Memphis Tigers Basketball

Because of the Memphis Tigers, I owe my wife a hug, a kiss, and an apology tonight.

Don’t get the wrong idea, now. I didn’t beat her, curse her, or so much as say an unkind word to her. I love her too much for that.

I just didn’t say anything at all.

After the Missouri Tigers beat my beloved Memphis Tigers, 102-91, I just sat there, staring blankly at the images flickering on a 60” screen, ubiquitous laptop waiting for my attention, with my detailed game notes still opened to the page with the last entry:

“Mack misses right wing trey, Mizzou DR (defensive rebound)

91-102”

I can’t even begin to tell you how long I sat there like that. Maybe 45 minutes?

She accepts my passion for sports. She respects that for some 22 Sundays each fall and winter, I am pretty much going to be physically and emotionally unavailable from roughly noon till 11 p.m. while I’m watching NFL football.

She supports the fact that as a Memphis basketball season ticket holder, I’m going to be at the home basketball games—rain, sleet, or snow. We got married on a Friday evening; I was at the next home game about 18 hours later.

However, I don’t allow her to see all of the emotions swirling beneath such devotion to the Memphis program. It is just such an intense thing, so raw and visceral; it would be very difficult for her to understand, so I put a mute button on myself.

I’m pretty sure that she couldn’t imagine how sad I was last night. Being a man, I guess that’s how I want it (whether or not I should be that way is a debate for another occasion).

Anyway, my loving wife was on the phone with a girlfriend from out-of-town, and when she got done, she came into the living room and asked me how the game went.

She always asks me that, and I almost always say the same thing: “Oh, it went fine.”

This time, I had to compose myself and struggle with the wording that I wanted to choose. I ran through some options in my head, none of which seemed right.

With her standing there behind me, I finally blurted out, “It went alright, but I guess it could’ve been better. We lost.”

The awkward silence was her heart breaking for me.

“Oh, I’m sorry about that, honey. So what happens next?” she asked.

I was irritated, but I knew that she meant well. It did not take long at all to reply this time.

“There is no next. The season’s over.”

What happened next is what I have to apologize for. Because my wife stood there, in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room, and I didn’t even have the heart to turn and look her in the eye. I just had her locked in my peripheral vision. Neither of us knew what to say.

I wanted to use my favorite expression: “It’s okay. No biggie.”

There have been times that I was so mad at that woman that I could be prosecuted criminally if violent thoughts were against the law, only to look at her and say, “It’s okay. No biggie.”

And there have been plenty of times that I have truly meant it: “It’s okay. No biggie.”

It’s at once my way of calming myself down, putting things into perspective, while also letting her know that all things pass. It is code for, “Don’t worry about it, you [fill in the blank].”

Sometimes, that blank might be filled in with these words: “didn’t mean to mess that up.”

Sometimes, it might be appropriate to use this expression: “didn’t mean any harm.”

Or maybe this is the way to complete the sentence: “didn’t know any better.”

But most of the time—maybe 60 or 70 percent of the time—I fill in the blank in my mind with this phrase: “did your best.”

With all that said, as I sat there staring into space, not believing that the Memphis Tigers season had come to a crashing conclusion, I was having a very difficult time processing my feelings.

I just let my wife stand there, until she finally dismissed herself by saying: “Well, just let me know if you need anything.”

What I needed, though, she could not give.

I needed to make peace with what had happened. I needed to realize that none of the emotions that I was feeling were supposed to be about me.

It was supposed to be about the Memphis Tigers players and coaching staff.

If someone had told me before the season started, "The Memphis Tigers will go 33-4, be undefeated in conference play and the conference tourney again, win 27 games in a row (the longest win streak in the nation), and lose to a very experienced, very strong Missouri team in the Sweet 16," I would have been ecstatic to take it.

Any sane Memphis fan would have been happy to take it.

It would mean that the seniors would graduate as the winningest class in NCAA history, at 137-14.

It would mean that Tyreke Evans most likely had played up to his ridiculous expectations and be NBA-bound.

It would mean that Memphis had completed an unprecedented fourth consecutive 30-win season.

It would mean that Memphis had overcome all the doubts, insults, and slights that seem to continue to dog the program.

It would mean that Memphis fans had nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to hide from, and no more reason to explain their devotion than any other fanbase in the country.

When this tournament started, there were 344 teams hoping to participate. That means 279 teams were on the outside, looking in.

Forty-nine more teams were eliminated in the first two rounds.

That means 328 teams would have loved to even be in the Sweet 16.

So, for anyone who wants to denigrate the Memphis program—calling the kids thugs, saying the coach is a loser, or harping on the lack of competition in C-USA—you are entitled to your opinion.

Feel free to continue saying, "I told you so" or any of a dozen or so variations on that.

We Memphis fans are okay with that.

But to my wife, I want to say I am sorry that I was being so self-absorbed.

And to the Memphis Tigers players and coaches, thanks for your amazing accomplishments. You have given the entire Memphis community so much to be happy about, to be proud of.

And about Thursday night, losing while leaving it all out on the floor?

It’s okay. No biggie. Don’t worry about it. You did your best.

Two Tigers entered the University of Phoenix stadium last night. One of them left a Tiger, and the other a pussycat. Not enough talent? Nope. Poor officiating? Negative. So what is the explanation behind the Memphis thrashing that took place last night?

Lack of talent was most definitely not the reason Memphis got WORKED last night. It was a valiant effort Memphis made down the stretch against Missouri, however Memphis coach John Calipari was once again out-coached and ill-prepared. The final score is not telling of what went down last night in Glendale, AZ. Down 24 at one point, the Memphis Tigers fought back to make the mauling they received look somewhat sensible, losing 91-102.

Wait a minute, I thought Calipari’s guys played lock-down defense? How does a team known for their superior D allow 102 points?! You could credit Mizzou for controlling the rapidity of the game, but as our followers have begun to notice, we love to hate. Calipari was out-smarted and completely out-coached…surprise, surprise.

The Missouri Tigers earned their stripes, and Memphis lost them. Mizzou head coach Mike Anderson just exposed that sad excuse for a coach Memphis has. ‘John, you’ll get nothing and like it. Get your notepad out and take notes. I’m playing this game my way and you can’t do a damn thing about it.’

[Read more Memphis Tigers onslaught here...]

Coming into Thursday night's match between two-seeded Memphis and Missouri, the three seed, many thought that Missouri would need everything to go right to win the game.  As it turns out, that wasn't the case.  

Yes, Missouri played one of it's best games to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2002.  But it wasn't always pretty, surely wasn't perfect, and hey, a little luck never hurts.

After a frantic first half in which Mizzou extended a 10-point lead with just a few seconds remaining in the opening period, Marcus Denmon unloaded a (contested) prayer from just beyond the Memphis free throw line.  Somehow, the shot floated over the extended arms of the Memphis defender, through the air, and into the basket, giving the black and gold Tigers a 13-point lead at the break.

Yeah, it may have been lucky.  Do you think Phil Mickelson apologizes for sinking one from 120 yards from the hole?  Not a chance.

The fact remained that Mizzou had out-hustled, out-pressed, and out-fought Memphis in the first half.  Missouri fans have seen it before this year—a solid first half from a team capable of making any team look bad for 20 minutes.  Then, who knows in the final 20?

Missouri came out with a flurry in the second half, quickly extending it's lead to 24 points.  In some games, you can chalk up a blow-out.  Missouri fans know better.

Memphis quickly responded with nine points, cutting the lead to 15.  Robert Dozier, Tyreke Evans, and Antonio Anderson would help Memphis steadily cut the deficit with the kind of skill and precision you'd expect from Coach John Calipari's team. Evans would finish with a game-high 33 points.

By the 2:11 mark, Memphis found themselves in a two-possession game.  Down six, a good defensive stand would give them the ball back and make it anyone's game.

Except it never happened that way.

Zaire Taylor, in foul trouble early, came back to draw a shooting foul and hit both of his free throws.  

Missouri 91, Memphis 83.

Back and forth the game went over the final two minutes, but Mizzou was able to keep Memphis from getting any closer, hitting most of it's free throws down the stretch.

The fact that Mizzou was able to hit late free throws was key, especially considering it's poor FT percentage in the first half (4-10).  Missouri hit 11 of it's final 14 free throws to fend off the furious Memphis comeback.

JT Tiller had the game of his college career for Missouri, pouring in 23 points on 10-16 shooting.  Perhaps the most important stat of all, though, was his 35 minutes played.  

In a game where Mizzou coach Mike Anderson used 11 players, it was Tiller who weathered the storm, particularly in the first half.  With fellow starting guard Zaire Taylor on the bench with early foul trouble, it was Tiller who provided a spark on both ends of the floor.

Early foul trouble, poor free throw shooting in the first half, and tired players all make for a tough road to victory.  This Missouri squad showed the country what it is capable of by slicing through the Memphis defense and shooting 53 percent from the field.

Memphis, to it's credit, had it's fair share of easy baskets as well.  Both teams played disciplined offensively and held turnovers to a minimum.  It was Missouri, though, who consistently found the basket, shot slightly better from the field, and hit key free throws to end the game.

Oh yeah, and hung over 100 points on the highly-regarded Memphis defense.

Missouri 102, Memphis 91.

Up next for Missouri is UCONN in the Elite Eight round, a team who put Purdue away last night without much fanfare, but did so effectively.  

A win Saturday night would put Missouri in it's first Final Four ever.  But the pressure is on UCONN, not Mizzou.  You see, the Tigers are playing with house money.  Picked by the Big 12 coaches to finish seventh, the conference tournament champs have nothing to lose when they lace up their shoes one more time in Arizona.  UCONN will be picked to advance, and Mizzou fans would be content with an Elite Eight appearance.

As has been the case this season, that exact scenario is what has made the Tigers so dangerous.

In an entertaining, up-and-down affair, the Tigers of Missouri won the battle of the Big Cats, 102-91, over Memphis in their Sweet 16 contest in Glendale, AZ.

The early portion of the game was a back-and-forth struggle. Memphis last held the lead at 28-26 on a Roburt Sallie three-pointer with 7:56 remaining in the first half. Missouri countered with a trey of their own by Matt Lawrence to take a lead they would not relinquish, 29-28.

The Big 12 conference tournament champions closed the first half with a 23-8 blitz to open up a 13-point bulge, 49-36. The 13-point deficit was the largest the Memphis Tigers had faced all season up until that point.

The 49 points equaled or exceeded the point total Memphis had allowed in 11 contests during the 2008-’09 season.

Missouri ended the first half in a most spectacular fashion.

After a dunk by Shawn Taggart cut the Memphis deficit to 10, 46-36, Mizzou freshman Marcus Denmon raced the ball up about one-third the length of the court and lofted a rainbow just fractions of a second before the halftime buzzer.

The shot touched nothing but nylon to send Missouri to the locker room with the momentum, leaving C-USA’s Tigers to hang their heads as they trudged off the court.

Missouri kept pouring it on as the second half began. Seemingly getting hotter with every possession, the Big 12 representative roared to a 24-point lead, 64-40, on another trey by Lawrence.

This represented the Memphis Tigers’ largest deficit of the season.

After Antonio Anderson cut the deficit to 64-42 with a tough floater in the lane, and came back from the under-16 media timeout to drain the and-1 free throw to trim the deficit to 21, C-USA’s finest proceeded to slash away at their huge deficit.

When Robert Dozier drained a free throw with 14:44 remaining in the game, Memphis had scored seven points in just 1:01 and nine in a row overall to trim the gap to 64-49.

A Dozier steal was followed by a Justin Safford steal for Mizzou, which was countered by an Anderson steal in Missouri’s backcourt. That was three turnovers in eight seconds. Anderson’s driving lay-up made the count 64-51.

The teams essentially traded baskets over the next six-and-a-half minutes until Memphis could muster yet another spurt.

Facing a 15-point deficit, 83-68, Memphis managed eight points in a row over the next 2:11 to get back within seven, 83-76. With both teams in the double-bonus, the rest of the night would essentially become a free throw contest to keep Missouri in the lead.

Though Mizzou was far from perfect from the line down the stretch, they did make enough freebies to keep Memphis from drawing any closer than six points on two different occasions.

J. T. Tiller led the Missouri charge with a season-high 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting, driving to the rim virtually at will for most of the night. DeMarre Carroll supported him with 17 points and 6 rebounds.

Leo Lyons had a double-double with 15 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks, Zaire Taylor chipped in 14 points and Matt Lawrence scored 13, as Missouri placed all five starters in double figures.

Mike Anderson’s deep bench contributed 20 points, three rebounds and three assists to the victorious Mizzou effort.

Tyreke Evans had the finest game of his National Freshman of the Year campaign, scoring 33 points, snaring five rebounds, dishing four assists and collecting two steals.

Seniors Robert Dozier and Antonio Anderson finished their record-breaking careers with strong efforts, as their career record slipped to an astounding 137-14, an NCAA record for victories in a four year career. This was their third 33-4 season, after finishing 38-2 last year.

Dozier woke up in a huge way after the half to finish with 19 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, two assists and one block. Anderson managed 19 points, five rebounds and four assists, but was plagued by six turnovers and a 2-for-7 effort from the foul line.

Doneal Mack was scoreless, shooting 0-7 overall, 0-5 from three-point range and an ugly 0-4 from the free throw line. Shawn Taggart just missed a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds, while Roburt Sallie continued his hot shooting with 12 points on 3-5 shooting (all treys) and 3-of-4 at the line.

Missouri shot a scintillating 53.2 percent from the floor (33-of-62), while Memphis was not far behind at 50.7 percent (35-69). Missouri won the game at the free throw line; though the percentage was not great (66.7 percent), 30-of-45 trumped Memphis’ 18-32 showing (56.2 percent) and provided the margin of victory.

The 102 points allowed was by far a season high for Memphis. The last time they had given up more than 90 was March, 2007, in a 92-76 loss to Ohio State in an Elite 8 game. The last time Memphis yielded 100 points was way back in February of 2000, a 102-75 loss to Alabama-Birmingham.

Missouri (31-6) moves on to oppose the Connecticut Huskies in the Regional Final round. UConn advanced with a 72-60 triumph over Purdue. The winner of that game will represent the West Regional in the Final Four, to be held at Detroit’s Ford Field on April 4^th and 6^th.

Everyone assumed that the Selection Committee put Connecticut and Memphis in the same bracket so they would meet to prove who really deserved the No. 1 seed in the West region.

What they did not count on was Missouri ruining that story for everyone, as the No. 3 Mizzou Tigers defeated the Memphis Tigers 102-91 to advance to Saturday's regional final against Connecticut.

I bet no one thought Mizzou would surpass the century mark either.

Trailing 28-26 in the first, Mizzou (31-6) went on a 23-8 run, capped off by a 65-foot swish by Marcus Denmon right before the half to make it a 49-36 Mizzou lead.

It only got worse for Memphis, as the Big XII Champs opened the first four minutes of the second stanza with a 15-4 run to extend the lead to 64-40.

Memphis would not go quietly, however, as they answered with a run of their own. Memphis went on an 11-0 run to trim the lead to 64-51.

Down 83-68, Memphis went on a run again. Memphis used a 15-6 run to cut the lead to 89-83. The Tigers simply ran out of gas, and free throws doomed Memphis' hopes of returning to the Final Four this season.

J.T. Tiller scored a career-high 23 points for Mizzou on 10-16 shooting. He was one of five Mizzou Tigers to score in double figures. The starters combined for 82 of the team's 102 points.

For Memphis, Tyreke Evans, the nation's best freshman, scored a game-high 33 points in the defeat.

Fans figured they would have a battle on their hands in this one, but what they saw was nothing short of an impressive offensive performance from both Tiger teams.

Missouri advances to face the top-seeded Connecticut Huskies on Saturday at 4:40 p.m.

The Memphis Tigers ought to come with a warning label attached. Something like this:

Warning: Being a fan of the Memphis Tigers may not be suitable for your health. Persons with heart trouble, lack of patience, or thin skin need not apply.

Heart patients probably wouldn’t have survived the six point deficit with 10:02 remaining against Cal State Northridge.

The thin-skinned might have considered hara-kiri with all the pundits jumping off the "Memphis-Is-Final-Four-Bound" bandwagon.

After a dominating performance in an 89-70 defeat of Maryland, suddenly, there was precious little space on the bandwagon again.

This leads to a series of logical questions: which NCAA tournament showing represents the “real” Memphis Tigers?

Which Memphis Tiger team will show up to take on Missouri this Thursday evening?

What must Memphis do if they want to proceed to their fourth Elite Eight appearance in as many years?

We will attempt to answer these questions one at a time.

 

Which NCAA tournament showing represents the “real” Memphis Tigers?

In a word: BOTH.

No basketball team—college or professional—performs the exact same way all the time. Memphis is no different.

In general, Memphis is a long, tenacious defensive team with an above-average offense and a tremendous transition game.

At times, however, the offense stalls like a car in 10 inches of mud: the wheels keep spinning, but they’re getting nowhere fast.

Defense will have to take this Memphis team all the way.

 

Which Memphis Tiger team will show up to take on Missouri this Thursday evening?

That’s hard to say. We know the Tigers of Memphis defend as well as anybody else in the country; that’s a given.

If they make 10-of-19 from behind the arc again, forget it. Missouri will have no chance.

Memphis’ three-point shooting percentage has risen steadily from the 28 percent range in December to the current 32.9 percent mark, which is still far from earth-shaking.

However, Roburt Sallie and Doneal Mack have heated up. Each has a history as a good shooter, and both young men could easily keep up their blistering pace.

What must Memphis do if they want to proceed to their fourth Elite Eight appearance in as many years?

• Memphis must get Robert Dozier untracked early in the game. Tyreke Evans will get his shot attempts; the ball is always in his hands, after all.

Dozier, however, tends to defer far too much to him teammates at times. There are very few players in the country who can match his unique size and skillset.

Dozier needs to take full advantage of that, while simultaneously making DeMarre Carroll work hard on the defensive end of the floor and perhaps picking up some quick fouls.

• Tyreke Evans needs to do what he does best—penetrate relentlessly—while maintaining control and composure. No one in the country has the answer for Evans; when he performs poorly, it’s usually because he has taken himself out of the game.

If Tyreke commits a player control (charging) foul, gets loose with some passes, or commits senseless turnovers, he will come out of the game until Coach Calipari believes the young man is ready to make positive contributions.

• Look for Memphis to spring their 3-2 zone on the Tigers from Mizzou at some point.

John Calipari has always been loathe to implement a zone into his defensive package. He orders his big men to switch onto guards and to stay there. He recruits tall, long guards so that they can hold up their end of a switch and mark a big man.

However, Memphis has precious little depth in the post. To protect Dozier and Shawn Taggart from foul trouble, Calipari has asked Pierre Henderson-Niles and Wesley Witherspoon to play bigger minutes in the frontcourt.

Witherspoon is 6’8” but lanky. He has no business down low. That’s when Coach Cal came up with his second brilliant idea of the season (along with moving Evans to the point): institute a 3-2 zone with Witherspoon at the top. The results have been amazing.

One final note:

While the three-point shooting was impressive against the Terps, Memphis does not need to fall in love with threes. Coach Calipari’s team typically performs best when they take between 15 and 20 three point attempts per contest.

In 36 contests this season, Memphis took that many treys 20 times. They won 19 of them.

Balance is the key. Of course, converting 40% from downtown never hurts.

Speaking of which, Roburt Sallie’s three-point explosion—10-out-of-15 on the way to a career-high 35 points versus CSUN—not only saved the Tigers’ season.

It had another important effect: the awakening of Doneal Mack.

After the game, some Memphis fans began clamoring for Sallie to take Mack’s place in the starting line-up. Though Mack has become yet another defensive stopper for Memphis, his scoring average had been going in the wrong direction for weeks.

Mack’s biggest problem is simple: he has a proclivity to ‘style-and-profile.’ Rather than square his shoulders, elevate, shoot, and follow-through, he will at times go into a shoulder-lean while kicking his left leg out to the side during his motion and follow-through.

Sallie’s eruption forced Mack to confront his slipshod habits, lest he lose precious playing time to his suddenly white-hot teammate.

So, as much as Sallie did to save the CSUN game, perhaps he has ultimately done even more to bring an NCAA title to Memphis.

My fellow Bleacher Report contributor, Chad Hurshman, collaborated on this story

The latest installment of the wildly popular "Creature vs. Creature" series focuses on what promises to be an entertaining clash in the West Regional. The second-seeded Memphis Tigers, representing Conference USA, face the Missouri Tigers of the Big 12.

With the Connecticut Huskies still trying to get their legs under them after the recent loss of junior guard Jerome Dyson, many have viewed the Tigers of Memphis as more of a 1-B seed.

Meanwhile, the Missouri Tigers, after winning the Big 12 tourney title and earning an RPI of 10 and Ken Pomeroy ranking of 7, have to feel good about their chances, too.

Now, it is time to discuss the impending clash of Tigers from either side of the Mississippi River.

What does the Memphis-Missouri rivalry mean to you?

Leroy: That’s easy. First of all, the Missouri Tigers represent the Big 12. The last time we played a team from that league was a game that we won for 39:57. We owe that conference for 3 more seconds this time.

Second, Missouri’s campus is about 400 miles from the University of Memphis. That means these two sets of Tigers are in the same region. The Memphis Tigers are the 800-pound gorilla in this area.

Everyone else in our dominion—no matter what league they represent—plays second-fiddle to us. We intend to demonstrate that again Thursday night.

So really, in our eyes, there is no rivalry. If the Missouri Tigers or anyone else from around here makes three consecutive Elite Eights and a Championship Game, then maybe we can talk.

Chad: This could turn out to be the beginning of a rivalry.  How could it not?  Both Tigers, both Midwest, both have a deep history. If Memphis wants anything to do with us after the game Thursday, there could be a chance. I have a feeling that they will not be in the mood to pursue us.

After all, a rivalry between our schools has got to mean more to Memphis. We play Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, and others every year during conference play. People talk about the Big East, but the Big 12 might be deeper. Don’t get me started on C-USA.

So Memphis has more to gain from a rivalry with us than vice versa. But we take on all comers.

Will your fans be motivated to make the journey to Arizona for the contest?

Leroy: Memphis fans are the best. We have a nice contingent of devoted, vocal fans who are ready, willing, and able to invade Glendale, Ariz. There will be plenty of Tiger signs and flashing blue, neon-colored shades on display.

The Memphis fans will be making noise: cheering good plays and heckling the officials on borderline calls. We have an attentive and knowledgeable fan base, and we appreciate the little things.

If one of our kids makes some threes, we will roar like crazy. Let him hit the floor scrapping for a loose ball, though, and he will get a standing ovation when he checks out of the game.

Chad: The Missouri fans are very hungry for a win.  Tiger fans haven’t seen this type of play since the “Stormin” Norm Stewart days of old.  With two tourney wins under our belts already, the season has been a success on every level. 

While saying that, there is not a single Missouri fan that isn’t anticipating a third match-up with the rival Kansas Jayhawks.  Since 1907, these two universities have done battle.  One more would make for an epic year.

Don’t get me wrong; we are not looking past a very dangerous Memphis team. But our real measuring stick will be Kansas.

We need to focus, take care of business Thursday night, and if we keep on winning, we might have one last shot at redeeming ourselves against our long-time rival. Our fans will be there every step of the way, sporting the black and gold.

 

So who are the real Tigers here?

Leroy: Just like the so-called “rivalry”, we Memphis fans are not worried about that. There is one set of true Tigers, and they’re not in Auburn, Baton Rouge, Clemson, or Columbia, Mo. The true Tigers are in MEMPHIS.

Next question.

Chad: I don’t mean to hurt anybody’s feelings or to keep harping on it, but the Missouri Tigers are the real thing. We prove it every time we lace up with Big 12 competition.

The guys from Memphis are a good team, but they don’t face the obstacles that we do.

I will enjoy the commentators trying to emphasize which school they are talking about when DeMarre Carroll is dunking on them.  Memphis fans will be wondering if their school made a mistake in mascots and uniforms.

What are some of the keys to this game?

Leroy: I think we have four basic keys to focus on in this contest: experience, depth, dribble penetration, and size. Chad, can we agree on that?

Chad: That list seems reasonable to me. I'm prepared to provide some details, so let it ride.

Leroy: Okay, Experience. People love to toss around the idea that Memphis is somehow inexperienced. This is a fallacy to an extreme degree.

Memphis starts two seniors and two juniors to augment freshman Tyreke Evans, a Naismith candidate. The first guard off the bench is a junior, as is the first big man. The next guard is a sophomore who graduated from high school with the two senior stars.

Mizzou starts three seniors and two juniors, but how many deep NCAA Tournament runs have they made? Zero. Plus, there are underclassmen coming in behind the starters.

Chad: I knew you were trying to stack the deck by starting with experience! However, I do not think Missouri will be at a disadvantage.

The Missouri Tigers have not been this far in the NCAA Tournament for a while.  But will this lack of experience in the Big Dance be their undoing?  The players have been well prepared by an unrelenting and unselfish Mike Anderson. 

There is no doubt that Missouri has the talent to beat any team in the country on any given day.  After the turmoil that has come and gone in the last two years, Mizzou is as tight a team as you will find in the tournament. 

Playing with skills and integrity, Anderson has collected a group of kids that want to join in with his game philosophy.  Some transferred, some recruited, but all bought in.

Leroy: Okay, well what about Depth? Memphis is deep. It has been pointed out that everybody seems to be the same player: long, athletic, fast, tenacious. The team is a legitimate nine-man rotation: five on the wings, four on the block.

Coach Calipari is always running in someone fresh, often yanking a poor performer seconds after he hits the floor, if he makes a series of errors, or if he fails to do what he was primarily sent into the game to do.

Additionally, J.T. Tiller, one of the Missouri starters, has a broken wrist. How will this impact on his ability to play at a high level against the real Tigers, from Memphis?

Chad: Thanks for the concern about one of our stars' health, but Tiller played just fine against Marquette. If anything, the bum wrist caused the player to look to distribute rather than score, and I like the way it boosted the offense.

Yes, Memphis is long. Missouri will counter with senior forwards DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons.  This tandem provides the majority of points and rebounds for our team.

A physical, fast-paced action will give Missouri the upper hand.  The guard play has been very strong with ball control.  We force turnovers and score off of them.

Tout Memphis and their nine-man line-up all you like; our bench features shooters and an 11-man rotation that promises fresh legs at any time during the game.

 

Leroy: Okay, well what about Dribble Penetration? Memphis famously runs the Memphis Attack, as John Calipari’s hybrid offense is called. It is based on the theory that the team cycles through a series of dribble-drives until the defense either gives up a shot at the rim or a wide-open three-pointer.

Marquette ravaged Missouri in the second half of their 83-79 second-round triumph. Mizzou players claim that they have learned from the mistakes that they made during the contest.

Tyreke Evans drove at will vs. Maryland. He basically got to the rim anytime that he liked. This is nothing new. He has been doing it all season.

If Missouri had trouble with Marquette, imagine what could happen against Memphis.

Chad: I have heard a lot of talk about how well Marquette drove against Missouri. I'm just not buying it.

Marquette was pretty much toast until halfway through the second half. At that point, we suffered some foul trouble to key contributors that caused Coach Anderson to order the guys to play softer defense. A run was inevitable.

Bottom line is this: when the game was on the line, Mizzou made the critical stops. We showed grit and heart. The same attributes, along with closer attention to good defensive fundamentals, will help us to defend Memphis.

Leroy: What about Size? With being so many interchangeable parts—no one under 6’1”, no one over 6’10”, with every single contributor having quick hands and feet—few teams are prepared for the defensive switches Calipari’s team can pull out.

I have seen Pierre Henderson-Niles, the burly, 6’8”, 295-pound post man, mark point guards and force turnovers from them. His footwork and hands are remarkable for his size.

If Missouri cannot neutralize Memphis’ advantage in size and length, it’s game over.

Chad: I think the size issue is a moot point. Missouri is not a bunch of pee wees on the floor. We might not be quite as tall or long at every position but they don't make us look tiny, either.

Tyreke Evans is a 6’6” freshman guard who leads their team in scoring.  If he is on his game, it will be hard to stop him. The rest of their backcourt plays tall as well. Some might call that an advantage. 

I call it more opportunity for steals.

 

Okay, guys, care to say something nice about the opposition?

Leroy: Missouri is a fantastic team. In fact, if you see this article, you will find that I specifically mentioned them as a team that I did not want to face in the NCAA Tournament. Missouri is very much like looking in the mirror for Memphis.

I have great respect for their program and especially for Mike Anderson. He paid his dues for some 20 years under Nolan Richardson before landing his first head coaching job at UAB. I wish him the best any other time they play, but I will feel no mercy for them Thursday night.

Chad: Memphis is an incredibly talented team. I see some of the records that they have set; it's just amazing.

Memphis has not lost in quite a while (27-game win streak).  I’m sure this is not the way they wanted to go.  John Calipari has worked so hard this year to not go to the Elite Eight.  I wish him the best next year.

Okay, it's time for your predictions.

Leroy: Memphis comes out and slices through the Missouri press like a warm knife through butter. Stunned, Mike Anderson re-thinks this whole "Fastest 40 Minutes" concept and actually slows the pace and cuts into the lead.

Memphis has some nervous moments midway through the second half but then turns on the afterburners to pull away.

Memphis 79, Missouri 67

Chad: The pace is brisk throughout. Missouri rips steals from the taller Memphis guards and cashes in fast breaks at will. Memphis uses its own athleticism to keep the contest close all night.

It turns into a back-and-forth affair that is tied with two minutes remaining. The Missouri Tigers win the battle of free throws down the stretch to come out on top.

Missouri 85, Memphis 81

Last week, I gave you a list of some of the most common and popular methods of Bracketology.

From using stats and figures to just picking the team with hottest players, people have dozens of ways of filling out their March Madness brackets. I touched upon Mascotology a little during that post but now I’d like to dig a little bit deeper into the minds of a Mascotologist.

Mascotology refer to the study of teams mascots, nicknames and logos and their effect on a team’s chances in the tournament. Some consider this a very imprecise methodology while others base their entire brackets on this.

In Mascotology, one assumes that a Tiger could clearly beat a Terrapin, aka a turtle. Therefore, one who follows the mascotology method (and incorporating no other method or stats) would automatically advance the Memphis Tigers over the Maryland Terrapins in Round 2. This year, it turns out that their assumption would have paid off.

However, what happens, when a Memphis Tiger meets a Missouri Tiger? Or a Connecticut Husky meets a Washington Husky? How do Mascotoligists determine who the winner will be?

I cannot pretend I’m the Tom Cruise of Mascotology or anything but I do have my own formula!

I’m going to back up a few steps from the Sweet 16 to give you the bigger picture because this year in the tournament, there were 4 eagles, 4 tigers, 3 bulldogs, 2 wildcats, 2 huskies, 2 vikings, and 2 Aggies. I’m going to pit them head to head and see who would come out the winner according to Mascotology.

Eagles: Amercian, Boston College, Marquette, Morehead

Boston College Marquette American Morehead

For the record, Marquette is actually the Golden Eagles.

Here we have four very fierce and proud Eagle mascot logos. Even those in profile show a fierceness that most top models can’t achieve.

This is probably the hardest decision to make out of all of the competing mascots. You have to really look closely and I think it really comes down to personal tastes.

To me, Boston College looks a little perplexed. American, I feel, lacks depth and looks like any other Eagle representing America or the U.S. that I have ever seen. Lacks orginality.

That brings me to the battle of Morehead and Marquette. Both gold and blue, both regal and give the feel that they would totally peck your eyes out.

I love the way Morehead’s Eagle seems to jump off the page at me. The little details like the shine on the nose really make this one pop. But, Marquette’s Eagle manages to look strong and fierce in profile, a very difficult thing to achieve.

You’ll have to decide this one!

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Tiger: Memphis, Missouri, LSU, Clemson

Ah, the Tigers. Very interesting category. Personally I’m a Memphis fan in the brackets. But, if I were using just Mascotology, I’m not so sure I’d advance them. Let’s take a look:

Right off the bat, I’m going to toss out Clemson. I mean, the paw with the little hook cut out of it at the bottom might be a licensed and registered trademarked patent for Clemson only and made from an actual Bengal Tiger, but really, that could be the pawprint of any cat-like animal. I’m sure it’s a furry-ocious catlike animal, but yeah….

As for Memphis, this poor tiger is cartooned up and down and looks like its trying to jump out and hug someone. Not scary at all.

LSU’s tiger is good. I like all the realistic detailing. The only problem is he is showing no fierceness. He is actually using the "smiling with the eyes" approach instead of the "angry but pretty" method to modeling. It makes his roar look like a meow.

Missouri on the other hand nails this one. Even in profile, there is a startling ferocious fierceness. I believe that roar! Makes the other cats look like kittens.

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Bulldogs: Mississippi State, Butler, Gonzaga

Mississippi State Butler Gonzaga

Poor Miss State, their bulldog looks more like an old man with saggy jowls, wandering around campus in his alumni sweater. Not scary at all.

Butler makes a pretty mean bulldog. It even looks like he could hypnotize with those eyes in the still photo. Creepy.

But I have to give this one to Gonzaga. The studded collar and the lip snarl definitely make this one the meanest and baddest dog in the junkyard.

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Wildcats: Arizona, Villanova

Arizona Villanova

Hands down going to give this one to ‘Nova. ‘Zona’s cat sure is pretty but she looks an awful like my little kitten. Granted she can be a furry monster, but she is scared to death of everything around her.

Unless she is going up against a lizard, forget it. ‘Nova’s cat looks straight up deranged, like it has rabies.

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Huskies: UConn, Washington

UConn Washington

This is where things get really tough. I don’t want to say it but I’m going to have to give this to Washington. Their Husky’s sleek profile gives him a regal look that says at least he is trained. UConn’s looks like a shaggy dog with its tongue hanging out running to meet its master after a day spent all alone.

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Aggies: Utah State, Texas A & M

For those of you who haven’t read my Girl’s Guide to Bracketology: West Region, an Aggie is just a slang expression for someone who goes go an Agricultural school.

Utah State Texas A&M

Personally I think both teams fail to really represent their nickname. Texas A&M’s logo is just a T with an A and M, no creature on it.

Their mascot is a tongue-waving, tail wagging puppy. Utah State has a proud bull that looks like it’s saying “yeah, what” on it’s logo. Neither really tells me what an Aggie is.

However, the bull could totally eat that dog in like one mouthful so we are just going to give this one to Utah State.

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Vikings: Portland State, Cleveland State

Portland State Cleveland State

The Vikings. The noble savages that sweep through, pillaging the towns, and plundering the women. Big, hulky, scary men who can throw you over their shoulder and carry you off into the sunset, where you will live happily ever after…..

Oh sorry, got a bit carried away there. Anyway, Vikings strike fear into the heart of the townsfolk. Strong and dominating, they take whatever they want, without asking and accept no excuses.

Or, they are weird little green cartoon characters that look like a cross between a Smurf that was dyed green and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, who took its shell off and uses it as a blocking shield in front.

In other words, Portland State’s Viking would totally beat the crap out that wussy cartoon from Cleveland State.

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Memphis and Missouri...Tigers versus Tigers...speed versus speed. 

In a game not exactly starving for story lines, these two teams find themselves bracing for a potential shootout for the ages. 

On paper, anyway.

Not to mention that it is the Missouri coach, Mike Anderson, who last defeated coach John Calipari and these Memphis Tigers three years ago when Anderson was the coach at University of Alabama-Birmingham. 

Say what you will, but this one has the Cinderella-deficient press salivating. We're talking about a tournament which has seen the Sweet 16's weak link, the Arizona Wildcats, be the one with twenty-five straight NCAA appearances. 

All things considered, this matchup conceivably gives both teams reason to be worried.  Mizzou's bread and butter, the full court press, is what Memphis excels at beating. 

"If guys want to press us, have at it," senior forward Robert Dozier told the Memphis Commercial Appeal this week.  He has a point, given Memphis' systematic dismantling of Maryland this past Saturday during the second round. 

The Terrapins pressed even more once the game got out of hand, but to no avail as Memphis' lead grew to 29 points on a Doneal Mack three-pointer. 

However, unlike Maryland or the emotionally charged Cal St. Northridge Matadors, Mizzou actually has the size and athleticism; two adjectives almost exclusive to Memphis over the past four years, to actually trump the blue and gray's offensive savvy. 

Of course, given the mid winter, low scoring, slow-paced battles against Tennessee and Tulsa, this Memphis squad has proven that it has the patience to grind one out if need be. 

Both teams enter this elite Sweet 16 relatively hot.  Much has been made of Memphis' 27-game winning streak, and Mizzou has won 13 of their past 15, with a Big 12 conference title to boot.  No small feat, considering a little old player (of the year?) named Griffin and a small school named Oklahoma in your conference. 

While Memphis' strength is holding opponents' field goal percentages' to abysmally low depths, Mizzou is currently shooting 47.3 percent from the floor.  Both teams boast a plus-16 average margin of victory, with near-identical field goal and free throw percentages. 

The latter could prove to be dubiously more important, given last year's title game collapse for the Memphis squad. 

But ultimately, it will boil down to who plays the best.  Granted, that pedestrian statement might sound a bit over-simplified, but it is an observation not to be overlooked, especially with this year's Memphis squad, which tends to play to the level of its competition.

If they play a sub-mid major school, then they tend to be guilty of the cardinal sin of "looking to the next opponent."  (See: Cal St. Northridge).  However, if they play a high and mighty, traditional power, such as a Maryland, for instance, then the nation's collective head is turned and wonders why they aren't in a power conference. 

"One game at a time."

"We just come to play."

"If we can just execute."

Whatever cliche these Mid South and Mid West Tigers espouse this Thursday, at the end of the day, it will come down to, well, "who wants it more."

Taking to the fact that the rest of the field in Glendale, Ariz., is significantly less experienced, senior shooting guard Antonio Anderson offered his insights to the Memphis Commercial Appeal this week.

"It's just a whole different atmosphere, but they're a great team, and they're going to come to play regardless of whatever the situation may be, and we have to be prepared for that."

First of all, I'd like to apologize for my long hiatus.

When you have a real job, Bleacher Report tends to go to the backburner, but from afar, I have read the articles of many illustrious writers on this site.

If you crave true journalism, B/R is the place for you.

While we have the Boston Globe seeking to decimate the Denver Broncos' future (sorry haters, the Broncos will get things worked out and the AFC West will have hell to pay) on this site you can find all the good information you could ever hope for from honest, reliable sources.

With that said, I want to address something Pat Forde wrote on ESPN.com Monday.

Forde's take was that the NCAA Tournament was lacking in luster because all the favorites have advanced.

Surely enough, this season commemorates the first time in NCAA Tournament history that the top three seeds in every regional advanced to the Sweet 16.

Thus, Forde argued, the tournament lacks drama because everything has been chalk up to this point.

Naturally, teams from the so-called power conferences have taken 13 of the 16 slots, but the three that have not are what makes this tournament one of the best things in sports.

While Xavier, Memphis, and Gonzaga all have great tradition, with the likes of David West, John Stockton, and Anfernee Hardaway having come from these schools, the fact that they, as so-called "mid-majors" can legitimately contend for a national championship is something we can celebrate.

As many of you know, I deem college football to be akin with WWE or perhaps even papal conclave as the results are fixed.

Apparently, when the false prophet Jim Delany went to commune with his BCS brethren on a seditious version of Mount Sinai, one of the commandments was "Thou shalt not share our revenue with the little guy."

Therefore, despite the likes of Utah and Boise State (who have already decimated the BCS irreparably) getting shunned in football consistently, in any given year, a Xavier or Memphis can silence the skeptics by cutting down the nets on the first Monday evening of April.

John Calipari's Tigers were perilously close to this before Mario Chalmers made himself a legend in the vein of Danny Manning by giving the classy Kansas Jayhawks a much-earned national title last season.

As Bill Raftery mentioned during CBS' broadcast of the Pittsburgh-East Tennessee State game last Friday, if the Buccaneers had made their free throws at the same clip they did during the regular season, we would have seen a No. 16 defeat a No. 1.

Therefore, while the upsets didn't happen with the same regularity as previous seasons, there have still been many excellent games and best of all—we will know the true national champion.

As to who the champion will be, I think Louisville shall prevail, but as the caption of my article, featuring Missouri's Mike Anderson, suggests, your guess is as good as mine.