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January 2004

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01/31/04		Lady Tigers Improve To 14-6 With Win Over Tulane (GoTigersGo.com)
		NEW ORLEANS - The University of Memphis women's basketball team improved to 14-6 overall; 4-3 in Conference USA, with a 76-64 win over Tulane here Saturday evening. Tulane dropped to 7-12, and has not won a league game, sitting at the bottom of the conference with a 0-6 record. Memphis had a strong fan following to Tulane as several players and members of the coaching staff are from the area. Three Hancock County buses pulled up shortly before the game and unloaded the "Devin Necaise Fan Club." The freshman guard did not disappoint her family and friends as she scored 11 points and hauled in three rebounds. Necaise hit the only two treys for Memphis, both of which were in the second half. "Any win we can get on the road is a good win," said coach Joye Lee-McNelis. "We had a very loud crowd here, and I was glad to give all of these fans a win. We really appreciate all of the support from our players' friends and families who made the trip here. " The Lady Tigers, which were cold from the free-throw line in the first half, had a strong showing from the line in the second half. From the 13 minute mark to the seven minute mark, Memphis scored 10 straight points from the charity stripe to up their lead to 12 points. In the second half, Memphis was 15-of-19 from the line, and finished the game with a 66.7 percent shooting mark from the line. Junior Victoria Crawford led the Lady Tigers in scoring with 17 points off a 4-of-7 shooting effort from the field. Crawford was 9-of-10 from the free-throw line, and also totaled five rebounds and five assists. Junior Raven Rogers recorded her third career double-double with 16 points and a career-high 13 rebounds against the Green Wave. Rogers played the entire 40 minutes, and also totaled three assists and two steals. The Lady Tigers took a 39-31 lead to the locker room at the half, despite shooting a dismal 45.5 percent from the free-throw line. Memphis was 5-of-11 from the charity stripe, but made up for it from the field, hitting 65.4 percent from the floor. Princess Swilley was 6-of-6 from the field in leading Memphis at the half with 12 points. Swilley was held scoreless in the second half. In the first half, Rogers dominated the boards for Memphis, hauling in six rebounds. D'Aundra Henry led Tulane in scoring with 17 points off a 7-of-12 effort from the field and 2-of-4 showing from the free-throw line. LaKethia Hampton was also in double digits with 14 points. Rebounding efforts were equal as both squads totaled 30 boards. Of Memphis' 30 rebounds, 26 of them were defensive boards. The Lady Tigers will continue C-USA action on Monday when they face McNelis' alma mater Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. USM enters the meeting with a 14-5 overall record; 2-4 in Conference USA, after defeating Saint Louis at home, 81-51, Saturday afternoon.

01/31/04		Memphis Holds Off TCU, 75-69 (GoTigersGo.com)
		FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Sean Banks had 26 points, 13 rebounds and five blocked shots as Memphis beat TCU 75-69 on Saturday. Antonio Burks scored 17 points and Jeremy Hunt added 12 for the Tigers (14-4, 5-2 Conference USA). Corey Santee scored a season-high 21 points for TCU (7-11, 3-4), which led 67-62 with 3:38 remaining. Banks put Memphis ahead for good on a shot with 1:44 left. The game featured 18 lead changes and nine ties, but the Tigers closed the game on a 13-2 run. Marcus Shropshire scored 17 points for the Horned Frogs, and Chudi Chinweze had 15. Femi Ibikunle grabbed nine rebounds. Memphis led 36-35 at the half and had 19 second-chance points to TCU's three.

01/31/04		Perfect Streak On Line vs. TCU (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact January 31, 2004 FORT WORTH, Texas - Some schools hold edges over others. Some schools dominate others. And then there is what the University of Memphis brings to TCU. Perfection. Really? I didn't know that," said Tiger point guard Antonio Burks. "But that doesn't mean anything now." This afternoon at 2, Memphis (13-4, 4-2 in Conference USA) and TCU (7-10, 3-3) will play a basketball game at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum before what school officials insist could be a sellout crowd. It's not ridiculous to think the Tigers could be upset. After all, those losses at Southern Miss and DePaul weren't that long ago. But it's fair to note that there is nothing - absolutely nothing - in this series that lends credence to the theory of TCU beating Memphis today. Consider that seven times in history these schools have met, and all seven times the Tigers have won. The victories have come by an average of 17.1 points per game, including two last season by a total of 39 points. Which brings us to the obvious question: Is there any way to convince the Horned Frogs to remain in C-USA and possibly get rid of, say, Southern Miss and that annual, usually disastrous trip to Hattiesburg, instead? "I don't know about that," said U of M guard Jeremy Hunt. "But this is a big game for us. It always feels good to get a win on the road. So we just have to stay focused." And staying disciplined wouldn't hurt either, meaning for the Tigers to be successful this afternoon they'll need to show more patience on offense. In four of the U of M's past five outings the Tigers have shot more 3-pointers than 2-pointers, which is an obvious point of concern and something John Calipari has spent the past week talking about. Granted, with the way the Tigers are built - strong guard play and inconsistent post play - a lot of long jumpers are to be expected. But Memphis's average of 32.8 3-point attempts in the past five contests is a bit much, especially when just 30.5 percent of them are dropping. "If you're playing against a zone you're going to take a lot of threes, especially if the post game isn't the dominant part of your game," Calipari explained. "But what I want them to understand is that we don't have to settle for it, especially to start games. I mean what happened at Tulane is that we just started settling for 3-point bombs. "That's not how I coach and that's not how I want us to play," he added. "But it is part of how we play now. We're just taking about seven or eight too many a game." As for TCU, it comes in with momentum from a 79-67 victory over Southern Miss earlier in the week in which Marcus Shropshire went for a career-high 29 points. A transfer from Texas Tech, Shropshire has reached double-figures in five of the Horned Frogs' past six outings, and the 6-0 guard has surpassed the 25-point barrier twice this season. It will be up to Anthony Rice and company to make sure Shropshire doesn't get going, with the idea being he is susceptible to strong defense, made evident by a zero-point performance against Vanderbilt earlier this month. "Shropshire can get 30," Calipari warned. "So we have to be prepared to guard him." - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

01/31/04		Preview: Tigers vs. TCU (Commercial Appeal)
		When, where: Today, 2 p.m., at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas. Records: Memphis 13-4 (4-2 Conference USA); TCU 7-10 (3-3). Series standing: Memphis leads, 7-0. Latest line: Memphis by 8 1/2 Notables: The Horned Frogs are 6-7 at home this season, losing to Tulsa, Kansas, Murray State, Arkansas State, Vanderbilt, Saint Louis and DePaul. One of TCU's home wins came against North Texas, which is coached by former Memphis interim coach Johnny Jones. The Horned Frogs beat the Mean Green, 62-58, last month. . . . Late in the week - between conference affiliation press conferences - TCU officials announced only 500 tickets remained for today's game between the Horned Frogs and Tigers. . . . As of Friday, the U of M's RPI was 40, one slot behind Charlotte and one ahead of Virginia. TCU's RPI was 127. . . . Teams are shooting 43.7 percent against TCU, which means the Horned Frogs are the second-worst defensive school in Conference USA, ahead only of Southern Miss. . . . Just because the Tigers like to shoot 3-pointers doesn't mean they know how to defend them. Memphis is allowing its opponents to shoot 36.9 percent from behind the arc, which ranks last in C-USA. . . . The Tigers are averaging 8.4 made 3-pointers per game, second only in C-USA to Louisville. . . . U of M standouts Antonio Burks and Sean Banks now rank sixth and seventh in scoring in C-USA. DePaul's Delonte Holland is leading the league with an 18.2 average. The Tigers are the only team in C-USA with two players ranked in the Top 10. Burks is also fourth in assists (5.1 per game) and second in steals (2.5). . . . Like Burks a few weeks back, Anthony Rice arrived at the airport in a walking boot Friday. The boot was only for precautionary reasons, and the junior guard is expected to play today. . . . In all, there are five opponents the Tigers have met at least seven times and beaten each instance. They are TCU (7-0), Georgia State (7-0), Jonesboro College (9-0), New Orleans (8-0) and Tennessee State (7-0). . . . If Memphis gets into a situation where it has to foul late, it would be wise to hack somebody other than Marcus Shropshire. TCU's transfer from Texas Tech is shooting 92.5 percent from the line, making 37-of-40. . . . Corey Santee, the Horned Frogs' dynamic sophomore, has 79 assists and just 32 turnovers for an assist/turnover ratio of 2.47. That ranks third in C-USA, behind UAB's Carldell Johnson and Marquette's Travis Diener. . . . Three of the Top 15 defensive rebounders in C-USA are Tigers. Banks ranks seventh, Duane Erwin is eighth and Jeremy Hunt is 15th. A 6-4 sophomore, Hunt is the only guard on the list. TEAM COMPARISONS U of M TCU FG percentage .420 .408 Opp. Percentage .401 .437 FT percentage .647 .649 3-point percentage .335 .314 Opp. Percentage .369 .358 Rebounds 40.5 35.6 Opp. Rebounds 35.6 36.3 Points for 74.2 66.0 Points against 66.0 68.9 PROBABLE STARTERS Memphis P Yr. Ht. Pts. Antonio Burks G Sr. 6-0 16.1 Anthony Rice G Jr. 6-4 9.1 Jeremy Hunt G So. 6-4 9.7 Sean Banks F Fr. 6-8 15.8 Ivan Lopez F Fr. 6-8 4.9 TCU P Yr. Ht. Pts. Corey Santee G So. 6-2 12.8 Marcus Shropshire G Jr. 6-0 13.0 Nucleus Smith G Jr. 6-2 7.8 Chudi Chinweze F So. 6-7 10.3 Femi Ibikunle C Fr. 6-9 3.2

01/31/04		Analyzing The Keys To The Game (TCU) (Commercial Appeal)
		Don't take so many treys: As John Calipari pointed out, the Tigers probably won't beat many quality teams shooting 30-plus 3-pointers per game. So the answer is simple: Make posting the ball a priority. Throw it to Duane Erwin. Throw it to Ivan Lopez. Let the big men get a few touches, which should take some pressure off the shooters. Slow down Shropshire: He's not quite putting up Junior Blount-type numbers, but first-year player Shropshire is having a solid season with the Horned Frogs. The transfer from Texas Tech is TCU's leading scorer and hung 29 points on Southern Miss earlier this week. Odds are Anthony Rice will have Shropshire duty. And if the Memphis junior has the same kind of success he had against Houston's Andre Owens a week ago, the Tigers will be fine. Get Banks back on track: Earlier this week Sean Banks had the least-productive game of his young career, getting just five points and seven rebounds in 34 minutes. Afterward, Calipari said he thought Banks was "in a little bit of a freshman funk." For the Tigers' sake, it had better be just a one-game funk. Banks has emerged as one of the U of M's most consistent offensive threats. Without him scoring and rebounding, winning could be difficult. - By Gary Parrish

01/31/04		Tigers' West Will Receive New Deal (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact January 31, 2004 One day after announcing the specifics of a contract extension and pay raise for University of Memphis basketball coach John Calipari, school officials announced Friday that football coach Tommy West has agreed in principle to a pay raise and three-year contract extension through the 2008 season. While no terms were announced Friday, West's base pay is expected to increase from $150,000 to $250,000 and his total package from about $250,000 to about $600,000. In his third season at the U of M last fall, West, 49, led the Tigers to a 9-4 finish - their first winning record since 1994 - and to their first postseason game in three decades. Memphis beat North Texas, 27-17, in the New Orleans Bowl. "We still have to get a few I's dotted and a few T's crossed," said Tiger athletic director R.C. Johnson. "But I certainly wanted to take care of him because he deserves it." West, a former Tennessee tight end, came to Memphis as Rip Scherer's defensive coordinator in 2000 and replaced Scherer the following season. After going 5-6 in 2001 and 3-9 in 2002, West did what few thought was possible last fall. Memphis won eight regular-season games and played in its first bowl game since the 1971 Pasadena Bowl. West said Friday he was excited about his renegotiated contract. "I have made it clear this is where I want to be," West said. "And I look forward to a long and successful tenure as the football coach here. Regionally, we've made some moves with this program and I believe, in my heart, that we are going to make some moves nationally. "When I took this job, the short-term (goal) was to go to a bowl game and win. The long-term (goal) was to go to a BCS bowl game and win. I expressed those goals to some people, and they looked at me like I was crazy. Now it doesn't seem so far-fetched." West said the turnaround has been a combined effort, with contributions from his staff, his team, U of M president Shirley Raines and Johnson. What pleased West most about Friday's announcement was "we are going to be able to help our assistants with this contract . . . our coaches are going to be receiving well-deserved raises." West's overall record at Memphis is 17-19. He was 31-28 at Clemson from 1993 to '98. He said his new contract should place him among the top third of Conference USA football coaches. Johnson said it was satisfying to be able to extend both Calipari's and West's contracts. "I think all of our coaches are important," Johnson said. "But these two coaches are so much more visible. I really wanted to get these two guys locked up long term. "Tommy has done such a remarkable job in such a short period of time. Not only is he winning, but he is doing a magnificent job off the field."

01/31/04		Florida RB Gives U of M Look (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact January 31, 2004 Anthony Campbell eluded defenders throughout the fall as a running back and return specialist for Hialeah (Fla.) High. As the final recruiting weekend unfolds before Wednesday's start of the national signing period, he's having to avoid a different brand of pursuers: strong last-minute pitches from college coaches for his services. Campbell, a 5-9, 185-pound all-around athlete, is making the University of Memphis the last of his four official visits. He said he'll decide by Tuesday between Memphis, Auburn and Rutgers, but withhold his announcement until signing day. Campbell is among 12 players making official visits to Memphis this weekend. It's a group of mostly Memphis and Mid-South area players that also includes West Memphis fullback Kyle Payne, who rushed for more than 1,900 yards as a senior. For Campbell, it's his second trip to this region of the country. He made an official visit to Ole Miss earlier this month and gave coaches a soft commitment, but said he's no longer interested in the Rebels. A member of the Orlando Sentinel's Florida Top 100, Campbell rushed for 1,092 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior. He returned four kickoffs for touchdowns and had a 100-yard punt return for a TD. He also made the Florida Class 6A All-State third team and the All-Dade County first team as a utility player. Although it's down to Memphis, Auburn and Rutgers, Campbell is not tipping his hand on which of three finalists he favors. He said he liked Rutgers: ''It was a nice campus.'' He also enjoyed his visit to Auburn: ''I liked the school and I liked the coaches and the stadium.'' As for Memphis, he said he ''really started paying attention to them after they beat Ole Miss (44-34 last fall).'' Another plus for Memphis, Campbell said, is its flexibility in using him. ''I was interested in coming for a visit because Memphis offered me the chance to play running back,'' Campbell said. ''I've come to see what the atmosphere is like here.'' Campbell said Auburn and Rutgers are interested in him as a defensive back and a special teams player. ''I don't know what I'm going to play in college,'' he said. ''I could play any position. A lot of schools are telling me I'd play defensive back and special teams, so that's what I'll do if it comes down to it. But I'd like to try running back.'' Campbell rushed for nearly identical numbers as a junior (1,100 yards, 18 touchdowns) and made the All-Dade County second team an all-purpose player. He had several memorable performances last fall, but he said the game that he vividly recalls is a homecoming victory over North Miami. And it's memorable for more than the 218 yards and five touchdowns he compiled. ''I was homecoming king, too,'' he said. ''It was voted on by all the girls.'' - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

01/31/04		Lady Tigers' Schedule Gets Tweak For Super Bowl (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact January 31, 2004 For the first time since Joye Lee-McNelis became the University of Memphis women's basketball coach, she'll be able to watch the Super Bowl. Lee-McNelis, however, wishes it didn't come with a cost. After routinely scheduling Conference USA women's games on Super Bowl Sunday, C-USA officials voted last year to avoid the conflict and play Saturday-Monday games this weekend instead of the customary Friday-Sunday league weekend. The Lady Tigers will play at Tulane Saturday and travel to Southern Miss Monday. "I think (the adjusted) schedule does throw you out of whack as far as the following week," Lee-McNelis said. "You get back into town on Tuesday and then you have to play again on Friday. Fortunately for us we're playing at home Friday." Lee-McNelis didn't think the scheduling change was necessary. She remembers playing three years ago at South Florida when the Super Bowl was being held in Tampa, Fla. "We thought we'd have a problem getting to the airport, so we arranged for a police escort," Lee-McNelis said. "But (traffic) didn't turn out to be a problem. And we were fine with our hotel rooms because we had booked them so far in advance." But Lee-McNelis said she understands why the league wanted to experiment. "I think it's nice they considered it and, obviously, we'll find out if it makes much of a difference," she said. "I just hate it because it throws you out of whack for the next week. You have to take off on Tuesday (NCAA rules limit the amount of practice time per week), and then you practice Wednesday and Thursday." Lee-McNelis said since her past games on Super Bowl Sundays were finished before the start of the Super Bowl, playing on the same day didn't adversely affect crowds at the Elma Roane Field House. "If you had to, you could always move your game on that day up to a 1 o'clock start," she said. Lee-McNelis admitted that even though her responsibilites were done on past Super Bowl Sundays when the football game began, she rarely has watched it. "I did watch it the year the (Green Bay) Packers were in it because of Brett Favre," said Lee-McNelis, who, like Favre, is a Southern Miss graduate. - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

01/30/04		Missed Shots Aside, Rice Contributing (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact January 30, 2004 University of Memphis fans wondering when John Calipari is going to move Jeremy Hunt to shooting guard, slide Rodney Carney back into the starting lineup and demote Anthony Rice to a reserve role are going to be disappointed a while longer. Never mind the rimmed-out 3-point attempts. Rice is going to be the Tigers' primary two-guard for the remainder of his career, presumably, even if he never makes another shot in his life. And, it's fair to note with the way things are going lately, that isn't totally out of the realm of possibilities. "But I'm telling you, he is my guy," Calipari, the fourth-year Tiger coach, said after watching his guy miss nine straight 3-pointers in a victory over South Florida this week. "He guards, he rebounds and comes every day. And you know what? He'll be fine." In many ways Anthony Rice is the perfect player for his current coach. He's smart. He hustles. He's always on time. He's always hanging around late. And he takes pride in things like defense and floor burns, excelling in each category both in practices and games. That, in five sentences, is why the shooting slump Rice has been suffering through is mostly irrelevant to Calipari, something the coach can live with so long as the Atlanta native continues excelling in other areas. Would it be better if Rice was ripping the nets? Absolutely. But the fact that he isn't is not enough to offset the other things he does to keep Calipari somewhat sane during games. That gives the 6-4 junior free reign to right his wronged shooting touch no matter how long it might take. "Ant's just one of those players that does everything the coach tells him to do," Hunt said. "He's just a hardnosed player, and I like a guy like that out there on the court with me because I know if I mess up he's got my back." Through his first two years at Memphis, both of which were productive, Rice had some slumps but was still a career 39.1 percent 3-point shooter. He opened this season even better, making 15-of-32 shots from behind the arc in the Tigers' first six contests. But from there, it's been mostly bad, with Rice's 3-point percentage dipping to 30 for this season, thanks partially to a 1-of-10 effort against USF. In his last 11 outings, Rice has made just 15-of-68 trey attempts, which translates to 22.1 percent. Over that span, he's made as many as two 3-pointers in the same game only four times. "It's frustrating," acknowledged Rice, who ranks sixth on the Tigers' all-time 3-pointers-made list and is still on pace to finish his career atop it. "I thought I was out of (the slump) a couple of games back (when he hit 3-of-5 3-pointers against Tulane). But when you make the first couple and miss the next three, that's when you start thinking about it." Which ultimately might be the real problem. And if so, it wouldn't be the first time a shooter let his head get in the way of a good thing. As for any mechanical causes, Calipari initially believed Rice was "leaning a little bit to the left," but later decided it was probably more mental than anything else. Consequently, Rice will be given no special instructions on how to catch a pass or set his feet because, as Calipari put it, "the more he's thinking about things, the more he'll have trouble. So my thing is, just shoot a few less shots. "I don't care that he misses," Calipari concluded. "He just can't miss 12." - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

01/30/04		Calipari Salary At $1.15M -- Incentives Can Lift Past $1.5 Million (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact January 30, 2004 John Calipari's recently signed contract extension that lasts through 2010 will raise his annual base salary to about $1.15 million with incentives that could push the total to more than $1.5 million per year. "What I wanted to do was get him to the point where there wouldn't be a college job he'd leave for," said University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson. "Now if the Celtics call, or whoever, and it's just dollars, that's another thing. But he's already been that route." In response to an open records request filed by The Commercial Appeal, the U of M on Thursday released Calipari's contract, which outlined financial details and various terms. As for the base package, the only increase is a guaranteed shoe deal that went from $250,000 to $300,000 annually. If Calipari ever negotiates a better deal, he also has rights to that amount. As for incentives, Calipari will now earn $120,000 for an NCAA Tournament appearance, up from the $20,000 promised in his previous contract that ran through the 2006-07 season. If the Tigers advance to the second round, Calipari gets an extra $20,000, with moderate increases for every victory thereafter. A national championship will result in at least $400,000 in bonuses, which would push the total package to more than $1.5 million annually. Because Calipari's name is frequently linked to job openings - St. John's is the latest - a wish of many Tiger fans was that the U of M would demand a significant buyout clause and thus make it difficult for another school to lure the coach away. Instead, Memphis kept the buyout at $200,000, but private donors have guaranteed an annuity of $2.5 million that Calipari will collect if he finishes the 2009-10 season. "The buyout part of it is important, but I'm not as hung up on that as some people are," Johnson said. "But with the annuity, when you have that kind of a carrot at the end of the stick, it's a little different." Calipari is in his fourth season at Memphis and has compiled an 84-35 record at the school heading into Saturday's game at TCU. In his three previous years, the former New Jersey Nets coach has been to two NITs and one NCAA Tournament, which resulted in a first-round loss to Arizona State. Currently 13-4 and the winners of four straight, the Tigers, next home game is against fourth-ranked Louisville on Wednesday night at 9. It will be televised by ESPN. - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

01/30/04		Tigers Still Hunting Top Talent -- 2 Key Recruits Favor U of M (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact January 30, 2004 Although Horn Lake's Brandon Jackson committed to Nebraska and Christian Brothers High School's Corey Mills committed to Ole Miss, the University of Memphis isn't lamenting its acceptance list. When the signing period begins Wednesday, the Tigers are expected to receive signed National Letters of Intent from Southaven defensive back Greg Hinds, considered the No. 6 athlete in the nation by Rivals.com, Melrose running back Joseph Doss and four of Mills's CBHS teammates - Philip Beliles, Ryan Williams, Brandon Pearce and Brett Russell. Two other highly regarded prospects - Crockett County's Earnest Williams and junior college linebacker Renuel Green - may commit after this weekend. Both are leaning toward Memphis. Williams made an official visit to the U of M campus last weekend, and Green visited last month. Crockett High coach P.A. Pratt said Memphis, Ole Miss and Auburn are in the running for Williams, who rushed for 1,680 yards and averaged 10.9 yards per carry. "Memphis wants him as a cover corner or a slot receiver, and that's alluring to him," Pratt said. "The SEC schools both want him as a defensive back, a weak safety." Pratt said Williams (6-0, 185) has the ability to play slot receiver in college. He had 17 catches for 380 yards last season, and Pratt said he could add 20 pounds. "He is a special player," Pratt said. "Whoever gets him, he's going to be a good one for them." Williams said while the offers from Southeastern Conference schools are appealing, he's interested in the pitch from the U of M, too. "Some people say I should only go to an SEC school," he said. "But it isn't bad at Memphis. I think Memphis with what they did last year (9-4 and a bowl game) is about to blow up, and I wouldn't mind being part of the program. Coach (Tommy) West is doing a good job there." Green, who attends East Mississippi Community College, said he's considering offers from Memphis and Texas A&M. "I like Memphis and their players a lot," Green said. "They've all got real good attitudes." Green (6-3, 217) said he may not make a decision until the signing period. On the final recruiting weekend that begins today, the Tigers are expecting a visit from Hialeah (Fla.) High running back Anthony Campbell, who made a soft commitment to Ole Miss earlier this month. Campbell, 5-9 and 180 pounds, made the Florida Class 6A All-State third team as a utility player. Campbell had 17 touchdowns as a senior, including four on punt returns. Also scheduled to visit the U of M this weekend is West Memphis fullback Kyle Payne, who rushed for more than 1,900 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Arkansas Class AAAAA state runner-up Blue Devils. Campbell and Payne will be joined this weekend by: West Memphis Christian quarterback Devin Gardner, Evangelical Christian quarterback John Mark Braswell, ECS kicker Trey Adams, Raleigh-Egypt linebacker D'Angelo Taylor, Rogers (Ark.) receiver/defensive back Brandon Feagans, Brighton tight end Hunter Scott, McNairy Central defensive lineman Michael Stackens, Germantown fullback Lee Smith, Germantown offensive lineman Rashud Cole and SBEC quarterback Hunter Maynard.

01/30/04		U of M Commitments (Commercial Appeal)
		OL Philip Beliles, 6-4, 260, Christian Brothers High RB Joseph Doss, 5-10, 170, Melrose High OT Brandon Douglas, 6-3, 285, Brownsville Haywood High LB Heath Grant, 6-2, 220, Starkville (Miss.) High FS Greg Hinds, 6-1, 205, Southaven High QB Will Hudgens, 6-4, 205, Ridgeway High WR Antonio McCoy, 6-0, 165, Starkville (Miss.) High DE Cortez McCraney, 6-4, 230, Southaven High DB Brandon Patterson, 6-1, 175, Germantown High OL Brandon Pearce, 6-5, 250, Christian Brothers High DL Rubio Phillips, 6-2, 250, Holmes (Miss.) CC WR Carlton Robinzine, 6-3, 185, Bolton High TE Brett Russell, 6-4, 225, Christian Brothers High DL Ryan Williams, 6-2, 285, Christian Brothers High MIDTERM ENROLLMENTS (2) LB Carlton Baker, 6-1, 240, Hutchinson (Kan.) CC DB Dustin Lopez, 5-11, 175, Minnesota West CC

01/30/04		Five Questions With Dave Anderson, Tigers Baseball Coach (Commercial Appeal)
		Q: You're beginning your fourth year as baseball coach at your alma mater. You've gone 75-88. Describe the experience. Has it been difficult? A: I'd say it's been about what I expected. I think the biggest thing was some of the adjustments we had to make teaching the kids. We made a couple of adjustments this fall (in practice) and they've paid off, especially the hitting part. Q: Tommy Lasorda, your former manager with the Dodgers, has said you were on track to be managing in the major leagues when you took the Memphis job. Do you think about the possibility had you remained a manager at the Triple-A level in the Detroit Tigers organization? A: (Lasorda) spoke about that (Tuesday) when I had lunch with him (in Memphis). There's no question I probably would have had a chance to manage in the big leagues, especially with Detroit, when they fired their manager (Phil Garner in 2002) and (promoted) one of their (former) minor league guys (Luis Pujols). Q: What have you enjoyed most about being a coach at the college level? How is the experience different from minor-league managing? A: You take any college coach and try to put him in professional baseball, and it's an even bigger adjustment (than going from minor-league baseball to college). I had a better understanding of how the college game was run when I was in the minor leagues because I was around a lot of college players. I'm not saying there's not some college coaches that could be very successful in professional baseball, but they'd have to make some adjustments. Q: When Conference USA re-forms in two years, men's basketball will lose some of its strength, but how much stronger will C-USA baseball become? A: It's going to get tougher bringing in Rice (preseason No. 1), and Tulsa is pretty good. Central Florida is a good team. It's not going to go down. Q: What will it require for this program to become a yearly contender in Conference USA? A: One of the things that we've done is put together a tough schedule. We've got Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Arizona State, Lamar, Cal-State Northridge . . . it's very competitive. We have a lot of unfinished business here. We've waited a couple of years for some of our younger players to play and gain experience and kind of get a handle on what we are teaching. I think we've gotten to that point. - Phil Stukenborg

01/30/04		Where Are They Now: Michael Ladner, Women's Basketball Assistant Coach, 1991-97 (Commercial Appeal)
		When he reminds himself that it's been almost seven years since he sat alongside Lady Tiger basketball coach Joye Lee-McNelis on the University of Memphis bench, Michael Ladner finds the fact hard to digest. Ladner, 40, left the side of Lee-McNelis, a close friend since grade school, in 1997 to pursue a dream of coaching the boys basketball team at his alma mater: Hancock High in Kiln, Miss. Ladner's team went 16-15 last season and reached the Class 5A playoffs, but this year has been a disaster. Ladner lost 11 seniors from last year's team and started 4-2 this season before problems developed. "We've struggled and had injuries, and our best player was ruled academically ineligible at Christmas," Ladner said. "Then his teammate, a starter, decided to quit. They were averaging 23 and 18 points." As a result, Hancock has lost 11 straight heading into tonight's game at Hattiesburg. Still, the experience has been rewarding. Ladner's father, Roland, coached at Hancock High (from 1963 to 1981) and is the second-winningest high school boys coach in Mississippi. Ladner said his time at Memphis was rewarding. He was instrumental in helping it become an annual NCAA Tournament participant in the mid-1990s. Ladner stays in touch with Lee-McNelis and attends at least one Lady Tiger game, usually at Southern Miss or Tulane, annually. In a way, Lee-McNelis says that's the least he can do. "I set him up with his first girlfriend when he was in the fifth grade," Lee-McNelis said. "And I helped him get a date to the prom when he was a junior in high school. We have known each other a long time, since the second grade." - Phil Stukenborg

01/30/04		Tiger Athletes Of The Week (Commercial Appeal)
		MALE Antonio Burks Senior basketball player The Tigers' point guard averaged 12.5 points, four assists and five steals as the U of M recorded easy home wins over Houston and South Florida. Burks had seven steals Tuesday against USF, a total bettered by only three Tigers in school history. FEMALE Victoria Crawford Junior basketball player The 5-7 forward from Birmingham led the Lady Tigers to home wins over UAB and South Florida. She scored 20 points against the Blazers Friday, then came back Sunday afternoon to score 16 points, grab 10 rebounds and dish out four assists against the Bulls.

01/30/04		Web Site Favors Lady Tigers' Chances -- Plus Football (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact January 30, 2004 CollegeRPI.com, a Web site devoted to replicating the Ratings Percentage Index used to help fill out the NCAA Tournament bracket, has good news for the University of Memphis women's basketball team. CollegeRPI.com predicts the Lady Tigers not only will end a two-year streak of losing seasons, but will return to NCAA Tournament play for the first time since 1998. The Web site, which has the Lady Tigers ranked 51st, predicts the U of M will finish with an RPI of 39. The Lady Tigers are 13-6 heading into weekend Conference USA games at Tulane and Southern Miss. The site projects Memphis to finish 39th based on the Lady Tigers winning each of their remaining games against opponents with lower RPIs. Tennessee is ranked No. 1 in the RPI rankings. Houston, at No. 24, is the highest-ranked C-USA women's team, followed by TCU at No. 25 and DePaul at No. 28. DePaul is 18-1 and ranked 13th in the latest Associated Press poll. TCU (15-3) is 21st and Houston (15-3) is unranked. The Lady Tigers finished 13-15 last season and were 11-17 in 2001-02. They haven't had a winning season since going 17-13 in 2000-01 and playing in the Women's NIT. With eight regular-season games left, a victory over either Tulane or Southern Miss this weekend would ensure at least a .500 record. A picture is worth . . . More than a month after the Tiger football team ended its 32-year bowl drought with an appearance, and victory, in the New Orleans Bowl, coach Tommy West is still collecting mementos for his office. West has framed newspaper pages from the game, a 27-17 win over North Texas, and an interesting framed photo that appeared in the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The photo shows a Powerade jug being splashed on West as the final seconds tick off the Superdome clock. West said he was amazed when he closely studied the background of the photo. "My brother (Tim) and my friend, Darryl Smallwood, are in the photo," West said of the background, which shows Tiger fans in the stands celebrating. Tim West and Smallwood live in Gainesville, Fla., and made the trip to New Orleans for the game. West said the photo that appeared in the New Orleans newspaper didn't include both, but the less tightly cropped reprinted photo did. Odds and ends West said negotiations are ongoing between his agent, Jimmy Sexton, and the university on a contract extension and pay raise. West's current contract pays about $250,000 annually and runs through the 2005 season. . . . The Tiger baseball team, which opens its season Feb. 20 in a tournament at Houston, will play intrasquad scrimmage games this weekend at Briarcrest Christian. The U of M's field at Nat Buring Stadium is being renovated and re-sodded. The Tigers aren't scheduled to play a home game at Nat Buring until March 23. . . . The men's tennis team has added two midterm enrollees - freshmen Luke Campbell and Sam Withell from Australia - and the women's team has added one, Yesica Ares, also from Australia. - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

01/29/04		Grizzlies, Tigers In Standoff As Deadline Looms (Commercial Appeal)
		By David Williams Contact January 29, 2004 The Grizzlies on Wednesday defended their negotiating methods with the University of Memphis and said a deal still is possible to bring Tigers basketball to FedExForum when it opens next season. But with the NBA team's Saturday deadline approaching and several major issues unresolved, Grizzlies senior corporate counsel Stan Meadows said, "If it can't be done, it can't be done." On that issue, at least, U of M athletic director R. C. Johnson agreed: "I really believe we have honest differences of opinion." On Tuesday, U of M donor Mike Rose charged the Grizzlies with being unreasonable in the arena talks. A day later, the Grizzlies said they're offering the Tigers a lucrative, largely risk-free deal to leave The Pyramid. But apparently the only direct contact between the sides on Wednesday was Meadows's rejection of the university's latest proposal. Unresolved issues include an exit clause sought by the Grizzlies, in which the NBA team could opt out of the deal - leaving the Tigers potentially homeless - if U of M attendance falls below 6,000 for consecutive years. "Because at that point, we'll be losing significant amounts of money," said Mike Golub, Grizzlies senior vice president of business operations. But Johnson countered: "We can't do that. I mean, my goodness." His remark alluded to the likelihood The Pyramid would be converted for non-arena uses in the Tigers' absence and would be unavailable for basketball. Another issue is the Grizzlies' call for a $10,000 per-game payment that would be frozen for three years, then would increase as the Grizzlies' costs to operate the building increase. "If our costs go up 10 percent, the $10,000 goes up 10 percent," said Meadows, adding that the Grizzlies estimate the cost of operating the building on Tiger game nights at $25,000 to $30,000. Meadows said the Grizzlies had wanted a $15,000 per-game payment, but majority owner Michael Heisley dropped the fee to $10,000. "There's already a major, major give there," Meadows said. But Johnson, on the possibility of uncapped increases to per-game fees, said, "Oh, that would be awfully hard. I can't imagine anybody would accept that." Terms have called for the Grizzlies to make an $800,000 annual payment to the Tigers. The college team also would receive revenue from tickets, club boxes and a party suite. The Tigers would not receive luxury suite, parking or concession revenue. But there are disagreements relating to the $800,000 payment. The Grizzlies say the figure should be reduced if the Tigers don't average a turnstile count of 10,000 - 8,200 of them paid tickets. The Grizzlies are drawing a distinction between paid tickets and complimentary tickets, Golub said, because "traditionally, people who are paying customers will also pay for things like parking and food and beverages." Those revenues would go to the Grizzlies. The Tigers don't want to draw a distinction between paid and complimentary tickets. "Our position is, if people come in there, they're going to use parking spaces and they're going to buy concessions," Johnson said. A former major issue - the length of the deal - is close to being resolved. The Grizzlies, who wanted a 10-year deal, said they've agreed to the 20-year term sought by the Tigers. "We conceded that," Meadows said. - David Williams: 529-2310

01/29/04		All Right, Boys, It's Time To Settle This (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact January 29, 2004 Stick 'em in a room. Put Mike Rose and Stan Meadows in a room, any room, and send in barbecue and sweet tea until they reach a deal that moves the Memphis Tigers to the FedExForum. Ahhh, you say, that's easy advice. Cliche, even. Except for this: Rose and Meadows haven't sat across from each other in the same room for roughly two months. And then you wonder why Rose calls the Grizzlies names in the newspaper. And why Meadows says Saturday is still the drop-dead date. And why a deal that makes sense for the taxpayers and both teams and is about to go the way of the inclinator. A done deal? As done as sushi, maybe. "They only see it through their eyes, which is, 'How do we milk the most money out of this deal?' " said Rose. Pow! "If our owners are so charitable to give money to the university, they can do it directly," said Meadows. Oooooof! Boys, boys, boys. Can't we just get along here? The current answer is no, which is the essence of the problem. Meadows is Michael Heisley's chief negotiator. He's a wonderful guy. Unless you're sitting across the table from him. Rose is Memphis's chief negotiator. He's a marvelous fellow. Unless you're sitting across the table from him. They are hard men, smart and tough, men who are used to winning. Is it any surprise that these particular talks have gotten dicey? So what to make of it, then? Which side is the hero and which is the villain? Answer: Neither. And that's the important thing to remember as the talks get ugly. This might be Rose vs. Meadows, but don't make it Grizzlies vs. Tigers. The clear public interest is in both enterprises succeeding. The city needs the university to flourish. The city needs the Grizzlies to flourish, too. Choosing between the school and the franchise is like choosing between Shelby Farms and the pandas. Rose tried to spin it differently when he went public and blasted the Grizzlies. Which was gutty, anyway. It's nice to see that - after the realignment debacle - the university has decided to show some gumption. Having said that, Rose is disingenuous when he complains that the Grizzlies "only see it through their eyes." Whose eyes does he see it through? Steve Austin's? Both sides see it through their own eyes. Both sides have to. The Tigers want to protect men's basketball. That's the program that pays the bills. They can't leave money on the table. The Grizzlies don't want to take a bath on the Tigers. They're responsible for operating losses in the arena. If the franchise can't break even, it's not going to last in Memphis. That doesn't mean there's not an agreement out there that satisfies both parties. But in order to reach it, every one has to set aside the distrust and rancor. Take one significant issue, the Grizzlies insistence on an out clause. The Grizzlies originally wanted a deal under which the Tigers would simply pay rent and get all the money for concessions, parking and ticket sales. The Tigers said no, they wanted a guaranteed payment instead. The Grizzlies then offered $800,000 a year plus all the money from ticket sales, a party suite and some other bells and whistles. In return, the Grizzlies would get the money from concessions and parking. But what happens if attendance at Tiger games falls off dramatically? Then fewer people would be eating, drinking or parking. The Grizzlies wanted protection. So the Grizzlies proposed that if the turnstile count dips below an average of 10,000 (8,200 paid), the $800,000 payment would be cut. And if the turnstile dips below an average of 6,000 (4,200 paid) for two consecutive years, the Grizzlies would be able to end the agreement. The Tigers balked. End the agreement? Where would they go? The Elma Roane Fieldhouse? Both views are understandable. Both sides sound rational. But if they can't reach a compromise - and quick - it could put the Tigers back in The Pyramid and cost the taxpayers upwards of $1 million annually. So stick 'em in a room. A pointed room with narrow seats. That way, they'll understand what the stakes are. Meadows and Rose. Rose and Meadows. You're not coming out until you shake, boys. Contact columnist Geoff Calkins at 529-2364 or send an e-mail.

01/29/04		The Reality Of ESPN's Program? It's Good For Tigers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Zack McMillin Contact January 29, 2004 In the final moments of "The Season" mini mini-series on University of Memphis basketball, one of the second episode's heroes, Arthur Barclay, takes a second away from signing autographs to acknowledge the camera. "Y'all leaving us?" Barclay asks. It is the one moment from the two-episode run when the crew producing the ESPN Original Entertainment acknowledged its existence. Not long after, back in the media room, the crew packed up its equipment and prepared to leave town. For Lamar Chance, the U of M's media relations director, this was a bittersweet moment. A high-maintenance production like "The Season" required a lot from Chance, who came to Memphis from Ole Miss in the fall. "The Season" began following the Tigers during the two-game losing skid earlier this month and left after Saturday's win over Houston, the program's third straight. "It's been a lot of late nights," Chance said. For Chance and anyone else inside the program, any sacrifices made for the production crew must seem worth it now that both episodes have aired. The reality TV look at life "inside" the Memphis program portrayed coach John Calipari, his players and his coaches in a very positive, sympathetic manner. It amounts to a one-hour promotion of all that's good about Tiger basketball. Take the ending. With Calipari's voice dubbed over some final images of Tiger players after the game, the program fades out: "Always, let's compete for national titles, let's get in the tournament and advance, let's make some things happen." A newspaper or magazine might follow that speech up with the bare facts of the Calipari Era and point out that the Tigers have been to two NITs and lost its only NCAA game under Calipari, but "The Season's" aim was not necessarily cold objectivity. No, "The Season" embraced the Tigers and, in the context of a mini-documentary, it made for good drama. "The Season" took a genuine shine to the players, assistant coaches and, especially, the head coach. Calipari's energy and personality made him a lively, entertaining subject. In the first episode, the cameras followed senior point guard Antonio Burks back to his old neighborhood near downtown, where he grew up in the LeMoyne Gardens housing projects. Burks gets his hair cut at The Hair Doctor and talks about his hard upbringing, his relationship with Streets Ministries and his impending college degree. He talks about how he "stayed'' in LeMoyne Gardens, a kind of inner-city lingo true to Memphis. He says: "That's how I get the killer in me, the heart in me, growing up in the PJs (projects)." And, as he leaves the barber, Burks tells him, "Aw-right, I'm gonna holler at ya.'' In the second episode, Barclay's own saga, straight out of Camden, N.J,. takes up one segment. He talks about sitting out a year, about his three knee surgeries and about flunking out of school. It then switches to his role as inspirational leader of this team and the lessons he's learned the hard way. It is Barclay who provides the funniest moment from "The Season," cracking on teammate Duane Erwin for having The Addams Family movie in his mini-DVD player. Barclay's three roommates - Modibo Diarra, Almamy Thierro and Simplice Njoya, all natives of Africa - provide another light moment. Shown in the kitchen of their dorm apartment, they are preparing an African feast, complete with fish heads. "The Africans, they are some characters," says junior Anthony Rice. "Quite a few times, they get outrageous, cooking the fish with eyeballs still in." But the show's star is Calipari. Caliapri talks fervently about the need for the coach at Memphis to get out in the community and make a difference, and is at his best in coaches meetings, when he tells his assistants the losing streak can only be solved by applying positive coaching. "You either love him or you hate him, but he is a force," says assistant coach Ed Schilling. "His energy and charisma is just something that permeates the environment he is in." Contact reporter Zack McMillin at 529-2564 or send an e-mail.

01/28/04		Lady Tiger Basketball Team Takes To The Road For C-USA Action (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - Several Lady Tiger players and staff members will be returning to or near their hometowns this weekend when Memphis plays at Tulane on Saturday and at Southern Miss on Monday. The games are not the typical Friday-Sunday series because of the Super Bowl on Sunday. Assistant coach Brooks Donald will be heading to her home state of Louisiana, as will Latrice Booker (Winnfield, La.) and Charity Egenti (New Orleans). Donald is from Jennings, La., and previously coached at St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette, La. Coach Joye Lee-McNelis returns to her alma mater Southern Miss, and brings with her Mississippi natives Devin Necaise (Necaise Crossing), Princess Swilley (Hazlehurst) and Raven Rogers (Jackson). Memphis travels to Tulane for a 5 p.m. matchup on Saturday as the game is part of a doubleheader with Tulane's men's team. The Lady Tigers will face USM on Monday at 7 p.m. Memphis heads into the weekend with a 13-6 overall record; 3-3 in Conference USA, after sweeping a league series with UAB and USF at home this past weekend. Junior Victoria Crawford helped lead Memphis to both wins with 16 points versus USF, and 20 points against UAB. Crawford recorded her first career double-double against the Bulls with 10 boards to go with her 16 points. Crawford leads Memphis in scoring with an average of 15.3 points per game. She ranks 11th in C-USA in scoring and 10th in field goal percentage (52%). Junior Jennifer Sullivan also averages double digits in scoring with 11.6 points per game, for which she ranks 24th in the league. Sullivan is a 59 percent shooter from the field, which is good enough for tied for second in the league. Junior Raven Rogers leads Memphis in rebounding with 7.1 boards a game, and ranks 11th in the conference with that mark. Tulane is in uncharted territory as the league's bottom dweller. The Green Wave is 0-5 in C-USA games, and has never finished league action below fifth place since the league's inception in 1995-96. As a matter of fact, Tulane has won their division in four of the six years that C-USA was split into two or three divisions. Overall, Tulane is 7-11 on the year, and 5-5 at home. Lakethia Hampton is the only player in double digits in scoring with 13.3 points per game. She also leads the Green Wave in rebounding with 7.9 boards a game. Memphis owns a 19-10 series advantage over Tulane, dating back to the 1979-80 season. Tulane has had the upper hand in the last couple of years, winning eight of the last nine meetings with the Lady Tigers. Memphis' only win in that span of nine games, was a 76-61 victory in New Orleans during the 2000-01 season. Memphis is 9-5 in games played in New Orleans. Southern Miss enters the weekend with a 13-5 overall record; 1-4 in C-USA, after dropping its last four straight games. USM opened the season with 10 straight victories before UALR handed the Golden Eagles their first loss. USM answered that loss with three straight victories, including their only C-USA win this season - a 68-51 victory over Tulane. Since that win, USM has lost to Charlotte, ECU, DePaul and Marquette. Three players average in double digits in scoring, led by Deondra Carter with 12.6 ppg. Michelle Poindexter and Lana Lewis average 10.9 and 10.0 ppg., respectively. Poindexter dominates the glass for USM with 7.6 boards per game. USM will host Saint Louis on Saturday. Memphis is 21-15 over Southern Miss, dating back to the 1973-74 season. Last year, Memphis suffered a 75-72 loss to the Golden Eagles in Hattiesburg. In the last five years, the Lady Tigers have won four of the eight games with USM. The Lady Tigers are 9-8 in games played in Hattiesburg.

01/28/04		Grizzlies' Demands Stall Deal -- Rose Says U of M Backer In Forum Talks (Commercial Appeal)
		By David Williams Contact January 28, 2004 Ultimatums and unreasonable demands by the Grizzlies are keeping the University of Memphis from moving its basketball games to FedExForum, a top Tigers donor said Tuesday. Mike Rose, who has participated in the arena talks, said, "They only see it through their eyes, which is, 'How do we milk the most amount of money out of this deal for the majority (owner, Michael Heisley)?'" Rose, chairman of the U of M Board of Visitors athletic advisory committee, said he expects the university to make a final offer this week. But Heisley angrily stood by the deal he has offered and the Saturday deadline he has set. "Come February 1 there won't be any discussion. They will be in The Pyramid," Heisley said. "The deal I've offered is the last deal. They've been told that. We've done as much as we can do. We've got to cover the (operating) losses in that arena." With a deadline looming and disagreements going public, several issues remain unresolved. Rose said progress has been made on the term of the contract - the U of M wants 20 years - but that a Grizzlies' proposal to increase the Tigers' rent during the agreement is unacceptable. "If they want to adjust for inflation the rent, then we ought to adjust for inflation the payment that they would make to us," said Rose, who supports a move to FedExForum that opens next season. Previously reported terms have included an annual payment by the Grizzlies to the Tigers. The college team also would receive revenue from tickets, club boxes and a party suite, sources have told The Commercial Appeal. But the Tigers wouldn't receive luxury suite, parking or concession revenue. Rose wouldn't disclose dollar amounts, but said another issue involves the annual payment from the Grizzlies. He said the U of M agreed for the payment to be adjusted, based on attendance. "That seems to me a fair risk for the university to take," he said. "We've got to make sure our fans show up and buy concessions and use parking and do the things that produce revenue for the Grizzlies. And if they don't, we're willing to take less money. "But now the Grizzlies have again come up with a new wrinkle to that, which involves not counting all the people in attendance; only those who have paid full price for their tickets." The Grizzlies have declined to discuss negotiations. Last week the major obstacle to a deal was thought to be the length of the lease, with the Tigers seeking the security of a 20-year deal and the Grizzlies preferring the financial flexibility of a 10-year term. "We obviously can't enter into a 10-year agreement, because at the end of 10 years what do we do?" Rose said, referring to the likelihood that The Pyramid would be converted for nonarena uses in the Tigers' absence and wouldn't be available for basketball. "(The Grizzlies) literally said, 'Well, you find another place to play.' "And we said, 'Well, does that mean we move our franchise to Louisville?' " But since then, Rose said, there's been a possible resolution to the issue - a 20-year term with an adjustment after 10 years. "I think the discussion at this point is moving in the right direction on that particular subject," Rose said. "Now the question is can we find a formula (for the adjustment) that is fair?" But in another sign that a deal won't come easily, the Grizzlies and Tigers disagree even on the Saturday deadline. U of M athletic director R. C. Johnson embraced the spirit of a deadline, but said: "I think if there's some prevailing reason out there to continue it further on, we probably could." - David Williams: 529-2310

01/28/04		'Lethargic' U of M Wins -- Tigers Play Disappointingly, But Still Beat USF (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact January 28, 2004 The coach was short, to the point and deliberate in his criticism. The players were quiet, subdued and disappointed in their performance. Yes, the University of Memphis won again Tuesday night. But for the most part, it didn't feel like it during the game and certainly didn't sound like it afterward. ''It was an ugly win, true enough,'' Anthony Rice acknowledged after he and his Tiger teammates used an uninspired effort to put away South Florida, 66-53. ''We've just got to be better than we were tonight because if we were playing a good team, they would've come back and probably beat us.'' Which is the one positive the Tigers (13-4 overall, 4-2 in Conference USA) can take from this outing - that they weren't playing a good team - meaning they escaped with their NCAA Tournament hopes intact despite the John Calipari-described ''lethargic'' performance. Truth be told, it would've been hard not to escape, considering USF (6-9, 0-4) dressed just seven scholarship players and put a walk-on in the starting lineup. Thanks to that, and some early made jumpers from Memphis, the Bulls were down 16-4 barely five minutes post tipoff and looked well on their way to dropping their fourth straight game by at least 18 points. But . . . ''But this team does not yet have that killer, put-away attitude to just bury somebody,'' Calipari said. ''It was disappointing.'' As well as boring and disheartening for the estimated 8,500 fans who ventured to The Pyramid against the bitter-cold winds only to watch their school's shooting become bitter-cold in the second half. After the Tigers' impressive opening that led to a 34-21 advantage at the break, they settled into a rut of failed assignments and missed shots that allowed USF to linger without ever really threatening. Memphis only had seven field goals in the second half and none over the last 8:49, which led to a margin of victory that was a lot closer than it probably should've been. The Tigers shot just 22.6 percent in the final 20 minutes while missing 14-of-17 3-point attempts. ''We kind of backed off a little bit,'' said U of M sophomore Jeremy Hunt, who finished with 15 points, four rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes. ''It was really sloppy, but it was a win so you got to take it.'' Like Hunt, sophomore Rodney Carney got 15 points to go with his six rebounds and one steal, and senior point guard Antonio Burks added 13 points, five assists and seven steals to put three Tigers in double-figures. Noticably absent from that list was freshman Sean Banks, who turned in the least-productive game of his young career. A New Jersey native, Banks finished with five points, seven rebounds, three blocks and four turnovers in 34 minutes, marking just the third time in 17 contests he has not scored in double-figures. ''I think Sean was in a little bit of a freshman funk,'' Calipari said. ''I subbed him with two minutes to go because he didn't go after a ball. He acted like the game was over. Well, then it is over for you. Sit down.'' Terrence Leather tallied 15 points and 10 rebounds to pace USF, which had 21 turnovers compared to just nine assists. Bradley Mosley finished with 15 points, and James Holmes got 10 points on a 4-of-6 shooting performance that was valiant yet insufficent even with the Tigers struggling. ''We didn't give the effort that we were supposed to,'' said Memphis freshman Ivan Lopez, who had four points and four rebounds in 25 minutes. ''But a win is a win, so we'll take it.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

01/28/04		Future Looks Ripe For Boredom (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade Contact January 28, 2004 On the court, victory came easily. The Tigers had an 18-point lead before the game was 11 minutes old. They were off and running, only to spend most of the second half dozing to a 66-53 win over a talent-challenged South Florida team Tuesday night at The Pyramid. "We were lethargic," Tigers coach John Calipari said after his team had limped to the finish line by going the last 8:49 without a field goal. Still, the Tigers avenged what happened here last season when the Bulls celebrated a bit too much after a one-point win. But we expected the Tigers to right that wrong. We knew the Tigers were far the better team before the game. We knew it during the game, even though the game was "sloppy," to borrow Tiger guard Jeremy Hunt's word. Of course, we also know this: Every remaining game between Memphis and the many schools leaving the league, of which South Florida is one, is a bitter reminder that the better athletic program doesn't always win the bigger game of conference realignment. How does South Florida, which is relatively new to Division 1-A football and totally devoid of basketball tradition, make the Big East cut while Memphis misses it? "It's not right," Memphis athletic director R. C. Johnson said from his suite Tuesday night. "It's not right and that's not much of a saving grace. "Obviously, if we were located in Tampa and they were located in Memphis, it would have been a no-brainer." And obviously on a night apparently too cold for many Memphis fans to trudge downtown - an estimated crowd of 8,500 - this was no saving grace as the fans even seemed a bit lethargic. Hunt said, "When it's a little dead it can be a little boring, but we still can't let our intensity go down." Understand, from the players' perspective, this game was all but a done deal before the opening tip. South Florida was down to seven scholarship players and started a walk-on. Still, that team played the Tigers evenly in the second half - 32-32. "A good team would have come back (and won)," said the Tigers' Anthony Rice. South Florida is not a good team. And the Tigers' basketball future, when it loses Louisville, Cincinnati, DePaul and Marquette to the Big East and Charlotte and Saint Louis to the Atlantic 10, will include many league games against teams about as bad as the Bulls. In response, Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky has done what coaches do when they lose the recruits they really want: settle for the recruits he can get. So in two years the basketball schedule will feature Marshall, SMU, Rice, Central Florida and Tulsa. That's a recipe for lethargy. Johnson, of course, speaks bravely about this future. We'll make up for the conference schedule with the nonconference schedule, he says. Utah succeeds this way, he says. UNLV used to dominate this way, he says. And, yes, there should be opportunities - at least for a while - to continue playing old rivals Louisville and Cincinnati. "Instead of playing Cincinnati the last game of the year, we'll just have to play 'em the first game of the year," said season-ticket holder Charlie Fite, 51, Nice idea. But on a cold night in January, when it felt like we were looking into the future, to a time when the Tigers perhaps end with Marshall and South Florida finishes with Cincinnati, it sure didn't feel right. Contact reporter Don Wade at 529-2358 or send an e-mail.

01/28/04		Tigers Postgame (South Florida) (Commercial Appeal)
		Play of the game Anthony Rice had the ball on the break, but rather than get it to point guard Antonio Burks, he instead found power forward Sean Banks. At that move, Memphis coach John Calipari shouted, ''Oh my God!'' Seconds later, Banks missed a layup, but Ivan Lopez was trailing and slammed it with authority to give the Tigers a 36-21 advantage with 19:12 remaining. Stat of the game Apparently the Tigers aren't quite out of that shooting slump just yet. Despite making its first four 3-pointers against USF, Memphis finished 8-of-32 from behind the arc, including a 3-of-17 performance in the second half. Still in a funk, Rice was the worst. He missed nine straight treys after making his first attempt of the night. Banks missed all four 3-pointers he attempted, marking the first time in five outings the freshman hasn't sank a trey. Trends With the win, the Tigers continued their dominance of South Florida, improving to 16-3 overall and winning for the 10th time in the past 11 meetings between the two schools. Of those latest 10 victories, six have been by double digits. The only thing keeping Memphis from having an 11-game winning streak over the Bulls is last year's 75-74 loss to USF at The Pyramid. The Tigers improved to 9-1 all-time against South Florida at home. X's and O's For many of the same reasons Houston did it Saturday, USF played mostly zone in an attempt to slow the game and offset its lack of athleticism. Overall, it was a successful strategy, thanks in large part to the Tigers' inability to make open jumpers. ''I thought our zone made a big difference,'' said South Florida coach Robert McCullum. ''But unfortunately, we did a poor job of rebounding in our zone, so they got second and third shots there. ''That was really the only downfall of the zone.'' Memphis outrebounded South Florida by a 38-35 margin. Duane Erwin led the Tigers with 10 boards, nine of which were defensive. Odds and ends Four former Tiger football players were in attendance, among them NFL standouts Isaac Bruce and Tony Williams. Each sat courtside, across from the USF bench. The second and final installment of ''The Season'' featuring the Tigers will air today at 5 p.m. on ESPN2. The 30-minute episode will focus on the U of M's wins over Tulane and Houston. Because of USF's overall lack of skill, Memphis was able to get 14 steals, some from the guards, some from the big men. That effort matched a season-high, set in a 94-64 victory over Fordham. It means absolutely nothing but still makes for good conversation. We are, of course, talking about ESPN's Bracketology, an NCAA Tournament projection that is shuffled continuously from now until March. This week, ESPN has the Tigers as a No. 9 seed and playing 8th-seeded Maryland in Buffalo. A Memphis win in this ridiculous, hypothetical world would likely give the Tigers a shot at Saint Joseph's, which is listed as the top seed in the East Region. Cincinnati and Louisville are the only other Conference USA teams listed, with the Cardinals a top seed in the Midwest Region. The Tigers made 16-of-21 free throws for an average of 76.2 percent, which is the highest percentage they've had in any game this season. Jeremy Hunt was 7-of-10 from the line. Rodney Carney was 7-of-8. What's next Memphis will make a quick, one-game road trip to Fort Worth, Texas, for a Saturday afternoon game with TCU. The Horned Frogs have a 6-10 record heading into tonight's game with Southern Miss, including a 2-3 mark in Conference USA. TCU has lost to Cincinnati, DePaul and Saint Louis in the league, and beaten Tulane and Houston. - By Gary Parrish

01/28/04		Defectors To Play, Not Pay -- C-USA Waives Exit Fees In Exchange (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact January 28, 2004 Any revenue the University of Memphis was going to receive from exit fees paid by Conference USA schools departing for the Big East will probably never be collected, thanks to a deal already struck between most of the stayers and leavers. Rather than pay an undetermined dollar figure to leave the league following next season, at least Cincinnati, Louisville and USF will instead play two C-USA schools in basketball and one in football each year through the 2009-2010 season. Of the 10 basketball and five football games Cincinnati, Louisville and South Florida will play against undetermined C-USA members through the five-year window, at least half must be on the road. It is unclear what DePaul and Marquette will do. ''We were in favor of this,'' said Memphis athletic director R. C. Johnson. ''Football, we didn't particularly care about. But basketball was significant to us because we're thinking primarily for television, and those were great rivalries.'' The rivalries Johnson spoke of were those with Louisville and Cincinnati. Under this scenario, it's likely both will continue at least every other season, if not more frequently, because television executives will help determine which schools play which on a yearly basis. In another development, no official announcement has come, but Johnson confirmed C-USA will move its office from Chicago to Dallas, also the home of commissioner Britton Banowsky. Even though Banowsky replaced Mike Slive more than a year ago, he never moved to Chicago, which made the league's relocation to Dallas predictable. ''From our standpoint, we don't really care,'' Johnson said. ''In this day and age, you fly to some airport and meet there, so it really doesn't matter to us because we're kind of in the middle of everything.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

01/27/04		University Of Memphis Quarterback Visits Greenbrook Kindergartners (Commercial Appeal)
		By Katherine Cromer Contact January 28, 2004 Five-year-old Jacob Wilkerson tried to calm his excited classmates. "He's gonna be here any minute!" he said, pointing at the door with a grin on his face. The Greenbrook Elementary School kindergartners were rowdy and excited, unable to stay in their seats on the classroom's colorful rug. They eagerly awaited the man that would fill the reading rocking chair at the front of the room. And then he walked in the door. When Danny Wimprine, quarterback for the University of Memphis Tigers, walked in, a hush fell over the students. Suddenly, they were awestruck and silent. Susanne Baker's kindergarten class studies a letter of the alphabet every week. Each Monday, the students are asked to bring an item from home that begins with that letter. Jacob's mother, Cindy Wilkerson, said she asked her son what he wanted to bring in this week to celebrate the letter "W." "He said he wanted Danny Wimprine to come and read to his class," Wilkerson said. "I said, you need to think of something else, just in case." At first, Wilkerson was tempted to shrug off her son's request, but remembering that Jacob is the football player's biggest young fan - he wanted to dress as Wimprine for Halloween - she decided to call the University football office, expecting her request to be turned down. As it turns out, Wimprine was happy to come read. "Jacob was more excited about Danny coming than Santa Claus," Wilkerson said. So when Wimprine walked into the classroom and took his seat in the rocking chair, Jacob was more tuned in then any other student. "I'm a sports fan," Jacob said after Wimprine finished reading "Thunderhoof," a book that Jacob picked out, and "A Weekend with Wendell." "I like sports. I want to play football," Jacob said. After reading, Wimprine autographed photos and footballs, and took pictures with the class. He bent down to hug students and talked with them about school. Wimprine led the Tigers this year to a regular season record of 9-4, including a win over North Texas in the New Orleans Bowl. The pictures he signed were of him playing in that bowl game. "Last week, there was a bunch of us who went to a school. I read to third graders," Wimprine said, adding that he enjoys making forays out to the local schools. "I remember being there and seeing older athletes that I wanted to be like and who I admired at that age," Wimprine said. "I remember how special it was." And it was special for Baker's students. "He gave me a photo of him playing," said Donavan Fulkerson. "He was cool. He was awesome!" - Katherine Cromer: (901) 333-2010

01/27/04		Howard Saga Truly Super Story (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact January 28, 2004 HOUSTON - Halfway through the Carolina Panthers hour with the media horde, a woman walks up to Reggie Howard and puts a piece of paper in his hand. It is confidential, she says. He needs to sign it, she says. It is a release form from Disney. Saying that if Howard happens to be selected MVP of the Super Bowl, he'll look into the cameras as he walks off the field and say he's going to Disney World. "This is crazy," Howard says, as the woman walks off. And it is too. In the best of possible ways. Reggie Howard could be going to Disney World. Reggie Howard could be MVP of the Super Bowl. Reggie Howard is standing on the field at Reliant Stadium, and a woman is talking to him in all seriousness about the possibility that he'll be the best player on the world's biggest stage. "I mean, this is the Super Bowl," Howard says. "It's a miracle I'm even here." ------------------------------------------------------------ Tuesday was Media Day at the Super Bowl. Someone dressed in a mask and cape asked dumb questions. The TV producer said his name was Pick Boy. "Pick Boy?" "As in, pick your nose," said the producer. Ahhhhh. Perhaps it's time to put media day out of its misery. Except for one thing. The good stuff. The good stories. The stories about players who have persevered, who have overcome, who have a tale worthy of all the microphones. Like Howard. The Kirby Kid. The Comback Kid. How great is it that, this year, one of the best stories is ours? "You're all smiles today," says a reporter from NFL Films. "But there was a time, in college, when you had a terrible neck injury . . . " So Howard tells about the neck injury. The one Memphis Tiger fans can still remember, still feel. At UAB. Third quarter. A running play. A knee to the helmet. "I broke my neck," Howard tells the reporter. "I broke the fifth and sixth vertebrae and the doctors didn't think I'd ever play again." He played again. Might as well end the suspense right here. But then, looking back at it, why should any of us have been surprised? Howard walked on at Memphis. He wasn't even the best player on his Kirby team. Rip Scherer said he didn't know anything about Howard when he showed up. "He said he could run fast and jump high," Scherer said. Hmmm. Who knew this high? Howard walked on at Carolina the same way he walked on at Memphis. Nobody wastes a draft pick on a player with a bum neck. Howard was cut, bounced to the Saints, was cut, then bounced back to Carolina again. "It's been a battle all the way," he says. Which could be why Howard has remained so irresistably decent, why he stands out precisely because he doesn't think he should stand out at all. A woman named Kay Kelly called the newspaper the other day. Just to say that Howard did temporary work for her during his college days and, by the way, she has never employed a nicer kid. Tom Sorensen is the columnist at the Charlotte Observer. He wrote a column about eating chicken wings with Howard. Because it somehow seemed to sum him up. "He so unpretentious," Sorensen says. "He's without ego. "Of course, before the Philly game I saw there were four reporters standing around his locker. I said, 'Darn, he's been discovered now.' " Howard is at fault for this last part, of course. For playing out of his mind. He's the same tackling demon he was at Memphis. Against Dallas, he had nine tackles and a sack. The Patriots figure to throw the ball all over the place Sunday. That's what they do. If they steer away from Carolina corner Ricky Manning - who had three interceptions against Philadelphia - Howard really could be in a position to go to Disney World. Not that he's aiming for it or anything. He's a Memphis kid first. "I've never even been to a bowl game," he says. "What a way to start." Contact columnist Geoff Calkins at 529-2364 or send an e-mail.

01/27/04		Tigers Win Fourth Straight -- Memphis Benefited From A Strong Defensive Effort (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Jeremy Hunt and Rodney Carney scored 15 points each as Memphis won its fourth consecutive game with a 66-53 decision over South Florida Tuesday night. Antonio Burks added 13 points and five assists for the Tigers (13-4, 4-2 Conference USA), who hit only 23 percent of its shots from the field in the second half. Memphis benefited from a strong defensive effort that contributed to holding South Florida to 37 percent shooting and forcing 21 turnovers. Terrence Leather led the Bulls (6-9, 0-4) with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Bradley Mosley also had 15 points, but was 4-of-13 from the field, including 1-of-7 from 3-point range. James Holmes scored 10. Memphis led by as many as 18 in the first half before taking a 34-21 lead at the break. As they have throughout the winning streak, the Tigers came out firing from long range. They were successful early, hitting their first four 3-pointers. But Memphis would go 1-of-14 the rest of the half and finish 8-of-32 from beyond the arc. Memphis had eight steals in the half among South Florida's 13 turnovers. The Tigers maintained their double-digit lead through the start of the second half and appeared ready to coast home. The only bump came when South Florida, behind the scoring of Leather, made a 10-1 run at the Tigers to cut the lead to 55-45 with 5:33 left. But the Bulls could get no closer, dropping their fifth straight on the road.

01/27/04		Men's Tennis Drops To 70th In Poll (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis men's tennis team will be repeat hosts of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's (ITA) Southeast Regional, it was announced by the ITA, Tuesday. The ITA also released the second team ranking of the spring, with Memphis falling to No. 70 with a 2-1 mark. The Tigers' lone loss came at No. 54 Tennessee last weekend. The Tigers, who hosted the 2003 regional at The Racquet Club of Memphis, were awarded the 2004 regional following the success of last year's fall event. Mississippi State's Romain Ambert won the singles crown at the regional, while the Georgia team of Bo Hodge and John Isner won the doubles title. Memphis has become a college tennis destination for a number of events. The Tigers will host the Conference USA championships this spring, which feature all 12 C-USA teams, starting April 14th, with the championship final slated for April 18th. The Tigers will open their home season, Feb. 6h against Illinois State. Memphis has never faced the Redbirds in any of Head Coach Phil Chamberlain's previous five seasons. Chamberlain brings an 88-49 record into that match, just 12 shy of his 100th career victory. Illinois continues to be ranked the No. 1 team in the country, while Baylor, Florida, Vanderbilt and Stanford round out the top 5. UCLA, Mississippi, Duke, Texas A&M and Kentucky round out the country's top 10. TCU is the highest-ranking C-USA school at No. 16, while Tulane is 26th, USF 34th, Louisville 52nd and Memphis 70th. Future C-USA members Rice (22nd), SMU (39th), Tulsa (48th) and UCF (75th) round out the poll. The next team poll will be released Feb. 10th. The next individual ranking will be Feb. 24th. Memphis senior Lee Taylor Walker (Jackson, Tenn.) is currently the No. 48 ranked player in the country in singles and the 13th ranked player in the region.

01/27/04		Four Lady Tiger Basketball Players To Be Honored For Academics -- 111 Student-Athletes At The U of M Achieved A 3.0 GPA Or Better This Fall (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - Four Lady Tiger Basketball players will be honored tonight, along with more than 100 U of M student-athletes. The ceremony will take place at halftime during tonight's men's basketball game with USF. Freshmen Ashley Dixon, Devin Necaise and Megan Gooch have begun their collegiate careers on the right foot, and have combined for a GPA of 3.9. They will be honored along with junior Raven Rogers. Rogers and Gooch join 109 other student-athletes who achieved a GPA of 3.0 or better during the Fall 2003 semester, and are part of the Tiger 3.0 Club. The Tiger 3.0 Club will be honored, as well as the Tiger Academic 30, which includes Dixon and Necaise. The Tiger Academic 30 is made up of the top student-athletes from each team and the next best student-athletes to form an elite group of 30. Below is a complete list of the Tiger Academic 30. Chris South, baseball Gaute Myklebust, m. cc/track Heather Woolls, w. cc/track Rusty Clayton, football David Jeans, m. golf Cameron Barber, w. golf Kathryn O'Rourke, w. golf Sarah Carr, rifle Alex Bucewicz, m. tennis Lee Taylor Walker, m. tennis Marlene Dirnstorfer, w. tennis Andrea Feichtinger, w. tennis Rebecca Garner, w. tennis Christina Wieser, w. tennis Tyler Trew, m. soccer Annika Moller, w. soccer Melissa Savage, w. soccer Robyn Smart, w. soccer Hristina Slancheva, volleyball Rebecca McMahon, w. cc/track Katy Buckner, w. soccer Kara Cassel, w. cc/track Mary Claire Dake, w. cc/track Brandon Stewart, football Lisa Marie Hyman, w. cc/track Daniele Riendeau, w. cc/track Andrew Olswing, m. tennis Devin Necaise, w. basketball Courtnee Melton, w. soccer Two coaches will also receive recognition as men's tennis and women's tennis achieved the best team GPAs during the fall semester. Men's tennis head coach Phil Chamberlain and women's tennis head coach Charlotte Peterson will be honored at halftime as well. The women's tennis team achieved the best team GPA ever with a 3.68.

01/27/04		Tiger Rifle Squad Places Second At Tennessee Tech Event (GoTigersGo.com)
		COOKEVILLE, TENN. - The University of Memphis rifle team set new school records in smallbore, air rifle and aggregate total and placed second in the James Newkirk Invitational hosted by Tennessee Tech. The Tigers shot a school record 4548 in smallbore and 1537 in air rifle, for a school best 6085 aggregate total. Sophomore Beth Tidmore led Memphis with an 1158 in smallbore and a 392 in air. Her smallbore total was a personal best. The smallbore squad consisted of Tidmore (1158), J.B. Vaughn (1110), Katie Benjamin (1146) and Brian Phillips (1134). It was Phillips' first smallbore match of his career. The air rifle squad was made up of Tidmore (392), Benjamin (386), Phillips (377) and Sarah Carr (382). Murray State won the competition with a team aggregate of 6173, while Tennessee Tech and UT-Martin placed third and fourth, respectively. Memphis will compete on Wednesday at UT-Martin in the Skyhawk Open. They welcome UAB and Mercer to RangeMaster on Thursday as a part of the Tiger Spring Open.

01/27/04		Banks Not Playing Like A Freshman -- Tiger Forward Has The Complete Game (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact January 27, 2004 Leave it to Antonio Burks to recall a throwaway conversation from early summer that took place between pickup games at the Finch Center. Because one day last week that's exactly what the University of Memphis point guard did when the subject of Sean Banks popped up. "Remember what I said back then?" Burks asked. "I told you how good he was going to be." As it turns out Burks was as correct as he is quick, which means Banks is as good as advertised. Or maybe even better, with the statistics to back it up. "He's not getting a lot of attention for what he's doing," said Memphis coach John Calipari. "But I'd put his numbers against any other freshman's." When the Tigers (12-4, 3-2 in Conference USA) take the court against South Florida (6-8, 0-3) at 7 tonight at The Pyramid, Banks will be playing his 17th game at the collegiate level. In 14 of the first 16 he has scored 10 or more points. In nine of the first 16 he has grabbed 10 or more rebounds. Put it all together and he's compiling one of the best freshmen seasons in the nation, with Minnesota's Kris Humphries the only freshman at a major program possessing better individual credentials. Consider that through Sunday's contests in the 10 major basketball conferences Banks ranks third in the country in points (16.4 per game) and sixth in rebounds (7.6 per game) among freshmen. Those numbers are easily the best of any first-year player in C-USA, and thus have Banks on his way to joining Keith Lee, Sylvester Gray, Elliot Perry, Lorenzen Wright and Dajuan Wagner as Tigers who have produced some of the school's more memorable freshman seasons over the past 25 years. "I expected to have success because that's what I always strive for, to be successful," Banks said in his usually hushed, New Jersey accent. "I always aim high in everything I do. So it's not really a surprise." If there has been a shock from Banks since arriving in Memphis, it's not that he's a tremendous basketball talent. After all, that's why ESPN.com ranked him as the eighth-best prospect in the nation. Instead, the surprise - the pleasant surprise to all involved - has been Banks seems absolutely nothing like the reputation that preceded his enrollment at the U of M, like anybody but the guy who battled legal problems throughout his senior year. At Memphis he has had no problems any other 19-year-old wouldn't, and is actually one of the more thoughtful, well-informed students on the team. He plays chess. He watches CNN. He reads the newspaper. All of which means it appears Calipari was correct last summer when he insisted Banks was merely a relocation away from changing his ways. "He's been great," said the fourth-year Memphis coach. "You know, an environment can sometimes put a kid in a tough position. But he's a good kid. He's a smart kid. And he's got a good heart." Not to mention a bright future, if things continue to progress. Though Banks isn't overly athletic and needs to add some weight, he can still do things most 6-8 forwards cannot, like blow past defenders on the dribble and consistently make 3-pointers. Add that to the toughness he shows in battling for rebounds and the yearning he has for knowledge of the game, and it's not hard to imagine Banks making a career of this basketball thing, which is why NBA scouts are at most Tiger games diligently taking notes. As for U of M fans, they can only hope all that comes later than sooner, because most agree it's probably coming at some point. "Definitely," said Memphis junior Anthony Rice. "Sean's got a tremendous amount of talent, but he still has a lot to learn. "We're still trying to teach him. But once he learns some more he's going to be a heck of a player." - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

01/27/04		Preview: Tigers vs. USF (Commercial Appeal)
		When, where: Today, 7 p.m. at The Pyramid. Records: Memphis 12-4 (3-2 Conference USA); USF 6-8 (0-3). Series standing: Memphis leads, 15-3. TV, radio: WLMT-TV (30); WMC-AM (790), pregame 5:30 p.m. Latest line: Tigers by 181/2. Notables: Tigers sophomore Rodney Carney sat out part of Monday's practice with dizzy spells, but is expected to play tonight. . . . The Tigers have won nine of the past 10 meetings between these two schools, with the only loss coming last season at The Pyramid. Jimmy Baxter led the Bulls that night, scoring 21 points in a 75-74 victory. . . . Baxter, arguably USF's best player, left the Bulls after 12 games this season for what were described as personal reasons. He was a senior who played in 96 career games and made 40 starts, ending his career ranked ninth on South Florida's all-time 3-pointers list. Last season, Baxter averaged 14.6 points per game. Another key player for USF, Marlyn Bryant, tore his ACL for the second straight year, ending his season after just 11 games. Also, freshman guard Sam Barber was dismissed from the team on Monday. Barber is the seventh player the Bulls have lost this season, leaving them with seven scholarship players. . . . As of Monday, the Tigers' Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) ranking was 42. South Florida's was 119. . . . USF is 1-5 on the road this season, with the only win coming at Valparaiso. . . . The Tigers are noticeably better in the second half of games than the first. Memphis is averaging 33.1 points in the first half this season, compared to 41.6 in the second. . . . When Antonio Burks banged his head on the court against Houston Saturday night, a hush came over the building and everybody seemed concerned he might not return. Everybody, that is, except for Sean Banks. ''I knew Antonio wasn't going down because he has a rock-solid head,'' Banks said. ''There's no way that thing is breaking.'' . . . If somebody wants to shoot a 3-pointer tonight, odds are they'll get a good look because statistically nobody in C-USA defends behind the arc worse than USF and Memphis. . . . The Tigers' 8.4 made 3-pointers per game is second in the league behind Louisville's 8.9. TEAM COMPARISONS U of MUSF FG percentage .425.430 Opp. Percentage .403.432 FT percentage .641.621 3-point percentage .342.315 Opp. Percentage .370.358 Rebounds 40.635.5 Opp. Rebounds 35.735.1 Points for 74.862.0 Points against 66.870.0 PROBABLE STARTERS Memphis PYr.Ht.Pts. Antonio Burks GSr.6-016.3 Anthony Rice GJr.6-49.3 Jeremy Hunt GSo.6-49.4 Sean Banks FFr.6-816.4 Ivan Lopez FFr.6-84.9 USF PYr.Ht.Pts. Brian Swift GJr.5-107.6 Bradley Mosley GJr.6-213.7 Brandon Brigman FJr. 6-84.8 Terrence Leather FJr.6-913.2 Gerrick Morris FSr.6-104.6

01/27/04		Analyzing The Keys To The Game (South Florida) (Commercial Appeal)
		Don't let the bus break down: The Bulls have lost their three Conference USA games by an average margin of 34 points. So just showing up at The Pyramid might be enough to get the Tigers their fourth straight win. Seek revenge: Even if the U of M was tempted to mail this one in, last year's loss to USF in The Pyramid should ensure it won't happen. Consequently, the Bulls shouldn't be dancing around afterward again. "Last year they came in here and won and acted a fool on our court,'' said Memphis sophomore Rodney Carney. "So hopefully this time we'll go in there and play good defense and the game will come out like it did (in our 64-48 win over Houston last Saturday)." Establish some post presence: Though Memphis is still shooting a ton of 3-pointers, the Tigers are noticeably trying to get the ball to the block on many possessions and at least giving Ivan Lopez and Duane Erwin the opportunity to get some early baskets. Sometimes it works. Other times it doesn't. But the Tigers need to keep trying to create a strong post presence, even if it's just a distraction from what they're really attempting to do, which is set up open jumpers and create transition baskets. - By Gary Parrish

01/27/04		On Conference USA -- Cards Thrive Despite Limited Roster, Supporting Green (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact January 27, 2004 Pop Quiz. One question. Which Conference USA basketball team does the following describe? It lost its top player from last year, a senior who was the go-to guy and an all-league performer. It lost another formidable senior, a frontcourt player who transferred in and had an impact in what amounted to about one season. Its top recruit, a highly touted prep center, never showed up, instead opting to turn pro and be selected in the NBA Draft. It's shorthanded in the frontcourt because one of the guys expected to contribute is out for the season with an injury. And . . . It got rid of a walk-on guard because of legal problems. OK. What's your answer? Memphis, right? That would be correct. But what you might not know is that fourth-ranked Louisville (15-1) fits the description perfectly as well, though it's hard to tell considering the Cardinals have won 15 straight after a season-opening loss to Iowa. "We're not an imposing basketball team individually, but collectively we play very well together," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said Monday just hours before announcing he was taking an indefinite leave of absence because of health reasons. "I think the loss to Iowa woke us up, and we decided we didn't want to wait until next year because we wanted to have a good and competitive year this year. "But I don't think we knew how good and competitive we could be." And it's fair to assume not many others did, either, especially with no Reece Gaines (departed senior), Marvin Stone (departed senior), James Lang (high school to the NBA), Ellis Myles (injured forward) or Bryant Northern (criminal charges). Which is why heading into Wednesday's game with Houston, it's becoming more and more clear why Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich announced he was pursuing Pitino the minute Denny Crum cleaned out his office. True, Pitino was a something of a joke in the NBA with the Celtics, one ESPN.com's Page 2 columnist Bill Simmons - a Boston guy through and through - can't seem to get over. But on the collegiate level, it's hard to find anybody capable of making such a huge impact so quickly. Since arriving at Louisville prior to the 2001-02 season, Pitino has accumulated a 59-21 record while keeping the Cardinals ranked in the top 15 much of the past two seasons. And the scariest part is that the roster he has now is probably the least talented he will have for the rest of his career, presuming he continues recruiting well. Louisville has a pair of top 30 national prospects - Sebastian Telfair and Brian Johnson - signed to letters of intent and expected to enroll in the fall. "He's only going to get better because of his name and reputation," said Jeff Goodman, who covers recruiting for TheInsiders.com. "Because he's Rick Pitino, he just gets kids." Supporting Green John Calipari has already done it. On Saturday, Cincinnati's Bob Huggins followed suit by openly supporting Southern Miss coach James Green, who is catching some heat in Hattiesburg despite essentially trying to win sword fights with butter knives every time out in terms of facilities and fan support. "Let me put it this way," Huggins began after his Bearcats beat Southern Miss. "This isn't meant as a knock on Cal, but he just got a three-year extension on his contract and he hasn't won our league. Rick Pitino makes a lot of money, and Rick hasn't won our league. The truth is only (four) coaches have won Conference USA regular-season championships in the history of the league, and James Green is one of them. "I don't know how (Green) can be catching flak," Huggins added. "If that's the case, every coach in our league should be fired." Contact reporter Gary Parrish at 529-2365

01/27/04		C-USA Rankings (Commercial Appeal)
		1. Louisville (15-1, 5-0) Cards have the best RPI ranking in the nation. 2. Cincinnati (14-1, 5-1) Could Southern Miss have picked a worse time to play the Bearcats? 3. Memphis (12-4, 3-2) Rodney Carney's re-emergence has them playing like contenders again. 4. Marquette (12-5, 3-3) From a stretcher to the court in a few days. That Travis Diener sure is tough. 5. Saint Louis (11-5, 4-1) Next up: at Charlotte, at UAB and at Memphis. Good luck. 6. UAB (11-5, 4-1) Charlotte win shows Mike Anderson won't have sophomore slump. 7. Charlotte (11-5, 3-2) 49ers' loss to UAB probably canceled out that win over Marquette. 8. DePaul (10-7, 3-3) Andre Brown. Paging Andre Brown. 9. So. Miss (9-7, 2-3) Maybe should've scheduled that Cincy game in Green Bay, too. 10. TCU (6-10, 2-3) Frogs on the way out. But their basketball won't be missed. 11. Houston (7-9, 1-4) Actual first-half score from Saturday: Houston 10, Sean Banks 9. 12. Tulane (7-8, 0-4) Green Wave are running low on talent down in New Orleans. 13. E. Carolina (8-7, 0-5) Snap C-USA road losing streak at Cincinnati? Absolutely not. 14. USF (6-8, 0-3) No Jimmy Baxter. No Seth Greenberg. Things just aren't right at USF.

01/27/04		U of M Lands Bolton Receiver (Commercial Appeal)
		By Jason Smith Contact January 27, 2004 While the University of Memphis continued to await the decision of highly-regarded Christian Brothers defensive end Corey Mills Monday, the Tigers picked up another area commitment in Bolton wide receiver Carlton Robinzine. Robinzine, a 6-3, 185-pound playmaker who gave defensive backs fits with his size last season, committed to the Tigers Sunday after an official visit over the weekend. "I feel really comfortable about the decision because it's best for me and my family, both academically and football-wise," Robinzine said. "With the class we've got coming in, I feel real confident. I know most of the guys, either playing with them or playing against them. . . . This is the best (recruiting) class Memphis has ever had." Robinzine's commitment adds to a growing list of area players who've already chosen Memphis, including Southaven free safety Greg Hinds, Ridgeway quarterback Will Hudgens and Christian Brothers offensive lineman Brandon Pearce. "There's a real family atmosphere that they showed me over there," Robinzine said. "It makes you feel wanted." Robinzine, whose last-second, 40-yard touchdown catch against Collierville propelled Bolton to the state quarterfinals, said he's a perfect fit in Tiger offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner's scheme. "They like my size and my speed. It's kind of a rare combination," Robinzine said. Mills (6-5, 265), the TSSAA Division 2-AAA Mr. Football Lineman of the Year and the No. 3 player in the state according to Rivals.com, is expected to announce today whether he'll attend Memphis, Michigan or Ole Miss. "He wants to go back home (Monday) and talk with his parents about it a little bit more," CBHS coach Kevin Locastro said. Mills recorded 72 tackles (17 for loss), seven sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception in helping the Purple Wave to the Division 2-AAA state semifinals last season.

01/26/04		Several Lady Tigers Return 'Home' For Games With Tulane And USM (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - The University of Memphis women's basketball team has very strong ties to Louisiana and Mississippi as five players and two coaches hail from the area. The Lady Tigers will travel to New Orleans and will face Tulane on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 5 p.m. before heading to Hattiesburg for a match-up with Southern Mississippi on Monday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m. Local fans will have the opportunity to catch up with some of their transplanted talent who are representing the University of Memphis including senior Princess Swilley (Hazlehurst, Miss.), Devin Necaise (Necaise Crossing, Miss.), Latrice Booker (Winnfield, La.), Charity Egenti (New Orleans), Raven Rogers (Jackson, Miss.), and assistant coach Brooks Donald (Jennings, La.) and head coach Joye Lee-McNelis (Leetown, Miss.). Senior Princess Swilley is in her final season representing the U of M. Swilley currently averages 5.9 points and 2.6 rebounds a game. Swilley prepped at Hazlehurst High School, and is one of two seniors on the 2003-04 squad. She was named to the Conference USA all-freshman team in 2000-01, and was the leading returning scorer this season. She struggled with a nagging shoulder injury all last season, and had surgery at the end of the year. She has shot the ball less this season, but has been a key defensive component for the Lady Tigers this season. She totals 29 steals and has dished out 49 assists. She had her best game of the season this past Sunday when she scored 16 points in the win over USF. Freshman Devin Necaise joined the team from Coach Joye Lee-McNelis' alma mater Hancock High School. This season, Necaise is the leading freshman player for Memphis, averaging 22.8 minutes per game. She has played in all 19 games this season, and started this past weekend against both UAB and USF. Necaise leads the squad in treys with 30, and is a 38-percent shooter from behind the arc. She averages 7.1 points per game, and has hit 19 of 26 shots from the free-throw line. Junior Raven Rogers is a native of Jackson, Miss., who prepped at Murrah High School. She is currently Memphis' leading rebounder and averages 7.1 boards per game. Rogers has started the last 10 straight games, and ranks third on the squad in scoring with 8.3 points per game. She also totals 16 blocked shots and 29 steals this season. Rogers has recorded both of her career double-doubles this season. She scored 16 points and hauled in 12 rebounds against Idaho and recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds against Lipscomb. Sophomore Latrice Booker has made great strides this season, and has started the last five straight games. Booker joined the U of M from Winnfield High School, and sat out her true freshman year after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in her knee. As a freshman, she saw limited action and only averaged 1.5 points per game. This year, though, Booker is averaging 5.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. She is a 48-percent shooter from the field, and also totals five blocked shots and 21 steals. Sophomore Charity Egenti came to the U of M by way of Nigeria, by way of New Orleans. A player with one of the most unique basketball backgrounds, Egenti is a native of Lagos, Nigeria. She came to the United States and settled in Houston before eventually heading to New Orleans. Egenti did not obtain high school basketball eligibility until the State Tournament of her senior season at John Curtis High School. The majority of her basketball experience came from her playing time with the Kenner Angels AAU squad. This year, Egenti has played in 10 games and averages 1.3 points and 1.7 rebounds a game. Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis will face her alma mater USM on Monday. McNelis was a standout player for the Golden Eagles and is the sixth-leading scorer at USM. She was inducted into the USM Hall of Fame along with Brett Favre in 1997. McNelis is in her 13th season coaching the Lady Tigers and is only the second coach to lead the U of M women's basketball program in school history. In her tenure, McNelis has had five 20-win season and has taken her squads to the post-season seven times. A native of Leetown, Miss., McNelis also was an assistant coach at USM from 1986-1991. Her current career record is 221-152. Assistant Coach Brooks Donald came to the University of Memphis after coaching for three seasons at UALR. Donald, a native of Jennings, La., is hailed as being one of the top recruiting coaches in the area. She also coached at St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette, La., and was also a successful AAU coach in that area, leading the AAU Acadiana Stars. Donald is responsible for coaching the post players, as well as serving as the recruiting coordinator for the Lady Tigers. The Lady Tigers head into the weekend with a 13-6 overall record; 3-3 in Conference USA, after defeating UAB (93-64) and USF (69-59) at home this past weekend. Memphis owns a 19-10 series advantage over Tulane, dating back to the 1979-80 season. Tulane has had the upper hand in the last couple of years, winning eight of the last nine meetings with the Lady Tigers. Memphis is 21-15 over Southern Miss, dating back to the 1973-74 season. Last year, Memphis suffered a 75-72 loss to the Golden Eagles in Hattiesburg.

01/26/04		FROM MY SEAT -- OUR REGGIE (FRANK MURTAUGH) (Memphis Flyer)
		FRANK MURTAUGH OUR REGGIE Memphians should have very little trouble in finding someone to root for in Super Bowl XXXVIII. They need merely find number 23 for the Carolina Panthers, a third-year cornerback by the name of Reggie Howard. Among the 44 players who start in this biggest of big games for the Patriots and Panthers, Howard is, hands-down, the least likely participant. And that includes Carolina quarterback, Jake (Who?) Delhomme. Recent history has been very good to University of Memphis defensive backs. Jerome Woods (Kansas City), Idrees Bashir (Indianapolis), and Mike McKenzie (Green Bay) are all starters for playoff teams. But none of these players has come as far as the former Kirby High School and University of Memphis standout you'll see playing for the Panthers this Sunday. I interviewed Reggie Howard in late September 1999, as he was to be the cover story for an upcoming Tigers’ gameday program. These are the kind of chats during which a player will typically take an “It’s about time!” approach to fielding the questions. “Darn right, I’m your cover! Might finally sell some programs.” Not so with Reggie Howard. He was humble, with an easy ‹ maybe slightly uncomfortable ‹ smile, and a genuine interest in providing answers that hadn’t been spoken before. Midway through his senior year, Howard was recognized as an NFL prospect, so he’d already found a different football universe from the one he knew at Henderson State, a Division II school in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where he’d matriculated before transferring to the U of M in 1998. But he deflected talk of playing in the pros, as he wanted desperately to first help Rip Scherer’s Tigers find respectability. And he stressed during this interview that he just loved the game of football, anywhere, anytime. Through a broad smile, Howard said, “Some of the guys mess with me by saying, ‘You’re like a little kid who just loves to play.’ “ Which made it all the more heartbreaking two weeks later when, during theTigers’ game at UAB, Howard suffered a neck injury making a tackle that almost left him paralyzed (in clinical terms, he sustained a subluxation of his sixth cervical vertebra). Howard’s college career and, one presumed, his football life were over. Which makes Reggie Howard’s appearance in Super Bowl XXXVIII the stuff of cinematic tear-jerkers. Howard followed his doctors’ orders ‹ and his heart’s direction ‹ in rehabbing his injury, then impressed the Carolina brass enough to sign as an undrafted free agent before the 2000 season. It took another year before Howard made the Panthers’ active roster. (As a measure of Howard’s character, note that he returned to the Memphis campus during his NFL apprenticeship and earned his degree in marketing and management in May 2001.) All his labor must have seemed like a fool’s endeavor, considering Carolina’s woeful 1-15 season in 2001. But then coach John Fox arrived, playing time increased (75 tackles in 2002), and Reggie Howard was no longer just a medical miracle, but a full-time NFL starter. This Sunday, his journey from Arkadelphia ‹ via one gurney and myriad doubts ‹ will reach Houston and the biggest sporting event on the planet. After the pregame introductions, you probably won’t hear Reggie Howard’s name unless he does something spectacular (like intercepting a Tom Brady pass) or falls on his face (like giving up a touchdown pass to Mr. Brady). Such is the nature of (1) NFL cornerbacks and (2) Reggie Howard. He doesn’t have dreadlocks cascading down his shoulders (like those of his old Memphis teammate, McKenzie). He carries no nickname, like Prime Time or The Assassin. He’s not even the best player among the Carolina secondary (he defers to Mike Minter or Deon Grant). Howard is just a solid football player, one good enough-- and healthy enough -- to play in the sport’s biggest spectacle. Only one team can win Sunday, and only one MVP can go to Disney World. If you’ll join me on the Reggie Howard bandwagon, though, you’ll find yourself already in the realm of the unbeatable.

01/25/04		Shooter's Touch Keys U of M (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact January 26, 2004 She entered Sunday's Conference USA women's basketball game at the Elma Roane Field House with numbers that belied her experience and ability. University of Memphis guard Princess Swilley, the Lady Tigers' returning scoring leader and one of two seniors on the team, was averaging 5.7 points and shooting 38.1 percent from the field. She had scored in double figures four times in 17 games. She was playing more the part of ugly stepsister than princess. But with some prodding from her teammates, particularly Victoria Craw ford, Swilley made a move Sunday toward becoming the contributor the Lady Tigers will need if they intend to finish in the top half of the 14-team league. Swilley scored a season-high 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including 6-of-8 in the second half, to lead the Lady Tigers to a 69-59 victory over South Florida before a crowd of about 600. Swilley dropped in a 10-foot jumper at the buzzer to close a 7-1 run and give the Lady Tigers a 31-23 halftime lead. In the second half, she hit five-straight jumpers, mostly from the 15-to 17-foot range, to help the Lady Tigers build a double-digit lead that reached 18 points with 11 minutes to go. ''Princess Swilley really stepped up and elevated her play,'' Lady Tiger coach Joye Lee-McNelis said. ''She played with a lot of confi-dence and I believe that was the biggest difference.'' The Lady Tigers (13-6, 3-3 in C-USA) also got 16 points from Crawford, who added 10 rebounds, and 10 points from Raven Rogers. Reserve center Megan Gooch had nine rebounds. Freshman Nalini Miller scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, both game highs, to lead USF (8-11, 1-5). Swilley had scored more than six points only twice in the previous six games. During that same stretch she had attempted more than eight field goals only once. ''I was confident in the second half, but I was also confi-dent in the first half,'' Swilley said. ''I don't shoot thinking what happens if I don't make it. The most important thing to me is not only do I believe in myself, but my team believes in me as well.'' Crawford, who also had 16 points, said she told Swilley in a recent practice that she needed to attempt at least 15 shots a game. ''She is a shooter,'' Crawford said. ''And she was passing up shots.'' Crawford praised Swilley's shooter's mentality Sunday, but said her teammate ''owes me two (difficult running drills)'' as punishment for taking only 13 shots. ''When she's shooting like that it opens up a zone defense for me to penetrate,'' Crawford said. ''They had to adjust because she was making all her shots.'' Swilley averaged 12.8 points as a sophomore. Her average dropped to 10.8 as a junior, but she spent the season battling shoulder problems. That she played a key role Sunday did not surprise USF coach Jose Fernandez, in his fourth year at the school. ''We knew she was capable,'' Fernandez said. ''She's played in Conference USA for four years. The ball got reversed to her in the zone and she just stepped up and made her shots.'' In addition to Swilley's breakout performance, Lee-McNelis said the Lady Tigers switching to a zone defense midway through the first half played a huge part in the victory. USF shot just 25.8 percent in the first half and made only 1-of-11 shots in the final seven minutes of the half. - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

01/25/04		Men's Tennis Sweeps Tennessee Tech (GoTigersGo.com)
		COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The University of Memphis men's tennis team (2-1 overall) used a 7-0 sweep of Tennessee Tech, a 2003 NCAA participant, to improve to 2-1 on the season, Sunday. The Tigers blanked the Eagles in doubles, winning the No. 1 and No. 3 matches, 8-6, and the No. 2 match, 8-2. Senior Lee Taylor Walker (Jackson, Tenn./University School of Jackson) improved his record to 2-1 with a 6-7, 6-4, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles over Marco Born. Junior Martin Tamla (Tallinn, Estonia) improved his record to 3-0 for the season with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Razvan Ilie. Tiger freshmen James Spence and Sam Whithel each added points to the Tiger shutout with Spence's 6-1, 7-5 win over senior Luis Aguerrevere at No. 2, while Whithel downed Christoph Lerch, 6-2, 6-4. Fellow freshman Luke Campbell also contributed to the Tigers' second straight win, teaming with sophomore Alex Jago to win their No. 3 doubles match, 8-6. It was the second straight victory for the duo at No. 3 doubles after downing UT Martin's Oltion Mollaymeri and Ben Hatchwell, 8-2, Saturday afternoon. "The guys played great today," Head Coach Phil Chamberlain said. "Tennessee Tech is a really strong team that won their conference (Ohio Valley) last year and went to the NCAA tournament. The guys just played great." The Tigers will return home for a non-conference match against Illinois State, Feb. 6th. That match will begin with doubles play at 2 p.m. No. 69 Memphis 7, Tennessee Tech 0 Doubles No. 1 -- Lee Taylor Walker/James Spence (UM) def. Luis Aguerrevere/Marco Born (TTU), 8-6 No. 2 -- Alex Bucewicz/Marten Tamla (UM) def. Dominik Hecht/Christoph Lerch (TTU), 8-1 No. 3 -- Alex Jago/Luke Campbell (UM) def. Razvan Ilie/Michele Panzeri (TTU), 8-6 Singles No. 1 -- Lee Taylor Walker (UM) def. Marco Born, 6-7, 6-4, 6-0 No. 2 -- James Spence (UM) def. Luis Aguerrevere (TTU), 6-1, 7-5 No. 3 -- Alex Bucewicz (UM) def. Razvan Ilie (TTU), 6-3, 6-2 No. 4 -- Marten Tamla (UM) def. Dominik Hecht (TTU), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 No. 5 -- Sam Withell (UM) def. Christoph Lerch (TTU), 6-2, 6-4 No. 6 -- Alex Jago (UM) def. Michele Panzeri (TTU), 6-1, 6-3

01/25/04		Memphis Holds Off USF For 69-59 Victory In Women's Basketball Action (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn.-- - Princess Swilley and Victoria Crawford each chipped in 16 points as Memphis defeated USF 69-59 in Conference USA women's basketball action Sunday at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Memphis evened its league mark at 3-3 with the victory and improved to 13-6 overall while the Bulls dropped to 8-11 and 1-5 in C-USA play. Swilley had 12 of her season-high 16 points in the second half as the Lady Tigers held off a late rally by USF to secure the 10-point win. The Bulls went on a 12-1 run to cut a one-time 18-point Memphis lead down to just four at 61-57 with 3:13 to play. Memphis responded by outscoring the Bulls 8-2 in the closing minutes as the visitors struggled from the free throw line down the stretch making just 5-of-15 attempts after the break. For the game, USF went just 12-for-27, while the Lady Tigers made 20-of-30 attempts. Crawford also put up double figure numbers in rebounds grabbing 10 to record her first double-double of the season. It was Crawford's 14th game this season that she has reachd double figures in points. The Lady Tigers held a 50-39 edge on the boards as freshman Megan Gooch tied a career-high with nine and forward Latrice Booker also added nine rebounds. The first half was a closely contested with three ties and eight lead changes until Memphis forward Raven Rogers hit a three-pointer at the 6:33 mark. The three helped Memphis close the half on a 12-3 run and take a 31-23 lead at halftime. The Bulls were led by Nalini Miller who had 22 points and 13 rebounds. The Bulls' center did struggle from the free throw line making just 2-of-9 attempts including key misses down the stretch. USF guard Rachel Sheats had 13. The Bulls forced Memphis into 18 turnovers with 16 of those coming off of steals. USF