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December 2003

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12/31/03		Lady Tigers Take 9-2 Record on the Road (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The Lady Tigers will take to the road for their third of four straight road contests when they travel to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks on Friday at 7 p.m. Memphis is going for a perfect 3-0 record over Arkansas universities as they have beaten UALR and UAPB earlier this year. Memphis enters the meeting with a 9-2 record after a second-place showing in the University of Montana Holiday tournament last weekend. Memphis defeated Idaho in the first round, but fell to host Montana in the championship game. Freshman Devin Necaise came off the bench and helped lead the Lady Tigers to victory against the Vandals with a career high 17 points. Junior Raven Rogers, who leads Memphis in rebounding with 7.3 boards a game, entered the starting lineup for the first time against Idaho and recorded her first career double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Junior Victoria Crawford, who has not started a single game this season, leads Memphis in scoring with an average of 13.5 points per game. She is also second on the squad in rebounding with 5.2 boards per contest. Crawford has scored in double digits in eight games this season, including the last four straight contests. Sophomore Tamika Butler is the only other Lady Tiger averaging in double figures in scoring with 10.9 points per game. She also leads the squad in assists with 50, and in steals with 21. The Lady Razorbacks are also 9-2 on the year after picking up a 20-point win over McNeese State in Fayetteville this past Tuesday evening. Two Lady'Backs scored 20 or more points in the win as Shemeka Christon paced her team with 24 points off a 10-of-15 effort from the field. Ruby Vaden recorded her third career double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds against the Cowgirls. Vaden was 9-of-10 from the field and also blocked two shots. Christon is Arkansas' leading scorer and rebounder with averages of 23.2 and 9.6, respectively. A 44-percent shooter from the field, Christon also totals a team-leading 14 blocked shots. Vaden, who also totals 14 blocked shots, averages 12.1 points per game. The Lady Razorbacks' two losses have come on the road to Loyola Marymount (64-58) and then-21st ranked TCU (67-62) in overtime. The Lady Tigers own an 8-5 series advantage over Arkansas, dating back to the 1978-79 season. The Lady'Backs have won the last two meetings, including a 78-64 victory over the Tigers last season at the Fieldhouse. The Lady Tigers are just 1-4 over the Razorbacks in games played in Fayetteville. That lone victory was a 71-65 decision during the 1979-80 season. The Lady Tigers will close out their four-game road slate on Jan. 5 when they travel to Nashville to face Lipscomb. This will also be their last non-conference opponent of the season. Memphis returns home on Jan. 9 to open Conference USA league play with a matchup against Houston at 7 p.m. The Lady Tigers will welcome TCU to the Fieldhouse on Jan. 11 at 3 p.m.

12/30/03		Depleted Tigers Hold On -- Oakland Goes Down With A Fight (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 30, 2003 The moment that best captures the game and demonstrates the unenviable situation the University of Memphis was fighting through came with about nine minutes left, after Antonio Burks had just picked up his third foul. Assistant Derek Kellogg, who keeps track of such things, leapt ut of his chair, looked at his boss and said, ''Coach, that's three on Antonio. But Anthony's got three, too, and so does Red. So I don't know? I don't know?'' The Tigers beat Oakland, 69-63, Monday night before an estimated crowd of 8,100 at The Pyramid. It wasn't pretty. It didn't even have a good personality. But John Calipari will gladly take the victory, especially considering he had only eight available players - some of whom were strapped with foul trouble, some of whom were cut and bleeding, some of whom would never normally take their warm-ups off. ''It was a good win,'' said the fourth-year Tiger coach. ''That was a hard game to play. We were shorthanded and had a funky lineup. So I'm happy.'' In many ways this was the most important victory for the Tigers (8-2) this season, never mind that it was a struggle and one-possession game with just 65 seconds remaining. Because as good as that Saturday win over Missouri was, backing it with a defeat to a mid-major school like Oakland (6-6) would've been devastating, even if somebody explained to the NCAA Tournament selection committee that Rodney Carney was out with a fractured orbital bone and Burks played with a badly cut shooting hand. Well aware of such, the Tigers went out and did exactly what a team getting votes for the Associated Press Top 25 poll should do. They won regardless . . . regardless of the lack of depth (only three guards dressed), regardless of the lack of shooting (3-of-15 from 3-point range) and regardless that they were spent (four guys played 31 or more minutes). ''We're just trying to survive right now,'' said Burks, his hand bandaged after a 12-point, four-assist effort in 37 minutes. ''I'm happy to get out of any game with a victory. As long as it's a victory, it's all good with me.'' With barely more than a minute left, Oakland guard Rawle Marshall got a layup that cut what was once a 12-point Memphis lead to 63-61, which caused Calipari to call a timeout for instruction. Apparently, the instruction was to get the ball to Sean Banks and let him get fouled. And because the freshman hit 4-of-6 free throws in the final 64 seconds - not to mention got a huge block and rebound - the Tigers escaped and won their fourth straight heading into a Jan. 6 game at Villanova. ''I have to be the guy in the last minute shooting the free throws because I'm the best free-throw shooter on this team,'' said Banks, who finished with 20 points and eight rebounds in 38 minutes. ''So if that's what I have to do, then that's what I'll do.'' Sophomore Jeremy Hunt started for the first time this season and approached a triple-double. In 37 minutes, the former Craig mont High star got 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, three of which were offensive. Likewise, freshman Ivan Lopez got his first start and had 10 points and seven rebounds to show for it. He shared time in the middle with junior Duane Erwin, who finished with six points and 13 rebounds just two days removed from a lackluster performance against Missouri. Oakland was led by Cortney Scott, a 6-6 junior who had nine points and 18 rebounds. Mike Helms came off the bench and got 20 points in 22 minutes before fouling out. ''Even when we got up on them, they didn't stop coming back at us,'' said Hunt. ''We had to fight it out. "This was a tough one to win. But we came through in the end.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

12/30/03		Erwin Wrestles Coach's Praise -- Aggressiveness Downs Oakland (Commercial Appeal)
		By Jason Smith Contact December 30, 2003 A near triple-double from Jeremy Hunt. A game-high 20 points in 38 minutes from Sean Banks. And a career-high tying 10 points and seven rebounds from Ivan Lopez. All that, and the first person University of Memphis coach John Calipari talked about after Memphis's 69-63 win Monday over Oakland was junior forward Duane Erwin. "Duane Erwin came in the second half and played," Calipari said. "He blocked a shot, rebounds balls in traffic and did some things. He got a couple of balls ripped, but he's got to build on this." Erwin finished with a team-high 13 rebounds, eight of them coming in the second half. He added six points, but it was his rebounding and defense (two blocks, one steal) that had Calipari up off the bench, clapping and shouting. Erwin, however, wasn't satisfied. "I could have had more (rebounds), but I didn't go after it like I should have," he said. "I should be aggressive any time I'm on the floor, every minute I can play." Erwin came off the bench for just the second time this season Monday. He said it wasn't because he's been suffering through some sort of stomach virus, but because of "the way I played against Missouri." After a promising start Saturday, Erwin finished with zero rebounds and just four points in the Tigers' 61-59 win over naionally ranked Missouri. He was determined not to have a similarly lackluster performance against Oakland. "The key for me (Monday) was being aggressive and going after every rebound, regardless of whether I get it or not," he said. "(Calipari) is happier with me trying and not getting (the rebound) than not trying at all." Calipari has openly criticized Erwin's toughness in the past, both mentally and physically, similar to the way he used to get on former Tiger center Earl Barron. It's a tough love approach Erwin said he appreciates. "On the court, I want him to be hard on me," Erwin said. "Off the court, he's like the father I never had. He's cool. I love him to death." Tiger floor leader Antonio Burks said Memphis needs more nights like Monday from Erwin, particularly while the Tigers are short-handed. "We need that every game from him," Burks said. "If we get that from him, we can really be special this year. It's determination and just wanting to do it. We need his toughness." Erwin said it's a matter of being mentally prepared. "It all comes back to me wanting to do it because I know I can." - Jason Smith: 529-5804

12/30/03		Tigers Postgame (Oakland) (Commercial Appeal)
		Play of the game Sean Banks's four free throws in the final 64 seconds were the difference, bigger than any dunk or floater he converted earlier. The 6-8 forward from New Jersey is maturing into a viable option down the stretch of close contests, and isn't afraid for the ball to be in his hands with the game in the balance. In fact, he'd prefer it that way, which is rare among freshmen. ''Banks stepped up and made four (free throws) in a row,'' said Oakland coach Greg Kampe, ''and that was the difference in the game.'' Stat of the game It's an unofficial stat - not the type that shows up in the boxscore - but three Tigers had to leave the game at one time or another because of blood on their bodies or uniform. Antonio Burks had a cut hand. Ivan Lopez was cut under his eye. And Banks had blood on his jersey that had to be sprayed. Trends There was a time not too long ago when the Tigers were the best 3-point-shooting team in the nation among schools from major basketball conferences. But Monday marked the fourth-consecutive game that Memphis's opponent made more trifectas than did the U of M. In the last four contests, the Tigers have watched their opponent out-make them from behind the arc by a 44-21 margin. Memphis made just three 3-pointers against Oakland, the first of which didn't come until the 10:58 mark of the second half. X's and O's It has been well documented that John Calipari hates playing zone. But it is becoming a necessity because of the lack of depth, and that's why he played some against Oakland. So long as Burks, Anthony Rice and Jeremy Hunt all start, the Tigers have no guards coming off the bench. That means tough, man-to-man defense can be played, but only until one of those three can't afford to get another whistle. Odds and ends With the win the Tigers capped a nice run in The Pyramid that made the 2003 calendar year a success. From last January through this December, Memphis finished 15-1 at home with the lone loss coming to USF on Jan. 18. That stretch included wins over such prominent schools as Villanova, Cincinnati and Missouri. Burks made only one free throw Monday night. But his uncle, Ricky Burks, made three during a timeout in the first half, which earned him some Kentucky Fried Chicken as part of a promotion. "I should've made more," Uncle Ricky said afterward. "But once I looked up I saw everybody looking at me and I kind of got nervous.'' What's next Memphis doesn't play again until it travels to Philadelphia for a Jan. 6 game at Villanova. The Wildcats are 8-2 heading into a Friday night tilt at Kansas, but that record is a bit misleading. Both losses - the first to Chaminade, the other to Ohio State - came in the Maui Invitational when Villanova was hindered by suspensions stemming from various players' misuse of a university telephone access code. Since then, the Wildcats have put together a five-game winning streak that includes an 84-63 thumping of UNC-Greensboro on Sunday. The trip will be a homecoming for Memphis junior Arthur Barclay and director of basketball operations Milt Wagner. Both are from nearby Camden, N.J. - By Gary Parrish

12/30/03		Carney Will Have Surgery This Week (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 30, 2003 Rodney Carney will have surgery Wednesday afternoon to repair a fractured orbital bone and will miss the University of Memphis's game at Villanova on Jan. 6. "I'm not really nervous about the surgery," Carney said Monday night after watching his Tigers defeat Oakland, 69-63. "I'm not really a nervous type of guy." A 6-7 sophomore, Carney was accidentally hit in the face by teammate Ivan Lopez with about 15 minutes left in Saturday's 61-59 victory over Missouri at The Pyramid. He did not return, and a CT scan later that day confirmed that surgery would be necessary. "It hurts," Carney said. "I get dizzy. And my nose has been bleeding all the time. But I'll be OK." After surgery, Carney will be fitted for a protective mask of some sort, and will play while wearing it. Assuming everything goes as planned, he should be available for the Tigers' Conference USA opener at Southern Miss on Jan. 10. Meanwhile, Memphis will play at Villanova on Jan. 6 in Philadelphia with just eight able bodies, only three of whom are guards.

12/29/03		Women's Basketball Falls in Championship Game (GoTigersGo.com)
		MISSOULA, Mont. - The University of Montana went on a 16-2 run over the last 3:53 of the game to hand Memphis its second loss of the season, 74-56, in the championship game of the University of Montana Holiday Classic, Monday. The loss drops the Lady Tigers to 9-2 overall and helps improve Montana¡¦s record to 9-2. "I'm not really happy right now,I Head Coach Joye-Lee McNelis said. ¡§Even though we battled, we did not execute offensively. We had 12 turnovers at the half, that¡¦s not being focused, not being ready to play.¡¨ The Lady Tigers trailed 28-21at the half after struggling against the Lady Griz zone and shooting 20.8 percent in the opening 20 minutes. Junior Jennifer Sullivan led the Lady Tigers at the half with six points, but fortunately for the Lady Tigers, Montana shot just 33 percent on their own end of the floor and were outrebounded 25-19 by Memphis in the opening 20 minutes. But coming out of the break, the Lady Griz were waiting for the Memphis full-court press. Montana scored eight of its 10 first points in the opening minutes off fast break points, with Hollie Tyler, who spent time on the bench in the first half after picking up her second foul, scored six of her 14 points in those opening minutes off the break. But the Lady Tigers clawed their way back from what was a 12-point deficit at 40-28 with 15:06 remaining in the game by hitting four field goals from beyond the arc, three of them coming from freshman Devin Necaise and one from Tamika Butler. Necaise would finish with 12 points, after her career-best 17 last night, while Butler would finish with seven. Necaise¡¦s third trey pulled Memphis to 42-37 with 12:15 remaining in the game before Amy Brooks and Juliann Keller converted four straight free-throws to stretch the lead back to nine. A pair of Lady Tiger layups from Jordie Soso and Raven Rogers and three free-throws from Rogers and Victoria Crawford narrowed the lead to six again before Montana pulled it back out to double-digits with seven straight converted free-throws. Crawford then took over the Lady Tiger offense, scoring on three straight possessions, and scoring on layups in the lane against eventual tournament MVP Hollie Tyler to cut the Lady Griz lead to 58-54 with 3:53 remaining. ¡§We cut it to four then we took ill-advised shots. We were trying to set up Crawford against 50 (Tyler), and on our next possession, we shoot a 12-footer from the corner, that¡¦s not what we¡¦re looking for. There¡¦s no way we got beat by 18 points, but they are a great basketball team.¡¨ But Memphis was whistled for six fouls and committed four turnovers in the last four minutes of the game and the Lady Griz made the most out of their trips to the free-throw line, stretching what was a four-point lead into a 18 points lead when Denning scored a layup in the final four seconds of the game. Crawford led the Lady Tigers with 13 points, with 11 of those coming in the second half after she was held without a converted bucket from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Necaise added 13 points, including 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, adding three rebounds and one steal. Raven Rogers and Megan Gooch led the Lady Tiger rebounders with nine misfires apiece, while Crawford had eight. Katie Edwards finished with 20 points in the championship game, while Tyler contributed a double-double of 14 points,11 rebounds, adding seven blocks in the Lady Griz¡¦ fifth-straight home tournament title. Memphis will continue their road swing at Arkansas, Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

12/29/03		Memphis Survives Against Oakland, 69-63 (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Sean Banks scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds Monday night as Memphis held off an Oakland, Mich., comeback to defeat the Grizzlies 69-63. Memphis led by double digits in both halves, but Oakland cut the lead to two twice in the final four minutes behind 3-point shooting from Mike Helms and Rawle Marshall. A drive by Marshall with 1:19 remaining pulled Oakland (6-6) within 63-61. Memphis converted 6-of-12 free throws down the stretch, and the Grizzlies could manage only one more field goal as the Tigers (8-2) won their fourth straight. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Oakland. Banks connected on 8-of-14 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line to lead the Tigers. Jeremy Hunt added 15 points and nine assists for Memphis, while Antonio Burks scored 12. Freshman Ivan Lopez, starting his first game, scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Helms finished with 20 points before fouling out with 4:03 to play. The senior guard, Oakland's leading scorer, connected on 6-of-17 from the field, including 5-of-9 from behind the arc. Marshall scored 16 for the Grizzlies, while Shawn Hopes scored 12 points, hitting five of his seven shots on the night. Memphis led by 11 with 6:38 to play after a 3-pointer by Burks. But Oakland rattled off an 11-2 run, capped by a Marshall 3-pointer with 3:44 left. But the Grizzlies could get no closer as Memphis converted its free throws. Even on the ones the Tigers missed, they grabbed rebounds, preventing Oakland from getting opportunities to cut into the lead. Memphis led by as many as 11 in the first half, but took just a 33-31 lead into the dressing room. The Grizzlies closed the half with an 8-2 run in the final two minutes to cut the Tiger lead. Memphis shot 52 percent and forced Oakland into 11 turnovers, but still could not pull away from the Grizzlies. Banks led the Tigers with 12 points. The difference was Oakland's 5-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc in the first half, while Memphis missed all three of its long-range shots.

12/29/03		Tigers Won't Be Caught Off Guard By This Oakland (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 29, 2003 It is Oakland. But not that Oakland. They are the Grizzlies. But not those Grizzlies. Either way, they'll be in The Pyramid tonight at 7 serving as a reminder that there's just not much time for the University of Memphis to celebrate its Saturday win over 11th-ranked Missouri. "We know going in that this is a good team," said Tiger guard Anthony Rice. "We're not going to take them lightly at all." Which would be wise, because though Oakland isn't Missouri - or even in California (try Rochester, Mich.) - the Grizzlies (6-5) are a solid team from the Mid-Continent Conference capable of playing high-profile schools tough. For instance, they lost to Missouri by only five points and Xavier by nine. On the other hand, they lost to Michigan by 26 and Cincinnati by 29. So who knows exactly which Grizzlies will show up (sound familiar?) Regardless, the Tigers (7-2) seem determined not to allow an emotional letdown tonight ruin what was an impressive victory over Missouri. And if they stay true to their word and ability, Memphis will conclude this four-game homestand with a perfect record and be just a Jan. 6 win at Villanova from completing its preconference schedule with only two defeats. "If we come out and play like we did (against Missouri), just bring the intensity, then we can put Oakland away, too," said Tiger point guard Antonio Burks. "But Oakland's a really good team. We can't come in and think they're just going to lay down and let us win." If Memphis does extend its winning streak to five games it will do so without second-leading scorer Rodney Carney. A 6-7 sophomore, Carney was hit in the face under the basket with about 15:00 remaining against Missouri, and a CT scan late Saturday confirmed a fractured orbital bone. The Indianapolis native will see doctors today at 1 p.m., and a corrective procedure should be determined then. No matter, Carney's out tonight, and according to John Calipari, possibly for as long as three weeks, which will severely limit the Tigers' options. Memphis will dress just eight players until Carney returns. Only six of those are averaging at least 18 minutes per outing. Only four of those have at least two full seasons of college basketball to their credit. "(Against Missouri), my guys were saying, 'Give me a sub,'" laughed Calipari. "I said, 'Who? You want me to put in Coach (Derek) Kellogg? What are you talking about? Who do I put in? Just play.' "Now we're down to five or six (quality players)," he added. "But the good news is so is Kentucky. They're only playing five or six (and are ranked second in the nation)." The depleted roster means Memphis will produce some strange combinations on the court and have no guards coming off the bench, presuming Jeremy Hunt starts on the wing in place of Carney. "Everybody's going to have to get into shape," Burks said. "Sean (Banks is) going to have to play some (small forward and power forward), and Jeremy's going to have to play (point guard, shooting guard and small forward). So we've all just got to get into shape, stay out of foul trouble and stay on the court." - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

12/29/03		Preview: Tigers vs. Oakland (Commercial Appeal)
		When, where: Today, 7 p.m., The Pyramid. Records: Memphis, 7-2; Oakland, 6-5. Series standing: First game. Latest line: No line. Notables: Oakland is coached by Greg Kampe, who is in his 20th season at the school. The Grizzlies have won four straight, and all of their losses have come to respectable opponents (Cincinnati, Missouri, Michigan, Detroit and Xavier). Mike Helms, a 6-0 senior guard who has been coming off the bench, is Oakland's leading scorer. The reigning Mid-Continent Conference Player of the Year is averaging 20.5 points per game. He averaged 26.9 per outing last season, which was third-highest in the nation. . . . Memphis's Rating Percentage Index ranking jumped to No. 41 with the victory over Missouri. The Tigers' strength of schedule is now at No. 79. . . . Of the 12 players on the Oakland roster, only one (Jordan Sabourin) doesn't come from Michigan. Seven are from Detroit, four of whom prepped at Martin Luther King High. . . . The Tigers have an all-time record of 12-7 against current members of the Mid-Continent Conference. . . . Each of the U of M's past three victories - over Belmont, Samford and Missouri - have all come by single-digits. The latter two were decided by a combined three points. . . . Tiger point guard Antonio Burks has been taking on more of the scoring load of late. The Booker T. Washington High graduate has scored in double figures in each of the past five games and is averaging 17.4 points per outing in that stretch. TEAM COMPARISONS U of M Oakld FG percentage .434.417 Opp. Percentage .405.439 FT percentage .601.678 3-point percentage .381.300 Opp. Percentage .382.333 Rebounds 39.436.7 Opp. Rebounds 37.142.3 Points for 75.376.5 Points against 68.174.4 PROBABLE STARTERS Memphis PYr.Ht.Pts. Antonio Burks GSr.6-015.7 Anthony Rice GJr.6-49.8 Jeremy Hunt FSo.6-48.0 Sean Banks FFr.6-813.3 Ivan Lopez FFr.6-95.7 Oakland PYr.Ht.Pts. Pierre Dukes GSo.6-12.1 Rawle Marshall GJr.6-718.4 Kelly Williams FSr.6-56.7 Cortney Scott FJr.6-615.2 Jordan Sabourin CSr.7-01.0

12/29/03		Analyzing The Keys To The Game (Oakland) (Commercial Appeal)
		Avoid that letdown: In terms of cliches, this is the perfect situation for a letdown. By tip-off, Memphis will only be about 54 hours removed from a 61-59 victory over 11th-ranked Missouri on national television before a crowd estimated at 13,300. Tonight, frankly, the atmosphere won't be the same. But the result better be. No cheap fouls: With Rodney Carney out, the Tigers will only dress eight players and have no guards available off the bench. That means Antonio Burks, Anthony Rice and Jeremy Hunt - especially that trio - have to stay out of foul trouble and on the court for Memphis to play the fast-paced style it prefers to play. Avoid another lost player: This is more like a key to the season. But either way, it serves a purpose. Since Memphis returned from a preseason trip to Cancun, it has lost five players for reasons varying from transfers to federal indictments to blood clots. As we mentioned, the Tigers are now down to eight bodies, and they cannot afford to drop any lower than that number. - By Gary Parrish

12/29/03		Lady Tigers Cut Down Idaho (Commercial Appeal)
		By Our Press Services December 29, 2003 MISSOULA, Mont. - The University of Memphis women's basketball team converted all eight free throw attempts in the final four minutes to upend previously unbeaten Idaho, 73-64, in the first round of the University of Montana Holiday Tournament on Sunday. Freshman Devin Necaise poured in a career-high 17 points, including 3-of-4 from beyond the three-point line, to lead the Lady Tigers to their ninth win and their third win away from the Elma Roane Fieldhouse in as many tries. Idaho's Emily Faurholt, who leads the nation in scoring at more than 25 points a game, scored the first six points for Idaho (7-1) before Taylor Benson scored the next seven Vandal points. But the Lady Tigers (9-1) stayed with the Vandals, as the two teams exchanged the lead 10 times in the first seven minutes of the game. Junior forward Raven Rogers made the most of her first start of the season with her first career double-double of 16 points, a season-best, and 12 rebounds. Rogers scored 14 of her 16 points in the opening half. Faurholt finished with 22 points. "We decided to change the lineup to see if we could get off to a better start in the game and we chose to go with Raven to give us rebounding and the ability to take it to the basket against post players. She did what we asked of her by getting her first career double-double," Lady Tiger coach Joye Lee-McNelis said. Necaise scored one of her 3-pointers with 5:36 remaining in the first half to pull the Lady Tigers back to a 27-all tie. The freshman added a jumper from just in front of the 3-point arc when the Vandals tried to trap her, giving Memphis a 29-27 lead. Memphis closed the first half on a 16-6 run to take a 40-33 lead into the locker room. After a breakneck pace in the first half, both teams came out and struggled on the offensive end early in the second half. It was almost three minutes into the second half before Benson hit a bucket, while Memphis would counter with its first points of the half five minutes in with a free throw from junior Jennifer Sullivan. Sullivan would finish with five points. Memphis would lead the entire second half. With the win, Memphis advances to today's championship game against Montana, a 68-54 winner over Princeton. The game begins at 8 p.m. CST.

12/28/03		In Sports, A Winning Year -- Something To Cheer Every Fan (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade Contact December 28, 2003 Imagine the Memphis sports year that is about to pass away. Imagine it bottled and fermented. It would be a sports elixir saved for special occasions, or to help get through the tough times, would it not? If the University of Memphis football team does not again drink from the bowl game goblet for several years, then we would be tempted to open up that bottle from 2003 and recall that, yes, it was a very, very good year. But it wouldn't just be a celebration of the Tigers quenching their 32-year bowl thirst. We also would relive Shaun Micheel's triumph at the PGA. We would recall the basketball Tigers' return to the NCAA Tournament after a seven-year absence. We would toast Mississippi State for being the first Southeastern Conference school to break the color barrier in its football coaching ranks with the hiring of Sylvester Croom. And we would shake our heads and say, "How 'bout those Grizzlies?" Yes, Conference USA went ka boom! and the U of M is among those schools left behind in the ashes. But on balance, it was a sports year worth celebrating whether you've been a Mid-Southerner all your life or you're a relative new comer. "After being here two-plus years, I consider myself a Memphian," said the Grizzlies' Shane Battier. "I rooted for the Tigers; I'm glad they played in a bowl. "When Shaun Micheel made his charge, I was rooting for him. I was rooting for the Tigers in the (NCAA) Tournament last year." As we do each year, sports staff members of The Commercial Appeal voted on the top 10 stories of the year. The football Tigers, proving yet again they can win the close ones, edged out Micheel's PGA victory for top story of the year. And in a happy departure from some other years, only two of the 10 most newsworthy stories carried a negative cast: the implosion of C-USA, which came in third, and the indictment of Alabama booster Logan Young in the Albert Means recruiting scandal, which finished 10th. Mostly, then, it was a year of good news and better news. "But just imagine if the Tigers make it to the Sweet 16 or the Final Four, we make a playoff push, and the (football team) contends for a conference championship," said Battier, ever the optimistic Memphian. "It's pretty good right now, but it can get even better."

12/28/03		1. Tiger Town (#1 Story of 2003) (Commercial Appeal)
		Used to be, this was first, last and always a college basketball town - slam-dunk. But for a season, at least, the historically downtrodden football program ran by the historically rich basketball program and into the spotlight. Tiger tailback DeAngelo Williams carried this ball both literally and figuratively, leading the nation in all-purpose yardage before his season-ending knee injury in the team's 11th game. By then, of course, the Tigers of coach Tommy West, quarterback Danny Wimprine, and the revived defense guided by new coordinator Joe Lee Dunn had made much of their magic. They would finish the regular season 8-4 and they would come from behind at the Liberty Bowl to beat Eli Manning and Ole Miss, and they would stomp rival Louisville on the road. The Ole Miss victory was huge, with West saying afterward, "I think we buried some things out there today." Meaning, those old losing ways. But later West maintained the turning point was when they played a strong second half in losing to Mississippi State in Starkville. West said the Tigers found themselves in that second half, and though the team was then 3-3, the coach boldly predicted they'd win their next six games. The team nearly made a prophet of him, winning five straight before losing to South Florida. This last loss hardly mattered, though. The Tigers got their long-awaited bowl bid and finished this wonderland of a season with a 27-17 win over North Texas in the New Orleans Bowl. "It's been a long time coming for this university," West said after the victory at the Superdome. "We fulfilled two of our goals tonight. We got to a bowl game, and we won it. "It's just another memory to add to the collection . . . I feel the same way players and our fans feel. They didn't want to see it end."

12/28/03		3. Turn Out The Lights (#3 Story of 2003) (Commercial Appeal)
		Conference USA, as we'd come to know it, is over. As bigger schools in bigger conferences began playing musical chairs, new seats opened up in the Big East. C-USA schools Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida, DePaul and Marquette were all invited to this party and Memphis was not. What was it Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson said way back in the days when it still seemed possible the Tigers would be included instead of excluded? "I don't think (Memphis) will be left out," Johnson said, "but that would be devastating." Not only did C-USA lose schools to the Big East, but Charlotte and Saint Louis are also headed to the Atlantic 10. In response, C-USA is adding Marshall, Tulsa, SMU, Rice and Central Florida to create a 12-school, all-sports league. "We have to keep working," Johnson said, "but we'll be OK." Perhaps so. But in the immediate future the lights will be flickering.

12/28/03		4. Back To The Future (#4 Story of 2003) (Commercial Appeal)
		Once upon a time, the Tiger basketball team usually made the NCAA Tournament. But when John Calipari took the Tigers back to the Big Dance last March, it was the scratching of a seven-year itch. Though the Tigers' 23-7 season ended with a first-round exit in the NCAAs - an 84-71 loss to Arizona State - the larger story was in the journey, not what happened upon reaching the destination. Injuries, suspensions and eligibility issues all become potholes on the road to the NCAAs. And Syracuse (the season's national champs), Ole Miss, Illinois, Louisville and Cincinnati all were victimized by a Tiger team that at one stage enjoyed a No. 16 national ranking. Point guard Antonio Burks (12.1 points and 5.6 assists) and center Chris Massie (17.6 points and 10.9 rebounds) led the Tigers charge, which included a 12-game winning streak and winning the C-USA National Division championship. "This," said Calipari, "was a wonderful year."

12/28/03		U of M Stifles Missouri -- Memphis's Grit Cools Off No. 11 Team (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 28, 2003 If John Calipari made a list of 10 things he most loves in life, there are some absolutes guaranteed to make the cut. Dunkin' Donuts coffee would be there. Designer suits would also make an appearance. And somewhere, rest assured, there'd be a couple of sentences about beating a nationally ranked opponent while missing almost two-thirds of your shots, not to mention your leading scorer, who left the contest with possibly a fractured skull. A scrappy victory full of ferocious rebounds and hard-nosed defense? That's what the University of Memphis coach craves. And that's exactly what he got Saturday when his Tigers knocked off No. 11 Missouri, 61-59, before an estimated crowd of 13,300 at The Pyramid. ''This was a great effort,'' Calipari said after watching his team earn its first significant victory of the season. ''I'm happy for our program. I'm happy for our city. This came across on television, I imagine, as an absolute war.'' That Memphis (7-2) and Missouri (4-3) each shot just 33.9 percent from the field - only one of the 10 players who took more than four shots made half of them - should demonstrate what kind of contest was played. It was both ugly and beautiful - both frantic and controlled - with the always popular no-call the favorite call, which only aided the roughness the two Tigers presented. Memphis's leading scorer - Rodney Carney - left early in the second half with a fracture in his face. He has a doctor's appointment on Monday and could be sidelined three weeks. Missouri's leading scorer - Arthur Johnson - fouled out late, and even with 14 points and 12 rebounds didn't have quite the effect he had on last year's game between these schools. Consequently, both teams were without their primary options in crunch time, which made the final few minutes a test of will and grit and guts and everything else Calipari preaches on a daily basis. Memphis had more of all those things. That's why Memphis won. ''It was a dogfight,'' said Anthony Rice, a junior at the U of M who got six rebounds and six assists while demonstrating how to win a game without scoring a bunch of points. ''We had limited players. But we weren't going to make any excuses. We just brought our 'A' game.'' An 'A' game that included Ivan Lopez making two free throws to give the U of M a 56-53 lead with 2:40 remaining. Calipari loved that. An 'A' game that included Sean Banks driving baseline and hitting a runner from the left side to give Memphis a 58-53 lead with 1:59 left. Calipari loved that, too. And an 'A' game that included Rice ripping an Antonio Burks missed shot out of the air for an offensive rebound that reset the shot clock with less than 20 seconds to play and forced Missouri to foul. Calipari loved that the most. Even a Rickey Paulding NBA-range 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining couldn't pull Missouri close enough. And when Jimmy McKinney missed a desperation heave at the buzzer for the win, Quin Snyder's team exited with the loss, its third in four outings. ''We can be really special this year,'' said senior point guard Burks, who led Memphis with 17 points, three assists and two steals. ''A lot of people in Memphis think we're not special, but I really think we're better than last year's team. We just have to come together, play hard and play good defense. If we do that, we'll be all right.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

12/28/03		Burks's Leadership Helps U of M (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 28, 2003 Rodney Carney had the ball on a break. He went right, pulled up, faded away and missed a short baseline jumper badly, almost as badly as John Calipari wanted to jerk his star sophomore off the court and berate him. But at the exact moment the University of Memphis coach was about to do just that, Antonio Burks stepped into Carney's face and yelled some choice words to his teammate. Meanwhile, Calipari just turned to his assistants with a smile and said, ''Look at that. He's coaching him.'' The Tigers beat 11th-ranked Missouri, 61-59, Saturday before an estimated crowd of 13,300 at The Pyramid. And with apologies to Jeremy Hunt's rebounding and Sean Banks's clutch plays, the main reason was Burks, who in 38 minutes demonstrated everything a senior point guard is supposed to be. ''The catalyst has become Antonio Burks,'' Calipari said after watching the Booker T. Washington High graduate get a game-high 17 points, three assists and two steals. ''Now, I do not want him to be our leading scorer. "But with the way he ran the club, he tried to get everybody involved (but) some people missed shots. He tried to run the offense, and he did a pretty good job. And he was just a catalyst on both ends of the floor.'' For a couple of years Calipari has been urging Burks to be more vocal toward his teammates, with the idea being that if a fellow player does it then the coach won't have to. But for the most part, Burks has been slow to accept the role, content to let the players do the playing and coaches do the coaching. Now that appears to be changing. Burks has been critical in practices lately, even causing one teammate to leave a workout early before returning a few minutes later humbled and better for it. And against Missouri, he got on to Carney, Hunt and Banks on separate occasions, leaving no doubt who is the official leader of these Tigers. ''Burks has always been the leader of this team. It's just that now he's taking a more serious role of doing it,'' said Banks, a freshman who had 13 points and eight rebounds in 37 minutes. ''He's just got to accept it. "He's a senior. He's a veteran. I hope one day I can be a leader like that.'' Which would be nice, because after a few more months Burks will be gone and this program will need somebody to fill that void. But for now, if Saturday was any indication, the 6-0 point guard has a stronghold on that label, not to mention a green light to tell anybody any thing he feels they need to be told. ''And that's what I need to do,'' Burks said. ''Even though I'm a senior, I'm just learning to be a leader. "So I have to do it for the rest of the season.''

12/28/03		Tigers Postgame (Missouri) (Commercial Appeal)
		Play of the game It wasn't the most important play of the game, but it was probably the most exciting. Midway through the first half, Missouri's Jason Conley had the ball at the left elbow and tried to make an entry pass that was stolen by Anthony Rice, who immediately tossed it ahead to Antonio Burks. But because Rice's pass was a little long, Burks was in a race against Linas Kleiza, who was coming from the other direction. So Burks beat Kleiza to the ball, gently tapped it over his head and then converted a finger roll that brought the crowd to its feet. On the ensuing possession, Burks hit a 3-pointer that gave Memphis a 17-9 lead with 12:11 left, and the U of M never trailed. Stat of the game With Missouri missing most every shot it took, the only way Quin Snyder's team stayed in the game early was by grabbing offensive rebounds. MU had 17 offensive boards in the first half. To put into perspective exactly how dominant that is, consider that Memphis hadn't allowed more than 18 offensive rebounds in any of its eight previous games this season. For the contest, Missouri outrebounded Memphis 49-35. But Memphis only allowing four offensive rebounds in the second half was crucial to the victory. ''Seventeen offensive rebounds in the first half, that's never happened to one of my bad teams,'' Memphis coach John Calipari said. Trends For the second straight time on national television Duane Erwin vomited. At Illinois, he did it on the bench. Against Missouri, he made it to the locker room. And though Calipari said his 6-9 junior was ''sick'' afterward, the coach did so with a wink and a nod. And when he went on for several minutes about how some of his guys simply cannot play in a game like that, it was clear he was talking about Erwin. A starter, Erwin played just nine minutes and had four points and no rebounds. X's and O's Determined not to let Missouri big man Arthur Johnson destroy his team like last year, Calipari opted to trap in the post on most occasions, forcing Johnson to make a pass or take a contested shot. The All-American candidate finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, but clearly the U of M's defense limited him. Johnson made only 5-of-13 field goal attempts and was just 3-of-11 from the field in the first half. ''In the first half,'' acknowledged Snyder, ''we had a ton of opportunities in the paint and could not convert.'' Odds and ends Local high school stars Andre Allen and Shawne Williams attended the game and sat behind the Memphis bench. Allen, a point guard from Booker T. Washington, and Williams, a wing from Hamilton, have both said they will play for the Tigers next season. Williams has signed a letter of intent and Allen will walk on. Jeremy Hunt missed nine of the 11 shots he took but stayed on the court for 31 minutes and garnered tons of praise from Calipari afterward for his defense and rebounding. Hunt, a sophomore, had seven rebounds from the wing position. ''Jeremy was outstanding,'' Calipari said. ''He was an absolute warrior.'' With Erwin confined to the bench, Modibo Diarra got his first significant playing time since the season-opener. The senior post scored four points and grabbed two rebounds in 15 minutes. What's next It's a quick turnaround for Memphis, which will hold a light workout today in preparation for Monday's game against Oakland at The Pyramid. Having won four straight, Oakland comes in with a 6-5 record with all five losses to respectable teams (Xavier, Missouri, Cincinnati, Michigan and Detroit). Oakland played Missouri and Xavier to single-digit games. - By Gary Parrish

12/28/03		Loss Rougher On Some Tigers Than Others (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade Contact December 28, 2003 The Missouri Tigers, the 11th-ranked team in the country, had lost by two points. It really didn't seem to bother them very much. "It's a loss," said Missouri's Arthur Johnson. "We've got three months left." Said Missouri coach Quin Snyder, whose over-hyped team is now 4-3, "You don't win the race in December. You win the race over the course of the season." The Memphis Tigers, one of many unranked teams in the country, won Saturday's game at The Pyramid, 61-59. And had the score been reversed, the we-let-this-one-get-away feeling would have landed somewhere between depressing and devastating. But Snyder's right, you don't win the race in December. It is possible, however, to fall too far behind. So for the Tigers of Memphis, this was Survival Saturday, or at least so it felt. No one wanted this to become the missed opportunity that was Wake Forest or Illinois. "We were fighting for everything," said Memphis center Ivan Lopez. The point being that the college basketball season does not start with everything fair, with everyone enjoying the same clean slate. The season starts with preseason rankings. It starts with preconceived notions. It starts with schedules that help or hinder. (Sorry, John Calipari, nobody forces the Belmonts of the world on you). But beyond all that, the season starts with officially licensed team baggage. Missouri is battling the baggage of the Ricky Clemons saga - his set-to with his girlfriend and his jail time, the pants and shoes his coach admitted giving him (the Quin Snyder Collection), and those goofy calls from university administrators' wives offering dating advice. But none of that hurts Missouri's national ranking, does it? Even now, Missouri's ranking will take another tumble, but probably stop somewhere inside the Top 25. Meantime, Memphis began this season off the national radar screen. The Tigers had lost Chris Massie, their big man, and so the pundits decided to doubt Memphis. That's baggage. Which means this season was, from the get-go, about swaying a skeptical jury. And that's why during the most tense moments Saturday, Calipari, bum hip and all, was jumping up and down on the sideline, working the officials, working the game, working his players. Calipari forever talks - OK, screams - about toughness. And this was a day when the tougher Tigers won, when the toughness inherent in point guard Antonio Burks, and in guards Anthony Rice and Jeremy Hunt, and in Sean Banks and Lopez, acted as the ultimate ace. Missouri outrebounded Memphis, 49-35, but the winning Tigers found a way to trump their bad plays with good plays. In the end, there were, as Calipari said, "five warriors" left standing for Memphis. "They're a talented team," said Missouri guard Rickey Paulding. So they'd be a factor in the big-time Big 12? "The Big 12's a pretty good conference," said Paulding. "But I know they'll do good in their conference." And doing good in Conference USA and $1.75 will guarantee them what - a cup of designer coffee? Home games in the NIT? "This," said Rice, "was a huge win for us." The Memphis Tigers would know. The Missouri Tigers wouldn't know because they leave with their national ranking and the RPI-safety net that is the Big 12. They go to their next game at home against Belmont - small roundball world, isn't it? - with a shrug and nary a scratch.

12/28/03		Women's Basketball Hands Idaho First Loss Of Season, 73-64 (GoTigersGo.com)
		MISSOULA, Mont. - The University of Memphis women's basketball team converted all eight free throw attempts in the final four minutes of the game to upend previously unbeaten Idaho (7-1), 73-64, in the first round of the University of Montana Holiday Tournament, Sunday. Freshman Devin Necaise poured in a career-high 17 points, including 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the three-point line, to lead the Lady Tigers to their ninth win of the season and their third win away from the Elma Roane Fieldhouse in as many tries. Idaho's Emily Faurholt, who leads the nation in scoring with over 25 points a game, scored the first six points for Idaho, before Taylor Benson scored the next seven Vandal points. But the Lady Tigers stood toe-to-toe with the Vandals, as the two teams exchanged leads 10 times in the first seven minutes of the game as junior forward Raven Rogers made the most of her first start of the season with her first career double-doubleof 16 points, a season-best, and 12 rebounds. Rogers scored 14 of her 16 points in the opening half. "We decided to change the line-up to see if we could get off to a better start in the game and we choose to go with Raven to give us rebounding and the ability to take it to the basket against post players. She did what we asked of her by getting her first career double-double," Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis said. Necaise scored one of her treys with 5:36 remaining in the first half to pull the Lady Tigers back to a 27 all tie. The freshman added a jumper from just in front of the three-point arc when the Vandals tried to trap her, giving Memphis a 29-27 lead. Memphis closed the first half on a 16-6 lead to take a 40-33 lead into the locker room. After a break-neck pace in the first half, both teams came out and struggled on the offensive end early in the second half. It was almost three minutes into the second half before Benson hit a bucket, while Memphis would counter with its first points of the second half five minutes into the game with a free-throw from junior Jennifer Sullivan. Sullivan would finish with five points before fouling out with 14:33 remaining in the game. Memphis would lead the entire second half, but would watch a 12-point lead dwindle to just three when Mitchell sunk a trey for three of her 13 points to cut the Memphis lead to 60-57 with 6:08 remaining in the game. But Necaise answered back with a trey of her own and despite the Lady Tigers' last field goal being a Soso lay-up with 4:18 left in the second half, Memphis converted all its free-throw attempts down the stretch while stretching the floor and keeping the Vandal defense scrambling. A trio of Lady Tigers came off the bench to score double-digits, led by Necaise's 17. Jordie Soso fell just one rebound shy of a doubledouble with 13 points and nine rebounds, while Victoria Crawford finished with 10 points, and five rebounds. "Our bench continues to be the major key in our success -- Victoria Crawford, Devin Necaise and Jordie Soso," Head Coach Joye Lee- McNelis said. "They made an immediate impact in the game and they were in at the end of the game when the game was on the line." Soso, who scored 12 of her 13 points in the second half, while buckling down on Faurholt. "Jordie Soso went up against the nation's leading scorer and held her to 10 points in the second half, holding her to 4-for-11 shooting," McNelis said. Faurholt finished 8-for-20 from the floor for the night, finishing with 22 points and seven rebounds. Memphis was whistled for 22 fouls during the game, while Idaho was called just 17 times. With the win, Memphis advances to Monday's championship game against the winner of the Princeton/Montana game that just got underway. The championship game will be played at 7:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m. in the central time zone.

12/27/03		Tigers Topple No. 11 Missouri, 61-59 (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Memphis senior point guard Antonio Burks is starting to adapt to his role as team leader. Burks contributed leadership, spirit and 17 points Saturday as Memphis beat No. 11 Missouri 61-59, the Tigers' third loss in four games. "I think that's what I need to do," Burks said when asked about running the offense and motivating teammates. "I need to step up when players on the floor are not playing hard. I'm learning the role." Burks was 7-of-15 from the field, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range. Memphis coach John Calipari said the senior is starting to take more control of the game by running the team. "This team is young, but the catalyst has become Antonio Burks," Calipari said. "I do not want him to be our leading scorer, but the way he ran the club, he tried to get everybody involved." Sean Banks added 13 points and eight rebounds for Memphis. Missouri (4-3), which also lost to No. 21 Illinois this week, got within 60-59 on Rickey Paulding's 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining. Jimmy McKinney's running shot from just beyond the 3-point line as time ran out bounced off the rim, giving Memphis (7-2) its third straight win. Arthur Johnson, who fouled out with 2:40 remaining, led Missouri with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Paulding and Travon Bryant each scored 13 points. Bryant grabbed 10 rebounds as Missouri controlled the boards 49-35. At times, the game was physical with coaches screaming about no-calls and bodies flying under the basket on rebounds. "It came across (on TV), I imagine, as an absolute war," Calipari said. "It was a good victory." Poor shooting in the first half hampered Missouri. Memphis led 35-26 at halftime after Missouri shot 24 percent from the field (9-of-37). Missouri made just one of its first 10 attempts. Memphis led by 15 points twice, the first time capping a 12-2 run midway through the half. "In the first half, we had a ton of opportunities in the paint and could not convert," Missouri coach Quin Snyder said. "I was happy with how we responded defensively to that. Sometimes when you don't see the ball go in, you can get discouraged defensively." Memphis made its run with fast breaks to offset the Missouri rebounding advantage, which included 17 offensive boards in the half. Burks had the hot hand, hitting his first four shots and he had 11 points in the first half, including three 3s in four attempts. "Teams right now just don't know that I can shoot like I've been shooting," Burks said. "I've just been taking shots, and it's just going down." Johnson had eight points for Missouri, but was 3-of-11 from the field in the first half. Memphis was the one having trouble converting in the second half, shooting only 24 percent. Missouri trailed 54-45 with just under 5 minutes to play, but went on an 8-0 run and made it 54-53 when McKinney hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 3:06 to play. Missouri committed 16 turnovers to seven for Memphis. "The first half we have five turnovers," Snyder said. "We are playing the right way, we just did not get rewarded on the offensive end for playing that way. That shows you where we need to get better. Our halfcourt execution needs to get better." For Calipari, the win gave Memphis a little more respect than its previous victories over teams such as Belmont, Samford and Tennessee-Martin. Prior to Saturday, the best win so far was on the road at Mississippi. "This team, if we battle," Calipari said, "is going to be all right."

12/27/03		Win Over Missouri Crucial For Memphis (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 27, 2003 On the surface this is nothing more than a December nonconference game - one of those that's great to win, not devastating to lose and incapable of determining a season, good or bad. But anybody who knows anything about how the NCAA Tournament selection committee works should know better than that. Which means the University of Memphis's meeting with 11th-ranked Missouri today in The Pyramid is crucial, only if because it presents an opportunity unlike many John Calipari's team will have the rest of this season. "It's just like I was telling one of my teammates, we've got to win one of these big games or else they're going to be like, 'Who did they beat?' " said Tiger sophomore Jeremy Hunt. "Of course, we still have conference games against Louisville, Cincinnati and Marquette. But we really need to get a good, quality nonconference win before we play those." When all the athletic directors and types from around the country lock themselves in a room every March to decide which 65 schools belong in the NCAA Tournament, they comb through many details like strength of schedules, conference records, last 10 games and so on. It's an inexact science destined to be disputed. The criteria is complex enough to make spelling the Duke coach's name (Krzyzewski) correctly on the first try seem easy. But ultimately, one guaranteed thing the committee wants to know and takes seriously is the answer to a simple question, which Hunt referenced earlier: Who did you beat? If you don't have a suitable reply, then go ahead and start lobbying for a first-round home game in the NIT. Which brings us back to today and the U of M's 11 a.m. ESPN-televised showdown with Missouri that should approach a sellout crowd. The reason it's so important is because on the Tigers' schedule they only have six games against teams ranked in the Asso ci ated Press Top 25 poll. A third of those - vs. Wake Forest and Illinois - have already passed, both resulting in defeats. Of the final three, only one is at home, meaning today and when Louisville visits The Pyramid on Feb. 4 are probably the only opportunities Memphis will have to get a significant victory in its building. "Last year we beat a few good teams, and so they put us in the tournament,'' explained Tiger sophomore Rodney Carney. ''But if (at the end of this season) we have a good record and haven't beaten anybody, I don't think they'll put us in because they'll think we had a weak schedule." Some - like Calipari - will argue the other side and insist that losing today isn't devastating because the Tigers have an entire Conference USA slate to play. As the coach said, there's plenty of time. Though he may be right, remember that last year Memphis won 12 straight late - and had wins over No. 7 Illinois, No. 4 Louisville and a Syracuse club that won the national title - and still only mustered the seventh seed in the West Region. It's fair to conclude that a loss today would make it difficult for Memphis to compile a resume even equal to last season's. That would mean the Tigers would at best have another marginal seed in the NCAA Tournament, which makes advancing a chore. ''We're playing one of the most talented teams that we'll play all year, that maybe we've played since I've been here," Calipari said. "They play. They compete. They battle. . . . We know how good these guys are." - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

12/27/03		Preview: Tigers vs. Missouri (Commercial Appeal)
		When, where: Today, 11 a.m. at The Pyramid. Records: Memphis (6-2); No. 11 Missouri (4-2). TV, radio: ESPN; WMC-AM (790), pregame, 9 a.m. Series standing: Memphis leads, 6-4. Latest line: Memphis by 1 1/2 Notables: Only a few hundred tickets remain for today's game, and they will be available only at The Pyramid beginning at 9 a.m. . . . Missouri will hold a pregame reception this morning from 8:30 to 10:30 at the High Point Pinch near The Pyramid. . . . They'll probably get it corrected before NCAA Tournament time, but so far Missouri hasn't been good on neutral courts this season. The Tigers are 0-2 on neutral courts, with the losses coming to Gonzaga in Seattle and Illinois in St. Louis. . . . Even though Memphis leads the overall series, Missouri has won four of the past six meetings, including a 93-78 victory in Columbia last season in which Missouri led 15-0. . . . U of M point guard Antonio Burks is averaging 5.62 assists per game, which ranks fourth in C-USA. . . . This will be the 26th time Memphis has played a ranked opponent in The Pyramid. The Tigers have a 12-13 record in the previous meetings, including a 1-0 mark under John Calipari. That victory came last December against Illinois, which was ranked seventh in the nation. . . . Missouri is one of only 16 schools to have participated in each of the past five NCAA Tournaments. . . . Memphis has a record of 32-17 against current members of the Big 12. Calipari has a 5-6 mark against current members of the Big 12. . . . Even with some lackluster performances lately, Memphis is still shooting 40.1 percent from 3-point range, which is tops in Conference USA. The U of M is averaging 9.38 made 3-pointers per game. At one time, that was tops in the nation among the 10 major basketball conferences, but it's now second in C-USA behind Louisville's 10.0 makes per outing. However, Memphis is defending the 3-pointer worse than any other C-USA school. Opponents are shooting 38.8 percent from behind the arc against the Tigers. TEAM COMPARISONS U of M Mizzou FG percentage .447 .467 Opp. Percentage .413 .440 FT percentage .603 .697 3-point percentage .401 .392 Opp. Percentage .387 .407 Rebounds 40.0 42.2 Opp. Rebounds 35.6 29.3 Points for 77.1 79.8 Points against 69.2 76.7 PROBABLE STARTERS Memphis P Yr. Ht. Pts. Antonio Burks G Sr. 6-0 15.5 Anthony Rice G Jr. 6-4 10.6 Rodney Carney F So. 6-7 16.4 Sean Banks F Fr. 6-8 13.4 Duane Erwin F Jr. 6-9 5.6 Illinois P Yr. Ht. Pts. Josh Kroenke G Sr. 6-4 5.0 Jimmy McKinney G So. 6-3 10.2 Rickey Paulding F Sr. 6-5 14.5 Travon Bryant F Sr. 6-9 14.7 Arthur Johnson F Sr. 6-9 15.5

12/27/03		Analyzing The Keys To The Game (Missouri) (Commercial Appeal)
		Get it up the court: By now it's obvious that Memphis is better in transition, better when somebody snatches a rebound, gets it to Antonio Burks and he pushes the ball at an alarming rate. Missouri hasn't defended fastbreaks well, and Dee Brown and Illinois exposed that glaring weakness earlier this week in an Illini victory. So what will Memphis do? You guessed it. The Tigers will try to run on every missed shot. And if they are successful, they could earn their first significant win of the season. Speaking of Burks: There is no question that Burks is the most capable of all Tigers in terms of breaking his defender down off the dribble. And though he could probably score 20 points per game if he wanted, that's not what the Booker T. Washington graduate needs to do. The one stat that best shows why Memphis struggled against Belmont and Samford is that Burks only had four assists in 69 minutes. With the way the Tigers play, Burks should get four assists per game by accident. Take advantage of the crowd: With a large crowd expected, this will be the first time this team has had a real homecourt advantage all season. Thus, it needs to take advantage of it and hope that some fan shooting free throws for boxes of chicken doesn't kill any momentum that might develop. It's doubtful Missouri will be rattled by the environment considering it just played in front of 22,000-plus Tuesday night. - By Gary Parrish

12/26/03		U of M Faces Team In Turmoil -- Mess At Mizzou (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 26, 2003 Pop Quiz. The Missouri basketball program is on its way to . . . ? A) The Final Four. B) NCAA probation. C) Both of the above. If you answered C, then you've been following your national headlines . . . and Quin Snyder sure hopes you're wrong, at least about the latter. The best soap opera in college basketball - The Young and the Ethics-less? - is coming, as Missouri visits The Pyramid for a Saturday game against the University of Memphis scheduled to tip at 11 a.m. The 11th-ranked Tigers - those other Tigers - arrive with a 4-2 record, the losses by a total of just eight points. Additionally, they bring more baggage than those two gals from that MTV show ''Rich Girls'' on a weekend trip to London. The highlights/lowlights of the past few months are that former Missouri standout Ricky Clemons alleged he - as well as All-American candidates Arthur Johnson and Rickey Paulding - received cash from assistant coaches and was instructed to lie about it. Clemons also said he received improper academic assistance. All of which could or could not be true. Clemons, as many point out, has little credibility because he alleged all this while serving jail time for choking and holding his girlfriend, Jessica Bunge, against her will. But what can't be refuted is shocking taped conversations between Clemons and Amy Stewart, wife of Mizzou associate athletics director Ed Stewart, and Carmento Floyd, wife of Missouri system president Elson Floyd. In those jailhouse talks, Stewart told Clemons, ''I'm taking great pleasure. You're taking (the coaching staff) down.'' Floyd told Clemons, ''I just want (Bunge) to shut up,'' then she encouraged the guard, who put 16 points on Memphis last season, to not date white women. In case you're not good with context clues, Clemons and Floyd are black. Bunge is white. And though the conversations aren't illegal, they sure paint a picture of a dysfunctional family at MU. Meanwhile, the NCAA has launched an investigation into the Missouri program, and Snyder - who has 17 NCAA ''secondary'' violations in four successful but turbulent years with the Tigers - has already admitted giving Clemons shoes and pants but denied any other wrong doing. ''As tough as it is for me personally not to respond, and for my coaches not to respond, I cannot discuss these allegations,'' Snyder said in a recent statement. ''As I have said all along, I respect the process of the investigation and until the university and the NCAA reach the conclusion of this process, I cannot comment on individual allegations or stories.'' As for when that conclusion might come, it probably won't be for at least a few months. The Kansas City Star recently reported that the NCAA's investigation has broadened, which should make this season somewhat bittersweet for Missouri, even if it makes that Final Four run so many believe is possible. ''I talked to him when we met in Chicago (in October for an ethics summit),'' Memphis coach John Calipari answered when asked if he had spoken to Snyder about his troubles. ''I just said, 'Hey, if you've done things right don't worry about it, just walk on, don't read it, don't listen to it.' '' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

12/25/03		Thankful Tiger: Hollimon Making Blessings Count (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact December 25, 2003 The man called Smoke looks at the picture hanging on the wall in approval and recognition. It is of a basketball player at the apex of his jump, the ball about to spin off his fingertips. "That’s me," Smoke says. "Baseline jumper. "They had a play just for me to get that shot. I’d start out on top, run off a pick, go all the way around the baseline and get the ball on the other side." Smoke smiles. "I was known for my quickness." Darrell Hollimon became Smoke Hollimon because he was elusive, a wisp, impossible to hold onto. He starred for South Side and the University of Memphis, playing alongside Alvin Wright from 1976-1978 in a blur of a backcourt. Now he's 49 and looking at a picture of what he once was. It's hanging on the wall of the HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital. The place has been the center of Smoke's existence since Aug. 17, when he and his wife, Earnestine, were in a devastating one-car accident. Earnestine walked away. Smoke smashed several vertebrae in his neck and will likely never walk again. He has no feeling in his legs and only partial use of his arms and hands. He recently moved the index finger on his left hand for the first time since the accident. On this day, Smoke is working with two therapists, Allison and Jennifer. He asks Allison to go easy on him. She laughs, nu-uh, never. The mood is light, cheery. The reality is hard and inescapable. Smoke cannot shoot baseline jumpers. He cannot do the smallest of things. He turns to Allison with one question before they begin. "Take my hat off for me, won't you?" Merry Christmas, Memphis. If you can't find reason for gratitude on this day, you should share some eggnog with the Hollimons. "We're blessed," Earnestine said. "And, yes, I really am as happy as I sound right now." Earnestine was in the passenger seat that August night, as she and Smoke drove back from delivering their daughter, Francina, to college at UT-Chattanooga. "We were 122 miles from Memphis," Earnestine said. "I had just looked up and seen the sign." It was storming, hard. And dark. Nearly midnight. "I hit a puddle," Smoke said. "And then the truck started to hydroplane." The pickup tore into a tree to the right. "BAM," said Earnestine. "It knocked him unconscious, over in my arms. I held him close but we swirled across the road, up in the air, just like in the movies. "We hit a whole row of trees on the left. BAM, BAM, BAM. I remember thinking we better stop hitting these trees or they're going to kill us." The truck rolled to a stop in a slight ravine. Earnestine crawled to the highway and flagged down help. The emergency crew had to cut Smoke out of the pickup. "He was all in one piece so I thought he was OK," Earnestine said. "Then I saw the neck brace and they did the foot thing and Darrell couldn't feel it." Smoke was unresponsive for two days. When he finally regained consciousness, he couldn't get his mind around the extent of the injuries. "I had to hit him in the legs to prove he couldn't feel," Earnestine said. "I hit him hard. To show him, you know." Smoke could have been forgiven for cursing fate, or God, or life itself at this point. His basketball career had not turned out the way he wanted. He always figured he'd be a pro. Of course he'd be a pro. But he was a shade too short and a decade too early to make it in the NBA. If he wanted to keep playing, he had to go to Europe. "Iceland," Smoke said, by way of explanation. "That was the offer. I didn't want to go to Iceland. My wife was pregnant with my son. "I had to go to work. I got a job with a moving company." Thus died a dream. Smoke downplays the impact, but friends say it was palpable. "I don't want to say he gave up then, but it's close to it," said Ron Engelberg, a Memphis booster who hired Smoke to work at his pawn shops. "Had he been able to make lots of money and go on to play pro ball, he would have been fine. But that's not what happened. He was depressed sometimes. He'd fall asleep watching movies and wouldn't show up for work. I finally had to let him go." Earlier this year, Engelberg says Smoke came to him, asking for his job back. "He looked me in the eye and told me he was going to do me right," Engelberg said. "And he did. That was not long before before the accident." This seems cruel, of course, the timing of it all. Which is why what happened during the more than two months Smoke spent in the hospital was so important. A woman from down the street came to visit Smoke, to thank him for the way he had kept vagrants from bothering her for years. A man Smoke barely remembered came to visit him, to thank him for giving him a meal when he needed one. Tiger fans traipsed down to the hospital to thank him for all the memories. And if all this sounds a little like "It's a Wonderful Life," well, if the script fits... "To be honest with you, I had no idea it was anything like that," Smoke said. "It was overwhelming. It changed my whole perspective." None of this means Smoke hasn't suffered some terribly low moments in the past four months. But Smoke and Earnestine have both taken the catastrophe with startling good humor. Earnestine is a nurse. Now she nurses 24 hours a day. Now she has... "Yes," she said, interrupting the thought. "I have a quadriplegic husband, recovering, that I can touch and smell. "I met a woman who lost her husband in Iraq. She goes into his closet so she can smell her husband and be close to him. That breaks my heart. I don't have to go into a closet. My husband is here with me." They are high school sweethearts, by the way. Two Scrappers. It figures. Smoke's mother would pick up Earnestine and drive her to Smoke's basketball games. Smoke would drive her home afterward. "We had one class together," Smoke said. "Math. She used to help me. She still helps me, I guess." Smoke approaches his therapy like he once approached his ball, with a blend of determination and cheerfulness. He has learned not to focus on results. Because, honestly, they can be demoralizing. "At first I was always looking for something," he said. "That wasn't good. I was waiting for something to happen that wasn't going to happen. "Like my finger moving the other day. That's great. But if I had been anticipating it day after day after day after day, that wouldn't be so great." Smoke still talks about his golf game in the present tense ("I shoot in the high 70s, low 80s.") He still laughs and jokes and plays with his two Dobermans. Oh, and he still buys season tickets to Memphis basketball games. And uses them. He was there to see Belmont. What was your excuse, again? "I think the team will do OK," he said. "They have to stay positive." This is the central message Smoke would like to give the current Tigers. Or anyone. You have to stay positive. Four years goes by in a blink. Life can get harder then. Stuff like attitude matters. "No matter what happens to you," he said, "you have to get through it." It is a strange Christmas in the Hollimon household. Usually, Smoke gives Earnestine diamonds. He worked in a pawn shop, after all. One of the fringe benefits. This year, the Hollimons are sharing one big gift. A wheelchair equipped van. It sits in the driveway, irrefutable evidence of how a life can change. "It's a great van," Earnestine said. "And the person we bought it from said they were happy it was going to Smoke Hollimon. "Isn't that nice? People remember. "We feel really blessed this Christmas." Contact columnist Geoff Calkins at 529-2364; E-mail: calkins@commercialappeal.com

12/25/03		Lady Tigers To Play In Montana Tournament (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The Lady Tigers look to finish out the month of December with a winning record when they head to Missoula, Mont., to play in the tournament hosted by the University of Montana. Memphis opens the tournament on Saturday, Dec. 28, against the Idaho Vandals at 3:05 p.m. Montana and Princeton will face each other following the U of M-Idaho match-up at approximately 5:05 p.m. The consolation game is slated to tip off at 5:05 p.m. on Sunday, with the championship game to follow. The Lady Tigers enter the tournament with an 8-1 record after defeating Arkansas-Little Rock at the Pyramid on Dec. 20 before taking a short break for the holidays. Memphis defeated UALR, 61-48, behind the career-high 28 points of reserve Victoria Crawford. Crawford came off the bench to score 28 points in 34 minutes. She also hauled in seven rebounds and dished out five assists. Crawford, a junior from Birmingham, Ala., has not started a single game this season, but is the squad's leading scorer averaging 13.9 points per game. Sophomore Tamika Butler, who has hit a "mini" scoring slump after starting the season with five straight games of double-digit scoring, is second on the team with an average of 12.3 points per contest. She leads the team in treys with 23 and in assists with 42. Junior Raven Rogers is another reserve who is doing wonders for Memphis, leading the way in rebounding with 6.6 boards per game. She is fourth in scoring with an average of 8.0 points per game. At 8-1, the Lady Tigers are still enjoying one of their best starts ever. The last team to roll off an 8-1 record before the Christmas break was the 1998-99 squad, which finished the year at 22-10 and a Final Four showing in the WNIT. The Vandals are 7-0 on the year after defeating Washington State, 72-57, before the Christmas break. Key to the Vandals' success so far this season is sophomore post Emily Faurholt who currently leads the nation with an average of 25.7 points per game. Faurholt has scored more than 20 points, including a career high 30 points against WSU, in all seven of Idaho's games. Also ranked nationally is true freshman point guard Leilani Mitchell who is 5th in the country in assists (7.7/game) and 10th in steals (3.8/game). She is also the only freshman to be ranked in the top 50 in scoring with an average of 19.0 points per game. That mark currently has her holding the No. 35 spot. Montana is 7-2 on the year following a 74-49 victory over St. Mary's on Dec. 19. Hollie Tyler led her squad past St. Mary's with a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds. Tyler leads the Lady Griz in scoring and in rebounding with averages of 13.9 points and 7.7 boards a game. She also has blocked a team-high 18 shots this season. Julie Deming, who scored 16 against St. Mary's , follows Tyler closely with 13.8 points per game. Princeton is 2-7 on the year after nearly upsetting Georgia Tech before the holidays. Princeton lost the contest, 67-66. Rebecca Brown leads Princeton in scoring with 12.0 points per game while Casey Lockwood leads her squad in rebounding with 8.3 boards a game. Lockwood also averages double digit scoring with a mark of 10.0 points per game. The U of M has not played any of the three teams in the tournament. The Lady Tigers will open 2004 with road contests against Arkansas on Jan. 2 and against Lipscomb on Jan. 5. Following those two meetings, Memphis will return home to the Elma Roane Fieldhouse to open the Conference USA season against Houston on Jan. 9 at 7 p.m.

12/24/03		Defense, West Deal Would Fill Stocking (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact December 24, 2003 Answer: Defensive linemen. Linebackers. A contract extension with a healthy raise, not only for himself but for his staff. Question: What would give University of Memphis coach Tommy West, coming off a magical 2003 season, momentum heading into 2004? It's been a week since the Tigers capped the most successful season in three decades with a 27-17 victory over North Texas in the New Orleans Bowl. Memphis finished 9-4, winning six of its last seven and posting the program's first nine-win season since 1963 and earning its first postseason trip since 1971. West, a former Clemson coach in his third season at Memphis, accomplished what many said couldn't be done. He took a program that hadn't won seven or more games in 27 years, one that had endured eight straight losing seasons, one that had been picked ninth in a Conference USA preseason poll and had it flirting with 10 wins and Top 25 status. The next step, West said, is for the program to win C-USA and break into the Top 25. It's a significant stride that can't be made unless West has a successful recruiting season, particularly finding some defensive linemen and linebackers to replace the group he is losing. Defensive linemen Treveco Lucas and Eric Taylor and linebackers Greg Harper, Coot Terry, Derrick Ballard and Will Hyden ended their careers at the New Orleans Bowl. Hyden, Harper, Terry, Ballard and Taylor were ranked among the team's top six in tackles. Lucas was tied for third in sacks. They benefited from being part of a vastly improved defense - directed by first-year coordinator Joe Lee Dunn - that finished the regular season as the conference's best. "I saw the experience Joe Lee brought," West said. "He does it the old-fashioned way. And that's with hard work, repetitions and no busted assignments. They were in great shape and they believed in him. "They believed he was going to put them in the right defenses and they were going to go make the plays. That's experience. He is good at what he does, but I knew that when I hired him. I said, 'This will be the difference' and it was." West said there were other pieces to the turnaround season puzzle. Sophomore running back DeAngelo Williams had the year many projected he would have, rushing for a school-record 1,430 yards and earning C-USA Offensive Player of the Year honors. Quarterback Danny Wimprine played almost every snap, throwing for nearly 3,200 yards and continuing to rewrite the school's passing marks. Receivers coach Clay Helton was invaluable coaching an unheralded group. And offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner spent most of the season pushing the right buttons, particularly in a 44-34 win over Ole Miss. "You don't win nine ballgames without a lot of things going right," West said. "Joe Lee Dunn did a tremendous job with our defense, but there were a lot of other parts to this puzzle. You've got to remember that four years ago (when West was defensive coordinator) we led the nation in rush defense and were fifth overall, but we didn't win nine games." And they didn't go to a bowl game or generate excitement around a U of M athletic team that hadn't been seen since, perhaps, the 1973 basketball team's run to the NCAA finals. "I really think Memphis can become a football city," Ballard said. "I think it can really take off. This is the first step, and something like this will give a recruit a reason to come to Memphis. "When you are getting good athletes when you are 3-9 (as the Tigers were in 2002), imagine the kind of athletes you'll get when you go 9-4. This is a big step. We hadn't been to a bowl game in 30 years. Hopefully, they'll go to a bowl game for 30 years straight." Tiger athletic director R. C. Johnson said the response from recruits has been "incredible" because of the program's success. Two Christian Brothers High linemen - Philip Beliles and Brandon Pearce - committed earlier this month. "What I need to do now is make sure I lock Tommy up (through 2008)," Johnson said, referring to a contract extension. West, 49, said he has enjoyed his brief tenure at the U of M and being part of the program's resurrection. "I hope I'm here for a long time," West said. "I hope they'll keep me around here. I really like this program. I've got three years invested and we've got a group of kids we've recruited that believe in our system." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

12/23/03		Dodging A Bullet -- Samford Gives U of M Scare, Unexpectedly (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 23, 2003 The idea is simple. You come in, take your beating, grab your check and go home. Then everybody leaves happy with all purposes served. But somebody forgot to let Samford in on the plan. Which was a mistake, possibly causing the University of Memphis to struggle Monday night before narrowly escaping with a 63-62 win over the Bulldogs. ''We did what we had to do to win the game,'' said Tiger coach John Calipari. ''In March, this is a 'W.' Nobody will care what it looked like.'' And if there is a positive for Calipari to take out of this, that's probably it. His Tigers won, moved to 6-2 heading into Saturday's showdown with 11th-ranked Missouri and avoided what would've been the worst upset of his four-year tenure at the U of M. All in all, quite an accomplishment considering that with less than three minutes remaining, Memphis was down six, getting booed by some of the estimated 6,500 in The Pyramid and on the verge of, well, we'll let Antonio Burks tell you. ''I can't lie, I thought we were about to lose,'' said the senior point guard. ''But we just picked it up in the end.'' Not surprisingly, it was Burks doing most of the picking. He hit a 3-pointer with 2:23 remaining to cut the lead to 59-56. Then, 37 seconds later, he stole the ball and got a layup to cut the advantage to 59-58. Then he found Sean Banks for a layup with 19.3 seconds left to give the Tigers a 63-62 advantage they never relinquished, thanks to Jerry Smith missing the frontend of a 1-and-1 with 4.6 seconds on the clock. The play to Banks - the game-winner - was out of a timeout, quick and by design. ''And I thought it was a smart play on Coach Cal's part because we hadn't really run a play for me all game, especially on an inbounds,'' said Banks, a freshman from New Jersey who finished with nine points, five of which came in the final 93 seconds. ''I caught them off-guard, and it kind of took the life out of them.'' As opposed to beat the life out of them, like Ohio State, Southern Miss and Purdue had done to Samford (4-4) in recent weeks. But in those games, the Bulldogs didn't shoot 55 percent and make 10 3-pointers, which is what they did against Memphis, while slicing and backdoor-cutting their way to one easy basket after another as Calipari yelled for any official to call a moving screen. It was mostly a waste of energy, the same kind of energy his Tigers wasted trying to chase Samford around in a half-court set. ''They ran their offense so well, it's hard to play those type of teams,'' said Burks, who finished with a team-high 20 points and two assists. ''If you stop, you will get scored on.'' With the exception of Burks, the Tiger offense produced 16 points less than it averages, even though Memphis made 50 percent of its field goal attempts. The only other player in double-figures was Jeremy Hunt, who scored 11 points in 27 minutes. Meanwhile, Phillip Ramelli led Samford with 23 points, five assists and five rebounds from the center position. J. Robert Merritt, the Bulldog's other starter in the front court, added 13 points, two assists and one rebound. ''Memphis did not beat us,'' said Samford coach Jimmy Tillette. ''We lost this game and let it slip away with lost turnovers and missed free throws. It is a positive when you come in here and have a chance to win. It is a step forward for our program.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

12/23/03		TIGERS POSTGAME -- Samford (Commercial Appeal)
		The numbers SAMFORD MEMPHIS 30~Rebounds~22~ 5~Off-Rebounds~5~ 17~Turnovers~9~ 4~Steals~7~ .550~FG Percentage~.500~ .455~3-Pt. Percentage~.353~ .571~FT Percentage~.474~ SAMFORD (62) ~min~fg~3pt~ft~r~pts~ Merritt 30 4-6 2-4 3-4 1 13 Ramelli 34 9-12 2-3 3-4 5 23 Harper 35 2-5 2-4 0-0 5 6 Dorsey 34 2-8 2-6 0-1 5 6 Lopiano 14 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 2 Mills 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 Smith 26 3-6 1-3 0-3 7 7 Boerjan 6 1-1 1-1 0-0 0 3 Gulina 6 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 Hare 13 0-1 0-1 2-2 1 2 Team 4 200~22-40~10-22~8-14~30~62~ MEMPHIS (63) ~min~fg~3pt~ft~r~pts~ Carney 34 4-12 0-4 0-0 2 8 Erwin 18 0-1 0-0 0-0 3 0 Banks 27 4-6 1-2 0-2 5 9 Burks 35 8-12 3-5 1-2 3 20 Rice 31 2-4 1-3 3-4 2 8 Hunt 27 3-8 1-3 4-6 3 11 Lopez 15 3-5 0-0 0-1 2 6 Barclay 13 0-0 0-0 1-4 2 1 Team 0 200~24-48~6-17~9-19~22~63~ Samford~27~35~ - ~62~ Memphis~26~37~ - ~63~ Offensive Reboundsx - xSamford 5 (Dorsey 1, Smith 1, team 3); Memphis 5 (Erwin 1, Banks 1, Rice 1, Lopez 1, Barclay 1). Assistsx - xSamford 16 (Merritt 2, Ramelli 5, Harper 3, Dorsey 1, Smith 2, Hare 3); Memphis 10 (Carney 2, Erwin 1, Banks 1, Burks 2, Rice 4). Turnoversx - xSamford 17 (Merritt 2, Ramelli 5, Harper 2, Dorsey 2, Lopiano 2, Smith 1, Gulina 1, Hare 1, team 1); Memphis 9 (Carney 2, Burks 1, Rice 3, Hunt 1, Barclay 2). Stealsx - xSamford 4 (Merritt 1, Ramelli 1, Harper 1, Smith 1); Memphis 7 (Carney 1, Banks 1, Burks 3, Hunt 1, Barclay 1). Blocksx - xMemphis 2 (Banks 1, Lopez 1). Foulsx - xSamford 22 (Merritt 4, Ramelli 4, Harper 2, Dorsey 4, Lopiano 1, Smith 2, Boerjan 3, Gulina 1, Hare 1); Memphis 15 (Carney 1, Banks 3, Burks 2, Rice 2, Hunt 2, Lopez 1, Barclay 4). Technicalsx - xNone Officialsx - xGene Menees, Don Daily, Andrew Walton Attendancex - x6,500 (estimated; 14,813 tickets sold). With 24.8 seconds remaining and Samford ahead 62-61, Sean Banks pressured J. Robert Merritt into fumbling the ball out of bounds. During the ensuing timeout, Tiger coach John Calipari designed a play for Antonio Burks to get the ball inside to Banks. It worked beautifully and created an easy bucket with 19.3 seconds left that proved to be the game-winner. Stat of the game After watching his team get outrebounded by a 30-22 margin, Calipari was critical and rightfully so. In addition to being upset with the production of Duane Erwin, who had just three rebounds, the fourth-year Tiger coach pointed out that Rodney Carney had just two rebounds, neither of which were offensive. ''What?'' Calipari asked. ''He jumps 40 inches but he can't get one offensive rebound?'' Trends With the victory the Tigers have now won 11 straight games at The Pyramid. The last loss was a 75-74 defeat to South Florida on Jan. 18. Memphis has won 19 of its past 20 in The Pyramid. X's and O's On Sunday at practice Calipari told his team to make Samford drive the ball, noting that the Bulldogs probably didn't have the type of athletes capable of doing such against Memphis. And he's right. But somehow, Samford did actually dribble into the lane on several occasions and convert easy layups that predictably had Calipari fuming. "We didn't want (to allow) backdoors; we wanted them to beat us on the dribble,'' Calipari said. ''And I'm going to tell you, they beat us on the dribble about five or six times.'' Odds and ends Among the estimated crowd of 6,500 at the game was Alabama standout Earnest Shelton, the White Station High graduate who was once recruited by Memphis before ultimately signing with the Crimson Tide. In a trend that will probably continue the rest of this season, Memphis had three guys play 31 or more minutes. Burks paced the Tigers with 35 minutes while Carney added 34 and Anthony Rice had 31. What's next For the first time this season a big-time basketball school will visit The Pyramid as 11th ranked Missouri plays Memphis on national television Saturday at 11 a.m. Led by Rickey Paulding and Arthur Johnson - two All-American candidates - Missouri is 4-1. - By Gary Parrish

12/23/03		It's A Win, So 'Good morning!' (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact December 23, 2003 Antonio Burks sat in his locker, mulling a win that felt like a loss. The fans were grumbling. The head coach was threatening to burn the tape of the game. Reporters were closing in on Burks for some kind of explantion, some insight into what has gone so badly wrong with this Memphis basketball team. Which is when Breaunna Burks intervened. Breaunna is Burks's daughter. She's 5. She sat squeezed in the locker next to her dad. And when she saw the reporters advancing on the two of them, Breaunna's face lit up like a - hey, it is the season - Christmas tree. "Good morning!" she said. "Good morning?" Breaunna nodded her head. Maybe reporters just don't hear so well. "Good morning!" she said, again. Well, heck. Who can be sour in the face of such relentless good cheer? Scrooge? Grinch? A sports columnist with a heart 10 sizes too small? "I like my team," said John Calipari, in the wake of Monday night's 63-62 win over Samford. "In March this is a 'W' and nobody cares what it looks like." Exactly! What he said! And never mind the rest of the stuff. Never mind that this was Samford, for example. Not Stanford. Samford. Proud owner of wins over such teams as Covenant College and Tennessee-Temple. Q: What's a Tennessee-Temple? A: I have no idea, but is it coached by Buzz Chaney? It's not like the mighty Bulldogs don't play quality opponents, however. They just tend to get blown out by them. Samford lost by 16 to Purdue, by 20 to Southern Miss, by 18 to Ohio State and by one to Memphis. Q - Which one of these losses is not like the other? A - I thought you said you weren't going to be sour. Oh, right! Breaunna! The point is, it would be easy to hammer away after another game like this. Easy to point out the Tigers played hideous post defense. Easy to wonder why R. C. Johnson is in such a hurry to give Calipari a contract extension when the head coach is already signed and richly compensated through 2007. But this is not the week for that. Or the stage of the season. The Tigers did win the game, after all. That should count for something. Kansas lost to Nevada the other day. Purdue lost to SMU. Memphis didn't lose because Burks and Sean Banks were brilliant down the stretch. "You take this win and you run," said Calipari. Screaming, presumably. Beyond all that, the Tigers aren't necessarily in such a dire spot right now. They've lost the two games they were supposed to lose. They've won the six games they were supposed to win. Calipari's teams always get better as the season goes along. There's no reason to think this one won't do the same. It would help, of course, if the improvement could kick in by Saturday. That's when Missouri comes to town. Win that and all will be well in Tigerland. For now, we leave you with Breaunna Burks, and the wishes of the season. Good morning, everyone! Whatever time it happens to be. Contact columnist Geoff Calkins at 529-2364

12/22/03		Tigers Slide Past Samford, 63-62 (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Antonio Burks scored 20 points and assisted on Sean Banks' winning basket with 19 seconds left Monday night as Memphis escaped with a 63-62 victory over Samford. Banks' 3-pointer with 1:33 remaining completed a comeback for the Tigers (6-2), who trailed by 54-47 with 5:28 remaining. Burks led the rally by scoring seven of the Tigers' eight points during one streak. Samford's Jerry Smith countered Banks' 3-pointer with one of his own for a 62-61 Bulldogs lead with just over a minute to play. The Bulldogs (4-5) had a couple of chances to tie or take the lead after Banks' basket on the feed from Burks. But Smith missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 4.6 seconds left, and Samford couldn't get a shot after Banks missed a pair of free throws with 3.5 seconds to play. Burks was 8 of 12 shots from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, to lead the Memphis attack. Jeremy Hunt had 11 for the Tigers. Phillip Ramelli led Samford with 23 points, shooting 9-of-12 from the field, scoring inside and out as he connected on a pair of 3-pointers. J. Robert Merritt added 13 for the Bulldogs, including 10 in the first half. Samford built a 6-point lead in the first half and held on for a 27-26 advantage at the break. Memphis went 6:22 without scoring as the Bulldogs erased an early 14-5 Tigers lead with 13 straight points. Merritt had eight points in the streak and Ramelli added five points for an 18-14 lead. Five straight points by the Tigers at the end of the half cut the lead to one. Samford took the lead in the second half, scoring nine unanswered points midway through the period as the Tigers again went cold from the field. Ramelli scored 12 of the Bulldogs' 19 points during one stretch as Samford built the lead before Burks and Banks pulled Memphis ahead in the final five minutes. Samford finished the game shooting 55 percent from the field, and outrebounded the Tigers 30-22, but was hindered by 17 turnovers.

12/22/03		As U of M Roster Shrinks, Tigers Adapting (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 22, 2003 The other day, Milt Wagner participated in a full-court scrimmage with the University of Memphis. And though it's always nice to see a 40-year-old NBA veteran knocking down threes, the Tiger assistant's presence by necessity brought to light just how much things have changed over the past few weeks. Remember all that depth the Tigers had? Now it's mostly gone, forcing John Calipari to limit his substitutions because there just aren't a whole bunch of able bodies available. ''I think Kentucky is only playing about six guys, and the team I coached (at Massachusetts) that went to the Final Four (in 1996) only played six guys, so we're fine,'' said Calipari, the fourth-year Memphis coach whose Tigers (5-2) host Samford (4-4) tonight at 7 at The Pyramid. ''I've played like this before, and let me tell you what happens. Usually the seven or eight guys who are playing get better because they know they're playing and feel more comfortable.'' Since the U of M returned from a preseason exhibition tour in Mexico, four players have been eliminated from this team for various reasons. Clyde Wade's legal troubles have him indefinitely suspended. Almamy Thiero's health problems have him sidelined for the foreseeable future. Billy Richmond asked for and was given his full release following a suspension. And Derrick Chew took a shot in the season opener in New York against Wake Forest and then just basically disappeared. Add it all up and you'll find that Memphis will dress only nine players the rest of the season. By contrast, Samford has 16 guys on its roster, meaning the Bulldogs probably don't have to rely on coaches and former players to make it through practice. Memphis can't claim as much. On Sunday, for instance, assistants Mike Babul and Ryan Miller wore uniforms. They were joined by the recently graduated John Grice, who starred for the Tigers last season and is now trying to get back into basketball shape. ''I like it like this, having to play 30 or 35 minutes a game,'' said Memphis sophomore Rodney Carney, whose 29.3 minutes per outing is fourth-most on the team. ''Well, I say I like it. But I can get tired out there because I'm the type of player who plays three or four minutes and then needs a break.'' Not anymore. Not with this roster. A sign of what's to come was probably visible in the U of M's win over Belmont last Wednesday when only six Tigers played at least 10 minutes, led by Anthony Rice's 36. In that game, all five starters - Carney, Rice, Antonio Burks, Sean Banks and Duane Erwin - played at least 29 minutes, and Jeremy Hunt got 23 minutes off the bench. That six-man rotation - plus some quality minutes from Ivan Lopez and Arthur Barclay - is probably what this team is about to settle into. ''I like that,'' said Rice, whose 32.4 minutes per game leads the Tigers. ''It's cool, especially me playing all these minutes.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

12/22/03		Preview: Tigers vs. Samford (Commercial Appeal)
		When, where: Today, 7 p.m. at The Pyramid. Records: Memphis 5-2, Samford 4-4. Series standing: Memphis leads, 2-1 Latest line: Memphis by 21 TV, radio: WLMT-TV (30); WMC-AM (790), pregame 5:30 p.m. Notables: Samford is a small school in Birmingham that plays in the Ohio Valley Conference. This will be the Bulldogs' third game in five days after wins over Tennessee-Temple and Covenant College. Samford shot a combined 69.3 percent in those two victories. Though the Tigers have no wins over impressive teams, their two losses aren't looking too shabby. Wake Forest is 7-0 and coming off a victory over North Carolina. Illinois is 6-2 heading into its game against Missouri. Wake Forest and Illinois are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. Samford is 1-4 away from home this season. The Tigers are 93-61 against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference. John Calipari has an 8-1 record against the OVC. TEAM COMPARISONS U of MSam. FG percentage .441.539 Opp. Percentage .400.451 FT percentage .617.710 3-point percentage .406.409 Opp. Percentage .379.353 Rebounds 42.629.4 Opp. Rebounds 36.428.3 Points for 79.171.6 Points against 70.364.8 PROBABLE STARTERS Memphis PYr.Ht.Pts. Antonio Burks GSr.6-014.9 Anthony Rice GJr.6-411.0 Rodney Carney FSo.6-717.6 Sean Banks FFr.6-814.0 Duane Erwin CJr.6-96.4 Samford PYr.Ht.Pts. Anthony LoPiano GSo.6-12.4 Tyson Dorsey GSr.6-38.9 Eddie Harper FSr.6-512.4 J. Robert Merrill FSo.6-63.1 Phillip Ramelli CSr.6-1013.3

12/22/03		Analyzing The Keys To The Game (Commercial Appeal)
		Watch the back door: In its Princeton-like offense, Samford will be patient and cut and cut and cut some more until it gets a shot to its liking, usually a 3-pointer or layup. That's why the Bulldogs are shooting 53.9 percent from the field this season. Also, the Tigers haven't been good defensively for three straight halves, dating to the Illinois game. This task may even be more difficult, meaning Memphis must guard better and not stop on screens to avoid a scare. Put distractions aside: The Tigers have had their share of off-the-court problems this season, from Clyde Wade's federal indictment to Almamy Thiero's blood clots to Billy Richmond's departure from the team and on down the line. Now is the time to officially put all that stuff out of mind and move on. Get Banks back on track: After starting the season as one of the U of M's most consistent players, freshman Sean Banks has struggled in his past two outings, even with a 14-point, six-rebound effort against Belmont. Calipari has continuously preached to Banks that he only needs to learn how to play basketball the right way to become a star, but it is still a work in progress. And because practices haven't been overwhelmingly smooth for the 6-8 forward lately, a nice outing tonight with plenty of pats on the back probably would help Banks's confidence. - By Gary Parrish

12/21/03		Memphis Basketball Game Notes (Samford) (GoTigersGo.com)
		GAMEDAY INFORMATION MATCH-UP - Memphis (5-2, 0-0 C-USA) vs. Samford (4-4, 0-0 OVC) TIPOFF - 7:00 p.m. (CT), Monday, Dec. 22, 2003 SITE - The Pyramid (20,004), Memphis, Tenn. RADIO INFORMATION - WMC-AM 790 will broadcast the game with Dave Woloshin (play-by-play) and Matt Dillon (analyst) calling the action. The radio broadcast can also be heard on the World Wide Web at the U of M athletics site, www.goTIGERSgo.com. TELEVISION - WLMT/UPN 30 will televise Wednesday's game with Greg Gaston (play-by-play) and Jon Albright (analyst) calling the action. This is the ninth-straight year WLMT has televised Memphis Tiger basketball. THE SERIES - Monday's game will be the fourth meeting in the series between Memphis and Belmont. WHAT'S NEXT - Memphis continues its four-game homestand after the Christmas holiday Saturday, Dec. 27 when it hosts nationally-ranked Missouri at The Pyramid. Game time is 11:00 a.m. (CT), and the contest will be televised by ESPN. SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS Samford enters Monday's encounter with a 4-4 overall record. The Bulldogs' victories have come against Bryan College, Winthrop Tennessee-Temple and Covenant College. The squad's setbacks were to Purdue, New Orleans, Southern Miss and Ohio State. Senior center Phillip Ramelli leads three Bulldogs scoring in double figures with a 13.3 average. Senior guard Eddie Harper (12.4 ppg) and sophomore forward J. Robert Merritt (11.1 ppg) are also averaging double digits in the scoring column. Harper (6.3 rpg) and Ramelli (6.3 rpg) pace Samford on the boards, while Merritt is the squad's top three-point shooter at 51.4 percent from the arc (19-of-37). The Buldogs are shooting 53.9 percent from the field, 40.9 percent from the three-point line and 71 percent from the charity stripe. Samford is out-rebounding its opponents by a narrow 1.1 margin (29.4-28.3). TIGER TIPOFF The Memphis Tiger basketball team returns to action at The Pyramid Monday, Dec. 22, hosting the Samford Bulldogs in a non-conference clash. Game time is 7:00 p.m. (CT). Monday's contest continues a four-game Tigers' homestand, which also includes games versus Missouri and Oakland. Memphis began the homestand with an 89-83 win over Belmont Dec. 17. Prior to the Belmont victory, the Tigers dropped a 74-64 decision at No. 14 Illinois Dec. 13. The Bulldogs are 4-4 and have won their last two outings, an 85-50 win over Tennessee-Temple Dec. 18 and a 95-54 victory over Covenant College Dec. 20. PROBABLES/TOP RESERVES* MEMPHIS ppg rpg SAMFORD ppg rpg F - Rodney Carney 17.6 6.4 F - J. Robert Merritt 11.1 3.1 F - Sean Banks 14.0 8.3 F - Eddie Harper 12.4 6.3 F - Duane Erwin 6.4 7.6 C - Phillip Ramelli 13.3 6.3 G - Antonio Burks 14.9 ^6.2 G - Tyson Dorsey 8.9 2.1 G - Anthony Rice 11.0 3.4 G - Anthony LoPiano 2.4 ^2.8 R - Jeremy Hunt 7.2 4.8 R - Jerry Smith 4.0 1.8 R - Ivan Lopez 5.4 2.8 R - Jon Mills 4.3 2.8 R - Arthur Barclay 5.5 1.5 R - Bryan Boerjan 4.1 0.9 * probables are based on previous game ^ apg MEMPHIS-SAMFORD SERIES The Tigers lead the all-time series 2-1. The last time the two schools played on the hardwood was 30 years ago to the day (Dec. 22, 1973) with Memphis taking a 101-69 win at home. The other encounters came in the 1947-48 campaign when the Tigers and Bulldogs played twice, splitting the two meetings. Memphis won the first game that year, defeating Samford 37-32 at home on Jan. 31, 1948. The Bulldogs posted a 59-52 victory in the second contest on Feb. 27, 1948. MEMPHIS VERSUS THE OHIO VALLEY The Tigers have an all-time record of 93-61 against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference. Memphis has played Austin Peay (12-4), Eastern Kentucky (3-0), Morehead State (0-2), Murray State (34-26), Southeast Missouri State (1-2), Tennessee-Martin (10-3), Tennessee State (7-0) and Tennessee Tech (26-24). Earlier this season, the Tigers defeated Austin Peay 74-60 Nov. 29 and Tennessee-Martin 84-64 Dec. 3. CALIPARI VERSUS THE OHIO VALLEY Head coach John Calipari has an 8-1 record in games against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference. Calipari has faced Austin Peay (2-1), Eastern Kentucky (1-0), Murray State (1-0), Tennessee-Martin (3-0) and Tennessee Tech (1-0). "RED'S" BIG NIGHT Junior Duane Erwin, known by his nickname "Red," has been showing his work on the boards this season, posting three double-digit games on the glass. But, in the Tigers' victory over Belmont Dec. 17, the 6-foot-9 forward revealed more of his offensive game. He scored a career-high 21 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. His previous career best was 14 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 25, 2002. The Huntsville, Ala., native also had seven rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and one steal in the win over the Bruins. The double-digit scoring performance was the third of his career as he had 14 points versus Arkansas-Pine Bluff and 10 points versus TCU last season. TIGERS A SCORING MACHINE? Well, they're not quite up there where Loyola-Marymount of the late 1980s was, but the Tigers are placing some points on the scoreboard. The squad is averaging 79.1 points per game, which is fifth in Conference USA. Since John Calipari took over as head coach in 2000-01, Memphis has scored 80 or more points a total of 40 times, including three this year. In the three seasons prior to Calipari's arrival, the Tigers netted 80 or more points on 25 occasions. For pre-Calipari Tiger teams to equal the total of 40 games, one would have to go back five years and one game (last game of 1994-95 through 1999-2000). ALMAMY ON THE MEND Redshirt freshman Almamy Thiero has missed the last two games because of illness, but he's glad the doctors found out what was wrong. The week prior to the Dec. 13 Illinois game, the 6-foot-10 forward was suffering from the flu. After coughing up some blood, team physicians decided to run further tests and diagnosed him with pulmonary emboli, commonly known as blood clots. The Mali, West Africa, native is now doing fine and is taking cumidin, a blood thinner. However, Thiero will be out six-to-nine weeks, and may miss the remainder of the 2003-04 season. ALL-AROUND CARNEY Fans have enjoyed Rodney Carney's bombs from the arc, but head coach John Calipari is pushing him to become more of a complete player and not just a three-point shooter. The 6-foot-7 forward showed that he can become that complete player in the Tigers' victory over Belmont Dec. 17. The Indianapolis, Ind., native recorded the third double-double of his career with 16 points and a career-high tying 11 rebounds (six offensive). He also had three assists, three blocks and one steal. In the final two minutes of the game, Carney did it all. With the contest tied at 78-all, Carney rebounded an Antonio Burks miss and put it back in to give the Tigers the lead for good. On the other end, Carney went high for the rebound after a Bruin missed field goal and was fouled. He hit both free throws with 53 seconds left to give Memphis an 82-78 lead. With 17 seconds left, Jeremy Hunt hit his first free throw, but missed the second. However, Carney was there to put back the miss for an 87-81 Tiger lead. With nine seconds left, Carney did the same on a Sean Banks missed free throw for the final margin of victory. DOUBLE-DIGIT MAN Is this deja vu all over again? For sophomore Rodney Carney, it may seem like it, but he and the Tigers hope it continues a little longer this year. In 2002-03, the 6-foot-7 forward started the season with five-straight games scoring in double figures. This year, he has done the same and add two games. Carney has posted double figures in the scoring column in the Tigers' first seven contests, including a career-high 23 points in the win over Fordham Nov. 22. The 23-point performance versus the Rams broke his previous career best of 22 points versus East Carolina on Feb. 4, 2003. Carney recorded the third 20-point game of his career with 21 points in the Tigers' win over Tennessee-Martin Dec. 3. The Indianapolis, Ind., native is averaging a team-best 17.6 points and is ranked fourth in Conference USA in scoring. In his career, Carney has netted double figures in 23 games (16 in 2002-03). NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS Memphis has had a long history of success in non-league games, and that has continued under head coach John Calipari. Since Calipari took over in 2000-01, the Tigers have a non-conference record (including postseason) of 40-16 for a 71.4 winning percentage. Memphis is 5-2 against non-league opponents in 2003-04. Last season, Memphis was 9-2 (.878) in non-league games (regular season only), which was the program's fourth-best non-conference record since joining the Missouri Valley Conference in the late 1960s. The Tigers finished 2003-04 with a 9-3 record (includes postseason) against non-Conference USA foes. Only once has Memphis run the table out of league play, going 16-0 during the 1982-83 season. That squad posted a 23-8 record and advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals. The 1985-86 team would go 16-1 (.941) in regular-season nonconference games while the 1981-82 team posted an 11-2 record (.946) in nonleague games. Rounding out the top five nonconference starts was the 1970-71 team which was 10-2 prior to getting into the heart of its Missouri Valley Conference schedule. BARCLAY'S BACK! After a year away from the court, junior Arthur Barclay returned to action in the Tigers' game at Illinois Dec. 13. But, he made his presence known in Memphis' 89-83 victory over Belmont Dec. 17. The 6-foot-8 forward, who admits he is trying to get back in game shape, provided a big lift for the Tigers off the bench. The Camden, N.J., native scored a career-high 11 points on 4-of-5 field goals and 3-of-4 free throws. The four field goals were also a career high. Barclay grabbed three boards to go along with 11 points in nine minutes of action. RICHMOND GRANTED RELEASE Junior guard Billy Richmond was suspended indefinitely from the team Dec. 15 and was granted his release Dec. 18. Richmond played in five games in 2003-04, averaging 5.0 points and 1.8 rebounds. BOMBS AWAY! Coaches say that teams change from year to year, and this is especially true with the Tigers. Last season, Memphis primarily used its inside game to take the squad to a 23-7 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. In 2003-04, the Tigers are using the perimeter weapons to their advantage. Memphis is Conference USA's top three-point shooting team at 40.6 percent from the arc, and is the league's only team shooting over 40 percent. The Tigers are also hitting just under 10 treys per game at 9.9. According to NCAA statistics released Dec. 15, Memphis was second in the nation in three-pointers made per game (10.3) and 14th in three-point percentage. To further tell the story of Memphis' three-point shooting, the Tigers have three players hitting 40 percent or better from the arc. Sean Banks (42.5 percent), Anthony Rice (47.2) and Antonio Burks (45.8) all are shooting 40 percent or better from the arc. MORE FROM THE ARC Last year, the Tigers hit a school single-season record 210 three-pointers. On the pace Memphis is hitting treys in 2003-04, that record is in serious jeopardy. After seven games, the Tigers have hit 69 treys for an average of 9.9 made per contest (leads C-USA). If that pace keeps up, Memphis would have nearly 270 three-pointers this season.

12/21/03		Strong Bench Play Lifts Lady Tigers To 61-48 Victory Over UALR (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - Reserve guard Victoria Crawford poured in a career-high 28 points to lead the University of Memphis women's basketball team to a 61-48 victory over Arkansas-Little Rock in a sloppy game Saturday at The Pyramid. Crawford paced the Memphis (8-1) bench who outscored the UALR (3-6) bench 37-0 as both teams had more turnovers than field goals in the contest. Both teams made just eight field goals after the break, but Crawford went 11-for-14 from the free throw line in the second half to put the game out of reach for the visitors. A jumper by Memphis guard Tamika Butler with 14:36 remaining broke a 34-34 tie and the Lady Tigers never trailed again. The Lady Tigers held UALR to 32.8 percent shooting from the floor for the game and just 25 percent after the break. Memphis won a close rebounding battle grabbing 39 boards to 37 by the Trojans. Reserve forward Raven Rogers had a team-high nine rebounds for the Lady Tigers. Memphis erased an 11-point first-half deficit with an 18-6 run over the final 8:19 that gave the Lady Tigers a 29-28 advantage at the break. Rogers gave the Lady Tigers their first lead of the game since the opening basket making a putback with five seconds remaining. UALR built its lead with a 14-4 run that spanned 5:10 after Jordie Soso tied the score at four. Reserve guard Victoria Crawford sparked the Lady Tigers' comeback scoring 10 points off the bench and grabbing five rebounds in the opening half. Neither team shot the ball well in the opening half from any area of the floor as the Lady Tigers were just 12-for-27 from the field and 4-for-10 from the free throw line, while the Trojans shot just 11-26 from the field and 4-for-11 from the charity stripe. The Trojans had just four free throw attempts after the break compared to 18 for the Lady Tigers. The 8-1 start by the Lady Tigers equals the best start by a Joye Lee-McNelis Memphis team. Her 1998-99 team also started the season 8-1. Memphis returns to action on Sunday, Dec. 28 versus Idaho at the University of Montana Tournament.

12/21/03		ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTING...Wish You Were Here, Dennis; Wish You Were Here (Memphis Flyer)
		Two years ago, Dennis Freeland, editor of this newspaper from 1992 to 2000, passed away after a long, courageous battle against cancer. In addition to running the Flyer, Dennis also covered Memphis sports for the paper. His favorite "beat," unquestionably, was Tiger football. So I hope readers will understand my catching him up with recent developments: Dear Dennis: I hope you're sitting down, because you won't believe what happened while you've been gone: The U of M actually had a winning football season. Not just a winning season: 9-4, if you can believe it, ending with a bowl game we actually won. Remember how you always used to say that Memphis was at heart a football town, and that if the gridiron Tigers ever got their act together, the town would go wild? Well, they did, and it has. Tommy West is now a household name in these parts. I know that'll bring a smile to your face, since from the first, you were always Tommy's biggest fan. "This new defensive coordinator, Ken," I remember you telling me back in 1999, "he's the real deal. A winner." The next year, right after Rip Scherer was fired, you wrote a column titled "The Case for Tommy West," in which you pointed out that the University of Memphis had a rare opportunity to hire "a proven commodity" who "wants to stay at Memphis and see if he can succeed where the past six head coaches have failed." The university, of course, paid no heed to your advice and offered the job to then-Auburn assistant Noel Mazzone. Fortunately, Mazzone turned it down; the rest is history. When it came to Tiger football, you always knew what you were talking about, my friend. Better than most. I remember an afternoon earlier that fall, when you