Trip's Tigers: News Archives March 2006

03/31/06		Tigers fall a little short in a season that promises better times (Memphis Business Journal)
		Karma ran out for the Memphis Tigers and their fans in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, but the memories of this season, and the future of this rising program, will bring goose bumps for years to come. Yes, we've made the NCAA Tournament three out of the last four years (in 2002, the Tigers won the NIT), but those teams seemed long shots at making a legitimate run to the Final Four, until this year. This was the first year ever that Memphis received a No. 1 regional seed and remained ranked so high in the polls for most of the season. It has been more than 20 years since Tiger fans had this much to be excited about. Our city and our team were on the tips of every ESPN analyst's tongue for weeks. The whole country saw clips of senior forward Rodney Carney flying through the lane for dunks. Talk about national exposure. When the Tigers beat Bradley in the Sweet 16 game, I was at the Fox and Hound on Sanderlin, in the shadows of head coach John Calipari's steakhouse. A friend named Eric said he'd been there securing seats at his table since 3 p.m., even though tip off wasn't until 6:27 p.m. Arriving about an hour before tip off, two friends and I had been relegated to a card table set up near the back exit. We were expecting to join the standing-room-only crowd in order to see the big screen, but I asked Eric if we could take any of the vacant stools at his table. A few of his associates didn't show, so we ended up with some of the best seats in the house. There was one Ole Miss Rebel fan at Eric's table, a former Rebel roundballer, in fact, who rooted openly for Bradley. He was laying it on thick as the favored Tigers struggled to build a lead on Bradley in the first half. Our exchanges were cordial, but I was the loudest guy in the place -- which is saying something -- and cordial turned to obnoxious bravado as the Tigers pulled away in the second half. The Rebel was gone long before the game ended. People at every table exchanged pleasantries, high-fives and raised fists. After a little over two hours of interaction and exhilaration, I left the establishment with 100 new best friends. Your friends will tell similar stories. This had been a long time coming. Even the sometimes smarmy sports writers at The Commercial Appeal who didn't work here 20 years ago were forced to look beyond the end of their pens and report on how overwhelming and all-encompassing this city's love for Tiger basketball is. That love is not evident down to the man, for certain, but it's enough to bring the entire city to a halt when the Tigers take the court. When Memphis was to play UCLA, not one of three friends I inquired about watching the game with would suggest I hook up with them, nor step foot near my house. A fourth didn't return my call. They know me. They know how I am when it comes to Tiger basketball. A little intense? Heck, I wouldn't watch with me, either, but I don't really have a choice. So I was to watch the UCLA game alone in the Elite Eight of the Big Dance. You know the rest. Not a shot would fall, just like the Texas game in Memphis earlier in the season. Of course, our defense was so good, as it had been all year, that the Tigers kept the game close. We had our chances to pull it out. We all wanted a national title. We knew this team was good enough to deliver. But when the brackets came out, a very tough road to the Final Four was laid out. We'd have to beat Oral Roberts, then get by possibly Arkansas, then defeat either Kansas or Pittsburgh, just to get to UCLA. The first games were the most hairy. Heavily favored as a No. 1 seed, Memphis would be a laughing stock if it failed to reach at least the Sweet 16. No, no national title. But as disappointing as that is, our beloved Tigers are back. The swagger is back. We are in the national spotlight again, where we belong. And there is every indication this program is only going to get stronger. thollahan@bizjournals.com \| 259-1725

03/31/06		Spring Football: Day 10 (Commercial Appeal)
		Observations from Day 10 of the University of Memphis's spring football practice: 1) The Tigers conducted a slightly-shorter-than-normal workout Friday (18 five-minute periods as opposed to the standard 22) before a large contingent of area high school football coaches and assistants. The high school coaches were at the Murphy Athletic Complex to to attend a clinic with the U of M coaching staff. 2) With one week left before the Tigers play their annual spring game at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, the U of M will go through a mid-morning scrimmage Saturday at the Liberty Bowl. Tiger coach Tommy West expects to run through at least 70 plays. "I'm not trying to gut them," he said. "I just want to get some good work in." 3) After experimenting with left-handed snapping Michael Denning at center, the coaching staff has returned Denning to guard, his natural spot. Denning struggled with the center-quarterback exchange in practices and scrimmages. West said redshirt freshman Philip Beliles has "a great opportunity" to become the team's No. 2 center if he'll make a commitment to the work and discipline required, on and off the field. Beliles, a former Christian Brothers High player, replaced Denning at center earlier this week and has had an encouraging start. Beliles, a redshirt sophomore, entered camp as a backup at left tackle. 4) Highlight catches of the practice Friday included receptions by former Collierville standout Brian Hall and former White Station High receiver Maurice Jones. Jones made a catch streaking down the right sideline, outjumping two defenders for the ball. 5) West visited secondary coach Tim Keane Friday morning at Baptist Memorial Hospital and said Keane is scheduled to go home today. Keane underwent triple-bypass heart surgery, the same operation West underwent Feb. 3, earlier this week. 6) Don't look for West to name a starting quarterback after spring practice ends next weekend. He wants to see all the candidates healthy and competing in August before he reaches a decision. Transfer Martin Hankins has worked with the No. 1 offense with Patrick Byrne and Will Hudgens recovering from broken legs. Byrne has not participated in scrimmages and Hudgens has been limited.

03/31/06		Tiger Spring Football Update #10 (GoTigersGo.com)
		Practice #10 Friday, March 31 The Tigers practiced for nearly two hours at the Murphy Athletic Complex. It looked like it was going to rain early on, but the weather held out as more than 50 high school coaches looked on from the sidelines. The coaches were on campus for Memphis' Coaching Clinic. Coach West commented that this was the largest clinic he has had and that more than 180 coaches had pre-registered. Today was a typical practice of drills and position work. The quarterbacks worked extensively with the receivers and then received pressure from the Tiger secondary, while the offensive line worked against the defensive line. Coach Joe Lee Dunn continues to work with the secondary during the absence of Coach Tim Keane who had heart surgery on Tuesday. Keane is expected to leave the hospital on Saturday. Defensive lineman Ryan Williams remains sidelined from spring practice with a shoulder injury. He is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday. Junior defensive lineman Arron Bentley has been working a new position this week. A two-year letterman on defense, Bentley has made the shift to offense, and is working as the backup left tackle behind Willie Henderson. Philip Beliles had been listed behind Henderson at the start of spring practice, but has been working lately as a backup at center, along with junior-to-be Michael Denning. The Tigers will travel to the Liberty Bowl on Saturday for extensive scrimmage work in the morning. They will have three practices next week before ending the spring workout on Saturday, April 8, at the Liberty Bowl for the Mutual of Omaha Blue-Gray game. Kick-off is slated for noon. "I hope tomorrow is the best scrimmage we have had, and I will be disappointed if it is not," said Coach Tommy West. "We have done a lot of scrimmaging with these guys, but this is a very inexperienced team. We have taken the approach that we are going to scrimmage; we are going to look at it on tape; and then we are going to correct it on the field. And it seems to be working because I thought Wednesday was the best day we have had." "So far this team has been there mentally every day," added West. "We have not had that day where I thought we didn't have focus. This group has been a lot of fun to work with because they have a lot of `want-to' in them." Earlier in the day, Conference USA officials notified the U of M that CSTV would pick up the Memphis-Tulsa match-up slated for Oct. 21 at the Liberty Bowl. Game time has been tentatively been set for 7 p.m. CT.

03/31/06		Tiger Baseball Catches Elusive 13th Win with 5-4 Decision over No. 20 Southern Miss -- Tigers defeat Top-20 team for second-straight (GoTigersGo.com)
		HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Memphis (13-12; 2-2 C-USA) 004 000 100 - 5 15 0 Southern Miss (20-8; 3-1 C-USA) 000 002 110 - 4 10 2 Freshman Scott McGregor struck out seven in his second-straight complete game victory to lead Memphis past No. 20 Southern Miss, Friday evening. The win was the second C-USA series-opening triumph and gives the Tigers their 13th win of the season, tying the 2005 win total. The Tigers played 52 games in the 2005 season before notching its 13th and final win of the season. Memphis was 8-17 through 25 games a year ago. The Memphis offense touched USM starter Scott Massey up for six hits--all singles--in a four-run third. The Tigers sent nine batters to the plate in the frame sending the Golden Eagles ace to his first loss of the year. Consecutive singles by Ben Grisham and Cory Barton got the Tigers' offense going. K.K. Chalmers reached on a fielding error on a sacrifice bunt to load the bases. Will Petersen put Memphis on the board with a two-run single to right. Three-straight singles by Kyle Norrid, Adam Amar and Joseph Lieberman made it 4-0. The Tigers threatened again in the fourth, but Cory Barton was thrown out at the plate attempting to score all the way from first on a double to the right centerfield gap by Chalmers. McGregor cruised through five innings, before USM broke through the scoring column in the sixth inning with a two-run blast over the rightfield wall. Memphis won a big answer-back inning when Petersen blasted a towering home run to left for a 5-2 Tiger advantage. The Golden Eagles got a home run from Michael Ewing in the seventh and then cut the Memphis lead to 5-4 with a single tally in the eighth. Led by Chalmers 3-for-4 performance, the first six hitters in the Memphis lineup finished with multiple hits. The Tigers out hit the Golden Eagles 15-10. Trey Sutton paced USM, who falls for the first time in C-USA play, with three hits. The Tigers and Golden Eagles will match up in the second game of the three-game C-USA series tomorrow, with the first pitch set for 4 p.m. Listen to live action as "The Voice of Tiger Baseball", Jeff Brightwell calls the play-by-play action on WUMR 91.7FM.

03/31/06		Track and Field Travels To Mississippi State for Bulldog Invitational -- Action begins at 9 a.m. Saturday morning in Starkville (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Already having two solid outdoor meets under their belts, the Memphis track and field teams will travel to Starkville, Miss., Saturday for the Bulldog Invitational, hosted by Mississippi State University. In just two meets thus far in the outdoor campaign, the U of M is just one short of its total number of regional qualifiers from 2005, while five Lady Tigers have broken school records. Sivan Aballi (shot put and discus), Susan King (discus) and Gail Lee (shot put) have all qualified on for the Lady Tigers, while J.D. Erickson (shot put, discus and hammer) and Norbert Gulyas (discus) have qualified for the Tigers. In addition, Lee, King, and Aballi, along with Emily Malinowski and Whitney Bolton have all broken at least one school record, while Lee has claimed new marks in both the shot put and hammer. With better weather expected this weekend, along with likely the best competition to this point in the spring, Memphis expects even better results and more stellar performances. Along with Memphis and Mississippi State, Southern Miss, Louisiana Tech, Alcorn State, Alabama-Huntsville and Missouri State are scheduled to compete. Competition at the Bulldog Invitational is set to begin at 9 a.m. with field events, while running events are slated to follow at noon. Live results for the meet can be followed at MSU's website, www.mstateathletics.com, while results and a recap will be posted at gotigersgo.com.

03/31/06		Carney exits dunk contest after 'weird' landing (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact March 31, 2006 INDIANAPOLIS -- Rodney Carney stood there like everybody else, just shaking his head in amazement at what he called the best dunk he's ever seen. Funny thing is it came well before the dunk contest ever started. "I've never even seen anybody try that," Carney said with a smile. "A between-the-legs 360? I don't know why they put them on before us." Them is something called "City Slam," best described as a group of professional dunkers who were brought in to fill dead time created by ESPN's production. They were ultimately the highlight of the 18th Annual College Slam Dunk and 3-Point Championships at Hinkle Fieldhouse Thursday night, an event consisting of some of the best seniors in the country that also doubled as a homecoming for Carney. "It's good to be back home and spend time with my family" said the University of Memphis senior. "But I don't have anything to match that between-the-legs 360." Turns out, Carney was right. Dressed in a stylish UofM jersey, Carney scored a 56 out of a possible 60 points with a relatively average first effort. After that, he went between his legs -- there was no 360 -- and nearly fell on his head to garner a 59, which pushed him into the semifinals along with Cincinnati's James White, Western Kentucky's Elgrace Wilborn and North Carolina's David Noel. Then it got dangerous. "When I missed (in the semifinals) I came down weird on my leg," Carney said. "As soon as that happened, I said 'Ooops. Now let me sit on down.'" Rather than risk falling awkwardly again and suffering an injury that could potentially cost millions of dollars, Carney opted out of the event after that miss from the free throw line, giving us our "no mas" moment of the night. How'd the hometown fans react? They booed. Twenty minutes later, Noel won. Twenty-five minutes later, Carney and everybody else seemed sure he'd made the right call. "Rodney was smart," said White, a former Conference USA member himself. "You want to have fun, but you can't get hurt." So Carney won't join "City Slam" anytime soon. Still, he was smiling. No more head pointed down. No more towel over his face. Five days after having his college career come to a close in dismal fashion with a 50-45 loss to UCLA in the Elite Eight, Carney was laughing it up at the site where the championship game in "Hoosiers" was filmed. And while it's possible the joy came directly from receiving a one-on-one interview with ESPN's courtside beauty Erin Andrews, it's more likely the source was simply passed time that has allowed the AP All-America choice to view his career and the Tigers' season in a more macro-sense. "It still hurts," Carney said. "But we had a good year. And when Villanova and UConn lost too, that made me feel a little better." Just in case that wasn't enough, there's also the realization that NBA riches await. A good indication is that Carney's cell phone hasn't stopped ringing since he played his final game for John Calipari and knelt at center court in defeat inside The Arena in Oakland while UCLA celebrated. "There's about five or six or seven agents who just keep calling and leaving messages all the time; I had to just turn my phone off," Carney said. "But I'm going to talk to Coach Cal and let him help me with it. If he OKs the agent, then I'll check them out." In the meantime, Carney will remain in Indianapolis through this weekend's Final Four, relax and see the scene. Then he'll return to Memphis and resist the temptation of bailing on school despite that being the typical behavior of most projected Top 15 draft picks. "I'm going to finish the semester and take my time with everything else," Carney said. "It's a real stressful experience that I'm going through. But I'm just going to do it and try to get ready for what's next." All while avoiding injury, of course. -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

03/31/06		Tiger Notes: Baseball, Track, Football, Basketball, Tennis (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact March 31, 2006 Tigers look to get back on track -- USM pitching staff a formidable challenge The University of Memphis men's baseball team, which has slipped to .500 for the first time this season, will try to recover beginning today in a difficult setting for an opponent. The Tigers will play three-game Conference USA weekend series at 20th-ranked Southern Miss starting at 6:30 tonight. Southern Miss (20-7, 3-0 in C-USA) will send one of the league's best righthanders to the mound tonight in UT-Martin transfer Scott Massey. Massey, a senior, is 5-0 with a 2.49 earned-run average. Memphis (12-12, 1-2) will counter with freshman righthander Scott McGregor, who beat nationally ranked Tulane with a complete-game performance last week at Nat Buring Stadium. ''It's going to be another challenge for our guys,'' said Tiger coach Daron Schoenrock. ''Southern Miss is probably the hottest team in the league right now, probably hotter than Rice.'' Southern Miss opened C-USA play last weekend with a sweep of UAB. In this series, the Golden Eagles will start three righthanders who have an ERA of 2.78 or lower. USM's team ERA is 3.53, fourth in C-USA. The Tigers have struggled since McGregor beat the Green Wave in the opening game of last weekend's series. Memphis has lost four straight, including dropping an 11-9 decision against Austin Peay Wednesday night. ''I think we did some things well offensively in that game,'' Schoenrock said. ''We came from behind twice to take leads. What we failed to do was get their leadoff hitter out. Five of their guys who walked scored and two that were hit by pitches scored. That accounted for seven of their 11 runs. ''The simple thing for us now is we've got to eliminate the gifts. We haven't put together two of the three things -- pitching, hitting and defense -- that you have do since last Friday against Tulane.'' On a roll The men's and women's track teams will travel to the Bulldog Invitational in Starkville, Miss., Saturday with momentum. After two outdoor meets this season, the UofM track team has had five athletes qualify for the NCAA Mideast Regionals. Leading the pack is J.D. Erickson, who has qualified for three events: the shot put, discus and hammer throw. It is the first time in school history a track athlete has qualified for three events. Tiger assistant coach Kevin Robinson said Erickson has flourished because he has ''the unique ability to combine pure power with fluid athletic technical movement.'' Also qualifying have been Norbert Guylas, Susan King, Gail Lee and Sivan Aballi. Aballi has qualifed in two events, the shot put and discus. Lee qualified with a school-record throw of 49 feet, 9 inches at last weekend's Ole Miss dual meet, breaking Aballi's school record set the previous weekend by more than two feet. Odds and ends Tiger football coach Tommy West will speak at the Highland Hundred spring meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Memphis Botanic Garden. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. ... Two Lady Tiger basketball signees -- guards Jasmyn Green of Desoto (Texas) High and Adria Phillips of Ft. Smith (Ark.) Northside -- have been named to their respective all-state teams. Green also is one of 12 players invited to play for the North team in an all-star game July 10 for the state's elite players. ... Lady Tiger basketball coach Blair Savage signed six players during the early signing period in November and is hoping to add three when the spring signed period starts April 12. ... The men's tennis team, 6-10 overall, will play at nationally ranked SMU Saturday. The Tigers are 0-7 vs. ranked teams (top 75 in the country). SMU is No. 60. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

03/31/06		End of the Dance -- An epic Tiger basketball season ends one game shy of the Final Four (Memphis Flyer)
		BY FRANK MURTAUGH I want everybody to understand that this is not going to be an easy road. This doesn't change because I became coach. I don't walk on water. I'm just a regular guy. But I want people to see our players fighting, playing like they've never played before, doing things people have never seen them do. Win or lose, they leave the building saying, 'Now if this is the era we've gone to, I'm excited.''' -- University of Memphis basketball coach John Calipari (Memphis magazine, October 2000) You know the first name I thought of when the Memphis Tigers tipped off against UCLA in the Oakland Regional final Saturday? Dennis Freeland. My friend and former Flyer editor lost his battle with cancer in January 2002. But 15 months earlier, he wrote what amounted to an introduction for the city of Memphis to one John Calipari. And if there's any justice in the universe, Calipari absorbed a sliver of Dennis' spirit -- both for his basketball program and the city of Memphis -- during their time together. Even with the dispiriting season-ending loss to the Bruins -- haven't we been here before? -- one could spur a debate these days on whether or not a boatless Calipari could cross the Mississippi without getting wet. (Dennis was petrified of what the coach might think of an illustration that ran with his story that depicted Calipari not only standing on water, but with a halo! "Artistic license," I kept telling him. Here in Memphis, we know how to sanctify mere mortals.) The 2005-06 Tigers may have come up a game shy of the Final Four -- the expressed goal since Calipari was hired in March 2000 -- but consider what they did achieve. They won more games (33) than any other team in the program's rich history and more than any other team in the entire country this season. They were only the fourth team in school history to play for a berth in the Final Four. They are Conference USA champions, whether measured by their regular season record (13-1) or the tournament championship they earned by beating a game UAB squad March 11th. In Rodney Carney -- a player off the radar of the recruiting world when he signed to play for Calipari in 2002 -- Memphis is sending the third-most prolific scorer in school history toward an NBA career that will begin as a lottery pick in June's draft. And four of this year's top eight players were freshmen. Ask Tiger Nation after it gathers itself, and you'll hear: If John Calipari doesn't walk on water, he floats rather nicely. By many measures, an NCAA regional final is the hardest game to lose in college basketball -- one game shy of the biggest spectacle in American amateur sports. But as Tiger fans dry their tears, they would do well to remember the journey. In reflecting on the end of a season in which Carney, Shawne Williams, and Darius Washington took turns being the star of the night, remember Calipari's starting lineup from his first team in 2000-01: Shyrone Chatman, Scooter McFadgon, Kelly Wise, Shannon Forman, and Modibo Diarra. The argument could be made that Calipari did a better coaching job in getting those Tic Price recruits to the NIT semifinals than he's done with his abundance of talent here five years later. Return trips to Madison Square Garden for the NIT "final four" in 2002 and 2005 didn't help in the longing for more national glory, the kind Larry Finch knew in 1973 and Keith Lee in 1985. Last weekend, the Tigers were but a victory over the most decorated program in the sport's history from reaching the promised land. A heartbreaking loss to UCLA in the NCAA tournament? The U of M is the latest victim in a long line. And the fact is, the Tigers won more NCAA tournament games this month than the program did over the previous 13 seasons combined. The lasting beauty of the 2005-06 Memphis Tigers is that they are now a talking point on the historical timeline of this city's flagship sports enterprise. For all their virtues, the Grizzlies and Redbirds can't approximate the historical tapestry woven across generations by Tiger basketball. And from this point on, at water coolers and watering holes across the Mid-South, Calipari's sixth Memphis team will be part of the debate when the question of the greatest Tiger team is raised. If the debate is narrowed down to regional finalists, the 2006 Tigers are one of four. What about 30-win teams? The 2006 Tigers are one of two (and the only one with 33). How about Memphis teams that won both regular-season and conference-tournament championships? The 2006 Tigers are one of four. Star power? Carney scored more points in his Memphis career than everyone except Keith Lee and Elliot Perry. (More than Penny, more than Finch!) Williams and Washington will give this team three future pros (and you just might see Joey Dorsey, Antonio Anderson, and Chris Douglas-Roberts playing for pay someday). It's a team for posterity. With the end of a season comes speculation about the future, particularly in modern college basketball, where a roster's turnover becomes a complicated amalgam of pro ambitions, academic eligibility, and -- since Calipari's arrival -- even graduation. We know Carney will be in an NBA jersey come November. But who knows about Washington and/or Williams? (One man's opinion: They would each help their pro careers with another season of college ball.) If Washington stays for his junior year and Williams his sophomore, next year's club will start the season ranked in the country's top five, if not number one. But what if they don't? Willie Kemp (a guard) and Pierre Niles (a forward) will be highly acclaimed rookies at the Finch Center when practice starts next fall, and they'll make an impact, with or without this season's stars back to help roll out the red carpet. Some healthy advice for college hoop fans: Teams must now be measured as individual, one-year novellas, as opposed to chapters in a larger book. The 2005-06 Tigers were best-sellers in this category. Celebrate them for what they gave the city, and separate your memories of them from that dreadful season finale last weekend. A 33-4 team deserves that much. Once again, remember the journey, ye Tiger faithful. In two very forgettable years under Tic Price, Memphis won a total of 30 games and played nary an NCAA tournament contest. With due respect to Price's best player, Omar Sneed would come off the bench for the 2005-06 Tiger squad. And the Price "era" was but seven years ago. Dennis Freeland was as good a sportswriter as Memphis has seen in some time. He was, foremost, a professional journalist. Dotted all his i's, as they say. But he was also a graduate -- and fan -- of the University of Memphis. Objective as the day is long, Dennis was passionate about Tiger basketball. Were he here for the season just past, Dennis would have relished all the positives, all the cheers he might have covered, for it's the teams that do something special that make sportswriters pay attention, year in and year out, when most clubs simply do the best they can within fairly standard limits. A season begins, reaches its peak (or nadir), and ends. I'll tell you a secret about Dennis and his coverage of the 2005-06 University of Memphis Tigers, as I imagine it. His gaze would have remained steady, his thoughts and perspective focused as the team grew into one of the three or four greatest in the history of the program. But Dennis' heart? It would have been pounding. What Happened in Oakland? -- By Dave Woloshin The horn sounded and he collapsed to the floor, hiding his head beneath his jersey. It wasn't supposed to end this way. Not for Rodney Carney. Not for any of the Memphis Tigers. The chase for greatness ended one week too soon. One trip too soon. It was supposed to end in Indianapolis, Carney's hometown. What the heck happened in Oakland? How could every Memphis player have a bad game on the same night? John Calipari had made it clear to his team and to the national press that to be successful his stars would have to "play like stars." But a different set of stars had aligned over San Francisco Bay. It began when the NCAA selection committee bestowed the honor of a number-one seed to the Tigers. The University of Memphis had never been a one-seed before. And coming from a league like Conference USA, it was even more improbable. All the so-called experts thought your schedule wasn't tough enough. But there Memphis was, sitting at the top of the bracket. The only problem was the view. The NCAA placed the Tigers in the Oakland region, figuring Memphis was the fourth-best team in the tournament. The fourth number-one seed has the lowest priority of the top seeds and is usually forced to play farthest from home. So if the Tigers made the Sweet 16 they would head west. In the first two rounds in Dallas, the Tigers took care of business like a top seed should against Oral Roberts and Bucknell. So, it was on to Oakland! As the Sweet 16 got started, it appeared the Tigers might have destiny on their side. Their next opponent, Bradley University, a small school from the Missouri Valley Conference, had upset favorites Kansas and Pittsburgh to get to Oakland. They were a 13-seed. If you know your NCAA trivia, you know that no 13-seed has ever made it to the Elite Eight. Bradley wouldn't either. Again, Memphis took care of business, winning by 16. UCLA and Gonzaga squared off for the right to meet Memphis. The Zags dominated the game and led by nine with three minutes left. Then UCLA went on an 11-0 run and took its first lead with nine seconds left. The lead held, and suddenly, UCLA was destiny's child. Memphis had beaten both UCLA and Gonzaga earlier in the year, so it really didn't matter which team they played, right? Oh, but it did, and I'll give you 15,000 blue-and-gold-clad reasons why. The Oakland Arena looked like Pauley Pavilion-North. It was packed with UCLA fans. This was now a Memphis road game. For only the second time since the NCAA began seeding the tournament, a higher-seeded school was forced to play in the home state of a lower seed. All year long, the young Tigers had stood up to pressure. When games got physical, so did Memphis. When referee calls went the other way, the Tigers shook it off. But not against UCLA. Credit UCLA coach Ben Howland for coming up with a brilliant game plan. He decided the Bruins would play rough and clog up the middle, taking away Memphis' ability to attack the bucket. Everything UCLA planned paid off. When the Tigers tried to match their physical intensity, they were called for fouls. They became tentative. When a hard drive to the hoop became a charge, bewilderment set in. Shooting threes? That didn't work either. At the half, Memphis was 0 for 10. Bewilderment turned to panic. UCLA's crowd was in a blue and gold frenzy. What hadn't happened all season finally did. The Tigers played like the freshmen and sophomores that they are. Which gets us back to center circle and senior Rodney Carney, on the floor, trying to regain his composure. His career at Memphis is over. But his professional future looks bright. Most experts predict he'll be an NBA lottery draft choice. As for his young teammates, their future looks just as shiny. Almost every key player on this Tiger team other than Carney could be back. Add four new blue-chip recruits to the mix, and an Elite Eight repeat is not only feasible, it's expected. Sure, the hangover of disappointment still lingers, even a week later. I believe these Tigers could have won the national championship. The Tigers could have licked any of the Final Four survivors. But that doesn't take away from what this group has achieved. They are the new bench-mark for Tiger greatness. And a new chase begins in seven months.

03/30/06		Mueller and Wise Help Memphis Earn 1-0 Exhibition Shutout -- Tigers earn fourth-straight shutout of spring (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 MEMPHIS - Freshman goalkeeper Robert Mueller made the most of his first significant playing time in the spring by helping the University of Memphis men's soccer team shutout Colaiste Ide in an exhibition game on Wednesday night, 1-0. The blanking is the fourth-straight for the Tigers who have allowed only two goals in five games; both coming against Major League Soccer's FC Dallas. Mueller, a native of Kileen, Texas, played all 90-minutes for the win, saving several Colaiste Ide goal opportunities. He was named the man of the match after the game. "Robert had a great game for us," said Memphis head coach Richie Grant. "He definitely helped preserve the win." The Tigers scored the game-winner about 25 minutes into the match. Freshman Nick Dressman headed a free-kick by Tripp Harkins that was finished by freshman Grant Wise. Wise has scored in two-straight games after also making a goal against Lambuth University. "It was a very competitive, tight game," Grant said. "The game was really intense, and they got everything that we had last night. Colaiste Ide had an exceptional performance considering the amount of soccer they have played in the last six days." Led by strong performances in the backfield by freshman Thomas Hyland and sophomore Michael Coburn, the Tigers kept its shutout streak in tact. Memphis has now played over 370 scoreless minutes. The U of M will carry that streak into its final spring game against the Kansas City Wizards of the MLS in Kansas City, Mo on Sunday at 10 a.m. After being tested in its opening spring game against FC Dallas, Memphis will have the opportunity to close against a team of the highest caliber. "We're looking forward to playing Kansas City," Grant said. "They will provide a major challenge for us as we finish our spring competition." Memphis will use the money raised from its annual silent auction held tonight at South Campus to fund the trip. The team will watch the Wizards open up their 2006 season against the Columbus Crew on Saturday. Traveling with the Crew is last year's Memphis team captain Dayton O'Brien who was drafted by the team this year.

03/30/06		Spring Football: Day 9 (Commercial Appeal)
		Observations from Day 9 of the University of Memphis's spring practice: 1) Tiger quarterback Martin Hankins has made steady improvement from his first few snaps under center in spring scrimmages. In Wednesday's workout at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium he was 14-of-22 for 165 yards and a touchdown. Hankins did a lot of things well, but his accuracy may have been the most impressive. He gave his receivers a chance to make catches. At least 20 of his 22 pass attempts were catchable. He had several passes dropped. 2) Tiger noseguard Van Houston, who sat out last season with a knee infection, has had a good camp. Houston has been among the defense's top playmakers. 3) Any chance to experiment with a four-man defensive front in spring has been hurt by the departure of Cortez McCraney and injuries to Ryan Williams (shoulder) and Clinton McDonald (hamstring). And Rubio Phillips, of course, has been held out of spring recovering from a torn ACL in last year's season opener.

03/30/06		Former Rebels find football more to liking at U of M (Commercial Appeal)
		By PhilStukenborg Contact March 30, 2006 Corey Mills didn't know Jada Brown. Brown said he had never met Mills. The 19-year-olds were Ole Miss signees coming out of high school, but Mills, who graduated from high school a year earlier than Brown, left Ole Miss before Brown arrived. And then Brown departed before his freshman season began. As the University of Memphis reaches the halfway point of its spring football practice schedule, Mills and Brown no longer need to be introduced. Mills, a 6-4, 260-pound defensive lineman from Memphis, is playing regularly with the first-team defense in practices and scrimmages. Brown, a 6-2, 260-pound defensive lineman from College Park, Ga., is also playing regularly with the first-team defense in practices and scrimmages. "He's on one side of the line," Brown said. "And I'm on the other." They've been pleasant additions to a UofM line that endured several season-ending injuries in 2005, forcing defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn to employ a two-man front, on occasion, late in the season. "There's no doubt in my mind that those two guys, and (redshirt freshman) Greg Terrell, are going to help our defense," said Tiger coach Tommy West. "Right now they are giving us a lift up front." Mills and Brown are expected to bolster a unit that will welcome back senior tackles Van Houston, who sat out last season with a knee infection, and Rubio Phillips, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opening game against Ole Miss. Mills and Brown admit they are ecstatic about playing and contributing again. Mills, a former Christian Brothers High standout, did not practice last fall. He left the Ole Miss football team last spring and announced in August he was leaving the university to enroll at Memphis. "I didn't know at one point if I'd play again," Mills said. "But I found out that I missed the game. I was away a year and a half. It seemed like a pretty long time." Mills said having several former high school teammates -- Ryan Williams, Brett Russell, Philip Beliles and Brandon Pearce -- on the Tiger football team helped make his decision to return. "It's been fun so far," he said. "I'm just trying to knock off some of the rust." Brown left Ole Miss last August after being given his release and was allowed to practice with the Tigers. But he wasn't able to play. "Not being able to play ... it's like having the money to buy what you want, but you can't buy it," Brown said. "It was a learning experience." As much as Mills has enjoyed reuniting with his high school teammates, Brown has enjoyed meeting new faces. "When I finally got here the first thing I was told was that I was welcome," Brown said. "This is a family place. They let me know this was going to be a family." Brown, recruited heavily at Banneker (Ga.) High by the Tigers used last fall to absorb as much knowledge about the position as he could from several of the veteran linemen. "I got with Rubio and I got with (former Tiger) LaVale (Washington) and I got with Van Houston," Brown said. "They were showing me some hand movements, how to be tough, the little things like that." Like Brown, Mills was recruited by the UofM when he was at CBHS. Combining a rare blend of speed and quickness for a player his size, Mills finished with 21 quarterback sacks in his prep career. As a senior, was considered the top prospect in the city and one of the top three prospects in the state. "He's a beast," Brown said. "He's a freak of nature. He's got quickness and strength and the moves. And he's tough as nails." Dunn said he's excited to newcomers with such a strong work ethic. Defensive line coach Craig Boller appreciates how quick they comprehend. "They are good technicians," Boller said. "If you explain to them that you have to do this or you have to do that, or that you have to take this step, they pick it up." The emergence of Mills, Brown and Terrell this spring has been an encouraging development for West, who lost lineman Cortez McCraney Tuesday. McCraney left the team and will not return. "I love what (Mills, Brown and Terrell) are doing," West said. "They chase the ball, they play technique. And they've got a little burst to them. They aren't running at the same speed all the time." Brown, who said he "felt out of place" at Ole Miss, called Memphis a good fit from the start. "This has been like the best thing in the world for me," he said. "It's been like having a birthday every day. You can't understand how much fun football is again."

03/30/06		Tiger Football Notes (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact March 30, 2006 Quarterback Hankins shines in scrimmage The Tiger football team conducted a 77-play scrimmage Wednesday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, and quarterback Martin Hankins had, perhaps, his best spring performance. Hankins, a transfer from 1-AA Southeastern Louisiana, completed 14-of-22 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. The TD pass, a 48-yard strike to Antonino McCoy, came early in the scrimmage. McCoy caught the pass at the 30-yard line, shook free from a defender, and raced untouched for the score. Hankins completed 11-of-16 for 114 yards and two TDs in last weekend's scrimmage. "I think Martin is getting better every time out," Tiger coach Tommy West said. "For the most part he ran the system." Overall, West was pleased with his team's effort on both sides of the ball. Running back T.J. Pitts capped a 16-play, 75-yard drive engineered by Hankins with a 3-yard TD run. Running back Miguel Barnes scored three times on short runs in first-and-goal situations with the ball placed on the 5-yard line. On defense, linebacker TiQuintin Morrell stopped Pitts for a loss on a fourth-and-1 from inside the 10-yard line. "I thought it was a lot better," West said. "We just carried ourselves more like a football team today. We were moving around. "It's not perfect by any stretch, but it's improved since we got going (March 14). We didn't have a lot of errors, the ball wasn't on the ground, we didn't have a fumble or an intercept. We did some good things." Clenin gets scholarship Walk-on defensive back Derek Clenin, a senior-to-be from Memphis, was informed by West after Wednesday's scrimmage that he has been awarded a scholarship. Clenin, who attended Memphis University School, played in 12 games last season and made 17 tackles. In a Conference USA victory over UTEP, he had a key interception late in the game which he returned 26 yards to the Miner 9 to set up the game-winning touchdown. He also had a fumble recovery deep in Memphis territory in the same game to end a potential UTEP scoring threat and earned C-USA Defensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts. "There's a guy who's done everything right since he's been here," West said. "He stands for what I want this program to stand for. He's class, and he's integrity. I'm glad for him and his family." Tiger DB honored Tiger defensive back Wesley Smith, a first-team Conference USA selection each of his first three seasons, was named Wednesday to the 2006 NationalChamps.Net All-American team. Punter Michael Gibson was an honorable mention selection. Smith was the only C-USA player to earn a spot on the first three teams. Smith said being named to the C-USA team three straight years helped "get (my) name out there." Smith finished third on the team with 82 tackles last season. McCraney leaves West said Wednesday that defensive tackle Cortez McCraney, a sophomore-to-be from Southaven, has left the team and will not return. "He is no longer a part of the team," West said. McCraney (6-4, 255) walked off the field during team punishment drills Tuesday. The team went through a series of drills lasting about 40 minutes because three players skipped classes. McCraney, who played safety and defensive end as a senior at Southaven High, was a redshirt in 2004 and played in 11 games last season, finishing with 10 tackles. McCraney entered the spring listed as the No. 2 left tackle behind Brandon Douglas.

03/30/06		After leading 6-0, Tigers fall (Daily Helmsman)
		By: Tim Miller Sports Reporter Up 6-0 in the top of the fifth inning, The University of Memphis baseball team seemed in cruise control as they faced Austin Peay on Tuesday in the first game of a home-and-home series. That, however, was the problem. "We sat back and didn't attack the game," said second baseman Jordan Tolliver. Centerfielder K.K. Chalmers agreed. "We got comfortable after building up a lead," he said. Host Austin Peay (14-8) belted out the final 14 runs of the game in a 14-6 rout of the Tigers (12-11) at Raymond C. Hand Park in Clarksville, Tenn. Jacob Schroeder led off the bottom of the fifth for the Governors with a solo homerun. Two Memphis errors in the same inning led to two more runs, both unearned. Then, in the sixth inning, Austin Peay batters rattled off four straight singles that resulted in three more runs. The Governors topped off the offensive onslaught with a six-run seventh inning, capped off by a Jake Lane two-run double. "We had some big two-out hits to start the game," Tolliver said. "We made some errors, though, and they started hitting the ball well." U of M starting pitcher Philip Utley threw four shutout innings to start the game and finished his outing with five strikeouts. "Philip came out and hit the strike zone," Chalmers said. "He did a good job. Then in the fifth they got a few hits, and we didn't help with the errors. But that happens." Over the team's current three-game losing streak, the Tigers' pitching staff has allowed 31 runs. On the season, the staff is second to last in Conference USA with a 5.51 earned run average and dead last in runs given up with 148. While the pitching will have to be better if Memphis wants to end their current skid, Chalmers said he isn't worried. "We have all the confidence in the world in our pitchers," he said. "These guys do their jobs, and they're out there doing the best they can. Everyone has their bad days." The hitting for Memphis continues to be a strong point for the team. The Tigers rank second in C-USA in batting average with a .307 mark and rank sixth in runs scored. At the plate on Tuesday, The U of M was led by designated-hitter Joey Lieberman who went 2-for-4, including a three-run blast in the fifth inning. Lieberman has three homeruns on the season despite having only 17 official at-bats. "Offensively we're rolling," Chalmers said. The U of M learned a valuable lesson in the 14-6 loss to the Governors. "We have to erase what happened and realize that we can't sit on a lead like we did."

03/29/06		Tiger Spring Football Update #9 (GoTigersGo.com)
		Practice #9 Wednesday, March 29 The Tigers are more than halfway through spring practice and looking forward to the Mutual of Omaha Blue-Gray game on April 8. The squad made the trip to the Liberty Bowl today for extensive scrimmage work. Martin Hankins got most of the work under center, and had one of his best scrimmages yet. He completed 14 of 22 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown. His TD pass was a 48-yard toss to Antonio McCoy. Billy Barefield and Will Hudgens worked a couple of series. Hudgens tallied 30 yards on five completions and Barefield totaled four yards on two completions. The 48-yard toss to McCoy was the longest reception of the day, but three other Tigers had grabs of more than 15 yards. Ryan Scott caught a 19-yard pass, Carlos Singleton tallied a 16-yard reception, and Carlton Robinzine hauled in a 33-yard pass from Hankins. On the ground, T.J. Pitts and Miguel Barnes both totaled 10 carries, with Pitts rushing for 31 yards and two TDs and Barnes rushing for 32 yards and three TDs. All three of Barnes' touchdowns were when West called for the ball to be placed on the 5-yard line. Pitts had an early run of one yard for a score and then scored on a three-yard carry during the first 5-yard line scenario. Veteran Joe Doss rushed six times for 28 yards while Jamarcus Gaither tallied 16 yards on four carries. Doss had the longest run from scrimmage with a 13-yard carry on the fourth play of the 77-play scrimmage. A couple of defensive players had key pass breakups including LaKeitharun Ford, Bernard Key, Brandon McDonald, Deante' Lamar, Greg Terrell and Jamaal Rufus. On the kicking side, Trey Adams and Joey Mack both hit their field goal attempts from 37 yards out early in the scrimmage, but Kittrell Smith missed his attempt. Late in the workout, all three were called on again for 43-yard attempts and Adams was 1-2, Mack was 1-3 and Smith was 1-2. "I thought we looked a lot better today," said West. "We just carried ourselves more like a football team today. It is not perfect by any stretch, but we have improved since we have been out here. I was very pleased." West also made an announcement to the team at the end of practice that senior-to-be Derek Clenin would be placed on scholarship. Clenin, a walk-on defensive back from MUS, was named a C-USA Defensive Player of the Week following Memphis' upset win over UTEP. "Here is a guy that has done everything right since he has been here on and off the field," commented West. "He stands for class and integrity and it makes me feel good to be able to do this for him. I am really happy for he and his family."

03/29/06		Baseball Drops Fourth-Straight, 11-9 to Austin Peay -- Tigers fall to 12-12 (GoTigersGo.com)
		Austin Peay (15-8) 311 103 110 - 11 11 5 Memphis (12-12) 030 500 100 - 9 8 2 Austin Peay centerfielder Cody Youngblood went 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBI, and closer Brad Daniel thwarted a bases loaded one-out Memphis rally to notch his fourth save of the season as the Governors handed Memphis its fourth consecutive loss, 11-9 at Nat Buring Stadium, Wednesday evening. The Tigers fall to .500 for the first time this year. Daniel entered the game for David Vicini, who had hit Will Petersen and Bill Moss to lead off the inning. After giving up an infield single to Kyle Norrid, The Govs closer was able to work out of the jam and retire the side. The Governors got on the board early and often, plating runs in the each of the first four frames. Tiger's starter Lance Scoggins struggled with his command early, walking two of the first three batters he faced. Jake Lane's RBI-single to right scored Youngblood for a 1-0 lead. A sacrifice fly from Will Hogue and a single to right from James Ray capped a three-run first. Youngblood blasted a solo home run in the second to put APSU on top 2-0, but Memphis answered with three tallies in the second to close to within a run at 4-3. The Tigers took advantage of a pair of Austin Peay errors in the inning. APSU scored single runs in the third and fourth for three-run cushion. Memphis erupted for five runs in the fourth to take an 8-6 lead. Leadoff walks by Michael Murray and Ben Grisham preceded an infield single by Cory Barton. Murray scored on a fielder's choice groundball by K.K. Chalmers. Grisham was allowed to score on Gov second baseman Brandon Munsey's errant throw to first. Chalmers then scored to tie the contest when APSU catcher Matt Brown's attempt to throw Will Petersen out a second on a double steal, sailed into to centerfield. Petersen then scored on a single by Moss. Amar capped the inning with an RBI-double to rightfield The lead was short-lived as Austin Peay used a three-run double in the sixth by Youngblood to reclaim the lead at 9-8. They then tacked on runs in the seventh and eighth for the 11-9 final. Rowdy Hardy picked up his third win in two years against Memphis. He improves to 5-0 on the year. Matt Yokely was the loser for the Tigers after giving up two runs in an inning-and-a-third. The Tigers will now prepare to travel to Hattiesburg, Miss. For a Conference USA weekend series against Southern Miss. First pitch for Friday night's series-opener is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Listen to live action as "The Voice of Tiger Baseball" Jeff Brightwell calls the play-by-play action on WUMR 91.7FM.

03/29/06		Softball Earns Split With 10-2 Rout of Austin Peay -- Lady Tigers drop tough, 2-1 decision in game one of twinbill (GoTigersGo.com)
		APSU 000 110 0 - 2 4 0 Memphis 100 000 0 - 1 3 1 APSU 020 000 - 2 2 2 Memphis 304 003 - 10 14 1 SOUTHAVEN, Miss. - Leila Dolfo and Bridgette McNulty each had first-inning homeruns and Nicki Johnson pitched a two-hit gem to lead the Memphis softball team to 10-2 rout of Austin Peay in the second half of a double-header at Greenbrook Park. The win gave the U of M a split of the twinbill after it dropped a tough, 2-1 decision in game one. Memphis got off to quick starts in both games, taking first-inning leads on the Lady Govs in each contest. In game one, however, Austin Peay used a pair of late runs to take a come-from-behind victory. The story was much different in game two, with the Lady Tigers taking the leading and continuing the attack to take the win by the eight-run rule. "We're excited to get a win over a tough Austin Peay team," said Coach Windy Thees. "Nicki Johnson really had an outstanding performance, both on the mound and at the plate, to help us get the split." In addition to holding APSU to two hits and no earned runs, Johnson was 2-for-3 at the plate in game two with a two-RBI double and a run scored. Memphis took an early lead in the first game of the day, bringing its lone run across in the bottom of the first. Cara Stiles walked to lead off the inning, stole second and scored on a Kara Ross single through the right side. Austin Peay came back to tie the game in the fourth when Ami Bush doubled and scored on a Megan Brooks single. The Lady Govs then took the lead in the fifth, loading the bases with no outs before Nikki Garrett scored on a fielder's choice by Bush. Following the first-inning run APSU starter Natasha Anderson silenced the Lady Tiger bats the rest of the way to claim her seventh victory of the season. Dolfo took the loss in game one, working four innings and allowing two earned runs on four hits to fall to 3-5 on the year. The U of M managed just three hits in the first half of the double-header, with McNulty and Kimmi Hayden each picking up a double, while Ross added a single and the lone RBI. After dropping the disappointing decision in the first game, Memphis stormed back in the first inning of game two, using the homeruns by Dolfo and McNulty to take a 3-0 lead. Dolfo's blast, a two-run shot down the leftfield line, was her forth of the season, while McNulty's, a solo job down the rightfield line, was her, team-leading, ninth of the year. Austin Peay, again would not go quietly, coming back to cut the deficit to one in the top of the second on a walk, an error and a two-RBI double by Jennifer Simpkins. The Lady Tigers rebounded to increase the advantage to five in the bottom half of the third, scoring four runs on a pair of hits, a walk and two Lady Gov errors. Johnson ripped a double down the leftfield line to score Dolfo and Ross, before Laura Mahoney singled up the middle to score Hayden and Johnson and give the U of M a 7-2 lead. Memphis then ended the game in the top of the sixth, using a Stiles double and four singles in a row by Dolfo, Ross, McNulty and Hayden to plate three runs and take the eight-run advantage. Johnson took the win in game two, striking out nine in six innings to move to 8-6 on the season. McNulty was 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Stiles, Dolfo, Ross and Johnson added two hits apiece. With the split, Memphis moves to 18-15 on the season, while Austin Peay improves its record to 10-18-2. "It is good to get a win to carry us into the break," said Thees. "Hopefully we can regroup and be more consistent in the second half of the season." The Lady Tigers will have a full week off before returning to action next Wednesday, April 5, when they travel to Martin, Tenn., for a double-header against UT-Martin.

03/29/06		Wesley Smith Named a Preseason All-American By NationalChamps.Net -- Punter Michael Gibson listed on honorable mention squad (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - University of Memphis free safety Wesley Smith is the first Tiger from the 2006 squad to receive national recognition as he has been named a preseason All-American by NationalChamps.Net. Smith, who was placed on the second-team, is the only player from Conference USA to be listed on the first, second or third team. Tiger punter Michael Gibson was selected to the Honorable Mention All-America squad, along with 19 other C-USA standouts. A senior-to-be for 2006, Smith is a three-time member of the Conference USA first team. He opened the 2005 season on the Jim Thorpe Award watch list, which honors the nation's best defensive back. Last year, Smith was also named in the preseason as an honorable mention All-America pick by NationalChamps.Net and Street & Smith. A native of Oxford, Miss., Smith was ranked third on the squad in tackles with 82 last season. He has recorded nine career games of double-digit tackles, including four in 2005, and has been named a C-USA Player of the Week twice in his career. In his three seasons, Smith totals 269 tackles, nine TFL, two sacks and five interceptions. Gibson, who finished the 2005 season ranked 11th nationally in punting, is expected to make a run at the Ray Guy Award this season. He was named to the All-C-USA second-team squad last year after averaging 44.6 yards on 59 punts. He pinned the opponent inside the 20-yard line 13 times and had a long kick of 70 yards in the regular-season finale against Marshall. A native of Tupelo, Miss., Gibson was instrumental in the Tigers ranking third nationally in net punting. He also tallied 18 punts of more than 50 yards last season. Also named to honorable mention team from C-USA are: QB Kevin Kolb, Houston; QB Jordan Palmer, UTEP; WR Aundrea Allison, ECU; WR/KR Johnnie Lee Higgins, UTEP; WR Mike Walker, UCF; TE Shawn Nelson, USM; OL George Batiste, USM; OL Travis Cooley, USM; OL Cedric Gagne-Marcoux, UCF; DE Larry McSwain, UAB; DE Alex Obomese, UTEP; DE Justin Rogers, SMU; LB Nelson Coleman, Tulsa; DB/PR Joe Burnett, UCF; DB Nick Graham, Tulsa; DB Joe Sturdivant, SMU; Brandon Sumrall, USM; K Darren McCaleb, USM; and KR Jessie Henderson, SMU.

03/29/06		Tiger wide receiver finally returning to form (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact March 29, 2006 University of Memphis receiver Maurice Jones was becoming impatient. So were Tiger coach Tommy West and offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner. The UofM football team had been through nearly two weeks of spring workouts and Jones, a member of Conference USA's All-Freshman team last fall, was missing. Oh, he was there physically. He attended position meetings. He stretched with teammates before practice. He participated in drills. He played in scrimmage-type situations. Mentally, Jones couldn't be found. ''Maurice had a couple of really bad days,'' West said. Saturday, in a scrimmage at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Jones, the former White Station High standout, made an impressive return. He caught four passes for 93 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown catch from Billy Barefield. On the TD catch, Jones, who is 6-2, made a leaping grab over defensive back LaKeitharun Ford, who is 5-9, near the 35-yard line and broke free to complete the scoring play. ''He played like a man the other day,'' West said Tuesday. ''He went up and took the ball way. He really impressed me by the way he came back. "We challenged him a little bit and I thought he answered.'' It was a performance Jones needed. After finishing his freshman season as the team's third-leading receiver (15 catches, 157 yards), Jones wanted to enter spring the way he left the fall. Until last weekend, he wasn't sure if that would happen. ''I was making mental mistakes and dropping balls,'' Jones said. ''And I hadn't practiced so well the week (of the scrimmage).'' Jones had more than one spectacular, highlight-worthy reception. On a second-and-7 play from the defense's 32-yard line, he used his quick, soft hands to snare a pass from quarterback Martin Hankins that had bounced off defensive back Brandon Patterson. Another catch, on third-and-6, resulted in a 9-yard gain and a first down. ''(Receivers) coach (Clay) Helton said he was glad to see the old Moo (Jones' nickname) back,'' Jones said. ''I was happy to see him back, too.'' Jones said he knows why the first two weeks were so trying for him. He had a challenging time the past month balancing the responsibilities of fatherhood and football. His girlfriend, Leslie Long, gave birth to their son, Shawne Maurice, Feb. 16. ''So many things happen in life outside of football,'' he said. ''It took me a while to get focused. I'm still getting adjusted, but I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.'' Fichtner said it's important that Jones, and all the Tiger receivers, understand the commitment required in practice. ''Like all these guys, it isn't just football that's going on in their lives,'' Fichtner said. ''What Maurice has to understand is that when you are out here practicing for 2 to 21/2 hours ... that's when none of the rest of the world exists. You can't bring it on the field. ''When he's practicing like he plays in a game -- playing hard every play like coach Helton tells him -- then he is a very good football player.'' As a freshman, Jones was one of only three UofM receivers to have more than one TD catch during the season. He has the potential to be one of the best from a solid group of receivers, a contingent that includes seniors Ryan Scott and Mario Pratcher, sophomores Earnest Williams and Carlton Robinzine and 6-8 freshman Carlos Singleton. ''He is a big guy who can run, he's tough, he'll block and he's a great attitude guy,'' West said of Jones. ''He can be a big-time receiver. What he had been in practice was average and he can't be average because he is such a talented guy.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

03/29/06		U of M football assistant has heart surgery -- After West's bypass, several aides get tests (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact March 29, 2006 University of Memphis secondary coach Tim Keane underwent triple bypass heart surgery Tuesday, almost two months after head Tommy West had the same operation. Keane, who turned 61 three weeks ago, will miss the remaining two weeks of spring practice, but is expected to be back for his fifth season as a UofM assistant. Advertisement West underwent a triple bypass Feb. 3 at Baptist Memorial Hospital and returned in time for the March 14 start of spring practice. ''He came through it good,'' West said of Keane. ''He's back in his (hospital) room probably wondering where he is. I can relate to what he's going through. ''We'll get him well and get him back out there.'' In Keane's absence, Tiger defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn worked with the secondary at Tuesday's practice at the Murphy Athletic Complex. Keane coached the first two weeks of spring workouts, including last weekend's scrimmage at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. ''Everyone (on the staff) went and got tested (after West's operation),'' West said. ''(Keane) had high numbers. They saw the blockage. They told him at the end of last week (about having the operation).'' After undergoing his bypass, West said his doctor, Arthur Franklin, told him each member of his staff should undergo a heart scan. ''It's a good thing it was found and (Keane) got it fixed,'' West said. ''Everyone else on the staff is OK.'' Keane joined the Memphis staff in 2002 after previous stops at Kentucky (1997-2000), Louisiana Tech (1994-96), Tennessee (1990-92) and his alma mater, Arkansas State (1972-89). He served as defensive coordinator at Arkansas State from 1981 through 1989.

03/29/06		Erickson throws way to regionals (Daily Helmsman)
		By: Adam Comer Sports Reporter It is a great accomplishment to qualify for three NCAA track and field Regionals in one season. It is even more impressive when you manage to do it in your first outdoor meet of the year. University of Memphis senior thrower J.D. Erickson qualified for the discus, hammer and shot put NCAA Mideast Regionals at the Rhodes opener on March 18. He is the first Memphis athlete to qualify for three Regionals in one season. "It's a big weight off my shoulders to get it over with," he said. "Now, the rest of the season I can work on improving my events and get ready for Regionals." Coach Kevin Robinson agrees that Erickson will have an advantage by qualifying this early. He said it gives him an opportunity to relax and train that the other qualifiers may not have. "I've never had a player do something like this," Robinson said. "To do that all in one day is so impressive and a credit to him." Erickson has also earned a national honor. The National Strength and Conditioning Association recently named him the All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year. Coach Robinson nominated him for the award, and he said Erickson is always lifting or working out above and beyond what is asked of him. "He is by far one of the best strength and conditioning players I've ever coached," Robinson said. "He holds the school record for cleaning at 440 pounds, better than any other athlete in any sport." Erickson said he doesn't do anything special when conditioning. He does a lot of power lifting, pulls and squats along with running quick sprints and bleachers. While he said he is proud of the honor, it's just part of the process of being a better all-around athlete in his mind. "You have to keep in shape to perform at this level," he said. "I don't do anything more than anyone else, I just want to stay on top of things so I can compete well." He is glad to have the recognition, but he is more concentrated on preparing for the Regionals in late May. While he has improved his discus and hammer throw, he said his best chance at winning is in shot put. "I just have it down, I've always performed better at shot put," he said. "I have a good chance at discus too, but I'll have to work harder at it." Robinson agrees with that assessment, but he said with the extra time he has to train, Erickson is capable of winning all three events. "He is nowhere near where he is going to be at the end of the season," he said. "He will be a strong contender once he gets there." NCAA Mideast Regional Championships will be held May 25-27 in Knoxville, Tenn.

03/29/06		Successful spring for men's soccer (Daily Helmsman)
		By: Trey Heath Sports Reporter The University of Memphis men's soccer team will conclude their spring season this week with a home game against Ireland's Colaiste Ide and an away game against Major League Soccer's Kansas City Wizards in Kansas City, Mo. "The spring games have been great because we are getting a lot of our first-year players experience," said Richie Grant, U of M coach. The Tigers are 3-1 so far this spring, defeating Christian Brothers and Lambuth University in the Tim McCage Cup and Portamarnock FC earlier this season. The U of M's Wednesday 7 p.m. home match-up against Colaiste Ide will come against the same team that produced former Tigers Michael Coburn and Thomas Hyland and the U of M's current head coach. "I still know their two coaches," Grant said. "So it is definitely a game that we both want to win." The only loss the Tigers have suffered came to MLS's FC Dallas earlier this season. In the four games, The U of M has only allowed two goals, both at the hands of the pro club. Despite the great defense, Grant said that his young squad is still looking for someone to step up on the offensive end. "We still have a void left in our offense from our seniors that left last year," he said. "Right now, our goals have come from a variety of players. We are still looking for a striker to step up." The loss of 2004 leading goal scorer Andy Metcalf to graduation has left this year's squad with 12 freshman and no seniors. Although the Tigers have yet to find an outright offensive leader, the spring season has built the confidence of several players, said Tripp Harkins, U of M forward. "I think the goals are being spread out more because people are gaining confidence," he said. "Last fall we were looking for one or two individuals. "Now that we know we don't have the seniors and we know that we all have to step up." While the Tigers are without a senior leader, the only junior on the squad is first year U of M defenseman and Vanderbilt transfer Jamie Gilbert, who has been thrown into a leadership position, Grant said. "Jamie has stepped up and provided us a lot of leadership," he said. "He is excited to play at such a high level and has really played well." Gilbert transferred to The U of M after Vanderbilt dropped many of their athletic programs, including men's soccer. "It has been a good transition," he said. "The coaches so far have been very helpful. Besides the 6 a.m. practices, it has been really enjoyable." The U of M will finish their 2006 spring season against Kansas City at 10 a.m. Sunday. The Tigers will take on the Wizards reserve team in what might be The U of M's most challenging game this spring, Gilbert said. "This game will be great because the guys on the reserve team are trying to prove themselves," he said. "I think we can match up physically, but one or two mistakes will change the game."

03/28/06		A Bruin Bruising... (Daily Helmsman)
		By: Justin Kissell Staff Reporter OAKLAND, Calif. - Playing in a hostile environment Saturday night, the Memphis Tigers finally tasted defeat in the NCAA Tournament. UCLA beat the Tigers 50-45 to advance to the Final Four and end the Tigers' run at a national championship this season. The game started out innocently enough. Freshman guard Antonio Anderson stifled Bruin star Arron Afflalo on the first possession of the game and point guard Darius Washington grabbed the rebound. Anderson hit a quick lay-up and the Tigers drew first blood. That's about as good as it ever got for the Tigers. UCLA - who never had to leave California in the first two rounds despite being a No. 2 seed - went on a 21-7 run that was highlighted with three dunks. The Bruins (31-6) were led by center Ryan Hollins' 14 points and nine rebounds. He was named Oakland region MVP. Memphis (33-4) was led by Washington's 13 points. He was the only Tiger with double figures in scoring. In the first half, however, the Tigers were led by freshman forward Robert Dozier, who had six points and six rebounds in the first 20 minutes. But he finished the half with three fouls. He wasn't alone. Shawne Williams, Rodney Carney, Joey Dorsey and Andre Allen all had two fouls after the first half, part of the reason why UCLA shot 39 free throws in the game. The story of the game, though, was poor shooting by the Tigers. They shot 31.5 percent for the game and made only two three-pointers. Both of those came with under 12 seconds left in the game. "It was a combination of (them playing well and us playing poorly)," Williams said. "I've never felt like this after a game before." The freshman forward from Hamilton had eight points and eight rebounds in the game. In his final game wearing a Tiger uniform, Carney had one of the worst games in his career. He finished with just five points on 2-of-12 shooting - three of those points came with one second remaining. "They did a good job on transition defense," he said. Carney was visibly upset at the end of the game, as he fell to the floor and clutched his jersey over his face. "Afflalo did a good job on Carney," coach John Calipari said. "I'm proud of my team ... I'm disappointed for Waki (Williams) and Rodney to miss the Final Four." The Tigers' largest deficit of the game was 12, as they trailed 21-9 with 9:42 left in the first half. But, they cut it to three points with two Washington free throws five minutes into the second half. That was the closest Memphis could get. Playing a frustrating style of basketball, UCLA forced Memphis to slow down their up-tempo game, causing 18 turnovers. But looking at a stat sheet can't reveal the story of the game. The Tigers made three more field goals than the Bruins, yet the Bruins went to the line 24 more times. Calipari wouldn't use the officiating as an excuse. "When we missed the plays we missed, you're just begging for help out there (from referees)," he said. "We just picked a day to miss 15 one-footers." Now that the season is officially closed, the usual questions will pop up about the future of the program. The first question on the minds of many Tiger fans is about the future of Washington and Williams, who could be headed to the NBA Draft in June. As of now, Williams is undecided on his future. "Coach Cal is the man (about the decision to turn pro or not)," he said. After the Tigers slipped off the court quietly amid thousands of UCLA supporters Saturday night, Calipari summed up the game with a glazed look on his face. "We just couldn't make a basket out there tonight," he said.

03/28/06		Hard loss for Carney (Daily Helmsman)
		OAKLAND, Calif. - This was no way to end a fantastic career. It was painful to watch - the tired old game of being down a few points in the final moments of a game and having to foul over and over and over again. Watching a team so talented being forced to play catch-up is no fun. But for Rodney Carney, it was especially painful to watch. "It's real hurtful not going back out there," he said. He was obviously the most affected of this bunch of Tigers. Just like fellow NBA-bound star Adam Morrison of Gonzaga did two nights earlier, Carney collapsed at center court following Memphis' 50-45 loss to UCLA Saturday night. Bruins fans chanted "Final Four" the last few moments of the game. Bill Walton - who stuck a dagger in the Tigers' heart in the 1973 national title game while shooting 21-of-22 from the field - cheered on his alma mater. UCLA center Ryan Hollins also posted a near-perfect game from the field, hitting 6-of-7 shots, four of which were dunks. At the free throw line, however, it was a totally different story for the Oakland regional MVP. Although, he still hit more free throws (1-of-7) than the Tigers hit three-pointers (0-for-10) in the first half. In the end, poor shooting doomed Memphis - most especially Carney - who was just 2-of-12 for the game. His only shot from behind the arc came with .8 seconds on the clock and the game well in hand. It was no way to end his great career at The University of Memphis. He finished as the third all-time leading scorer in Memphis history. He leads the school in three-point shooting. On Monday he was named to the second team Associated Press All-America team. Who can forget his dunks? The eye-popping jumps he made while getting back on defense to swat a shot to the third row? The gleaming shooting form he displayed 50 feet in the air as he rose to shoot a three? UCLA guard Arron Afflalo hounded him throughout the game. Bruins coach Ben Howland said his team spent hours focusing on tape of Memphis. But the Tigers weren't a one-man team this season. Against Cincinnati in December, Carney had no points and The U of M still won. Depth was their strength. But he was the only player with any NCAA Tournament experience in his career. Carney was a quiet superstar. He displayed emotion during big plays in big games, but most of the time he led by example. He never complained about not getting to play tons of minutes this season with such a balanced team. If his coach told him to focus on defense and forget shooting for a while, he'd do it. When he fell to the court Saturday night at the Arena in Oakland, he wasn't alone. Sophomore point guard Andre Allen - one of many underclassmen on this extremely young team - picked him right back up and put his arm around him on the way back to the locker room, a sign that the future of this team has been influenced well by No. 10.

03/28/06		Sports in Short (Daily Helmsman)
		Baseball Tigers first-baseman Adam Amar was named Conference USA hitter of the week yesterday for his play against Tulane last weekend. The junior hit .583 with three homeruns and eight RBIs. In the series opener on Friday night Amar had three homeruns to lead The U of M to a 11-4 win. The Tigers went 1-2 in the series. Softball Softball was swept over the weekend by Tulsa. Memphis was outscored 16-2 in three games. Soccer In the Tim McCage Tournament held in Memphis, the Tigers earned two shutout wins to take the title. Memphis tallied a 1-0 win against Christian Brothers University and a 3-0 win against Lambuth. Tripp Harkins was named MVP with one goal. Tennis Women's tennis was shutout by UAB Sunday 7-0. The match was one of three for Memphis in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Lady Tigers dropped the other two as well, losing 7-0 to Coastal Carolina and 6-1 to East Carolina.

03/28/06		Tiger Spring Football Update #8 (GoTigersGo.com)
		Practice #8 Tuesday, March 28 The squad practiced at the Murphy Athletic Complex today, and early on things seemed like it would be the same as other days. But, after the team stretched, Coach West called them to line up for about 40 minutes of up-downs as some players had missed class. "We had to start off this way today because this team hasn't been very accountable as far as going to class, and they know my number one rule is that you go to class," said West. "We took care of that here today. Actually, I thought they were going to get to feeling sorry for themselves, but they came out and worked hard during practice and it turned out to be a good practice." Coach Joe Lee Dunn was working with the Tiger secondary today while Coach Tim Keane was in the hospital having heart surgery today. He had a procedure similar to that of Coach West who had bypass surgery on Feb. 3. Cornerback Dustin Lopez was back on the field after missing the previous seven spring practices with a sprained ankle. Receiver Earnest Williams was at practice in a boot after spraining his left ankle in last Saturday's scrimmage. The Tigers will practice again on Wednesday.

03/28/06		Baseball Unable to Hold Early Lead, Loss 14-6 at AustinPeay -- 14 unanswered runs by Austin Peay doom Tigers (GoTigersGo.com)
		CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Memphis (12-11) 000 150 000 - 6 5 4 Austin Peay (14-8) 000 053 60X - 14 15 3 Memphis scored the first six runs of the game, but Austin Peay scored 14 unanswered runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to claim a 14-6 win in the first game of a home-and-home series between the two schools. The Tigers dropped their third-straight game with the loss. Austin Peay began the comeback in the home half of the fifth inning, with a leadoff home run by Jacob Schroeder. Consecutive singles by James Ray and Tommy Smith set up an RBI fielder's choice groundout by Rafael Hill to cut the Memphis cushion to 6-2. Consecutive infield errors by the Tiger allowed two more unearned runs to cross for a 6-5 game. Four-straight singles by the Governors offense led to three runs in sixth frame and an RBI-single by Smith started a six-run seventh inning that gave APSU a 14-6 cushion. The inning was capped by a two-run double off the bat of Jake Lane. The Tigers benefited from Austin Peay errors to put together a five-run fifth inning. Joey Lieberman's third home run of the year--a three-run blast over the centerfield fence--highlighted the Tigers' big inning. Memphis sent nine batters to the plate and scored all five runs with two outs thanks to Governor miscues. After an infield error allowed Alex Fennell to reach, Will Petersen reached on a fielder's choice groundball to first base. Michael Murray was hit by a pitch and Kyle Norrid walked to load the bases for Adam Amar. The junior came through with a two-run single to right to score Petersen and Murray. Memphis broke through first in a pitcher's dual. Amar reached base on a fielding error by the Austin Peay infield. Joey Lieberman followed with a groundball to third. Amar was forced out on the play, but Governor second baseman Andrew Clement's throw to first sailed high and into the U of M dugout, allowing Lieberman to advance to second. The Tigers capitalized on that error as Ben Grisham lined a single to right centerfield to bring Lieberman home for a 1-0 Memphis lead. Josh Langley (1-1) was the loser, while APSU reliever David Vicini (2-0) earned the win. The Tigers will head back to Memphis to host Austin Peay in the finale of the home-and-home series tomorrow at Nat Buring Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Listen to live action as "The Voice of Tiger Baseball" Jeff Brightwell calls the play-by-play action on WUMR 91.7FM.

03/28/06		Softball Hosts Austin Peay in Mid-Week Twinbill -- Lady Tigers look to rebound after tough weekend at Tulsa (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - After a tough weekend in Conference USA action at Tulsa, the Memphis softball team will look to get back on the winning track Wednesday, as it hosts Austin Peay in a double-header at Greenbrook Park. Despite dropping three games to Tulsa, the U of M, at 17-14, remains above the .500 mark on the spring, and will look to improve upon that record against the Lady Govs. Austin Peay enters the twinbill with a 9-17-2 record on the season, but has played well recently and is coming off a 2-1 performance over the weekend in Ohio Valley Conference action against Jacksonville State. The pair of contests against the Lady Govs will be Memphis' only games on the week, with the squad taking a rare weekend off following Wednesday's games. Game one of the double-header is set to get underway at 3 p.m. in Southaven, Miss., with the second game to follow at approximately 5 p.m.

03/28/06		Men's Tennis Wins Fourth Straight Home Match -- Downs UC Riverside, 4-3 (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis men's tennis team picked up their fourth straight win with a 4-3 victory over UC-Riverside, on the MUS Courts, Tuesday. With just five home matches on the 2005-06 schedule, Memphis has used what little home court it can find while playing on numerous courts throughout the city to remain undefeated at home. Memphis has just one home match remaining, when the Tigers host Auburn-Montgomery, the No. 2 ranked team in the NAIA, on Apr. 7th. Memphis started off with a win of the doubles points, powered by an 8-2 win at No. 1 doubles from James Spence and Sam Withell and an 8-3 win at No. 3 from Garrison Pilant and Michael Jetter. Jetter then posted Memphis' next point with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Joe Cartledge at No. 3 singles to put Memphis up 2-0. UC-Riverside would answer back with wins at No. 1 and 5 singles, but Memphis would close out the victory with wins from James Spence at No. 2, 6-3, 7-5, and a 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-3 win from Matt Brewer at No. 4 to decide the match. UC Riverside pulled it within one more point when Gorjan Kovacevic won a third set super tiebreak 10-8 to claim the No. 6 singles match. The Tigers will pack up and head to Dallas, where they will face No. 60 SMU in a Conference USA match-up. Memphis is looking to even its C-USA record at 2-2 with the SMU contest. Memphis 4, UC Riverside 3 Doubles No. 1 - No. 24 James Spence/Sam Withell (UM) def. Mark Contreras/Frick, 8-2 No. 2 - Joe Cartledge/Norman Tam def. Tezar Putra/Matt Brewer (UM), 8-6 No. 3 - Garrison Pilant/Michael Jetter (UM) def. Peana/Bobby Tam, 8-3 Singles No. 1 - Mark Contreras def. Sam Withell (UM), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 No. 2 - James Spence (UM) def. Norman Tam, 6-3, 7-5 No. 3 - Michael Jetter (UM) def. Joe Cartledge, 6-0, 6-0 No. 4 - Matt Brewer (UM) def. Bobby Tam, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-3 No. 5 - Giancario Cava def. Tezar Putra (UM), 6-2, 6-4 No. 6 - Gorjan Kovacevic def. Garrison Pilant (UM), 7-5, 6-7, 10-8

03/28/06		Coach Tim Keane Recovering from Surgery -- Football assistant underwent heart surgery Tuesday morning (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - University of Memphis assistant football coach Tim Keane is recovering at a local hospital after undergoing successful heart surgery today. Keane, who recently completed his fourth season at the U of M, coaches the Tiger secondary. He joined the Tiger coaching staff from the University of Kentucky where he was an assistant from 1997-2000. He also had previous coaching stints at Louisiana Tech, Tennessee and his alma mater, Arkansas State. "Coach Keane came through everything fine," said Head Coach Tommy West following today's practice. "I know what he is going through, and I know what he is going to be facing in the next couple of weeks. We all wish him well during his recovery." West had a similar procedure on Feb. 3, and has been out at spring practice since its start on March 14.

03/28/06		Short-Handed Lady Tiger Tennis Team Falls 7-0 -- Memphis falls to 3-10 on the season (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Playing without No. 2 singles player Brooke Cowie and No. 3 singles player Kristin Noble, the Lady Tigers fell 7-0 to visiting Troy University at WellWorx in a non-conference match, Tuesday. Memphis was forced to default the No. 3 doubles match with just five healthy players, and suffered an 8-1 loss at No. 1 and an 8-2 loss at No. 2 doubles to fall behind 1-0 early. With a forfeit at No. 6 singles, Memphis was down 2-0 with everyone from No. 4 and back in the singles roster playing up two slots. The result was a Troy University sweep that dropped the Lady Tigers to 3-10 on the season. Memphis will have a little more than a week to get healthy, as the Lady Tigers next host Auburn-Montgomery, Apr. 7th. Troy 7, Memphis 0 Doubles No. 1 - Tsitsi Masviba/Claudia Strauss def. Andrea Feichtinger/Alex Tjioe (UM), 8-1 No. 2 - Rawia Elsisi/Annabelle Bares def. Christina Wieser/Ekin Zafir (UM), 8-2 No. 3 - Memphis defaulted Singles No. 1 - Rawia Elsisi def. Andrea Feichtinger (UM), 6-1, 6-0 No. 2 - Tsitsi Masviba def. Ekin Zafir (UM), 6-1, 6-2 No. 3 - Claudia Strauss def. Christina Wieser (UM), 6-2, 6-1 No. 4 - Annabella Bares def. Alex Tjioe (UM), 6-2, 6-2 No. 5 - Shamiaa Elsisi def. Flavia Russo (UM), 6-1, 6-1 No. 6 - Memphis defaulted

03/28/06		Tigers Place Sixth at Carter Plantation with Four Top 24 Finishes -- Fortin-Simard and Greenwell Tie for 10th (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 SPRINGFIELD, La. - Despite three golfers finishing in the top 17 and four in the top 24, the University of Memphis men's golf team finished sixth at the Carter Plantation Intercollegiate on Tuesday. For the second-straight tournament, sophomore Robbie Greenwell finished in the top 20. After tying for 17th at the Border Olympics, Greenwell earned a career-best finish, tying for 10th. The Georgetown, Ontario native shot a team-tournament best even-par 72 in the final round to finish with a 226. Greenwell finished 10-strokes behind medalist Julian Colmenares of Jacksonville State. Matching Greenwell's 226, sophomore Keven Fortin-Simard also finished in a 10th place tie. The Roberval, Quebec native fire rounds of 78-74-74 to place in the top 10 for the fourth-straight tournament. Sophomore Ian Rochester also finished in the top 20 with a 229 to place in a tie for 17th. It is the Cordova, Tenn., native's second top 20 finish in the spring and third of the year. The Tigers shot their best round of the tournament on the final day with a 297 to finish at 911. Memphis ended 15 strokes behind tournament host and champion Southeastern Louisiana University and seven strokes from second place Mississippi State and Jacksonville State. Junior Lewis Clarke ended fourth on the Memphis team with a 230, good enough to tie for 24th overall. Senior Mike Regenold finished 57th with a 253. Memphis will next compete in the Bridgestone Golf Intercollegiate hosted by UNC-Greensboro on April 3-4. Carter Plantation Intercollegiate Dates: 03/27-03/28, 2006 Round: 3 Final Results Par-Yardage: 72-7049 6 Memphis, U. of 313 301 297 911 T10 Keven Fortin-Simard 78 74 74 226 T10 Robbie Greenwell 78 76 72 226 T17 Ian Rochester 75 78 76 229 T24 Lewis Clarke 82 73 75 230 57 Mike Regenold 82 87 84 253

03/28/06		Carney To Compete In Slam Dunk Contest Thursday In Indianapolis -- Event tips off NCAA Final Four weekend festivities (GoTigersGo.com)
		INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - University of Memphis senior Rodney Carney has been selected to participate in The College Basketball Slam Dunk and 3-Point Shooting Championships presented by Dell. Carney is scheduled to compete in the slam dunk portion of the event. The College Basketball Slam Dunk and 3-Point Shooting Championships will be held on Thursday, Mar. 30 at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the Butler University campus. The event starts at 6:00 p.m. (CT), and will air on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. (CT). The ESPN announce team for the show includes Brad Nessler, Steve Lavin, Jimmy Dykes and Erin Andrews. The Tigers' 6-foot-7 forward will vie for the slam dunk title with Michigan State's Maurice Ager, Minnesota's Vincent Grier, Gonzaga's Errol Knight, North Carolina's David Noel, Cincinnati's James White, Western Kentucky's Elgrace Wilborn and Bradley's Lawrence Wright. Carney, an Indianapolis native, was a 2005-06 consensus All-America pick. He was the Conference USA Player of the Year and helped lead the Tigers to a 33-4 overall record and a spot in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight. Those players participating in the three-point shootout are Illinois' Dee Brown, St. Peter's Keydran Clark, Marquette's Steve Novak, West Virginia's Kevin Pittsnogle, Notre Dame's Chris Quinn and Butler's Bruce Horan. In the women's three-point contest, the contestants are UCLA's Nikki Blue, Michigan State's Lindsay Bowen, Notre Dame's Megan Duffy, Texas Tech's Erin Grant, Miami's (Fla.) Tamara James, Utah's Julie Larsen and Rutgers' Cappie Pondexter. For fans interested in attending the event, tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and those under 18 years of age. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or through ticketmaster.com.

03/28/06		Ticket Information for 2006 Football Season (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - We are pleased to offer Tiger fans the convenience of renewing their 2006 Tiger Football Season Tickets online at gotigersgo.com/tickets Tiger fans who renew their season tickets online by April 30, 2006 will receive a complimentary Tiger Football Media Guide (mailed out at the end of July). This offer only applies to orders placed online through www.GoTigersGo.com by April 30, 2006. As an added bonus, fans who renew season tickets by April 30, will also receive a limited edition print from the 2005 Motor City Bowl. Season renewal orders must be at the same quantity (or more) as 2005 in order to receive the media guide and Motor City Bowl print. There are additional items that can be purchased and added to your football renewal. Below is a listing of options for purchase. Chairbacks - Be the most comfortable fan in the stands! For only $28 per seat per season you can have a cushioned seat back installed to your seat at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. No more need to pack a seat back or cushion for every Tiger football game. Your waterproof "Tiger Cushion" will be waiting for you. Revenues from the "Tiger Cushion" program help support the U of M Athletic Program. Blue Lot Season Parking is available for $70. The pass is good for six Tiger home games. The pass is NOT good for the Tennessee game on September 30 due to the Mid South Fair. The Blue Lot is located on the Mid South Fairgrounds and is a reserved lot. The entrance to the lot is located on Central Avenue. CBU Lot Season Parking passes are available for only $35 and include all seven home games. The parking lot is located at Christian Brothers University and the entrance to the lot is on Central Avenue. Tiger Football Media Guide - Reserve your very own copy of the Tiger Football Media Guide and be in the know about all the players. Media Guides will not available to mail until July 30. To experience a fast, easy, and immediate confirmation of your renewal order, go to gotigersgo.com/tickets/mem-tickets.html, click on the Order Tickets Online link, then click on the Season Renewals link, and proceed to register. To renew your season tickets, you will need to register your account to access your season ticket renewal using your season ticket customer number and PIN number 9876. If you are unsure of your ticket customer number please give the Athletic Ticket Office a call at (901) 678-2331 and they can help you with your customer number. When you have logged into the site, follow the easy steps to complete your online renewal. After submitting your renewal application and payment, you will receive a confirmation page as well a confirmation email indicating the successful completion of your order. Act Now! Don't risk your paper application getting lost in the mail - renew online today for immediate confirmation. We hope you enjoy the efficiency and convenience of ordering your season tickets online. If you need assistance or have any questions, please feel free to call the ticket office at 901-678-2331. Thank you for supporting the Tigers!

03/28/06		Men's Soccer Plays Final Spring Home Game Wednesday -- Tigers undefeated in three previous spring home games (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis men's soccer team will host its final spring home game on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex against Ireland's Colaiste Ide. The event is free to the public. The Irish team has produced Memphis head coach Richie Grant as well as current Tigers Michael Coburn and Thomas Hyland. Memphis is 3-1 in spring competition and enters the exhibition after winning the Tim McCage Cup over the weekend. The Tigers defeated Christian Brothers University, 1-0, in double overtime and Lambuth University, 3-0. The U of M defense has allowed only two goals in the four games, both coming in a 2-0 loss to FC Dallas. Memphis will play its final game of the spring against Major League Soccer's Kansas City Wizards in Kansas City, Mo., on Sunday at 10 a.m. The Tigers will hold its annual silent auction on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Murphy Athletic Complex on South Campus. Seats are still available for the event.

03/28/06		Adam Amar Earns Recognition on College Baseball Foundation's Weekly Honor Roll -- Three home run outing earns Tiger first baseman more accolades (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - A day after being named Conference USA's Hitter of the Week, junior first baseman Adam Amar earned a spot of the College Baseball Foundation's Weekly Honor Roll. Amar is the second Tiger to garner CBF Honor Roll recognition this year. Freshman Scott McGregor was named to the weekly list back on Feb. 28 after a being tabbed the league's Pitcher of the Week. Amar's week was powered by a three home run performance that led Memphis to an 11-4 win over No.14 Tulane in Friday night's C-USA opener. The Lake Mary, Fla., native hit .583, with 16 total bases, seven hits, three home runs and eight RBI in the weekend series versus the 14th-ranked Green Wave. In five games last week, 6-4 250-pound first baseman hit .444, with a triple, three homers and nine RBI. He now leads Conference USA in hitting with a .377 average. Amar's went 4-for-5 with seven RBI in his career-night against Tulane. Amar's first-career multi-home run outing tied him for the school record for homers in a single game. The seven runs driven in tied a season-high and was just one RBI short of the program-record for RBI in a game. It was the second time a Tiger hitter has reached the seven-RBI mark in the span of a week. Kyle Norrid hammered a pair of homers and drove in seven in a 15-1 win over Southeast Missouri State on March 18. Amar is the ninth Tiger to hit three home runs in a game. Josh Payne was the last Tiger to hit three round-trippers, doing it in a 24-1 route of UT-Martin in 2003. The Tigers are in action today at Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tenn. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at APSU's Raymond C. Hand Park. Memphis will return to Nat Buring for a 6:30 p.m. contest with the Govs tomorrow.

03/28/06		If the Tigers are 'fair', Cal won't go anywhere (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact March 28, 2006 Amid rumors and speculation, John Calipari was clear. So long as the University of Memphis is "fair" and stays committed to having a "Top 10 basketball program" he will continue to coach the Tigers even if the likes of Indiana come calling. "Why would I leave? We have a Top 10 program. Why would I choose to leave?" Calipari said Monday night after a newspaper report -- one he ultimately disputed -- named him as the leading candidate at Indiana. "I know how high the expectations are (at Memphis), and if I didn't think this program could meet those expectations, then I wouldn't stay. But I think we can meet the high expectations people have." Calipari's comments came on the same day a report in The Bloomington (Ind.) Herald-Times suggested he was the top candidate at Indiana and cited unnamed sources stating he was already "negotiating" with the school. "I haven't negotiated with anybody," Calipari said. "That's not true." Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson said Monday nobody from Indiana or a firm working on behalf of Indiana had contacted him seeking permission to speak with Calipari, which is a general courtesy in most coaching searches. Johnson added he plans to meet with Calipari soon and implied he will likely redo parts of his contract that already runs through 2010 and pays the Tiger coach nearly $1.5 million per year. "John has done a great job, and we want to recognize that," Johnson said in reference to a 33-4 campaign that ended with Saturday's loss to UCLA in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. "Obviously, I will do anything possible to keep him and his staff." According to Calipari, it shouldn't take much. Time after time Monday, he said he did not want to "go back-and-forth" with Johnson and only desired to have all aspects of his program rival those of other Top 10 programs. Among the things Calipari mentioned are increased salaries for his assistant coaches and assurances that neither the academic funding nor the recruiting budget nor the number of chartered flights the Tigers enjoy during the season will be decreased. Beyond that, he offered few specifics while only repeating that if the UofM continues to show the commitment it's forever shown then he is committed to remaining its basketball coach. "They've always been more than fair to me, so I don't expect anything other than that they're going to be more than fair," Calipari said. "I want to be the coach here. I think they want me to be the coach here. Let's just go." With that, it appears Calipari is all but certain to return to Memphis for a seventh season. Now the question is whether he'll be joined by freshman Shawne Williams and sophomore Darius Washington. On Monday, Calipari said he still hasn't sat down with either player, and that no decision is imminent. But he placed the early odds at "60-40" that both Williams and Washington will enter the NBA Draft. "Right now I think Shawne would be in the middle of the first round, and Darius would be late in the first round," Calipari said. "But all I'm going to do is get them all the information they need, and then let them make a decision. It's not about us. It's about what's best for those two kids."

03/28/06		AP honors Carney with All-America second team (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact March 28, 2006 Rodney Carney on Monday became just the fifth University of Memphis basketball player in history to be named an Associated Press All-American. He was on the second team. Carney is the first AP All-America at Memphis since Penny Hardaway was on the first team in 1993. The only others were James Bradley (third team in 1978), Keith Lee (second team in 1982, second team in 1983, third team in 1984 and first team in 1985) and William Bedford (third team in 1986). "I'm proud of Rodney," Memphis coach John Calipari said. "He had a great career." A 6-7 forward, Carney averaged 17.2 points and 4.3 rebounds this past season. He finished his career with 1,901 points, which ranks third in school history behind only Lee (2,408 points) and Elliot Perry (2,209 points). The skill that made Carney a constant highlight during his four-year career will be on display this week in Indianapolis despite the Tigers not making the Final Four. He will participate in the dunk contest on Thursday. Memphis sophomore Darius Washington was named an honorable mention AP All America. He averaged 13.4 points and 3.1 assists per game. Duke standouts J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams headlined the first team. They were joined by Gonzaga's Adam Morrison, Villanova's Randy Foye and Washington's Brandon Roy. Dee Brown (Illinois), Rudy Gay (Connecticut), P.J. Tucker (Texas) and Leon Powe (California) joined Carney on the second team. Craig Smith (Boston College), Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), Nick Fazekas (Nevada), Allan Ray (Villanova) and Glen Davis (LSU) comprised the third team. "Both J.J. and Shelden are deserving of this honor," said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. "They have produced on the court at a high level all season and throughout their entire careers at Duke. They both understand that individual awards like this come about as a result of throwing themselves into what is important for our team. It is quite an accomplishment for teammates to be named first team All-America by The Associated Press." A rematch with UCLA? Calipari said Monday night that earlier in the day he received an offer to play UCLA in next season's John R. Wooden Classic. It would be a rematch of the Elite Eight game that Memphis lost this past weekend, 50-45. "We might do it," Calipari said. "We've just got to look at the dates." If Calipari accepts the invitation, the Tigers will play UCLA on Dec. 9 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, Calif. USC would play a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the first-half of the doubleheader. Tip-ins Calipari said Monday he is working to get Waki Williams invited to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, which serves as a combine of sorts for seniors trying to embark on a professional career. Calipari added that Grizzlies president Jerry West is also working on behalf of Williams. ... After sleeping in Monday, Calipari will be back on the road today. He said he's going recruiting, looking at juniors who could help fill the Class of 2007. Some information from the Associated Press

03/28/06		Tigers fans sound off (Commercial Appeal)
		Congratulations, Tigers, for the long run In reading Sunday's paper, I was astonished at the negativity of the articles relating to the Tigers loss to UCLA Saturday. They had a bad game. It happens. What everybody fails to realize is the magic that the Tigers created for the city this year. Once again, whether the national media recognizes it or not, Memphis basketball has given everybody in Memphis something to rally around. It was refreshing to see updates for the Tigers blazened across the evening news. It gives the citizens of Memphis a break from the overwhelming bad news that we see on a daily basis. To Rodney Carney: Thanks for a great career at Memphis. Your poise, leadership, grace and love for your team and adopted city is the legacy of your career here, not whether or not Memphis was able to win the national championship. As a grateful fan, I will greatly miss your high flying, always smiling effort on the court. You are a credit to your family, and Memphis wishes you nothing but the best for your career. We will never forget you! To Coach Cal: Thanks for a memorable season. We loved to watch you coach and can't wait to see you in action with our beloved Tigers again next year. You're the greatest. Scott Wilkinson Southaven A sports therapist could make a lot of money in this town right about now. Trying to uncover what went wrong with this dream season. This is as bad as it gets. We heard all the stories about how we were going to be the first No. 1 seed ever beaten by a sixteen; all righty then, got past that hurdle. And how fortunate we were to be in the Elite Eight considering who we played to get there, that one still lingers. Why is it that so much of Memphis' national reputation and identity seems to run through our college basketball program? Why do we feel like we're the Rodney Dangerfield of the sports world? I'm personally OK with that, everyone loved Rodney. Speaking of Rodney, Carney that is, you made us proud. We're going to miss your circus slams, your ever-present smile, and that thing you did hitting you head with your fists. You were never mired in controversy, always out there doing yeoman duties, doing whatever it took to get the win. So what, you weren't on your game against, well you know, I still can't bear to utter the name. You won with class and unfortunately lost this last one the same way. How fitting, however insignificant, that your last shot would be a three. That's the Rodney Carney I'll always remember, always trying, never giving up no matter how insurmountable the odds. Thanks for the memories and good luck at the next level. So, no this doesn't mean we somehow don't measure up with the elite of the college basketball programs in the nation. We know who we are and how tenaciously we played all season, we don't care if some Big East-loving, so-called analyst says we were never serious contenders. Or do we. Barry S. Blancq Bartlett To the Memphis Tigers and Coaching Staff: The song has ended, but the melody lingers on. Thank you for a million thrills. We're proud of you! Eleanor and Bert Canfield Germantown Congrats to our Tigers!!! We should be so proud. I graduated from Memphis and have been a Tiger basketball fan since I can remember things. I was a Coliseum kid -- we ran around the Coliseum and were allowed on the floor right next to the cheerleaders and the team. My brother and I would wait around after the game for the stat sheets. I have since moved to Charleston, S.C., and have been distraught that I have not been able to attend a single Tiger game this year. I have been proud to call this team my own and have watched every national game or followed along via Game-tracker online. Although losing in the Elite Eight hurts, Memphians should be proud of this team and the spirit they inspired in this city. Although a young team, they made us believe in greatness and they were. I know that if I still were in Memphis I would be the first in line at their parade. These Tigers deserve that honor. Proud to wear blue, Christie Johnston Charleston, S.C. Did flying over 2,000 miles to Oakland, Calif., to watch a basketball game get me down? Noooo. Did staying in a 12-by-13-foot hotel room get me down? Noooo. Did paying more for that small room than some paid for a suite get me down? Noooo. Did paying $50 for breakfast get me down? Noooo. Did watching our young team play the worst game I have ever seen get me down? Noooo. Did sitting on a bus for 2 hours and 45 minutes waiting for the plane get me down? Noooo. Did waiting another hour on the plane because someone stopped up the toilet get me down? Noooo. Did not being able to have a beer on the plane because of some stupid NCAA rule get me down? Noooo. Did finally getting in my bed at 5:30 in the morning get me down? Noooo. Why am I not down? Funny you should ask, it's because I'm a fan, I don't play, I don't coach, I don't second guess. My job is to cheer loudly for my team. Thank you, Coach Cal and the UofM Tigers for a wonderful year and loads of good memories. Rommy Hammond Memphis

03/28/06		Editorial: Wait until next year (Commercial Appeal)
		The 2005-2006 basketball season was a heady experience for the University of Memphis men's team and its fans: Most wins (33) in Tiger history, Conference USA regular-season and tournament champs, a rare trip to the round of eight in the national championship tourney and a brand of fast, risk-oriented play that made the games a pleasure to watch. Even when the Tigers were bounced from the tournament by UCLA, as it turned out, they were losing in good company: just one among four top-seeded teams that fell short of the semis. Coach John Calipari and his very likeable, youthful squad deserve credit for a fabulous season. We believe that every player with remaining eligibility should return next season, which holds a lot of promise for players and fans alike. With all due respect to senior superstar Rodney Carney, who must move on to the next level, and Shawne Williams, a likely departure, the 2006-07 team will have the goods for greatness. More seasoning on the court and in the classroom will have positive effects on these players' skills and maturity. After tasting the Elite Eight, just imagine how a bite of the Final Four would taste. They could make a lot of basketball fans in this roundball-crazy town very, very happy this time next year. Whatever happens, the season provided lasting memories. This team will be mentioned in the same breath as the 1973 Tigers, the 1985 Tigers and the brilliance of players like Larry Finch, Keith Lee and 'Penny' Hardaway. In Memphis, that's about the closest thing to immortality we have to offer.

03/27/06		Johnson: Calipari-to-Indiana rumors untrue (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact March 27, 2006 University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson has taken issue with this morning�s report in The Bloomington (Ind.) Herald-Times that cited unnamed sources stating John Calipari is in negotiations to be the next basketball coach at Indiana. "I talked to (Calipari) this morning," Johnson said. "That�s not true." The report � admittedly sourced on "rumor" � states Calipari is in discussions with IU about improving facilities. It suggested he is now the leading candidate to replace Mike Davis, who resigned amid criticism during this past season. When read the above excerpt from the article, Johnson replied "That�s news to me." He added no one from Indiana or a firm working on behalf of Indiana has contacted him to request permission to speak with Calipari in what would be a gesture considered common courtesy among coaching searches. Advertisement Calipari, fresh off Saturday�s loss to UCLA in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment this afternoon. But Johnson said he and his sixth-year coach will reconvene soon to have the normal season-review meeting, one that could result in an increase to a package that already pays Calipari roughly $1.5 million per year. "He had a great year and we always want to recognize that," Johnson said. "Obviously, I will do anything I can to keep him and his staff." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

03/27/06		Tigers Tied for Sixth after Opening Day at Carter Plantation -- Four Memphis Golfers in Top 28 (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 SPRINGFIELD, La. - Four University of Memphis golfers finished the first day of the Carter Plantation Intercollegiate in the top 28 on Monday, helping the Tigers end the second round in a tie for sixth. Southeastern Louisiana heads into the final round in first place with a 600. The Tigers are 14-strokes back in the 12-team field with a 36-hole 614 after rounds of 313 and 301. Only two golfers shot rounds below par in the first two rounds of the tournament hosted by Southeastern Louisiana University. Jacksonville State's Julian Colmenares leads the tournament with a 1-over 145. Reigning National and Conference USA Player of the Week Keven Fortin-Simard leads the Tigers with an 8-over 152 through the first 36 holes. The sophomore is tied for 14th after rounds of 78 and 74. One-stroke behind Fortin-Simard is fellow sophomore Ian Rochester who had opening rounds of 75 and 78 to end the day tied for 20th with a 153. Sophomore Robbie Greenwell is tied for 23rd at 154 after rounds of 78 and 76, and junior Lewis Clarke is tied for 28th with a 155 after shooting 82 and 73. Senior Mike Regenold rounds out the team with a 169 and is in 57th. The Tigers will compete in the final round of the three-round tournament on Tuesday. Carter Plantation Intercollegiate Dates: 03/27