Memphis Tigers News Archives

December 2005

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12/31/05		Allen provides needed energy boost as Tigers put away Boilermakers -- No. 4 Memphis 90, Purdue 70 (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 31, 2005 Huffing and puffing and on his way back to the bench, Andre Allen was in the middle of receiving a standing ovation near the end of the first half when his coach grabbed him, spun him around and pointed up. "Look at the score," John Calipari said with a smile. "Look at it." In other words, you did that. In other words ... "What Andre does for us is he goes in, and all of a sudden the score goes the right way," Calipari said after his University of Memphis Tigers overcame a sluggish start and cruised to a 90-70 victory over Purdue. "I keep telling him, 'That's what you do.' And I'm not saying anything against Darius (Washington), because he's our point guard. I'm just saying that that is what you want in your back-up point guard. Whatever the score is, that guy goes in and the score goes the right way." Such was precisely the case with Allen on Friday night, when he provided his usual spark off the bench and propelled the fourth-ranked Tigers (11-1) to their eighth straight win before an announced crowd of 16,835 at FedExForum. Thanks to a sluggish start complete with badly missed shots and uncharacteristic turnovers, Memphis led by only a 27-24 margin with 3:26 left in the first half. On the sideline, Calipari looked like his old self, stomping and yelling and pleading with his players to play to their potential, or at least to the level that has produced wins against UCLA, Cincinnati, Alabama and Gonzaga. Insert Allen, and things changed. The Booker T. Washington High graduate started pestering people on defense, and pushing the ball on offense. It helped continue what was ultimately an 18-2 run to close the half, and just like that a 27-24 dogfight was a 45-26 blowout in the making. "I just do what Coach wants me to do," said Allen, who finished with five points, four assists and four rebounds in 20 minutes. "I just did my job." A job, it's worth noting, that allowed Memphis to cruise in the second half despite Washington being limited to just 18 total minutes because he re-aggravated that badly bruised right thigh that has bothered him since Nov. 17. Over the final 20 minutes, Purdue (6-5) never got closer than 16 points, meaning Calipari was able to empty his bench for garbage time, and let walk-ons Chance McGrady, Clyde Wade, Jared Sandridge and Travis Long get some rare time on the court. By that point, Joey Dorsey had already recorded his third double-double of the season, finishing with a career-high 16 points and 13 rebounds. Three other Tigers also reached double-figures in points, namely freshmen Chris Douglas-Roberts (16 points and three assists), Shawne Williams (15 points and three rebounds) and Robert Dozier (11 points and four rebounds). "We are a real unselfish team," said Douglas-Roberts, noting that the UofM had 19 assists. "We showcased that tonight." In addition to a pressure defense that gave the Boilermakers problems, which was less than a surprise considering they came in averaging 19.8 turnovers per game and were starting three freshmen. The Tigers forced Purdue into 25 turnovers, including 17 in the first half. Marcus White had five, and Nate Minnoy and Bryant Dillon each added four. That combined with shooting just 42.6 percent from the field and getting out-rebounded by a 41-30 margin made it difficult for the Boilermakers to threaten in any way once separation set-in. "Memphis's press was really tough in that stretch (at the end of the first half), and made us hurry up a bit," said Purdue's first-year coach, Matt Painter. "We did not take care of the ball during that four-minute window. That was the game right there." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

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12/31/05		Tigers replay: Purdue (Commercial Appeal)
		AS THE GAME TURNED With less than four minutes left in the first half, the Tigers were leading by just a 27-24 margin and seemed destined to enter the locker room in a battle thanks to a lackluster effort complete with badly missed shots and senseless turnovers. Instead, what followed was an 18-2 run that featured eight points from Chris Douglas-Roberts, and things were essentially ended right there. The Boilermakers came out for the second half, but lacked the personnel to conduct a comeback. That's why Purdue never got closer than 16 points in the final 20 minutes, and Memphis won for the eighth straight outing. AS THE ROTATION TURNED Sophomore point guard Darius Washington re-aggravated his bruised right thigh, and left the game for good after just five minutes in the second half. The injury required backup Andre Allen to play extended minutes, though it wasn't a bad thing considering the Booker T. Washington High graduate was performing well, pushing the ball on offense and guarding it like crazy on defense. As for Washington, he met with trainer Jennifer Bone after the victory and left without comment. The Wooden Award finalist will be evaluated again today, but Bone didn't seem overly concerned, afterward saying, "He'll be fine." RIM GEMS Rodney Carney had two dunks in the first half, both of which came in transition and in the middle of a 9-0 run that gave the Tigers the lead for good. But it was the dunk late in the game -- and about three seconds after a whistle -- that got the attention of longtime official Ed Hightower. In transition, Carney was fouled beyond the 3-point line, which is clearly an adequate amount of time to stop. Instead, the senior continued to the basket, attacked it from the left wing and flushed a dunk before heading to the bench for a media timeout. On Carney's tail? That was Hightower, who, with a smile, seemed to say, "Come on man. You know better than that." HIDE YOUR EYES With three freshman starters, it was pretty clear going in that Purdue would struggle with the Tigers' pressure defense, considering it was averaging 19.8 turnovers per game through 10 contests. Against Memphis, the Boilermakers stayed true to themselves, and turned the ball over 25 times. Marcus White was the biggest culprit. He was credited with five. SCORER'S TABLE The Tigers came into this contest known as something other than the best free-throw shooting team in the country, making them only 63.4 percent of the time. Against Purdue, Memphis was much better. It hit 13-of-17 attempts (76.5 percent). Douglas-Roberts was 4-for-4. Washington was 1-for-1. But the real surprise was Joey Dorsey, who hit 4-of-5 attempts to finish with a career-high 16 points. Not bad for somebody who entered the game with a free-throw percentage of .306. ODDS AND ENDS WMC-790's last day as an all-sports station was Friday. Still, if the home of the Tigers wants to continue to carry UofM football and basketball games next year, it has first right of refusal, though its contract expires at the end of the season. In the meantime, Tiger Sports Properties will continue to shop the package in hopes of having a new contract done by June, Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson said Friday night. He said several stations have expressed interest, and that the UofM could enter into an agreement with an AM or FM station. "Right now," Johnson said, "everything is on the table." Memphis freshman Kareem Cooper was in uniform for the first time Friday since being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back, but did not play. Coach John Calipari said he will evaluate the freshman over the weekend and again Monday morning, and that it's possible the 6-11 center could be available against Texas. Cooper hasn't played since a Dec. 10 win at Providence. Thanks to a eight-point effort against Purdue, Carney has 1,465 career points. That means he only needs 15 points to pass Phillip 'Doom' Haynes and move into ninth on the UofM's all-time scoring list. Dorsey's double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds was his third of the season. Memphis is 11-0 over the past two seasons when Dorsey gets double-digit rebounds. Freshman forward Shawne Williams managed to score 15 points for the Tigers on 6-of-9 shooting despite once again being saddled with early foul trouble. Williams, just as he did Tuesday against Gonzaga, picked up a pair of cheap early fouls and as a result played just seven first-half minutes. The former Hamilton High star finished the game with four fouls, giving him 39 on the season, second on the team only to Dorsey (48). "He's still getting used to me," Calipari said. "He fronted (Purdue forward Marcus White) and they threw over his head. If you get two fouls in the first half, I'm probably not gonna play you much," Calipari said. LOOKING AHEAD No. 4 Tigers vs. No. 15 Texas, Monday, 1:30 p.m., at FedExForum. -- Gary Parrish and Jim Masilak

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12/31/05		Calipari sympathetic, but no less demanding -- Coach wants club to maintain focus (Commercial Appeal)
		By Jim Masilak Contact December 31, 2005 The message came through loud and clear to Chris Douglas-Roberts: Get tough. Midway through the first half of the University of Memphis' 90-70 win over Purdue on Friday night at FedExForum, the freshman guard from Detroit rolled his left ankle and retreated to the Tigers' bench licking his wound. Just a few minutes later, an unsympathetic UofM coach John Calipari summoned Douglas-Roberts out of the sick bay and sent him back into the fray. Douglas-Roberts grimaced on his way back to the scorer's table, but he responded in the best possible way. He scored six straight points in a 39-second span to spark an 18-2 Tiger run which put an end to the Boilermakers' pesky resistance. "On a rebound, I rolled my ankle and I asked for a quick sub," said Douglas-Roberts, who scored a team-best 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting and grabbed four steals. "Coach put me right back in. He didn't even think about the ankle. "He ran some isolations for me and I scored off them." With five games between Christmas and the start of Conference USA play on Jan. 11, Calipari sympathizes with his increasingly weary and beat-up team. At the same time, the coach is becoming even more demanding in order to ensure there are no slipups along the way for his No. 4-ranked Tigers. "It has been a tough grind for these guys," Calipari said. "It has been a tough road. Every team that we have played has been a team that we have climbed a mountain against. "This team played hard. Purdue played hard, but we were able to create turnovers and do that to create a gap. There will be other games where we won't be able to do that." Calipari undoubtedly said that with the Tigers' next opponent, 15th-ranked Texas, in mind. The UofM (11-1) faces the Longhorns on Monday at 1:30 p.m. at FedExForum, the second of four games in 10 days for the Tigers, who host Middle Tennessee and Winthrop before opening their 14-game conference schedule at East Carolina. "They're still a top-10, top-15 team. At the end of the year they're still gonna be there," said Calipari of the Longhorns, who were ranked as high No. 2 nationally before absorbing lopsided losses to No. 1 Duke and unranked Tennessee. "But our guys want to be challenged. They want to keep playing." Calipari, however, was more animated than he has been all season during a sluggish first half by the Tigers. Purdue (6-5) held its own through most of the opening 10 minutes and actually led on a number of occasions. This despite the fact the Boilermakers were playing without three probable starters due to injury and suspension. "He (Calipari) says we lack physical toughness," Douglas-Roberts said. "All he's trying to do is make us tough. "We hate losing, and coach doesn't like it either ... He makes us play the whole game. There were 20 seconds left and he was still going crazy over there (on the sideline)." There's a simple reason for that, the coach said. While the UofM's 11 victories have come by an average of 17 points per game -- with none coming by fewer than eight points -- Calipari is eager for his young squad to hone its killer instinct. "All in all I think we've played good defense," he said. "I'm trying to say, 'Let's have total domination.' But they're not ready yet." -- Jim Masilak: 529-2311

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12/31/05		Williams hires agent, switches focus to NFL -- Feeling of comfort led record-setting Memphis back to select Sexton (Commercial Appeal)
		By The Commercial Appeal December 31, 2005 Now that his record-setting career at the University of Memphis is over, DeAngelo Williams isn't exactly putting his cleats up and relaxing. He signed with Memphis-based agent Jimmy Sexton early Friday afternoon and will start working out Monday to get ready for the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. "I have to work on being the best individual player I can be now," Williams said. "Instead of DeAngelo Williams and the Tigers vs. whoever we happen to be playing that week, it's DeAngelo Williams vs. everybody in the nation, the Matt Leinerts and the Jay Cutlers and the Reggie Bushes." Bush, the USC Heisman Trophy-winning tailback, is widely considered the top pick in this year's NFL Draft unless he reverses field and decides to return for his senior year. But Williams -- who finished his career with 6,021 career rushing yards and a record 34 100-yard games -- isn't conceding anything. "If he's the No. 1 pick, I've got to outwork him," Williams said. "My numbers have to be as good or better than his. I'm going into this thing thinking I'm at the bottom of the draft, and I'm going to work my way up as high as I can by draft day." In Sexton, a partner in Athletic Resource Management, Williams has selected an agent who has seen him play as much as anyone and has broad experience on all sides of the draft process. Sexton represents five NFL head coaches, including Dallas's Bill Parcells and Miami's Nick Saban. He also represents Memphis coach Tommy West, which factored heavily with Williams. "A lot of guys I trust trust Jimmy," Williams said. "And I just like him. I had a good feeling, personally, about Jimmy and what he could do for me." In 2004, Sexton represented North Carolina State quarterback Philip Rivers, who shot all the way up to the fourth pick in the draft. Sexton isn't making any predictions yet about where Williams might go, but he likes his new client's attitude. "Here's a guy who's going to start working out less than a week after he played his last game," Sexton said. "That ought to tell you something about his work ethic. "We feel like he's clearly one of the top backs available in the draft. He has special abilities in terms of his quickness, his burst and his ability to change direction. That's what we're going to work on showcasing." Sexton said Williams workouts will be geared around three events leading up to the draft on April 29: On Jan. 28, Williams will play in the Senior Bowl. Last year, Auburn's Cadillac Williams parlayed an impressive Senior Bowl week into the No. 5 selection. From Feb. 22-26, Williams will be at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. He likely won't run at that event -- most elite players don't -- but he'll be subjected to a battery of tests and interviews. Sometime in March, Williams will run at a Pro Day on the Memphis campus. It sounds ridiculous, given his body of work in college, but Williams's time in the 40-yard dash could determine where he's selected. "He's going to probably get down to closer to his playing weight as a junior," Sexton said. "He put on some extra weight this year because he knew he'd be carrying the load. But the pro scouts love his burst -- that's one of the things that makes him special -- and that's what we're going to highlight." Williams also will work on his NFL skills under the tutelage of former NFL assistant Zeke Bratkowski. Bratkowski has previously worked with former first-round picks Michael Vick, Patrick Ramsey and Rivers. "I don't think there's any question that DeAngelo is one of the top backs right now," Sexton said. "But there's a lot of evaluation that's going to be done over the next few months. It's a long process." No Memphis player has gone in the first round since Jerome Woods was drafted 28th by Kansas City in 1996. Keith Simpson was the highest Memphis player ever selected in the full NFL draft, at No. 9, in 1978. "I'm going to try to make it hard for teams to pass me up," Williams said. "I'm looking at this as one big job interview, and I'm ready to get started."

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12/30/05		No. 4 Memphis Rolls Over Purdue, 90-70 -- Joey Dorsey scores 16 points and pulls down 13 rebounds for the Tigers (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Memphis started a bit slow, then avoided a letdown by kicking it into an extra gear. The fourth-ranked Tigers, coming off an 83-72 victory over No. 8 Gonzaga and with No. 15 Texas looming on Monday, used 16 points, a career high, and 13 rebounds from Joey Dorsey on Friday night to beat Purdue 90-70. "We're not looking past any game," said Memphis guard Chris Douglas-Roberts, who scored 16 points. "We took Purdue seriously. We take all our opponents seriously. That's how teams get upset when they don't take another opponent seriously." Dorsey was 6-of-10 from the field and seven of his rebounds were on the offensive end. He had three blocked shots. "I was happy for Joey," Memphis coach John Calipari said of the 6-foot-9 sophomore. "One of the things we had talked about was getting him more looks. He stepped up and we did that." Shawne Williams finished with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-5 on 3-pointers, and Robert Dozier had 11 points for the Tigers (11-1), whose only loss is to No. 1 Duke. Matt Kiefer, Chris Lutz and Marcus White each had 13 points for the Boilermakers (6-5), who had a three-game winning streak snapped. A 13-3 run gave the Tigers a 27-17 lead. Two dunks by Rodney Carney highlighted the run. The Boilermakers got within 27-24 when Matt Carroll connected on a three-point play with 3:26 remaining in the half. But Memphis, using its pressure defense to cause backcourt turnovers, closed the half with an 18-2 run for a 45-26 lead. Douglas-Roberts had 10 points in the half, going 4-of-5 from the field. Purdue had 17 turnovers in the half and shot 35 percent. "We were able to create turnovers and do that to create a gap," Calipari said. "There will be other games that we won't be able to do that." Purdue coach Matt Painter has said that with two key scorers - seniors Carl Landry and David Teague - out for the season with knee injuries, the Boilermakers will need to be more concerned with defense, trying to hold opponents to the high 70s and low 80s. He acknowledged that the Memphis press "made us hurry up a bit." "Their press got to us," Kiefer said. "They do a good job of taking away things and getting us going fast as compared to taking our time in getting good shots the way we should. We don't have the personnel to do that, and that showed tonight." Memphis, which shot 51 percent for the game, extended the lead to as many as 28 points in the second half. Even with a 12-2 run by the Boilermakers when the Tigers got sloppy with about 8 minutes left, Purdue never got closer than 16 points. "I was happy with some of the spurts we had," Calipari said. "I thought we did some good things defensively in the second half. There was just that breakdown around the 6- or 7-minute mark where we let them make some plays, and we stopped playing." The Boilermakers shot 50 percent in the second half and had only eight turnovers. "We have to do a better job of taking care of the basketball and being strong with it," Painter said. "But I was pleased with our effort, and we are improving."

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12/30/05		Memphis Basketball Postgame Quotes -- No. 4/4 Memphis 90, Purdue 70 (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis Head Coach John Calipari "It was a pretty good effort. I was happy with some of the spurts we had. I thought we did some good things defensively in the second half. There was just that breakdown around the six or seven minute mark, where we let them make some plays and we stopped playing." "It has been a tough grind for these guys. It has been a tough road. Every team that we have played has been a team that we have climbed a mountain against. This team played hard. Purdue played hard, but we were able to create turnovers and do that to create a gap. There will be other games where we won't be able to do that." "I was happy for Joey (Dorsey). One of the things we had talked about was getting him more looks, and tonight he stepped up and we did that." "Today we passed the ball really well. There were plays where it was pass, to pass, to pass, to drive, to pass, to dunk. They are really trying to play together. I thought Antonio Anderson passed the ball tremendously today. He did some great stuff." Purdue Head Coach Matt Painter "We did not take care of the basketball during that four-minute window (in the first half). We had a couple of unforced errors and we turned the ball over a couple of times. We had about four four-point swings in that stretch and that really killed us. That was the game right there." "Sometimes it is better to take a five-second count or at least get into a defensive stance and prevent them from scoring. We have to do a better job of taking care of the basketball and being strong with it, but I was pleased with our effort and we are improving. As a coaching staff, we have to do better in letting our players know how to take care of the ball. "Memphis' press was really tough in that stretch and made us hurry up a bit."

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12/30/05		Tigers overwhelming foes with a defense that stifles (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 30, 2005 His players were going through drills, and John Calipari was pacing the court. Back and forth he'd walk Thursday afternoon, from one free-throw line to the other, barely speaking a word, just monitoring, thinking and taking it all in. Then he blew his whistle. That's always a cue to listen. And if what came next wasn't a challenge, it was at least a strategically planted bit of information designed to further encourage perfection heading into tonight's game against Purdue scheduled to tip at 7 inside FedExForum. "Do you realize we could be the best defensive percentage team in the history of college basketball?" Calipari asked his players. "Wouldn't that be a neat thing? In the history of college basketball, to have the best defensive percentage?" This is what it's come to. With every dominating win, the stakes are being raised, and now the fourth-ranked Tigers (10-1) are targeting the NCAA record book. Page 14, to be exact. That's where it indicates that Stanford held opponents to an all-time low (all-time meaning since 1978) field-goal percentage of .352 during the 1999-2000 season. Through 11 games, Memphis is holding opponents to a shooting percentage of .370. So considering the toughest part of the Tigers' schedule is behind them, it seems reasonable that they could improve upon that number moving forward, and at least challenge Stanford's record barring some sort of breakdown like, for instance, a poor showing against Purdue (6-4). "It's definitely possible," said Antonio Anderson, a freshman guard who helped Memphis hold Gonzaga to a shooting percentage of .344 in Tuesday's 83-72 victory over the eighth-ranked Bulldogs. "We're just trying to get perfect stops." Perfect stops? "It's a drill we've just started doing," Anderson answered. "It's 5-on-5, and for 35 seconds you can't let the offensive team score, get an offensive rebound or get into the lane at all. If they do any of those things, you have to start over." The drill is working. Over the past three games -- wins over Ole Miss, Louisiana Tech and Gonzaga -- Memphis is holding opponents to a field goal percentage of .347. And though Calipari isn't totally shocked by that number, he is somewhat surprised considering the up-tempo offense he installed during the preseason was expected to allow some easy baskets, an acceptable proposition only because it would in turn create even more easy baskets. "But we're not allowing easy baskets," Calipari said. "We've really been working on it, and we're getting better because, I tell you, this team listens better than any team I've had here. It's not even close." Neither are the games. The Tigers' 10 wins -- against a schedule, to this point, rated the second-toughest in the nation by CollegeRPI.com -- have come by an average of 16.8 points and include eight double-digit victories. That's a direct result of an offense that most expected to be good and a defense that is better than almost anybody could've envisioned. According to Ken Pomeroy's formula for rating teams at his Web site (KenPom.com), the Tigers have the 23rd most-efficient offense and fourth-most efficient defense in the country. Only Duke, Connecticut, Villanova, Illinois and Indiana -- all of which are ranked in the top 20 of the Associated Press poll -- also have both their offenses and defenses rated among the 25 most efficient. "We always knew the offense would come, so what we've really worked on is defense," said UofM point guard Darius Washington. "That's why we're just getting better and better every day." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365 -------------------------------------------------------- No. 4 Tigers vs. Purdue Today, 7 p.m., at FedExForum WLMT (30), WMC-AM (790)

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12/30/05		Tigers vs. Purdue (Commercial Appeal)
		FedExForum, 7 p.m. TV, radio: WLMT (30), WMC-AM (790); Records: No. 4 Memphis 10-1, Purdue 6-4; Series standing: Memphis leads, 4-1; Latest line: Memphis by 23 Notables UofM officials said as of Thursday afternoon only about 1,000 tickets remained for tonight's game. They will be on sale again today at the UofM ticket office from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. After that, should seats remain, they will be available via Ticketmaster.com or before tip-off at FedExForum. Monday's game with 15th-ranked Texas is sold out. ... This is the sixth meeting between these two schools. Purdue has beaten Memphis once, in the 1988 NCAA Tournament (100-73) behind 22 points from Troy Lewis. That allowed Purdue to advance to the Sweet 16. The Tigers have won the past three meetings, the most recent being last season's 62-51 victory at Purdue in which Darius Washington scored 17 points. ... As of Thursday, the Tigers' CollegeRPI.com ranking was No. 2. Purdue's was No. 180. ... Memphis is 13-15 all-time against current members of the Big Ten. The only Big Ten team the Tigers have played more than once and never beaten is Iowa. ... Purdue has not beaten a Top 25 team since Jan. 14, 2004, when it bested No. 19 Wisconsin at home. The Boilermakers are 1-9 in their past 10 games against Top 25 opponents. Purdue is 17-64 against top 5 opponents since the 1948-49 campaign. ... Of the 10 players expected to be on the court at tip-off tonight, six are freshman, three from each team. ... The Tigers' 10-1 record marks the best start to a season since the 1985-86 team began the year 20-0. It's also gotten the attention of national media types, among them ESPN.com's Pat Forde, who has moved the Tigers to No. 2 in his latest 'Power 16' rankings. Duke is No. 1. "Give credit to John Calipari for two things: He's been willing to crank up the tempo this year with a fast and athletic team, and he's scheduled fearlessly in the pre-conference season, knowing that his strength of schedule will take a dip in a watered-down Conference USA," Forde wrote. "Memphis has been sensational this year and merits moving ahead of Big East big shots Villanova and UConn in my poll, based on who the Tigers have played -- and beaten." ... Rodney Carney enters tonight's game with 1,457 career points. He needs 23 to pass Phillip Haynes and move into ninth place on the school's all-time list. Keith Lee is first with 2,408 points. Scouting the Tigers Memphis is coming off Tuesday's 83-72 victory over No. 8 Gonzaga. In that win, Washington finished with 22 points and 10 assists, and afterward said he played at about 90 percent while dealing with the lingering effects of the deep thigh bruise he suffered on Nov. 17. The sophomore point guard has practiced each of the past two days, and should start tonight. Washington is one of four Tigers averaging double-figures in points, led by senior Rodney Carney, who has been coming off the bench the past four games and is averaging 22.5 points in those contests. That kind of production has Memphis shooting 46.6 percent from the field, and averaging 85.9 points per game, which ranks fourth in the nation. Memphis comes in having won seven straight. Scouting the Boilermakers Purdue is unranked and coming off Wednesday's 62-54 victory over UT-Martin. In that game, senior Matt Kiefer posted the first double-double of his career -- a 14-point, 11-rebound effort -- and Purdue defended well enough that the Skyhawks shot just 30 percent from the field. Purdue is expected to start three freshmen tonight, but it's not what Matt Painter, in his first season after replacing Gene Keady, expected four months ago. Purdue's top recruit, Tarrance Crump, was arrested in September for drunk driving and suspended for the season. Purdue's top scorer, Carl Landry, played in five games this season, but the ACL tear he suffered on Feb. 26 was still experiencing soreness and swelling. So now he's taking a medical redshirt and is done for the year. And Purdue's second-best scorer, David Teague, tore his ACL in practice Nov. 14 and is also out for the year. Consequently, the Boilermakers are relying heavily on first-year players. Nate Minnoy, Korey Spates and Chris Lutz -- all freshmen -- are the top three active scorers. Key matchup: Memphis vs. Complacency If this game is dangerous, it's only because it's positioned between Gonzaga and Texas, the perfect set-up for a letdown. Truth is, Purdue has had as much bad fortune this season as the UofM football team did in losing two quarterbacks. Down three probable starters, the Boilermakers are not well equipped to win a game like this on the road, evidence being they are 0-4 away from home this season, including a 40-point loss at Florida State. So an upset should come only if Memphis lacks focus and purpose while looking ahead to LaMarcus Aldridge and the Longhorns. -- Gary Parrish

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12/30/05		Lady Tigers have long night in FedExForum debut -- (17) Georgia 97, Memphis 44 (Commercial Appeal)
		By Bryan Brasher Contact December 30, 2005 The University of Memphis women's basketball team played its first-ever game at FedExForum Thursday night, leaving behind the cramped, smallish atmosphere of Elma Roane Fieldhouse. The surroundings were better. But for the Lady Tigers, the results were every bit as dismal as they have been for most of this trying season. No. 17 Georgia scored the game's first 16 points and thoroughly dominated Memphis for 40 minutes en route to a 97-44 victory before a crowd of 1,012 sprinkled about the cavernous arena. The 53-point beating was the most lopsided of the season for the Lady Tigers (2-9) and their seventh loss by 20 points or more. "You could just see it in our eyes," UofM coach Blair Savage-Lansden said. "We were scared to death. We got out of what we do best and started shooting quick shots. That's something we haven't done all season -- and it obviously hurt us." While the Lady Tigers seemed blinded by the FedExForum lights, Georgia looked like the perennial top 25 team it has been for more than a decade. The Lady Bulldogs opened with a 16-0 run and made Memphis look helpless on both ends of the court. The Lady Tigers committed 15 turnovers in the first half and shot just 21.7 percent from the field. Memphis didn't score its first points until the 14:15 mark of the first half and didn't reach double digits until Gresh Gorman hit a pair of free throws at the 6:26 mark. Georgia (8-3) shot 50 percent from the field in the first half and made good on 3-of-6 attempts from 3-point range. The Lady Bulldogs held a commanding 43-17 lead at the half. "We got a little bit better as the first half went along," Savage said. "We had some players who went back in after some nick-knack injuries. I was glad to see that. The effort, I thought, was good." Lady Bulldogs coach Andy Landers made good use of a deep bench, substituting liberally throughout the final half. As a result, six Georgia players finished in double figures, including Sherrill Baker who finished with a game-high 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field. Forward Tasha Baker was next in line for Georgia with 23 points. Baker also had 11 rebounds for a Georgia team that outrebounded Memphis by a whopping 50-23. "Rebounding is certainly something we need to work on before we get started in the conference," Savage said. "We're just not deep enough or talented enough to get beat in the fundamental aspects of the game like we are right now." Senior guard Tamika Butler was the only Lady Tiger to reach double figures with 15 points. Ashley Howard led Memphis on the boards with 11 rebounds. The UofM will have eight days to prepare for its Conference-USA opener against Marshall on Jan.6 at Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Savage was admittedly glad to be done with a non-conference schedule that included the likes of Ole Miss, Arizona State and Georgia. "We've been saying all year that our season is divided into three sections," Savage said. "We have the non-conference season, the conference season and the postseason. Everybody in our league is 0-0 right now -- and some of the stuff we've been through during our non-conference schedule will make us a better basketball team." -- Bryan Brasher: 528-2343

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12/30/05		WMC pulls the plug on sports talk -- Woloshin says Tiger broadcasts to continue through season's end (Commercial Appeal)
		By Ron Higgins Contact December 30, 2005 Sports radio talk show host Dave Woloshin of WMC-AM (790) held a four-hour, on-the-air wake on Thursday afternoon when word leaked that the station will be switching from a sports talk format to a classic country station. No one in management at WMC was available for comment on Thursday on why the station decided to abandon sports talk after today. Woloshin explained on the air on his "Sports Call" show that the station will continue to air University of Memphis men's basketball games and coaches' shows through the end of this season, when the UofM football and basketball contract with the station expires. "Station management decided to go in a different direction," said Woloshin, who was informed of the switch on Wednesday. "Where we go from here, it's up in the air. We don't know." Woloshin, 52, started his media career in Memphis in 1981 on WHBQ-AM. He switched to sports talk in 1983, first pairing with George Lapides on WREC-AM. Even after Lapides left WREC in the early '90s, Woloshin stayed on with various co-hosts through June, 1999, when he made the move to WMC. He spent one year away from Memphis in Dallas from 1985-86, where he worked for KRLD-AM as morning anchor and Texas A&M's basketball play-by-play broadcaster. Wolsohin's final show on WMC, with co-host Forrest Goodman, will be today, from 3-7 p.m. He did Thursday's show with Stats Northsworthy, who has been frequent co-host of several Memphis-area sports talk shows. On Thursday, caller after caller phoned Woloshin, the play-by-play voice for University of Memphis football and basketball, to praise him on his professionalism and fairness through the years. Many of them promised to follow him to another station. Many callers were also Woloshin's longtime friends, in and out of the media. Leading into Thursday's final show segment, the last full show Woloshin did since he has to broadcast the Tigers' game against Purdue tonight, a classic country song with whining steel guitars blared over the radio. "Get used to this folks," Woloshin said to his audience. As Woloshin signed off Thursday, he had some poignant words. "One of the lessons of life is it's going to have lots of changes," Woloshin told his listeners. "If you don't adapt to change, you're not going to make it. It has been a heartwarming four hours. You made my year." --------------------------------------------------------- Still talking Sports Despite the impending switch of WMC-AM (790) to a country-music format, the Memphis area still has two all-sports radio stations. Here's a look at each: WHBQ-AM (560) Local programming: All day weekdays, including shows featuring Commercial Appeal columnist Geoff Calkins (8-10 a.m.) and Grizzlies writer Ronald Tillery (6-8 a.m.). National programming: Sporting News Radio Play by play: Ole Miss sports, Memphis Redbirds, Memphis RiverKings KQPN-AM (730) Local programming: Weekday mornings and afternoons National programming: ESPN Radio Play by play: Arkansas football and men's basketball

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12/29/05		Tigers Fall To No. 17 Bulldogs, 97-44 -- Memphis returns to action, Fri., Jan. 6., when it plays host to Marshall at 7 p.m. (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Sherill Baker scored 25 points and Tasha Humphrey added 23 to lead No. 17 Georgia to a 97-44 victory over Memphis on Thursday night. Baker was 11-for-14 from the field and had seven rebounds and four assists. Humphrey had 11 rebounds for the Lady Bulldogs (8-3), who rebounded from a 69-66 overtime loss to Temple. Tamika Butler had 15 points for Memphis (2-9), which lost its third straight and fifth of six. Humphrey dominated inside, while Baker used her quickness to record six steals and run the fast break. Megan Darrah added 13 points for Georgia and Alexis Kendrick and Janese Hardrick each had 11. Georgia scored the game's first 16 points and led by as many as 30 points in the first half. The final score was the biggest lead of the game. Georgia coach Andy Landers finally pulled his starters with about 6 minutes remaining and the Lady Bulldogs ahead 80-37. Georgia pressured Memphis into 15 turnovers and 5-of-23 shooting in the first half. Baker had 14 points in the first half, missing two of her eight shots, while Humphrey scored 10 as Georgia went up 43-17. Georgia forced 23 turnovers for the game and held the Lady Tigers to 26 percent shooting.

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12/29/05		On review, DeAngelo even better (Commercial Appeal)
		By The Commercial Appeal December 29, 2005 One mark of a great running back is the ability to keep gaining yards after apparently being stopped. For DeAngelo Williams, the University of Memphis' spectacular running back, that even includes after his career has ended. The Tiger media relations office announced Wednesday that 5 yards that should have been credited to Williams were given instead to quarterback Maurice Avery in Monday's Motor City Bowl in Detroit. The review has been submitted to the NCAA for consideration. Because of the correction, Williams finished the game with a Motor City Bowl-record 238 yards, breaking the record of 237 set in 2003 by Northwestern's Jason Wright. Williams concluded the 2005 season with 1,964 yards and was the nation's rushing leader. For his career, his 6,026 yards rushing places him fourth all-time in Division 1, and his total of 7,573 all-purpose yards is tops.

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12/29/05		Tiger PG receives passing marks -- Washington's vision earns Calipari's praise (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 29, 2005 In the final minute the outcome was already decided. All that was left to add to the University of Memphis's victory over Gonzaga late Tuesday was an exclamation point, one that came via Rodney Carney's swing-on-the rim dunk that materialized only because Darius Washington spotted his high-flying teammate sprinting behind the defense and promptly threw the ball ahead to him. On the sideline, John Calipari smiled. He had another marquee win and a frenzied sellout crowd. He had a point guard catching on. "We've really been working on that, him throwing the ball ahead," Calipari said. "And the big one was the one before (the Carney dunk), the Chris Douglas-Roberts one, which led to the 3-point play." That came with 7:25 remaining, when Washington, in transition, threw the ball ahead to Douglas-Roberts, who got into the lane, endured a bump from David Pendergraft that brought a whistle and finished with a finger roll. The play gave the fourth-ranked Tigers (10-1) their first lead of the second half, and served as a momentum-shifter good enough to spark the 24-10 run Memphis used to secure an 83-72 win. "If Darius would've held that ball and then passed it, we would not have gotten that basket," Calipari said. "But he threw it ahead, and he did it about seven times in the game. So he's getting better." Before Wednesday's light practice at the Finch Center, Calipari spoke at length about Washington, clearly pleased with his 22-point, 10-assist, seven-throw-ahead effort against Gonzaga. For those wondering, yes, the last of those statistics is as important as the first two, something Calipari has labeled a necessity for an offense designed to run on every defensive rebound. It works like this: Joey Dorsey is supposed to snatch a missed shot and quickly find Washington, who is supposed to reward his wings -- like Carney and Douglas-Roberts -- for sprinting the floor. In many cases, the result will be a dunk or a layup because Memphis has arguably the most athletic wings in the country. But it's all dependent upon Washington not holding the ball too long. One less dribble. Two more points. That's the formula, and it worked well against the eighth-ranked Zags, which bodes well heading into the Tigers' game against Purdue on Friday night at FedExForum. "It's something Coach stresses to everybody; if somebody's ahead, throw it up," Washington said. "It doesn't matter who it is. Rodney. Chris Douglas-Roberts. Antonio Anderson. Shawne Williams. Joey Dorsey. If any of them are ahead, I'm going to throw it up to them." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

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12/29/05		Game against Texas another Tiger sellout (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 29, 2005 Every seat is sold. So those planning to attend the showdown between the fourth-ranked Tigers and 15th-ranked Texas Longhorns had better already have tickets or be prepared to get price-gouged by scalpers. Because it'll be another sellout for Memphis on Monday, which should guarantee the UofM its second 18,000-plus crowd inside of a week. "If we truly want to be a national program, that is what has to happen every game," said John Calipari, whose Tigers are 10-1 and ranked fourth in the country. "What I heard in my ringing ears after the Gonzaga game, that has to be every game if we are truly going to be a national program." Officially, the Texas game -- scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. tip-off -- sold out Wednesday afternoon, perhaps a sign of the growing buzz that had tickets for the Gonzaga contest being scalped 24 hours earlier for up to $250. Also, UofM officials said Friday's game with Purdue and the Jan. 18 game with Tennessee are too approaching sellout status. Purdue out; 'Zona in At this point, it appears Friday's game with Purdue will end the two-year series that began last season in West Lafayette, Ind. It has been replaced by a home-and-home agreement with Arizona that Calipari said will begin next season in Tucson, Ariz., and require the Wildcats to visit FedExForum in 2007-08. "So next year we've got to go to Gonzaga, to Tennessee, to Arizona and to (the) Maui (Invitational)," Calipari said. "Then we'll have Cincinnati here, Mississippi here and probably one more (undetermined) big game at home, somebody who will be good. So again, no one else is playing that kind of (non-conference) schedule." Though the brackets for the Maui Invitational haven't been set, Memphis is guaranteed three games on Nov. 21, 22 and 23. Some possible opponents are Kentucky, UCLA and Georgia Tech. Tip-ins UofM freshman Chance McGrady is an uncle for the second time. The fiancee of his half-brother -- Houston Rockets star Tracy McGrady -- gave birth to a baby boy Tuesday night. "I talked to (Tracy)," Chance said Wednesday. "He's happy. He's proud." About 30 NBA scouts attended Tuesday's game between Memphis and Gonzaga. UofM officials are expecting a similar number for the Texas game, considering future NBA picks like the Tigers' Rodney Carney, Shawne Williams and Darius Washington will be on the court with Texas's talented trio of Daniel Gibson, LaMarcus Aldridge and P.J. Tucker. Gonzaga's Adam Morrison got most the attention Tuesday. But Tiger sophomore Joey Dorsey was equally impressed with the guy he was guarding, J.P. Batista. "He was big," Dorsey said. "He was way bigger than (Duke all-American) Shelden (Williams). Way bigger. After the game, he told me I was strong. I said, 'No. You're strong.'" -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

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12/28/05		Losing seniors may not hobble U of M -- West believes he still has talent, but Tigers must become a team (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact December 28, 2005 There won't be a Heisman Trophy candidate taking a run at several long-standing NCAA records. There probably won't be a wide receiver capable of making the switch to quarterback and guiding the team into the postseason. And there won't be senior-laden defensive front six, one that led Conference USA in rush defense and limited each of its final two opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing. Yes, the University of Memphis will be minus All-America running back DeAngelo Williams, who finished his spectacular career Monday by setting NCAA records for 100-yard rushing games (34) and career yards-per-carry (6.22). Gone will be Maurice Avery, who abandoned his receiver spot at midseason to play quarterback and lead the UofM to five wins in its last seven games and its third bowl in as many seasons. Also departing will be defensive linemen LaVale Washington and Marcus West, along with linebackers Tim Goodwell and Carlton Baker. Despite the loss of 16 seniors, many of whom were responsible for, arguably, the most productive three-year period in the program's history, Tiger coach Tommy West isn't making concession speeches regarding 2006. ''I like our guys coming back,'' West said, shortly after saying goodbye to the ones that won't be following the Tigers' 38-31 victory over Akron in Monday's Motor City Bowl. ''I like our team. I think we are talented enough, but we've got to become a team. ''We're losing 16 guys who were huge team guys. We've got to be a group of guys that cares more about the team than the individual. And, to be honest, we've got to get a little tougher. We've got to be a little more physical than we've been ... on both sides of the ball.'' Memphis (7-5) finished the season by winning its second bowl game in three seasons behind Williams. He rushed for a school-record 1,925 yards and ended his career with 6,021, the fourth-highest total in NCAA history. His successor should come from a group that includes Joseph Doss, Jamarcus Gaither, Miguel Barnes and T.J. Pitts. Doss rushed for 56 yards in the Motor City Bowl and returned three kicks for 97 yards. Barnes, a Millington product, and Pitts, a highly regarded 2005 signee, were redshirts last season. At quarterback, a position depleted by injury, Patrick Byrne and Will Hudgens return from broken legs that forced them to miss most of the season and Southeastern Louisiana transfer Martin Hankins, a prolific passer on the 1-AA level, steps into the mix. ''They've got a lot of talent coming back on offense,'' Avery said. ''They really only lose me from the receiver spot and they've got a lot of young receivers coming up.'' At receiver, Mario Pratcher, who missed the season with a knee injury, returns to join Ryan Scott, who had three catches for 103 yards in the bowl game, as the veterans at the position. They'll be joined by Carlton Robinzine, Earnest Williams, Antonio McCoy and newcomer Carlos Singleton, an intriguing 6-8 prospect from Brownsville. ''They've got a lot of players who can step up and do the job,'' said senior tight end John Doucette. ''There are a lot of key players coming back. They should be good.'' Defensively, there are expectations of a dominating unit up front. Rubio Phillips, limited to one game by injury, and Van Houston, who missed the season, return. They'll be joined by, among others, Ryan Williams and Cortez McCraney, along with former Ole Miss players Corey Mills and Jada Brown. Linebackers Goodwell and Baker must be replaced, but Quinton McCrary is back from a thigh injury that limited him to one game. Veterans Greg Hinds, who missed the bowl game with an ankle injury, Mike Snyder and Heath Grant are back and newcomers Donald Thornton and Jeremy Rockette add depth. The secondary returns four of five defensive backs, led by Wesley Smith, a member of the C-USA first-team defense. ''I look at the two cornerbacks who sat out this year (LaKeitharun Ford and Deante Lamar), I think they are going to be major impact guys, as well as safety Brandon Patterson,'' said departing safety O.C. Collins. ''I see Brandon as being a big help. He came in (during the bowl game) for Wesley (sidelined after a first-half concussion) and played exceptionally well. He showed composure and made his plays.'' Special teams will have to find a replacement for kicker Stephen Gostkowski, C-USA's Special Teams Player of the Year who had a strong finish, including a 50-yard field goal in the bowl game. Coach West said if the returnees learned anything from this season, it was how to persevere through the most adverse conditions. The Tigers lost eight starters to an assortment of injuries during the season and played four different quarterbacks, but made the postseason. ''Our next group should have toughened up through this,'' West said. ''It's going to be hard. You talk about working. We've got to try and move this forward. ''This team found a way in one of the most adverse years I've ever seen. And this was moved (forward). We played in Capital One bowl week. We moved it another step, but we've still got a lot of work to do.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

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12/28/05		Zags bagged -- No. 4 Memphis 83, No. 8 Gonzaga 72 (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 28, 2005 In a tight game with the shot clock winding down, the University of Memphis was scrambling, searching for a shot, any shot, just some sort of look, a clear path to the basket. Out of time. Out of options. Or so it seemed. Instead, out of nowhere and from nothing, Darius Washington, bruised thigh and all, exploded right, spun back left and floated the ball over the outstretched arm of Gonzaga's imposing big man, J.P. Batista. It fell through the rim. He fell to the ground. Two minutes later, the Tigers were celebrating an 83-72 victory over Gonzaga, and the announced crowd of 18,208 doubling as a sea of blue inside FedExForum were jumping and clapping right along with them. "It was just a spin move," Washington said, downplaying his spectacular game-clinching, highlight-reel, buzzer-beating basket. "I saw a gap and I took it." Saw a gap and took it. Saw a win and took it. Without the details, that's what the Tigers (10-1) did in this Top 10 showdown, the first to be played in Memphis since 1986. Behind an All-American-caliber performance from All-American Adam Morrison, Gonzaga (9-3) led 40-35 at halftime thanks to his 21 points in the first 20 minutes, including a 3-of-3 effort from behind the arc. The eighth-ranked Bulldogs stretched that advantage to 56-50 with 11:35 remaining, and seemed in control, unfazed by the rowdy environment, not to mention the depth and athleticism that the fourth-ranked Tigers have used to overwhelm opponents all season. But then everything changed. And it happened that quickly. Memphis outscored Gonzaga by a 33-16 margin in the final 11:17, converting one transition bucket after another in a run that included contributions from five different Tigers and 12 points from Washington. The sophomore point guard finished with 22 points and a career-high 10 assists. He limped slightly, but looked mostly healthy in his first game since missing last week's victory against Louisiana Tech with that lingering, deeply bruised thigh originally suffered Nov. 17. "Darius played big," said Memphis freshman Shawne Williams, who got 14 points and 11 rebounds. "That's the Darius I know. That's the Darius from last year. If it wasn't for him, we would not have brought this 'W' back." Though Williams spent most his postgame interview praising Washington, it was his own defense that made as significant an impact. With Morrison scoring in bunches against Rodney Carney, Antonio Anderson and Chris Douglas-Roberts, John Calipari finally opted to go with a more physical approach, and put Williams on the National Player of the Year favorite. It worked. Using the combination of quickness and strength that should someday make him a commodity in the NBA, Williams and his 6-9, 225-pound frame kept Morrison (6-8, 205 pounds) uncomfortable and scoreless over the final 9:32. Meanwhile, Memphis was pulling away, taking the lead for good on a Douglas-Roberts 3-pointer with 4:50 left, and leading by as many as 13 in the final minute following Carney's breakaway dunk. "They just sucked in on me a little more, and did a good job of not letting me get some easy looks," said Morrison, who, despite his late drought, still finished with a game-high 34 points. "I take my hat off to them." Morrison kept praising. "Memphis is as talented as any team in the country," he added. "We played (No. 2) Connecticut, and Memphis is up there with them. They are very long and athletic, and their players know their roles very well." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

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12/28/05		Memphis players know they've met one of nation's best (Commercial Appeal)
		By Zack McMillin Contact December 28, 2005 When Adam Morrison sauntered his pale, lanky, 6-8 self onto FedExForum's court an hour before Tuesday's game, University of Memphis students roasted him with the insults and clever signs the Gonzaga junior has come to expect from opposing fans. They also brought out cameras, of all sorts -- digital, disposable, cell phones -- and deployed them even after the game started, trying to capture an image of the biggest superstar college basketball has produced in many years. See Adam shoot. See Adam score. And, by halftime of the Tuesday night's collision of No. 4 Memphis and No. 8 Gonzaga, see Adam prove he's the best player in the country. "He's the truth," said UofM freshman Shawne Williams after it was over. After, that is, the Tigers had pulled away from Morrison and Gonzaga for a convincing 83-72 victory. After the Tigers had beaten Gonzaga more soundly than anyone has since Illinois, last year's national runner-up, in November of 2004. After the Tigers had taken one more leap toward legitimacy as a national power. What would you rather have? Adam Morrison and the Pips -- er, Zags? Or Darius Washington, Shawne Williams, Rodney Carney, Antonio Anderson, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Andre Allen, and, well, you get the point. In other words, UofM general manager/coach/relentless promoter John Calipari wouldn't trade one element of his team for anyone. Not even Morrison, who finished with 34 points, which is how many he had when he tossed a third teardrop hook over Rodney Carney with 9:50 remaining in the game. After that, nothing. Williams, the fifth player to try Morrison, finally closed him down, despite three fouls (one of them on a double technical for a first-half shout-down with Morrison). "You take your team -- east, west, north, south -- because I want my team," Calipari said. "I've got battlers. I've got skills ... depth ... size." Still irked over a comment made by a Sports Illustrated analyst on CBS a few weeks ago, Calipari also said this: "Everybody thinks we are a pretender and that's great. We'll keep putting it on bulletin boards and telling the kids and trying to get better." Leave it to Calipari to find something to bug him, even after his team got to 10-1, in front of a sold out crowd, against the eighth-ranked team in the country, with the best player in the country. And yes, Duke fans, the Tiger players, to a man, said Morrison is better than his pal, Blue Devils guard J.J. Redick. Morrison may have gone the final 9:50 without scoring, but Memphis shut down Redick completely in the second half of Duke's last-minute win in the preseason NIT. Redick shoots missiles. Morrison's bombs come down with parachutes attached, his touch so exquisite it seems like he plays with a smaller, less inflated ball. His basket awareness is so uncanny, he seems guided by GPS. "We will never play a player like that again," Williams said. "He is the best player in the nation, for real." Said Carney: "Morrison's a tougher cover." Most teams do not have enough talent to answer a player like Morrison, but then these Tigers are not most teams. On Tuesday, sophomore point guard Darius Washington took over at the end, and his 22-point, 10-assist effort, on a thigh still causing him pain, trumped Morrison on this night. His whirling, Tasmanian Devil drive with 1:45 remaining sealed the game and ignited the revved-up crowd. At the end, Washington stood at midcourt and helicoptered his arms up and down to the crowd, basking in the delirium he'd helped create. Williams summed up the Tigers' feelings thusly: "If you a hooper and you don't like games like this, you shouldn't be on the court, you shouldn't even tie your hoop shoes." It could be the beginning of a beautiful rivalry, with an agreement for games each of the next three seasons. That is, if they don't meet again later this season. "Let's hope we are playing in April," Calipari told Gonzaga coach Mark Few after the game. "Let's hope we are the last two standing." -- Zack McMillin: 529-2564

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12/28/05		Tigers replay: Gonzaga (Commercial Appeal)
		AS THE GAME TURNED With 4:50 remaining, Memphis freshman Chris Douglas-Roberts sank a 3-pointer from the left wing that gave Memphis a 69-67 advantage. That shot sparked a 10-0 run that put Gonzaga in too deep a hole to escape, and allowed the Tigers to win by double-digits for the eighth time in 11 games. The only exceptions to that trend are the three-point loss to Duke and the eight-point wins over UCLA and Providence. AS THE ROTATION TURNED Tiger coach John Calipari opted to again bring Rodney Carney off the bench. Among other things, it allowed Douglas-Roberts to get first shot at holding Adam Morrison. Then with 16:26 left in the first half, the Tigers were able to insert Carney, rotate assignments and place him on Morrison while achieving the goal of having a fresh player to chase the All-American around as much as possible. RIM GEMS Carney's first bucket came with 11:51 remaining in the first half, and with authority. He took the ball on the left wing, drove baseline around Jeremy Pargo and finished with a one-hand dunk that gave the Tigers a 15-11 advantage. After that, Carney mostly settled for jumpers, with eight of next 10 attempts coming from behind the arc. Consequently, there was only one more dunk, and it didn't come until the final minute of an already decided game. HIDE YOUR EYES In the first half, Gonzaga was dominating Memphis on the boards, holding a 24-16 advantage that included nine offensive rebounds and had Calipari fuming. If it wasn't a "hide your eyes" scenario, it was certainly one worth hiding your ears over. But in the second half, Memphis was better. The Tigers held Gonzaga to just five offensive rebounds in the final 20 minutes, and managed to pull even for the game in total rebounds, 42-42. Shawne Williams had a game-high 11 rebounds. Joey Dorsey added eight in just 21 minutes. SCORER'S TABLE As usual, Memphis was good defensively, holding Gonzaga to 34.4 percent shooting from the field. There wasn't one Bulldog who took at least five shots and made at least half of them. Sean Mallon was 1-of-6. Derek Raivio was 3-of-12. Meanwhile, Memphis shot 49.2 percent for the game, led by Darius Washington, who made eight of the 13 shots he attempted. ODDS AND ENDS About seven hours before tip-off, Carney was named Conference USA's Player of the Week for his performance against Louisiana Tech. In that 76-58 victory on Dec. 20, the Wooden Award finalist finished with a career-high 37 points -- including 21 in the first half -- and also grabbed 10 rebounds. Carney is the sixth player to win the award in six weeks this season. He is the second Tiger, joining Washington, who took the honor on Dec. 12 after his 20-point performance in a 97-89 victory at Providence. The National Player of the Year favorite (Morrison) and National Freshman of the Year favorite (Williams) got into a heated exchange in the first half, one that resulted in each player receiving technical fouls. The incident started with Morrison driving to the rim, and Williams fouling him. After the play was dead, the two seemed to get tangled and both came out swinging before going nose-to-nose in a shouting contest that was ultimately stopped by teammates. "It was just tempers flaring, adrenaline rushing," Williams said. "He threw an elbow. So I just had to let him know I wasn't going (anywhere). That's just how it is." Morrison viewed it similarly. "It was just in-game stuff where guys were getting into it, talking trash," he said. "It wasn't that big of a deal. He said something to me, and I wasn't going to back down, you know? It wasn't that big of a deal. No F-bombs were thrown out, so it was all right." Memphis signee Hashim Bailey took advantage of his holiday break from Patterson School in North Carolina and made the trip down for the game. He sat on the front row behind the Tigers' bench. With a 6-10, beefy frame, the center originally from New Jersey was easy to spot. With the win, the Tigers snapped their two-game losing streak in Top 10 matchups. Memphis had previously lost to UMass (No. 3 vs. No. 1) in 1995-96 and to UNLV (No. 3 vs. No. 9) in 1985-86. As you might've noticed during Tuesday night's ESPN2 telecast, the network continued to run its "Pride of the Program" segments during its men's basketball broadcasts. The segments celebrate a historic moment from each of the 326 Division 1 programs in alphabetical order, beginning with Air Force on Nov. 14 to Youngstown State on March 30. The season-long initiative offers fans 30-second vignettes looking back at a significant event in each school's history, narrated by the on-site game commentators. The Tigers' segment is scheduled for Jan. 31. Fans heaped so much derision on officials as they left the court, it seemed like old times at the Mid-South Coliseum. They were upset about the free-throw disparity -- Gonzaga attempted 17 first-half throws to Memphis's two -- and one play, in particular, that looked galling on the replay, when a ball clearly bounced off the hands of Gonzaga center J.P. Batista. Calipari protested, the official said, "I could've called a foul, John," meaning that he awarded the ball to Gonzaga rather than whistling Simplice Njoya for a foul and putting Batista at the line. Soon thereafter, Njoya caught Morrison with an elbow and gave him two free throws. NBA scouting director Marty Blake was among the 30 or so professional scouts in attendance for the only game this week between a pair of top 10 teams. Blake, who will only comment on senior prospects, was particularly impressed with Carney. The 6-7 senior, playing in his now-customary role off the bench, scored 17 points on 6 of 12 shooting from the field against Gonzaga. Carney, who was 4-for-8 from 3-point range, drained three from beyond the arc in a one-minute, 17-second span in the first half to give the Tigers a 24-17 lead. He also threw down a thunderous first-half dunk after a strong move along the baseline. "I thought he was great," said Blake of Carney, who is projected by NBADraftnet.com as a lottery pick in the June draft. "I can't understand why he comes off the bench but I won't dispute Mr. Calipari. "Everybody likes (Carney). I think he's got a chance to play (in the NBA)." The effusive 78-year-old Blake, who sees countless games each season, said this was the best Memphis team he's seen in years. "John's got great athletes. I saw Gonzaga play St. Louis (on Thursday) and I wanted to come in here because I wanted to see them play against an athletic team," Blake said. "This was a great game, and I don't see many great games. (All the scouts) stayed 'til the end, so it must have been good." The most creative autograph request of the day? It had to be the unidentified fan in the upper level at FedExForum who lowered a baseball cap about 15 feet by string to highly amused Tiger running back DeAngelo Williams. Williams, who was sitting in a suite with UofM quarterback Maurice Avery, complied with the unconventional request and received the sort of applause from nearby fans normally reserved for his forays on the gridiron. LOOKING AHEAD Tigers vs. Purdue, Friday, 7 p.m. at FedExForum -- Gary Parrish, Zack McMillin and Jim Masilak

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12/28/05		Gonzaga players say Tigers solid -- Several believe U of M can go deep in NCAAs (Commercial Appeal)
		By Jason Smith Contact December 28, 2005 Gonzaga junior Adam Morrison sat in the visitors' locker room at FedExForum apparently convinced. Memphis is good, Morrison told reporters gathered around him following the No. 4-ranked Tigers' 83-72 victory over Morrison's No. 8-ranked Bulldogs on Tuesday. Really good. "They're as talented as anybody in the country, I think, because we've played (Connecticut), and that's the No. 2 team," said Morrison, whose Bulldogs (9-3) were facing their fifth Top 25 opponent this season in Memphis (10-1) and second Top 10 team. "(Memphis is) right up there. They'll probably go pretty far this year." A 24-8 Tiger scoring run in just over seven minutes of the second half had turned a three-point Gonzaga advantage (62-59) with 9:31 left to play into a 13-point bulge for Memphis after Rodney Carney slammed home two of his 17 points with 29.7 seconds left to play. Gonzaga, led Tuesday by Morrison's game-high 34 points, had led by as many as six (56-50) points in the second half before Memphis, which got 14 second-half points from sophomore guard Darius Washington, came storming back. "They're so talented and they play so well together. They're so athletic and long, and guys on their team know their roles," said Morrison, who entered Tuesday's game as the nation's second-leading scorer. "... Obviously they're well coached with (John) Calipari. "They're a good program, and they're going to be tough to beat in March." Gonzaga head coach Mark Few, whose Bulldogs were pressured into a season-low 34.4 percent (22-of-64) shooting effort from the field Tuesday, said he wouldn't be surprised to see Memphis play deep into the NCAA Tournament, if not win it all. "They're a great team," Few said. "They've got a lot of answers and a lot of athleticism and skill. They can hurt you in so many ways, whether it's on the offensive boards or on the drives or the kick-outs for 3s. "We battled hard. We just didn't quite battle for a full 40 (minutes), and I think a lot of that has to do with their talent and athleticism." Four players, led by Washington's 22 points, finished in double figures for Memphis, which improved to 3-1 against Top 25 teams this season. "I think they're terrific," Few said. "Coach Cal has put them in a great system that really suits how they play. It's kind of a unique system, but like I said, they're a handful. "Their press can hurt you, like it did early in the game before we calmed it down. Their ability to penetrate. The offensive boards. They've got a lot of answers. I wouldn't be surprised to see them in the final game of the year at all." Gonzaga senior forward J.P. Batista, who finished with 15 points and eight rebounds on 5-of-13 shooting from the field, agreed. "Coach Few was talking about (Memphis) being one of the most talented teams out there," Batista said. "They're real good and real athletic. ... That's why they're ranked No. 4. "You have to give them credit because they played great in a great environment. This place was loud. My ears were kind of hurting at the end." -- Jason Smith: 529-5804

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12/28/05		A tough ticket? Try $500 (Commercial Appeal)
		By Jim Masilak Contact December 28, 2005 If the hottest action in town Tuesday night was to be found at FedExForum, where the University of Memphis men's basketball team played Gonzaga in a top-10 showdown, then the action at the corner of Linden and Third would have come in a close second. There, in the hours before the No. 4-ranked Tigers' 83-72 victory over No. 8 Gonzaga, ticket scalpers were selling the prized ducats for as much as $500 a pair for seats in the lower bowl. The Tigers' biggest home game of the season meant demand for the sold-out affair was at fever pitch. "It's a top-of-line day. It's real good," said Houston Ray, one of the dozen or so touts who appeared to be doing a brisk trade as desperate fans bargained for the best deal available. "This is the best game Memphis has had at FedExForum. They're going for $150-to-$200 each. The only problem is you can't hardly find tickets. I need more tickets." Far from disapproving of the lively secondhand market, University of Memphis coach John Calipari raised his eyebrow when told what prices the tickets were attracting. "Wow, I would have been out there (selling them) too," Calipari said jokingly. "Nah. that's unbelievable. That's just great." With record-setting Tigers running back DeAngelo Williams in the stands, fresh from his 233-yard performance in Monday's Motor City Bowl, and Dick Vitale on the microphone, it seemed everyone wanted to be on hand for just the second game ever in Memphis between a top-10 Tiger team and a top-10 opponent. "It was phenomenal," said Vitale, signing autographs for remnants from the announced crowd of 18,208. "They had an Elite Eight kind of setting ... This place was absolutely rocking, especially in the second half when they started to take charge." At least Vitale was in the building, at center court no less. Outside, Mississippi State students David Adams and Tanner Cade searched fruitlessly for affordable tickets. "They were more than I was thinking it was gonna be," said Adams, of Collierville. "They wanted $100 apiece for the top row." Cade, of Cordova, was resigned to waiting for tipoff, after which he hoped the touts would lower prices to try to unload their remaining tickets. "We just wanted to see a good basketball game," he said. UofM freshman Mickey May, a member of the Blue Crew student fan group, was one of the fortunate ones. After arriving at FedExForum at 1 p.m. with some friends, May was able to take advantage of the first-come, first-served policy for the student section and grab front-row seats beneath the basket adjacent to the Tiger bench. May was delighted to see a big crowd after some indifferent turnouts earlier in the season. "It's a lot better atmosphere than it was at the beginning of the year," May said. Kevin True, a member of the Rebounders, a Tiger booster club, made the trip from Holcomb, Mo., with seven others to see the highly anticipated showdown between the Tigers and Bulldogs. While True and his group had six tickets, two members of his party were looking in vain for a way to gain entry. "This is extremely crazy," said True, who has followed the Tigers to New York and Hawaii in the past, of the scene in and around FedExForum. "We got here at 4 p.m. expecting to be able to buy (from a scalper). They didn't care what they were gonna pay extra for tickets and they still had no luck." UofM athletic director R.C. Johnson, just back from Detroit with the football team, was the recipient of similar desperate requests. "When I got home last night I had 13 messages from people needing tickets. I couldn't do it -- and they didn't believe me," Johnson said. "Now maybe they'll believe me." Basking in the glow of a second big win in as many days for Tiger athletics, Johnson reflected on a whirlwind 48 hours. "This was the plan from Day One for both (Calipari and football coach Tommy West) and they have delivered," he said.

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12/28/05		Editorial 12/28: Tigers take Motown (Commercial Appeal)
		OK, so maybe the University of Memphis football team still needs to work on the timing of its celebratory Gatorade showers. The Tigers players gave coach Tommy West a good soaking before Monday's Motor City Bowl was completely in hand, which made for a few anxious minutes as the Akron Zips mounted a furious rally. Yet the Tigers hung on to win, 38-31, for the team's second bowl victory in three seasons. Fittingly, star running back DeAngelo Williams finished his University of Memphis career with another monster game, setting an NCAA record for career 100-yard rushing games and finishing the season with the nation's best yards-per-game rushing average. It was also a rewarding finish for a team that battled through a year marred by numerous injuries. Tigers football fans have months to savor their team's successes before the season opener next fall. "Wait 'til next year?" No need for them to console themselves with that old slogan any more. "Next year" is here.

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12/28/05		January 2 Memphis-Texas Game Sold Out -- Limited tickets remain for Purdue, Tennessee games (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis basketball team's Jan. 2 game versus nationally-ranked Texas is sold out, the Athletic Ticket Office announced late Wednesday. A limited number of tickets remain for the Dec. 30 game versus Purdue and the Jan. 18 contest against in-state rival Tennessee. To purchase tickets, fans can either go by the ticket office located in the Athletic Office Building at the corner of Southern and Normal or call the office at 678-2331. The Tigers, ranked No. 4 in both national polls, are off to a 10-1 start and return to action Dec. 30 versus Purdue. Game time is 7:00 p.m. (CT) at FedExForum.

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12/28/05		Williams Garners Record Following Statistical Correction -- DeAngelo Williams rushed for a Motor City Bowl record 238 yards following correction to official game statistics (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - Upon reviewing the play-by-play and video footage from the Motor City Bowl, it was determined that there was an error that resulted in one less carry and five fewer yards for Memphis tailback DeAngelo Williams. The correction results in Williams ending the game with 31 carries for 238 yards instead of the 30 carries for 233 yards that was originally reported. The play in question was in the third quarter with Memphis' drive beginning with 12:31 remaining on the clock. On the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Maurice Avery was credited with a five-yard run that should have been credited to Williams. With the change to 238 yards, Williams set a Motor City Bowl record in rushing. The previous record was 237 yards by Northwestern's Jason Wright against Bowling Green in 2003. The 31 carries ties the bowl record set by Toledo's Chester Taylor versus Cincinnati in 2001. The change has been submitted to the NCAA office and will be reflected in the final NCAA statistics. Williams ended the season with 1,964 yards and 18 touchdowns on 310 carries. Having played in 44 games, Williams ends his career with 6,026 yards and 55 touchdowns on 969 carries. He ranks fourth all-time in NCAA history in rushing, and holds the NCAA record in all-purpose yards with 7,573.

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12/28/05		Lady Tigers to Host No. 17/18 Georgia at FedExForum -- Memphis to face second nationally-ranked opponent of the season (GoTigersGo.com)
		Final Non-Conference Game of the Season The non-conference game against Georgia will be the Lady Tigers' final non-conference game before opening Conference USA play against Marshall, January 6th. In the non-conference portion of the schedule, the Lady Tigers have faced four NCAA teams from last year (Arizona State, Holy Cross, Ole Miss, Georgia), two Sweet Sixteen Teams (Arizona State, Georgia) and one WNIT team (Arkansas). Memphis Playing Its First Women's Game at FedExForum The game against Georgia will be the first-ever Lady Tiger basketball game to be played in FedExForum, which opened in 2004. The home to the NBA's Grizzlies and the Memphis men's basketball team, this will be the Lady Tigers' only appearance downtown this season. The last time the Lady Tigers played a home game outside the Elma Roane Fieldhouse was in 2003-04 when the Lady Tigers defeated UALR, 61-48, in The Pyramid. Lady Tiger Family Grows by Two Head Coach Blair Savage did not make the trip to Stillwater with the Lady Tigers for the OSU game as she was out of state with her husband, Bill Lansden, completing the adoption process for a set of newborn twin girls born Dec. 15th. These are the first children for the Lansdens. Butler Becomes Fourth Lady Tiger to Hit 100 Career Threes With two three-point field goals in the opening half of the Ole Miss game, senior point guard Tamika Butler became just the fourth Lady Tiger in Memphis history to hit 100 career three-point field goals. She joins LaTonya Johnson, Kitty Allen and Kelly Herron in the century club. In that same game, Butler posted a double-double with 22 points and a career-high 12 assists. Against Georgia Memphis is 0-1 against Georgia, having lost the only previous meeting with the Lady Bulldogs, 80-68, in Memphis in 1981-82. Necaise 13 Shy of 100 Career Threes After senior teammate Tamika Butler became just the fourth player in Memphis history to hit 100 career three-point field goals, junior guard Devin Necaise pulled within 13 of the 100 mark as well. The junior is 77-for-236 from three-point range for her career (.326) and is going to try to give Memphis two 100-career three point field goal shooters for the third time in Memphis history. Necaise is also on a bit of a streak from the free-throw line, she has hit 14-of-14 shots from the charity stripe over the last four games after not making an attempt from the free-throw line against Oklahoma State. Promotions All MAM and AAU teams will receive free admission for the Georgia game while wearing their jerseys and with the coupon from the Tigers' official website at www.gotigersgo.com (or this weblink: http://www.fansonly.com/photos/schools/mem/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/jerseynightatfedexforum ). Parking will be available for fans in the garage, for $10 a car. The lower-level seating will be all that will be utilized for the Georgia game.

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12/28/05		Shoko Mikami Named to Soccer Buzz All-Central Region First Team -- Third straight year Tigers have had a Soccer Buzz regional honoree (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - One week after picking up third team All-Central Region honors from NSCAA, junior forward Shoko Mikami was named to the All-Central Region third team by Soccer Buzz last week. It is the third straight year that Memphis has had a player named to the Soccer Buzz regional team as well as the NSCAA All-Regional team. The Central Region is comprised of 67 schools, by far the largest region of the six regions in the country, thereby making it the hardest to be recognized in. Mikami had a record-setting year for the Lady Tigers as she set the school record for points in a season with 42 and tied the record for assists in a season with 12. She follows her former teammate Leanne McGee and fellow Japan native Yuiko Konno who each made a Soccer Buzz central region team in 2004 and 2003, respectively. Both were also named to an NSCAA central region team in the last two years as well. Prior to 2003, Memphis had never had a player honored on a postseason team by NSCAA or Soccer Buzz. The Chiba, Japan native had one of the finest seasons ever for a Tiger women's soccer player. By recording a goal and two assists in Memphis' season-ending loss to UTEP in the Conference USA tournament, she was able to eclipse the previous record for 40 points in a season. With those two assists, she also tied the record for assists in a season with Christy Caswell, who also had 12 in 1996. Her 15 goals on the year is second only Jessica Gjertsen's 18 in 2000. Mikami also recorded two hat tricks this year, the first two by a Memphis player since Gjertsen had three in 2000. The two games in which she had hat tricks were two of three multiple-goal matches she had this year. Mikami finished the season 12th in the country in points per game and tied for 11th in the nation in assists per game. She also won the C-USA regular season "triple crown" as she led the league in assists and points and tied for the lead in goals during the regular season.

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12/27/05		No. 4 Memphis Hangs On Against No. 8 Gonzaga, 83-72 -- Darius Washington scores 22 points and dishes 10 assists for the Tigers (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Adam Morrison impressed the fourth-ranked Memphis Tigers with his ability to score. That didn't stop them from shutting him down when it mattered most. Darius Washington scored 22 points and had 10 assists, and the Tigers held the nation's leading scorer without a point in the final 9:31 in holding off No. 8 Gonzaga 83-72 on Tuesday night. Memphis coach John Calipari said Morrison knew he could score with Tigers senior forward Rodney Carney guarding him in the post. So he asked freshman Shawne Williams to guard Morrison despite having three fouls. "I said, `Look man, if we don't stop him right now, we are not winning this game because he will go nuts,' and Shawne Williams went in and stopped him," Calipari said. Williams also had help from Chris Douglas-Roberts, Robert Dozier and Antonio Anderson in slowing down Morrison. It worked because the preseason All-American didn't score again after his basket put Gonzaga up 62-59 with 9:31 left. Morrison said the Tigers collapsed on him and denied him good looks at the basket. He also had his left thumb wrapped with tape that wound around his wrist after jamming his finger in last week's victory over Saint Louis, but he refused to use that as an excuse. "I missed too many 8-footers in the lane, but part of it was Memphis' defense," Morrison said. Gonzaga coach Mark Few said reporters focus too much on Morrison. "He plays great all the time. He's got guys draped all over him, and he still passes and shares the ball. We had opportunities. We had point-blank post-ups we missed and wide open jump shots that we missed," he said. With the victory, Memphis (10-1) continued its best start since 1985-86, winning its seventh straight in the first game between a pair of Top 10 teams involving the Tigers in Memphis since 1985-86. The Tigers are the only ranked team in the revamped Conference USA, a distinction Gonzaga (9-3) holds in the West Coast Conference. Memphis will host No. 15 Texas on Monday. Memphis snapped Gonzaga's five-game winning streak even though Morrison finished with 34 points, including a perfect 12-of-12 at the free throw line. It was the Bulldogs' worst loss since Nov. 27, 2004, when they lost 89-72 at Illinois. Rodney Carney had 17 points for Memphis and Shawne Williams added 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Tigers outshot Gonzaga 31-of-63 (49.2 percent) to 22-of-64 (34.4 percent). "They've got a lot of answers, a lot of athleticism, a lot of skill and they can hurt you in so many ways," Few said of the Tigers. "We battled hard. We just didn't quite battle for a full 40." Memphis, feeding off the emotion from a crowd of 18,208, took the lead with an 8-2 run that was capped on Chris Douglas-Roberts' three-point play with 7:25 left. It gave Memphis a 63-62 advantage, the Tigers first since 1:10 was left in the first half. Gonzaga last led 67-66 on a bucket inside by J.P. Batista with 5:13 to go. He was the only other Bulldog in double figures, finishing with 15 points and eight rebounds. The Tigers outscored Gonzaga 17-5 down the stretch with Washington scoring nine of the final 12 points in the last 3:18. Washington had missed the last game with a deep thigh bruise that has bothered him for weeks. The Tigers opened up sprinting up and down the court, and Gonzaga was more than willing to keep pace in a physical game. Gonzaga missed its first seven shots, while the Tigers seemingly couldn't miss despite not having played in a week. But Gonzaga led 40-35 at halftime as the Bulldogs hit 14-of-17 at the free throw line, compared to 0-of-2 for Memphis. The Tigers jumped out to a 13-5 lead after a pair of buckets from Washington and harassed Gonzaga into missing its first seven shots. Morrison sunk a pair of free throws, but the Bulldogs didn't score from the floor until Derek Raivio hit a 3-pointer with 15:35 to go. Morrison scored his first bucket on a hook shot, starting a 6-0 spurt that got the Bulldogs going. "That was a heck of a game," Calipari said. "I told their coach, `Let's hope we are playing in April. Let's hope we are the last two standing."'

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12/27/05		Memphis Postgame Quotes -- #4/4 Memphis 83, #8/8 Gonzaga 72 (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis Head Coach John Calipari "That was a heck of a game. I told their coach, `Let's hope we are playing in April. Let's hope we are the last two standing.'" "How good is (Adam) Morrison? That guy is so good. What happened was he knew he could score on Rodney (Carney) in the post. So I asked Shawne (Williams) if he wanted to guard him, which was dangerous because he had three fouls. But I said `Look man, if we don't stop him right now, we are not winning this game, because he will go nuts,' and Shawne Williams went in and stopped him. But he had help from Chris Douglas-Roberts. He had help from Antonio (Anderson). He had help from Robert Dozier. We were out there at the end of the game with all freshmen playing, and they executed." "Again, we held them to 34 percent from the floor. They killed us shooting free throws. They just killed us. We stopped them everywhere else. I told them at halftime `They are rebounding, and we are fouling too much,' and they came in and started the half great and did a good job." Gonzaga Head Coach Mark Few "Memphis out-competed us, especially on the glass. In our half-court defense, we kind of broke down and let them get a lot of shots inside. Memphis has a lot of talent and they can hurt you in a lot of ways. They have a lot of answers for you. We battled hard, but we missed too many chips and that came back to hurt us." Gonzaga's Adam Morrison "They sucked in on me more and denied me some good looks. I jammed my finger in the Saint Louis game, but I am not going to use that as an excuse. We did not move the ball as much as we wanted to. We have to work on some things, but we played hard, and that is all you really ask for. I missed too many eight footers in the lane, but part of it was Memphis' defense." "I think Memphis and us are in the top five in the country. We are pretty solid, and Memphis is as talented as any team in the country. We played Connecticut, and Memphis is up there with them. They are very athletic and long, and the players from Memphis know their roles very well. Memphis is well coached with Coach Calipari."

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12/27/05		Happy Motoring -- MVP Williams rumbles to 233 yards as Tigers beat back feisty Zips (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact December 27, 2005 DETROIT -- In a memorable, four-year career in which he set practically every school rushing record and several NCAA marks, there was something missing on University of Memphis All-America running back DeAngelo Williams' resume. While he had led the Tiger program to bowl appearances in 2003 and 2004, he hadn't been much of a factor in the postseason. He didn't play in the New Orleans Bowl two years ago, sidelined by a knee injury. He played but didn't finish last year's GMAC Bowl in Mobile because of a broken leg, suffered in the third quarter. Monday in the Motor City Bowl against Mid-American Conference champion Akron at Ford Field, Williams finished his spectacular career in a way he could only have dreamed. Williams rushed for 233 yards and three touchdowns, was named the game's MVP, set an NCAA mark for career 100-yard rushing games and carried the Tigers to a 38-31 victory before 45,801. After ending last year's season in tears at the GMAC Bowl, Williams was laughing and smiling as he entertained the media in the postgame press conference, praising receiver-turned-quarterback Maurice Avery for rescuing the season, joking with coach Tommy West and saying he felt as excited as a freshman playing his first game. But it wasn't a freshman leading the Tigers, it was a remarkable senior back from Wynne, Ark., who gave this program unprecedented national exposure. ''I don't know that you can appreciate his speed just from watching him on film,'' Akron coach J.D. Brookhart said. ''He just seems to waste angles away and beat guys. You can't really see that on tape.'' Behind Williams, Avery, receiver Ryan Scott and a defense that overcame a late, furious Akron rally by playing solid run defense, the Tigers (7-5) won their second bowl in three seasons and ended an improbable year with a postseason victory. The Tigers had to overcome a rash of injuries -- eight to starters on both sides of the ball -- to rescue the season. Memphis won its final three games. ''I'm extremely excited for our program,'' West said. ''We've now had 24 wins in the last three years ... and our seniors are the ones who have made it happen for us. ''It's been the most frustrating year I've ever been through (with the injuries). But it's also been the most gratifying. These guys have validated our program and they did it under the most adverse conditions.'' And they had to withstand one last wave of adversity to defeat Akron, which scored 21 fourth-quarter points. After taking a 38-17 lead with 3:09 to go on a 5-yard run by Earnest Williams, the Tigers watched the the Zips (7-6) score 14 points in less than two minutes on two touchdown passes by Luke Getsy, who completed 34-of-59 for 455 yards and four TDs. It took a first-down run by reserve Tiger tailback Joe Doss with 43 seconds left to preserve the win. ''I was nervous,'' West said. ''I didn't want to be the only coach in the country to get a Gatorade bath and lose the game.'' The bath came after Earnest Williams scored, but the nerves didn't subside until Doss' first down. Avery completed 7-of-13 passes for 170 yards, including hookups of 50 yards to Scott and 42 to Earnest Williams as the UofM amassed 516 yards. Avery also added 43 rushing yards, a key punt inside the Akron 5 and a punishing block to free DeAngelo Williams. ''All year long Mo has done a great job stepping in,'' DeAngelo Williams said. ''I think he was our (team) MVP ... hands down.'' Ahead 13-3 at the half, the Tigers extended their advantage to 20-3 on a 2-yard run by DeAngelo Williams late in the third quarter. After Akron got a 46-yard TD pass from Getsy to Brett Biggs in the closing seconds of the third, Memphis stretched its lead to 38-17 on a Stephen Gostkowski 50-yard field goal, followed by another 2-yard TD run by DeAngelo Williams and Earnest Williams' run. DeAngelo Williams set up his 2-yard run with a 67-yard sprint to the 2, a big play that answered a big play. Akron had scored on a 72-yard TD pass from Getsy to Biggs on the previous play from scrimmage. ''It was a different ball game,'' Brookhart said. ''We didn't play the way we planned to play in the first half. We had a lot of missed assignments and missed opportunities.'' After a lackluster opening quarter -- one in which the Tigers were slowed by penalties and a turnover and held to 46 yards -- Memphis erupted for 13 points and nearly 200 yards in the second period. Akron got its only points of the half following a Tiger turnover. Avery fumbled at the Zips 46-yard line and Akron defensive back John Mackey recovered. Ten plays later Jason Swiger connected on a 43-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Tiger offense got untracked. Memphis drove from its 3 to the Akron 15, getting a 32-yard field goal by Gostkowski for its first points with 7:02 to go. On its following possession, the Tigers used some trickery to start another scoring drive. On first and 10 from the Memphis 48, Williams took a direct shotgun snap and pitched to Avery, who found Scott for a 50-yard pickup to the Akron 2. Three plays later, Williams scored from 1 yard out and Gostkowski added the PAT for a 10-3 lead. The Tigers made it 13-3 on their next possession, scoring with 18 seconds left in the half on a 25-yard Gostkowski field goal. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543 ------------------------------------------------------ DeAngelo's final figures 6,021 Rushing yards, the most in Conference USA history and fourth in NCAA history 7,568 All-purpose yards, an NCAA record 34 100-yard rushing games, an NCAA record 178.1 DeAngelo's 2005 rushing yards per game, first in the nation

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12/27/05		Calkins: One last time DeAngelo gives his gift to U of M (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact December 27, 2005 DETROIT -- Early in the fourth quarter, ball at the wrong 31. Memphis fans were starting to fret. A fat lead had become a thin one. Akron fans were sounding as nutso as Akron fans may have ever sounded, like, in the history of the school. "Fear the Roo," they said. No, really. That's what they said. They just had to stop Memphis and get the ball back. They just had to stop DeAngelo Williams... You're laughing now, right? Because that's what every team thinks. That's what every Memphis opponent has thought for the last four years. Just stack the box. Throw everyone at the guy. Then the guy gets the ball and, see, that's when the plan breaks down. So Maurice Avery gave it to Williams, and Williams did what he so often does, he made a cut, then popped it outside, then, somehow, way at the other end of the field, the ball was at the 1 and the game had irrevocably changed. "You know what?" said Akron coach J.D. Brookhart, looking for the right words. "He's, um, really fast." And strong. Williams showed that on the next play, when he carried two Akron players into the end zone. In the stands, Sandra Hill, Williams' mother, waved her pompon so hard the little blue and white strands started to come off. "That's how you answer back, baby," she said. Fear the Roo? Nah, Fear the Blue. Especially the one wearing the two and the zero, who finished his breathtaking Memphis career just the way you'd hope. With a win. With one big trophy (for winning the game), and another big trophy (for winning the MVP award), and a lump in his throat that might have been bigger than both. That came when after it was all over, when someone asked how he felt. "The thing I'm most proud about is the friendships and relationships I have with my team ..." Williams' voice gave way. "Awwwww," said quarterback Maurice Avery, who shares a room and the backfield with Williams. "He's going to do it." Cry, that is. After four years, three bowls and 6,021 yards, isn't that OK? Memphis defeated Akron in the Motor City Bowl on Monday, 38-31. It was the team's 24th win in the past three years. It was fun, too, a merry and exuberant slice of what the Memphis program has become. So what if the game was played the day after Christmas? So what if Detroit isn't particularly warm? "I'd say it's 33-35 degrees," said Dave Brown, the weather guy, and who else would you believe? But it was warmer inside, where several thousand Memphis fans seemed to be having a ball. Former Tigers Marcus Bell and Tony Semple showed up. "It's like a family reunion," Semple said, in wonderment. Except these folks all got along! There were Democrats and Republicans, whites and blacks. "Garrison Keillor said the great ones give us a gift," said Gus Radford, one of the throng. "DeAngelo has given us a gift. He's given us four years of his life, he's put us in the national spotlight, he came back when he didn't have to and he's won this ball game for us." Williams would be the first to say he didn't do all that himself. Avery, his roomie, threw for 170 yards. Stephen Gostkowski hit another 50-yarder. John Doucette flopped on an onsides kick at the end. But Williams is the one with the touch of greatness, and don't take my word for it. Ask Jerome Harrison, the halfback from Washington State, who was sitting in the stands. Harrison happened to be one of two running backs -- Garrett Wolfe of Northern Illinois was the other -- ahead of Williams for the NCAA's rushing title coming into the game. "I'm here to support him," said Harrison, who lives in Kalamazoo. "He's an awesome back." Harrison met Williams at a recent awards ceremony in Orlando. "My teammates were like, 'Don't you hate him?'" Harrison said. "I said, 'Naw, man, he's real cool.'" So there sat Harrison, pulling for Williams, and it was a sight to see. Williams would do something remarkable. Harrison would come flying out of his seat. "I don't mind finishing second to a back like that," Harrison said, and it's a good thing, too. Harrison wound up averaging 172.7 yards a game. Wolfe wound up with 175.6. Williams had 30 carries for 233 yards to finish first with 178.1 He also passed Tony Dorsett and Archie Griffin to set a record for most 100-yard games (34) in a career. "Coach says I'll appreciate it when I'm 50," he said. The rest of you can feel free to appreciate it now. Which everyone in attendance seemed to do, rising to their feet and giving Williams one last ovation as he started to leave the field. Just then, a small boy tugged on Williams' jersey. Naturally, Williams stopped. Joshua Berger, 10, happened to be at the bowl game with his father. He wanted an autograph. Williams obliged. Berger beamed. "He's the next Walter Payton," he said, breathless. "And he's really, really nice." It all figured, didn't it? The guy's career at Memphis had been over for maybe five minutes, and he was already making new friends. Contact Geoff Calkins at 529-2364 or by e-mail

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12/27/05		Avery-Scott a potent tandem -- Passes help open offense in Tigers' win (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact December 27, 2005 DETROIT -- It's not certain whether University of Memphis quarterback Maurice Avery, whose emergency play at the position helped the Tigers to a third straight bowl, will get a shot in an NFL camp next spring. But what was clear following the Tigers' 38-31 Motor City Bowl victory Monday at Ford Field in downtown Detroit was this: Motown was Mo's town for one important stretch of the game, allowing the UofM to overcome a sluggish start and defeat Akron, the Mid-American Conference champs. Held to 46 yards in the first quarter, the Tigers finished with 516 yards, including 170 passing by Avery, whose completions to junior Ryan Scott jump-started the offense. Avery, who was 1-of-8 passing for minus-3 yards in the regular-season finale -- a bowl-clinching win over Marshall -- was 7-of-13 for his 170 yards and had at least two passes dropped that would pushed him over 200 yards. ''I've just got to give thanks to the team and coach (Tommy) West for believing in me,'' said Avery, who took over the position at midseason and led the Tigers to five wins in seven games. Avery, who began the year at receiver, had moved into the position after season-ending injuries sidelined quarterbacks Patrick Byrne and Will Hudgens and freshman Billy Barefield had been moved to a reserve role after two starts. Monday in Detroit, Avery and Scott ignited an offense that eventually got 233 rushing yards from game MVP DeAngelo Williams. It was Scott's 50-yard reception late in the second quarter that led to the UofM's first touchdown, a 1-yard run by DeAngelo Williams for a 10-3 lead. Scott beat cornerback Reggie Corner on the play. And on the UofM's following possession, it was Scott again. This time he hauled in a 48-yard pass from Avery at the Akron 25. Six plays later, kicker Stephen Gostkowski booted a 25-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in the half for a 13-3 lead. ''They have some receivers who know how to go up and get the football,'' said Akron coach J.D. Brookhart of Scott, who used his height (6-4) to outjump the smaller Zip cornerbacks. Scott said he knew someone needed to step up for an offense that had been ineffective and one that had also turned the ball over. ''The coaches came to me and said I needed to make some things happen,'' Scott said. ''I'm glad I could. All I know is it feels good to win. I have three bowl rings in three seasons. And next year I'm looking to get a fourth.'' West said he knew it was imperative that the Tigers have an effective passing game if they intended to beat the Zips, whose pass defense ranked second in the MAC and 18th nationally. ''I talked all week about how we'd have to throw the ball in this game to win,'' West said. ''We knew that coming in. We figured we'd take anywhere between five and eight shots deep and we'd have to hit on a least a few of them. ''Mo did a nice job throwing the ball and Ryan did a nice job catching it. Without them we don't win this game.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

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12/27/05		Motor City Bowl postgame (Commercial Appeal)
		Big man on campus DeAngelo Williams, who made numerous appearances in this category throughout his career, stepped back into it one last time. Williams rushed for 233 yards -- his ninth career 200-yard game -- and scored three touchdowns to lead the Tigers. His 67-yard run to the Akron 2 was textbook Williams, churning and slashing while answering a big-play score by the Zips early in the fourth. The game changer After Akron had scored on a 72-yard pass play from Luke Getsy to running back Brett Biggs to cut the Tiger lead to 23-17 early in the fourth quarter, DeAngelo Williams responded immediately with the kind of run that marked his spectacular career. On first-and-10 from the Memphis 31, Williams darted and dashed 67 yards to the Akron 2 and scored on the following snap, his third touchdown of the game. Quarterback Maurice Avery's conversion run made it 31-17 with 10:41 to go. Upon further review Williams' powerful 2-yard run, in which he carried two defensive linemen to the goal line, was reviewed, but officials ruled the TD stood. The rundown DeAngelo Williams as MVP was an easy enough call, but his contributions might not have mattered without the magnificent performance of the Tiger special teams, especially the kicking game. First there was kicker Stephen Gostkowski, himself one of the all-time Tiger greats, booting three field goals, including a soaring 50-yarder, and six touchbacks on kickoffs. Then there was his holder, punter Michael Gibson, averaging 47.8 yards on four punts, three of them inside the 20 (two inside the 10). Even quarterback Maurice Avery got in on the act, quick-punting to inside the Akron 5. "It was great to hit that 50-yarder, but even better to be a part of this football team in a winning effort," Gostkowski said. • • Speaking of Avery, the receiver-turned-QB should have been wearing a leather helmet with no facemask, the way he played all-round football. He hit long passes, intermediate passes and ran with authority. He waylaid an Akron defender with a block for his buddy DeAngelo Williams. He broke up a pass from a receiver on a gadget play. And then there was the punt. If it was 1953, he'd be a Top 10 pick in the NFL draft. • • DeAngelo Williams ended his record-setting Tiger career by setting the NCAA mark for most 100-yard rushing games. With his 18-yard run late in the fourth quarter -- on a first-and-10 from near midfield -- he passed former Heisman Trophy winners Archie Griffin and Tony Dorsett, who had 33 100-yard games each. For Williams, it represented his 10th straight 100-yard game of the season. The only game in which he played and didn't rush for 100 this season came in the opener against Ole Miss. • • In the game, Williams also became the fourth player in NCAA history to surpass 6,000 career rushing yards. His 233 yards gave him a career total of 6,021. • • Blake Whiddon, a member of the Tigers special teams, was injured on a first-quarter kickoff return by Joe Doss and carried off the field. Whiddon injured his left ankle after he was struck from behind at the end of the play by Doss, who was pushed by an Akron player. He did not return. Also in the first half, Tiger defensive back Wesley Smith, a first-team All-Conference USA selection, had a mild concussion diagnosed and did not return. Smith watched the second half from the sideline. Former Germantown High standout Brandon Patterson took his place. • • Although it wasn't officially reviewed, the Pac-10 crew changed a first-half call after watching replays on one of two big video screens. The crew incorrectly whistled Akron receiver Jason Montgomery for a personal foul after he was pushed from behind by Memphis defensive back Jamaal Rufus at the end of a short pass play. After several replays and a chorus of boos from the Akron fans, the officials whistled Rufus for the personal foul. • • There wasn't a Motor City Bowl category for Best Block Thrown By a Quarterback, but if there had been, the UofM's Maurice Avery would have been a runaway winner. On a first-and-10 play from the Akron 23 midway in the second quarter, DeAngelo Williams took a handoff, reversed his field and set up Avery for a head-snapping block of Akron defensive back John Mackey. • • With the UofM's victory, Conference USA upped its postseason record to 2-3. C-USA placed six teams in the postseason. Southern Miss, which beat Arkansas State in the New Orleans Bowl, had owned the lone victory. UTEP lost to Toledo, also of the Mid-American Conference, in the GMAC Bowl, Houston lost to Kansas in the Fort Worth Bowl and Central Florida dropped an overtime decision to Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl. • • U of M officials estimated that 3,000 officials, cheerleaders and fans made the trip to Detroit for Monday's game. Not all of that group, however, bought tickets through the Tiger athletic office. UofM athletic director R.C. Johnson said the school needed to sell about 3,000 tickets to break even. He said the school sold more than 2,200 of its allotment of 9,600. Akron, about a 31/2 -hour drive from Detroit, sold out its 9,600 allotment and an additional 250 tickets. • • The Motor City Bowl sold 50,616 tickets and a crowd of 45,801 attended. The bowl's executive director, Ken Hoffman, termed the game a success. ''It was our third-highest crowd in history,'' Hoffman said. ''It was very positive. It was a good day, a great day and one of our top crowds overall.'' The record for ticket sales is the 52,552 sold to last year's game between Toledo and Connecticut. The game surpassed 50,000 in tickets sales for the third straight year. Yappin' ''I was nervous. I didn't want to be the only coach in the country to get a Gatorade bath and lose the game.'' Tiger coach Tommy West, whose team gave up 14 points in the final three minutes after he'd been dumped with a Gatorade bucket. -- Phil Stukenborg and Zack McMillin ----------------------------------------------------------- Go Figure 23-5 Memphis' record under coach Tommy West when scoring 30 or more points. 3:43 The time of possession for Memphis in the opening quarter, one in which the Tigers managed but 46 yards. 470 The number of yards the Tigers gained in the second, third and fourth quarters. 59 The number of pass attempts, a Motor City Bowl record, by Akron quarterback Luke Getsy

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12/27/05		Motor City Bowl history (Commercial Appeal)
		1997: Mississippi 34, Marshall 31 1998: Marshall 48, Louisville 29 1999: Marshall 21, Brigham Young 3 2000: Marshall 25, Cincinnati 14 2001: Toledo 23, Cincinnati 16 2002: Boston College 51, Toledo 25 2003: Bowling Green 28, Northwestern 24 2004: Connecticut 39, Toledo 10 2005: Memphis 38, Akron 31

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12/27/05		Calipari warning his team: 'It's Morrison against us' (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact December 27, 2005 Fidgeting with an iPod just minutes removed from the best scoring performance of his career, Rodney Carney stood in the University of Memphis locker room last week and promised to spend part of his Christmas holidays studying film for clues to help contain Gonzaga All-American Adam Morrison. Did it do any good? "I saw his likes and dislikes," Carney said Monday. "I feel like I got a pretty good way to stop him. But then again, he is a great player." One of the most anticipated basketball games this city has hosted in some time will tip off just after 6 tonight when Memphis (9-1) and Gonzaga (9-2) meet at FedExForum. This matchup seems to have all the necessary ingredients to have big-game status. Elite teams? Check. The Tigers are ranked fourth in the nation with wins over UCLA and Cincinnati. Gonzaga is ranked eighth in the nation with wins over Michigan State and Maryland. Elite players? Check. Carney was Conference USA's Preseason Player of the Year, and is averaging a team-best 17.5 points per game, including a 37-point effort last week against Louisiana Tech. Morrison was the West Coast Conference's Preseason Player of the Year, and is averaging a team-best 27.5 points per game, including 43-point efforts against Michigan State and Washington. Elite atmospheres? Check. FedExForum has been sold out since last week, and a crowd of more than 18,000 is expected to fill the building. That the voice of college basketball -- Dick Vitale -- will be sitting courtside should only add to it. "This is exactly what you play college basketball for," Carney said. "The arena is going to be sold out, and all the other teams (across the country) are going to be looking at this because it'll be the only game on TV. So we're just going to throw it up and see what we can do with them. But Morrison, man, he is a great player." A 6-8 junior, Morrison comes in as perhaps the most-hyped college player since Syracuse's Carmelo Anthony captured the country's attention three years ago. He's the early favorite to nab National Player of the Year honors, and his matchup with Carney has been heavily promoted. Yet given a choice, U of M coach John Calipari would rather avoid such an isolated scenario. "It's Morrison against us," said the UofM coach. "The problem -- and I've tried to tell this to Rodney -- is that we have seven or eight guys who can all score about the same. So Rodney can't get into a head-to-head where Morrison scores, so now he has to shoot it. Because Morrison is taking 25 shots, and Rodney, in all likelihood, will not unless he has it going like he did last game. But the reality of it is that Rodney can't be saying, 'Well, he did it to me, so I'm going to do it to him.' We can't play that way and beat them." But can Memphis beat them without Darius Washington? There's an intriguing question, but one Calipari doesn't want to have to answer, although the point guard's deeply bruised thigh could make it unavoidable. After missing last week's win against Louisiana Tech, Washington only participated in non-contact drills at Monday's 90-minute practice. Overall, he seemed a little stiff, and clearly wasn't 100 percent. But the sophomore was bouncing around better than he has in a while. "It feels better," Washington said. "It's feeling better every day." Still, Calipari insisted Washington's availability will be a game-time decision. "I've told him that if he can't give us what he gave us against Providence, do not play," Calipari said. "Everybody saw him against Mississippi and knows he shouldn't have played that day. So if he's like that, he can't play. But I worked him out (early Monday), and he was OK." OK enough to play? "If you would've asked me (Sunday), I would've told you no," Calipari said. "Now ... I'd say maybe." With or without Washington, this contest against Gonzaga should go a long way in cementing the UofM's reputation, one way or another. Though most media outlets have lauded Memphis, the Tigers were recently called overrated on national television by analyst Seth Davis. Ever since, Calipari has used the verbal jab as motivation, and mentioned it in virtually every interview conducted. Monday, included. "There are some people who think we are a pretender," Calipari said. "Well, the bell is about to be rung here in a minute. So let's see how we do." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365 -------------------------------------------------------------- No. 4 Tigers vs. No. 8 Gonzaga When, where: Today, 6 p.m., at FedExForum TV, radio: ESPN2, WMC-AM (790) Tickets: The game is sold out

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12/27/05		No. 4 Tigers vs. No. 8 Gonzaga (Commercial Appeal)
		6 p.m., FedExForum TV, radio: ESPN2, WMC-AM (790) Records: Memphis 9-1, Gonzaga 9-2 Series standing: Gonzaga leads, 1-0 Latest line: Memphis by 6 Notables This is only the second meeting between these two schools. Gonzaga won the first, 88-73, in the NIT Season Tip-off in 1998 at The Pyramid. In that game, Richie Frahm hit 14-of-20 shots -- including 8-of-11 three-pointers -- on his way to 37 points that stunned the announced crowd of 7,762, a number roughly 10,000 short of what is expected to fill a soldout FedExForum today. This game has been sold out since last week. ... This is the first time in nearly a decade that the Tigers have played in a game featuring two Top 10 teams. On Jan. 4, 1996, Memphis was ranked third when it played No. 1 UMass and l