with some of the things Coach Walberg said," said Tucker, now coach at San Ysidro High. " . . . Just from a coaching standpoint, you just don't hear that anymore. Nobody wants to send their children to Bob Knight, other than the 800 wins."
Former Laker Mychal Thompson, whose son Mychel is a freshman on the team, said he had been "unaware of any turmoil or dissension."
"He was disappointed because he liked Coach Walberg," Thompson said. "I've been on teams where the players and coach feuded. Guys get mad. To me, that's part of being a team."
Walberg, who had great success at Fresno City College, is widely known for the offensive system he called Attack- Attack-Skip-Attack-Attack, which has been adapted by Memphis Coach John Calipari, among others. Yet since arriving at Pepperdine, Walberg had dealt with player defections and the team's struggles.
"The last three or four weeks, he just said, 'It's not what I expected it to be,' " said Calipari, who spoke to Walberg by phone Thursday. "I said, 'You've got to give it time.'
"He was just so unhappy with how it was all playing out."
robyn.norwood@latimes.com
peter.yoon@latimes.com
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