Trip's Tigers: News Archives January 2007

01/31/07		No. 11 Tigers Run Win Streak To 10 -- Douglas-Roberts registers a game-high 23 points in 87-65 victory over UCF (GoTigersGo.com)
		ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Coach John Calipari wants Memphis forward Joey Dorsey to be like Lawrence Taylor. "Where every time you drive you're looking for number 56," he said. The 6-foot-9 junior forward looked like it Wednesday night, scoring 22 points inside and grabbing nine rebounds as No. 11 Memphis routed UCF 87-65. "What you saw today, a little bit of Lawrence Taylor," Calipari said. "But he hadn't played like this every night. This was his best game by far." Chris Douglas-Roberts added 23 points and Memphis (18-3, 8-0 Conference USA) led from the tip in its 10th straight win. The Tigers finally shrugged a three-game shooting slump, hitting 57 percent from the field after shooting less than 40 percent its past few outings. UCF made 50 percent, but turned the ball over 22 times to Memphis' 11. Douglas-Roberts scored 15 in the first half, and had six points in a 1:23 second-half span on two acrobatic layups and a driving dunk in traffic. He finished 9-of-13 from the field and had four assists. "That's about as well as my team can play," Calipari said. Josh Peppers led the Golden Knights (15-6, 4-3) with 20 points, and no other UCF player cracked double figures. The loss broke UCF's 12-game home winning streak dating back to last season. "We just got complacent, and I'm really not sure why," UCF guard Mike O'Donnell said. "We had some guys that should've stepped up today and they didn't." Dorsey put in back-to-back misses for dunks within 30 seconds of one another to give Memphis a 66-46 advantage with just under 10 minutes left. The lead ballooned to 27 points on Willie Kemp's 3-pointer with about 6 1/2 minutes to go. UCF didn't score in the game's first three minutes, and didn't get its second basket until 2 1/2 minutes after that. Down by 11, the Golden Knights mounted an 11-5 run to draw within five. But Douglas-Roberts had four points on a 12-2 Memphis spurt in the last four minutes of the first half that put the Tigers up 42-27. The 4,800-person advance sellout was UCF's first in school history, and Memphis was only the second Top 25 team to play the Golden Knights at home. The first was No. 25 Charleston in December 2002, the only game against a ranked opponent UCF has won in 17 all-time tries. The win gives Memphis an 8-0 record in January, just the sixth time in school history the Tigers have completed the month unbeaten. Calipari did it at Memphis one other time, going 7-0 in the 2000-01 season.

01/31/07		Softball Prepares for Upcoming Season -- Lady Tigers begin home schedule in Southaven (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 Practice is underway for the University of Memphis softball team as the squad prepares itself for perhaps an even more challenging season in its second year of play. After finishing the 2006 inaugural season with a 28-26 record, the Lady Tigers begin their season in a three-day tournament hosted by No. 7 LSU beginning Friday, Feb. 9. Along with the tournament host, Memphis will also battle Centenary, Missouri and Middle Tennessee. The LSU tournament is one of three events Memphis will participate in that are hosted by nationally ranked teams. The Lady Tigers will also travel to the alma mater of Memphis head coach Windy Thees to participate in the Sunshine State Classic hosted by No. 25 Florida State. Memphis will also take on No. 2 Tennessee in Knoxville in April. "I'm excited for this season," Thees said. "We have the opportunity to play in some top 20 teams' tournaments. I think with the experience our girls received last year, this is going to be the next step for us; to play some more challenging competition early on and see where we need to improve." Memphis will open its home schedule on Valentines Day, Feb. 14, in a doubleheader against Alcorn State beginning at 2 p.m. As the Lady Tigers wait for their new stadium to be completed, the team will once again play its home matches at Greenbrook Park in Southaven, Miss. The facility is an eight-field complex located about 13 miles from the U of M campus and served as the home park for Memphis during the 2006 season. The Lady Tigers will host the Blues City Classic on February 23-25. The three-day tournament will include Alabama A&M, SEMO, Evansville, Central Arkansas and Mississippi Valley State, a 2006 NCAA Tournament team. Memphis returns 12 letterwinners for the 2007 season. With eight of nine starters returning and a new stadium to be completed during the season, excitement continues to surround the Memphis softball program. The squad returns all of its pitching experience, including team leader senior Jenna Kubesch who ended the season with a 13-12 record and a 1.87 ERA with 158 strikeouts. Also back from last year is senior third baseman Bridgette McNulty who earned All-Conference USA Second Team last season after hitting .354 with a team leading 12 home runs and 42 RBI. Memphis also returns two All-Conference Freshman Team selections in sophomore utility/pitcher Leila Dolfo and catcher Kimmi Hayden. "We have a great mix of personalities on this team," Thees said. "I really look forward to seeing them all on the field. It's nice this year to have returners. They kind of know what I expect from them, and they are teaching the freshman without it all having to come from the coaches like last year." UTEP will host the Tigers on March 17-18 in El Paso, Texas, to open up the Conference USA schedule. The Lady Tigers finished its inaugural season seventh in C-USA with a 10-13 in the conference. "I think our conference is going to be very tough this year," Thees said. "We now have a feel for everybody and where they are at. We're a very strong conference and a very balanced conference. I think the difference between the best team and the worst team isn't very big. It's just who can peak at the right times and who can play consistent softball. "That's what we are really going to strive for this year now that we have a little bit more experience," Thees continued. "We're going to aim at getting that consistency this year so we can play at a higher level every time we step on the field."

01/31/07		Lady Tigers Close out Road Swing With Two Games -- Memphis to face Marshall, Thursday, and East Carolina, Saturday (GoTigersGo.com)
		For 35 minutes, the Memphis Lady Tigers looked to have a chance to pick up a second road win in its third try at UAB, Saturday. But a five-minute scoring drought from around the 7:00 minute mark until the 2:21 minute mark allowed UAB to spurt out to an 11-0 run and to use the free-throw line to hold off Memphis in an 84-77 Lady Blazer victory, Saturday. While Memphis is embarking on a two-game road trip against league-leader Marshall, with a Saturday afternoon stop at East Carolina, a team that's at .500 in the league standings (4-4 heading in to the weekend), the Lady Tigers are hoping to grow on some progress that they made against the Blazers. For the first time this season, Memphis had a pair of players finish with more than 20 points. That marked the first time since February 8 of 2004 that two Lady Tigers scored 20 or more points. Jennifer Sullivan (26) and Princess Swilley (20) were the last to accomplish that feat, against East Carolina. Senior Devin Necaise may have shot her way out of a funk, hitting 8 of 18 shots from the field, but going 6-for-13 from three point range to finish with 24 points, her third 20+ point game of the season. Leading scorer Aroha Jennings also passed the 20-point mark, hitting 21 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including a 3-for-5 mark from beyond the arc and a 6-for-9 stroke from the free-throw line. Freshman Alysse Davis also got in to the double-digit scoring action, tying a career high with 11 points for her fifth career double-digit scoring game. But Memphis also gave up 13 shots from beyond the arc, including six to Diamond Rogers, the sister of former Lady Tigers Raven and Tamika Rogers. Between Rogers' 28 points, C-USA leading scorer Carmen Guzman's 22 points and 15 points from Fatiha Salaam, Memphis fell just short on the scoreboard despite all 10 Lady Tigers who played scoring points. Memphis held a halftime lead for the first time since Dec. 15th in the UAB game, but 12 second half turnovers proved costly as the high-paced game came down to who went on the last scoring run of the night. Now Memphis will face two very different teams as the Lady Tigers travel to Marshall and East Carolina this weekend. Marshall came back from a half time deficit against East Carolina to pick up a 69-59 win, Sunday, as four members of the Thundering Herd scored double digits, led by 15 points from Meg Withrow and 13 points from LaShawna Curry. Marshall will look to post player Modupe Ishola to keep Memphis off the glass and to pound away on the Lady Tiger defense. Ishola picked up her 11th double-double of the season against ECU, finishing with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Memphis vs. Marshall This is the fifth meeting between Marshall and Memphis, and the Lady Tigers are still looking for their first win against the Thundering Herd since Marshall joined Conference USA last season. Earlier this season, Memphis came out and shot just 29 percent in the opening 20 minutes against Marshall, but managed to only trail 32-24 at the half despite Marshall shooting 47.8 percent. But Marshall used balanced scoring from its bench, getting 43 of its 69 points from players off the bench, in the 69-50 win in Memphis. Memphis managed to barely get two players in double figures as Aroha Jennings scored 11 points and Jazmyn Green added 10. Devin Necaise was held to eight points and was 1-for-11 from three-point range in that game. Two Over 20 in Same Game for First Time Since 2004 Devin Necaise (24 points) and Aroha Jennings (21 points) both scored over 20 points in the loss at UAB in Memphis' last game. That marked the first time since Feb.. 8, 2004 that two Lady Tigers scored 20 or more points in the same game. In that game, against East Carolina, Jennifer Sullivan scored 26 points while Princess Swilley scored 20 points. Memphis has never had three players score 20 or more points in a game. Alysse Davis fell nine points shy of the 20-point mark against UAB, finishing with a career-high 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting. Thornton Turns Up the Rebounding Over the last five games, Ashley Thornton has either grabbed double-digit rebounds, or gotten stuck at nine. Thornton, who is averaging 10.8 rebounds per game over the last five games, has had nine rebounds in the last three Lady Tiger road games (at Southern Miss, UCF and UAB). The Pinson, Ala., native is also averaging 8.2 ppg over the last five games. Offense Coming Off Best Effort of C-USA Season The 77 points scored by Memphis at UAB and the 42.2 percent shooting mark was the best of the season for Memphis since league play began. The 14 three-point field goals made and the 50 percent shooting clip from beyond the arc were also single season highs. But the Lady Tiger shooters may have a point to prove in the Marshall game, as the 50 points Memphis scored at home against the Thundering Herd two weeks ago was the program's lowest-scoring output of the conference schedule and marked the first time in four meetings that Memphis had been held to under 65 points against Marshall. Cleaning the Glass Especially Important in League Play Memphis has out-rebounded its opponents just eight times in the first 22 games of the season, but three of those have been against league competition and have come in the last five games. In the last five games, all C-USA contests, Memphis has been out-rebounded by a total of just six rebounds (194-188). The work on the glass will be especially important this weekend as Marshall and ECU both have players who average a double-double due to their size down low. That also hurts the Lady Tigers' defensive points in the paint stat as a lot of those rebounds down low are stuck backs for easy buckets. Green in a Generous Mood Freshman point guard Jazmyn Green has been in a generous mood of late, handing out a career-high five assists in the loss at UAB. Over the last seven straight games, Green has played over 13 minutes, and is now third on the team with 35 assists (1.5/game) on the season. She has also hit a three in three straight games, and is 5-for-7 from beyond the arc over the last three outings. Leonard Edges Closer to 500-Point Mark; Approaching 50th Career Game Memphis sophomore Paris Leonard is just seven points shy of the 500 career point mark. Over her 1 1/2 year career, Leonard is averaging 10.3 points and has played in 48 career games. If she plays in both road games this weekend, she will be suited up for her 50th career game at East Carolina, Saturday. Thornton Nails 200th Career Point; Looking for 200th Career Rebound Ashley Thornton scored seven points in the loss at UAB, shooting 3-for-11 while grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. The seven points gives her exactly 200 points in her first year as a Lady Tiger. Thornton is also approaching her 200th career rebound, with 187 total rebounds heading in to Thursday's game at Marshall. Necaise 15 Shy of 1,000 Senior guard Devin Necaise is just 15 points shy of her 1,000th career point heading in to Thursday's game at Marshall. Necaise, who is also second in school history with 162 three-point field goals made, is coming off a 24 point night at UAB. The UAB game marked the first time in five games that Necaise managed to get to double-digit points as league opponents have forced her to the perimeter, where she is 9-for-37 over the last five games. She snapped a shooting drought from beyond the arc in a big way against UAB, hitting six threes, but still attempting 13 in the game, her second-highest three-point field goal attempt mark of the season. Necaise needs just four more three-point field goals to tie the senior single season record set by former teammate Tamika Butler last season. Davis Ties Career Scoring Mark Against UAB Freshman Alysse Davis tied her single season high with 11 points in the loss at UAB. Davis, who was 3-for-6 from three-point range in that game, has now scored double-digits in five games. Her 11-point career high was set in her very first game as a Lady Tiger, when she hit 11 points against Winthrop. Davis has knocked down 16 threes on the season, the 10th-best single season mark of any Lady Tiger freshman. She needs to hit three more to get to 19 which would tie her with Tamika Butler's (2002-03) and Raven Rogers' (2001-02) marks from their respective freshmen seasons. Davis also grabbed her 50th career rebound at UAB and has now scored 107 points in her young Lady Tiger career. Adams Rebounding Numbers Looking Eerily Familiar Against Marshall, freshman Hope Adams had three offensive rebounds and one defensive rebounds; against Marshall, she had three offensive rebounds and one defensive rebound; and at UAB she had, you guessed it, three offensive rebounds and one defensive rebound. The freshman from Oxford, Miss., now has 41 offensive rebounds on the season, which ranks second on the team with Ashley Thornton's 63 boards. On the defensive glass, Adams is tied for 8th. Adams Has Second Double-Digit Scoring Night of Career Freshman Hope Adams had her second career double-digit scoring night with 11 points in the loss to East Carolina. Adams was 4-for-6 from the field, was 2-for-2 from the free-throw line and 1-for-1 from three-point range. Adams is also one of the team's better offensive rebounders. Her 38 rebounds is second on the team, despite averaging just 16.8 minutes per game (fifth on the team). Against UAB in the first meeting, Adams had just two offensive rebounds. The entire team's work on the boards will be key to snapping the current losing skid. Fantroy Moves to Fifth in Freshman Record Book Freshman point guard Se'erra Fantroy moved to fifth in the Memphis freshman record book by handing out nine assists over the last two games. She now has 68 assists on the season, which is just four behind Freda Fields' (1988-89) mark from her freshman season. More importantly for Fantroy, she has nine assists against just four turnover in the last two games, but will be looking to improve on her last outing against Marshall, when she had zero assists against three turnovers while playing a season-low 17 minutes. Valuing the Basketball The Lady Tigers have battled turnovers throughout the last four games prior to the UAB game, committing a season-high 35 turnovers at UCF, then committing 29 turnovers in the home game against Marshall. The Lady Tigers cut back on the turnovers in the ECU game, committing 17, but could not convert on the offensive end to take advantage of more offensive possessions. That number got even lower against UAB, where Memphis had just two turnovers at halftime, but finished with 14 for the game. Against the athletic Marshall guards, the Lady Tigers will have to continue to be smart with the ball and to move on offense when Marshall tries to trap. Jennings Becomes Team's Leading Scorer Junior forward Aroha Jennings has scored double-digits in 11 of the last 14 games, including last four straight. She now leads the team with 11.5 ppg overall and is averaging 13.0 ppg in league play. Jennings also leads the team with 13 steals against C-USA competition and is third on the team with 15 assists. Overall, she leads the team with 29 steals and is second on the team with 39 assists on the year. Charge! Memphis has drawn 22 offensive charges in the first 22 games of the season. Aroha Jennings and Ashley Thornton lead Memphis with six charges drawn. Jazmyn Green is second with five charges drawn. Devin Necaise has two on the season, while Megan Gooch, Robin Jones and Paris Leonard all have one. Trying to Avoid a Historical Streak The Lady Tiger losing streak is at 11 games. The longest streak in school history is 12 games, a streak the Lady Tigers tied last season after the 1989-90 team set the initial streak. Memphis snapped last year's streak with a win over UTEP in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Jones Knocks Down 100th Point Freshman Robin Jones hit just one of three free-throws in the loss to East Carolina, but it was enough to get her to the 100-point mark for her young Lady Tiger career. She would add four more points, and now stands at 106 points in 22 Lady Tiger career games. She has scored in seven straight Lady Tiger games heading in to the Marshall game. Note to the Opposition: Don't Foul 23 Lady Tiger opponents might want to avoid sending senior Devin Necaise to the free-throw line. This year, Necaise is shooting 95.7 percent from the line (45-for-47) and is hitting 89.0 percent from the charity stripe for her career. Necaise leads Conference USA in free-throw shooting but has not made enough free-throw attempts to make it in to the NCAA statistics, which require a player to have attempted 2.5 free-throws per game in order to be ranked. With the same shooting percentage with enough attempts, Necaise would be leading the country in free-throw shooting. Last Conference Road Win It's been over two calendar years since Memphis has picked up a Conference USA road win, but maybe it's location, location, location. Memphis' last road win was at UAB, on Jan. 21, 2005. Thornton Grabs Fourth Career Double-Double Sophomore Ashley Thornton scored her fourth career double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds in the loss at Southern Miss. The four double-doubles ties her with former Lady Tigers Ashley Howard (2005-06), Patrice Boyd (1999-2001), Michelle Winrow (1988-90) and Kitty Allen (1994-97). Leonard Has Jackson Within Sights Sophomore guard Paris Leonard is already eighth in school history in three-point field goals made with 59, and needs 12 more to catch Lauren Jackson (1998-2002). Gooch Moves to Tie for Seventh on Career Blocks List Senior center Megan Gooch had a pair of blocks in the UAB loss, and now has 54 blocks for her four-year Memphis career. That ties her with Linda Street (1980-81) and former teammate Raven Rogers (2001-2005) for seventh all-time. Gooch needs two more blocks heading in to the Marshall game to catch Kitty Allen (1993-97) for sixth place and needs four more to tie Kim Duppins (1980-1982) and to break in to the Memphis career top five. Heard of Soft Scheduling? Not Here in Memphis. When Blair Savage-Lansden was hired as the Lady Tigers head coach back on June 10 of 2004, there were a few games on the schedule and a few contracts that had been signed that had to be honored that historically have made for some very difficult competition for a young coach in her first head coaching job. If you look at the Week 13 AP rankings, Memphis has faced the following teams with Savage at the helm: No. 12 Arizona State, No. 14 Georgia (twice), No. 15 Vanderbilt, No. 19 Louisville, No. 16 Marquette and No. 22 Nebraska. Memphis has also faced a number of teams that are receiving votes in this week's poll-- DePaul (twice), Arkansas (twice), South Florida (twice), Mississippi (twice), Tulane (twice) and TCU. How Our Previous Opponents Are Faring So how are our non-conference opponents faring? See below: Winthrop (4-17 overall, 1-4 Big South): Lost its two highest-scorers due to injury and have now dropped three straight; hosts Coastal Carolina, Wednesday. Dayton (8-13 overall, 3-3 Atlantic 10): Beat Duquesne 77-60 in league play; plays at St. Bonaventure, Friday. No. 19/17 Louisville (20-2, 6-2 Big East): Beat Villanova, 64-59, Tuesday night; hosts DePaul, Saturday. Samford (11-11, 6-7 OVC): Fell to Murray State 73-64; hosts Tennessee State, Thursday. UL Monroe (14-7, 4-6 Sun Belt): Got senior April O'Neal back after she suffered injury Jan. 10th; fell to Troy 52-39; plays at Western Kentucky, Thursday. Central Arkansas (9-11, 3-5 Southland): Won at Nicholls State, 74-72; hosts Northwestern State, Saturday. Lipscomb (5-14, 3-6 A-Sun): Fell at Gardner Webb, 66-59; hosts Kennesaw State, Thursday. No. 14/14 Georgia (18-4, 5-2 SEC): Downed Florida 77-54; plays at LSU, Thursday. UT Martin (12-8, 7-5 OVC): Fell at Eastern Kentucky 64-49 to have a two-game win streak snapped; plays at Tennessee Tech, Thursday. Creighton (8-12, 5-4 Missouri Valley): Won third straight game with a 72-66 win over Wichita State; plays at Bradley, Thursday. Southeastern Louisiana (13-7 overall, 5-2 Southland): Got a triple double from Jazmin Cain in a 77-59 win over Northwestern State to win third straight game; leads SLC East Division and hosts McNeese State, Thursday. Arkansas (18-5, 3-4 SEC): Fell to No. 15 Vanderbilt, 61-34 in Bud Walton; play at Mississippi State, Thursday. UT-San Antonio (6-12, 2-4 Southland): Lost third straight on a buzzer beater, 71-69 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; hosts Sam Houston State, coached by former Lady Tiger assistant Brenda Welch-Nicholls, Thursday. Kentucky (14-8, 3-4 SEC): Were out-rebounded 53-33 by South Carolina in a 66-56 loss on the road; hosts No. 15 Vanderbilt, Thursday.

01/31/07		A packed house (Memphis Edge)
		ORLANDO -- I have no clue how the Tigers will play tonight, but I can assure you this will be the most hostile, emotional environment Memphis has played in this season. And that includes Tennessee and Arizona. The people here are absolutely keyed up. As I was walking into UCF Arena, the students were lined up four-deep all the way down two flights of stairs to get in. With 50 minutes before tip-off, about 1/3 of the arena is already full. Here's when you know this is the most-anticipated basketball game ever played on the UCF campus: I walked by a block of seats with "Obstructed View" signs. I'm almost positive they've never had to put that sign up before. As for the arena itself, it's not a bad little place. It's a two-level arena with seats going up the two sidelines. On the second level, the seats are pretty far back from the court. I walked all the way to the back row, and it's so far from the action, it's almost like being at the top of FedExForum. There are no baseline seats. In fact, the building pretty much ends at the baseline behind the basket. In other words, if you go hurtling out of bounds, you're going smack into a brick wall. There are some "luxury" box type seats on the third level, but they are glassed in. There is standing room over a rail on the concourse level, and I'm sure those areas will be jam packed too. Should be a fun environment. How will the Tigers respond? by Dan Wolken

01/31/07		'I don't get scared' -- When U of M game is on line, Allen has ice water in shooting arm (Commercial Appeal)
		By Dan Wolken Contact January 31, 2007 ORLANDO, Fla. -- When Andre Allen let go one of the most important shots of this University of Memphis basketball season, he wasn't exactly playing the odds. Then again, the odds would say that Allen is a 5-9 walk-on point guard who can't shoot. But don't be fooled by his size or his statistics. Because as Allen seems to prove again and again, nobody in a Memphis uniform plays better when it counts. After hitting a huge 3-pointer to beat Southern Miss last Saturday, it stands to reason that Allen would again be a key figure tonight when the No. 11-ranked Tigers enter a hostile, sold-out UCF Arena to play Central Florida, sitting second in Conference USA and gearing up for the biggest home game in program history. Though freshman Willie Kemp is, and likely will continue to be, the Tigers' starting point guard, there's a reason Allen runs this team in nervous situations. The bigger the moment, the better he seems to play. "I don't get scared when the pressure comes," Allen said. "I continue to play. When some people have pressure, they get their drawers up and get to being shaken. "I just keep being in attack mode." It has been this way Allen's entire career, one that defies logic on so many levels. Good enough to get high-major scholarship offers out of Booker T. Washington High, he used a Streets Ministries sponsorship to walk on at Memphis. A starter only once in 56 career games, Allen was the Tigers' unquestioned motor during their run to the Elite Eight last season with 26 assists and just seven turnovers during the C-USA and NCAA Tournaments. And finally, he's a 36.6 percent career shooter from the field and a 45.8 percent shooter from the free throw line who makes most of his shots when he absolutely has to. "That was a really big shot," senior Jeremy Hunt said of Allen's 3-pointer with 1:56 remaining Saturday to give Memphis a one-point lead over Southern Miss. "When it released his hand, I felt like it was going in. And it went in, and it was a great moment. "I think it's more like his competitive spirit, not wanting to lose. When you don't want to lose, you look forward to making plays. You dream about making a game-winning shot like that." Of course, it doesn't always work out perfectly. Take, for instance, Memphis' 79-71 loss at Arizona on Dec. 20. After a tremendous performance in which he scored 15 points and made 3-of-5 from 3-point range, the Tigers had a chance to cut a 75-71 deficit in half with 1:33 to go. Trying to get a layup, Allen drove the lane, looking for an opening. But instead of kicking the ball out when he ran into traffic, Allen tried a wild move and a shot that never threatened the basket. But the key for coach John Calipari was that Allen had the guts to try a play like that. And even though it didn't work out on that occasion, Allen didn't shrink from the moment the next time Memphis was in a close game. "He's got an arrogance, a confidence, a swagger about him," Calipari said. "He's not afraid. To play that way, you cannot be afraid to make a mistake. "Sam Cassell was that way because he wasn't afraid if he lost a game. It wasn't going to have that kind of effect. He knew he had the guts to try to win a game, so he wasn't worried if it didn't go in. You have to play and think in those terms if you want to be that guy on the floor at the end." -- Dan Wolken: 529-2365

01/31/07		Players lining up to join Tiger football team (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact January 31, 2007 Two recruits who made official visits to the University of Memphis last weekend and a third who toured the campus in mid-January are expected to sign national letters of intent with the UofM next week. Offensive lineman Ronald Leary, a 6-2, 325-pound guard from Southern Lab in Baton Rouge, La., and Curtis Steele, a 5-11, 185-pound running back from Northwest (Miss.) Community College have committed to the UofM along with Mike Davis, a 6-foot, 225-pound running back from Newnan, Ga. The commitments of Leary, Steele and Davis give the Tigers a total of 16 public commitments and mid-term enrollments with one week remaining until the start of the national signing period. Steele rushed for 509 yards and helped Northwest to a 6-4 finish and its first MACJC North Division title since 2003. A former standout at Centennial High in Franklin, Tenn., Steele led the region with an 8 yards-per-rush average. He said he's been a fan of Memphis' football program for some time and is looking forward to beginning his Division 1-A career. ''It's not that far away from home, and I've been looking at (Memphis) since high school,'' Steele said. ''My grades weren't right (coming out of high school), so I had to go to junior college. ''Memphis offered me during the Christmas break, and I turned down everyone else. I wanted to be a Tiger. It's a good program, it's got a winning tradition and it produces good running backs.'' Steele said he feels as if he'll be an ideal fit for the Tigers' spread offense, which coach Tommy West introduced when he was named coach after the 2000 season. All-America running back DeAngelo Williams joined the program in 2002 and helped the UofM to consecutive bowl games from 2003-05. Steele said he attracted interest from Southern Miss, UAB, Ole Miss and Chattanooga. His Northwest teammate, Bryan Fitzgerald, with whom he shared the rushing responsibilities last season, committed to Chattanooga. But Steele said he was intent on continuing his football career in the Mid-South. ''I was waiting on Memphis to offer me, and when they did, I turned down everybody else,'' Steele said. Leary, who has played only two years of varsity football, was instrumental in his team's 10-4 finish and its appearance in the Class 1A semifinals. Leary was named to the All-District 7-1A first team. He had a trip planned to Alabama this weekend, but canceled the visit. Davis, a native of Little Rock, also visited East Carolina, Mississippi State and UCF. He rushed for 1,012 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior at Northgate High in Newnan, Ga., and said among the reasons he liked Memphis was its proximity to Little Rock, where he has relatives. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

01/31/07		Helton eases into new U of M role (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact January 31, 2007 Clay Helton may have gained a new title and responsibilities this week, but the new University of Memphis offensive coordinator expects to find himself in a familiar position next fall. In the press box. Wearing a headset. Calling plays. Helton, the team's assistant head coach and its receivers coach since 2003, is taking over for Randy Fichtner, who was named Monday to the staff of new Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. A member of the UofM staff since 2000, and part of Tommy West's staff since West became coach in 2001, Helton has spent the past four seasons alongside Fichtner in the box. While Fichtner called the majority of the plays in the team's spread offense, Helton made his contributions, too, according to West. Helton, 34, said he's prepared to move one chair over. ''I know the situations that come up in a game,'' Helton said. ''I've gotten to see coach West and Randy make calls that need to be made. I'm very comfortable being put in that situation.'' Helton, speaking for the first time since being named offensive coordinator Monday, was quickly tabbed by West to succeed Fichtner, 43, who was the only offensive coordinator West had since taking the Memphis job. Fichtner's offenses set numerous school records, including 5,779 yards total offense in 2004. A former quarterback at Auburn and the University of Houston, Helton said he's prepared to keep the Tiger offense aggressively challenging Conference USA defenses. Memphis averaged 30.2 points in 2003 and 35.9 points in 2004. ''I know exactly what coach wants in the offense, and the offensive coaching staff will, too,'' he said. ''I got to see coach West put it in from the ground up, and I've been a part of that. It's not like walking into a new situation. I've been around it. I feel very comfortable with it. I know what coach is looking for. ''We're going to put pressure on the defense. We're going to be very aggressive and be very exciting to watch.'' Helton, promoted to assistant head coach in 2004, also has worked with the Tiger running backs during his career. He also coached running backs at Houston, where he served as an assistant to his father, Kim. ''I think this is a unique opportunity for me because this is in a city that I love,'' Helton said. ''And you couldn't ask to have a better person to work for. I'm very comfortable working with coach West. I'm very excited, and appreciative, of the opportunity. ''All I can say is it's been an unbelievable run here at Memphis. I can't think of a better situation to be in.''

01/31/07		Grisham to speak at U of M (Daily Helmsman)
		By: Tim Miller Sports Reporter Issue date: 1/31/07 If you're waiting for the new book from University of Memphis pitcher and right fielder, Ben Grisham, you need to stop. "I'm not a writer," Grisham said. "I don't even like to read." Luckily, for a world full of suspense-novel fans, he has a family member who does. Best-selling author John Grisham, Ben's uncle, will be the featured speaker at the 2007 Meet the Tigers Banquet to be held at The University of Memphis Holiday Inn on Feb. 16. The event will include a speech from John Grisham, an auction and the introduction of the 2007 University of Memphis baseball team. The top item being auctioned off is the right to have your name used in John Grisham's next book. "It's no secret that (John Grisham's) nephew plays for us," said Memphis head coach Daron Schoenrock. "He is a baseball fan who happens to be a world-renowned writer. He's going to talk about his latest book 'The Innocent Man.' The whole evening is about generating interest in the program and generating revenue, which we feel like, is a big part of building a program. We're very honored to have John here and very excited to hear him talk." Ben Grisham said Memphis head coach Daron Schoenrock approached him with the idea to have his uncle speak last season when he first transferred to Memphis from Mississippi State, but he opted to wait a year before asking his uncle to help out the Tigers. "Coach Rock said something to me coming in to my first year," Grisham said. "We needed a big name to get some support and to get some money in. I was like 'Well coach, I'd kind of like to come in and prove myself, not just come in and be somebody's famous nephew. I want to make a name for myself." The senior pitcher/outfielder did just that. He was named team captain this fall along with infielder Bill Moss. The duo will lead a Tiger club that increased its win total by 19 games last season (32-28) and had the nation's second-best turnaround. Memphis advanced to the Conference USA Tournament for the second time in school history. Schoenrock said the name Grisham had nothing to do with his interest in Ben. "That was totally an afterthought of Ben coming to school here," Schoenrock said. "He's been a big part of this team. He's a dual player for us now. He's a pitcher and a hitter." Ben's famous uncle was icing on the cake, according to Schoenrock. "This is his family's way of helping us off the field," he said. "We're very gracious." John Grisham, a Southaven, Miss., native, will highlight the evening with a speech about his newest book that happens to be his first non-fiction piece to date. He will also discuss one of his greatest loves - baseball. "He's got a passion for baseball from the youth level all the way up through college. He even has a good relationship with (St. Louis Cardinal manager) Tony LaRussa." Individual tickets for the banquet are available for $100 and can be purchased through The U of M ticket office. Corporations with a minimum of 10 guests can also reserve a table for $1000. Proceeds will benefit the Tiger baseball team.

01/30/07		Comcast Family Day Set For Saturday's Memphis-SMU Basketball Game -- Scooby Doo will take photos with fans before the contest (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Memphis-SMU basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 3 will be Comcast Family Day. The game, which is slated for an 11:00 a.m. (CT) start at FedExForum, will be televised by ESPN. Scooby Doo will highlight Comcast Family Day at FedExForum. One of television's all-time favorite cartoon characters, Scooby Doo will begin taking pictures with fans before the game, beginning at 10:00 a.m. (CT). He will also walk around during the Tiger-Mustangs contest to meet fans attending the game. To meet Scooby Doo, fans must buy a ticket to the Memphis-SMU basketball game. Ticket prices for Saturday's game are $7 and $12. Call the Memphis Athletic Ticket Office at 678-2331 or go to the athletic web site at www.gotigersgo.com to order tickets. Saturday's Scooby Doo promotion is not part of a special tour of FedExForum, and there is no official Scooby Doo show before the game or at halftime.

01/30/07		Lady Tigers Drop Season Opener -- Fall 7-0 at UALR (GoTigersGo.com)
		The University of Memphis women's tennis (0-1) team dropped its spring season opener, 7-0, at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock (3-2), Tuesday. UALR opened by claiming the doubles point, winning matches at No. 1 and 2 doubles, 8-4, and claiming the No. 3 doubles match, 8-2. The Trojans then used six straight set victories to sweep the match, including a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles for senior Jenna Hirdle, who avenged a fall loss to Memphis freshman Marjorie Ondeck. Memphis will return home for a Friday match against Murray State. That match will be played indoors at WellWorx, beginning at 2 p.m. UALR 7, Memphis 0 Singles competition 1. Jenna Hirdle (UALR) def. Marjorie Ondeck (MEMPHIS) 6-4, 6-2 2. Outi Jarvinen (UALR) def. Dara Toulch (MEMPHIS) 6-1, 6-3 3. Aleksandra Zakrzynska (UALR) def. Ekin Zafir (MEMPHIS) 6-0, 6-3 4. Patricia Cortes (UALR) def. Amanda Brown (MEMPHIS) 6-2, 6-1 5. Rosario Negrete (UALR) def. Christina Wieser (MEMPHIS) 6-4, 6-2 6. Marta Gomez-Jordana (UALR) def. Flavia Russo (MEMPHIS) 6-0, 6-0 Doubles competition 1. Laetitia Bourgeon/Outi Jarvinen (UALR) def. Marjorie Ondeck/Dara Toulch (MEMPHIS) 8-4 2. Rosario Negrete/Hollie Robinson (UALR) def. Ekin Zafir/CHristina Wieser (MEMPHIS) 8-4 3. Patricia Cortes/Aleksandra Zakrynska (UALR) def. Flavia Russo/Amanda Brown (MEMPHIS) 8-2 Match Notes: Memphis 0-1 UALR 3-2

01/30/07		Lee Named Conference USA Athlete-of-the-Week -- Senior thrower poised to challenge for national shot put title (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS - Senior shot putter Gail Lee was named the Conference USA Female Track and Field Athlete-of-the-Week Wednesday as announced by the conference office. Lee won the shot put and placed third in the weight throw at the Gladstein Invitational last weekend. She bettered her provisional qualification in the shot by more than two feet with a personal-best and school-record throw of 55'3". The mark was just two inches off of an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Championships and is the third longest NCAA throw and the 10th longest throw in the world this season. Lee's weight throw of 61'2.25" was her second longest of the season and earned her a third place finish. She has already provisionally qualified for nationals in this event with a mark of 62'6". Lee became the first ever Lady Tiger All-American in 2005 after she reached the NCAA Indoor Championships in the shot put. The Fort Worth, Texas native followed up with a trip to the Outdoor Championships in 2006. Memphis will be in action this weekend at the SIU McDonald's Invitational in Carbondale, Ill.

01/30/07		Getting physical is sound plan against Tigers -- Calipari preaches mental toughness for U of M (Commercial Appeal)
		By Dan Wolken Contact January 30, 2007 East Carolina tried it and played with the University of Memphis for a half. Southern Miss tried it and nearly beat the No. 11-ranked Tigers -- twice. And really, it's how UCLA prevented Memphis from going to the Final Four last March. Want to take down the Tigers? Or at least give yourselves a chance? Here's what you do. Every time Antonio Anderson or Chris Douglas-Roberts drives, put a body in his path and initiate contact. Every time Jeremy Hunt or Robert Dozier cuts, bump him. Every time Joey Dorsey gets the ball one-on-one, foul him. Force referees to make decisions. Force Memphis to make free throws. Hack and hope. This isn't a secret, by the way. It's on practically every game film from the last two weeks. And with a key Conference USA matchup at Central Florida looming on Wednesday, it's something the Tigers will have to adjust to pretty much the rest of the way. "Probably so," Douglas-Roberts said. "But it's just like practice. If you see in practice, we barely can score on each other because we're fouling each other every play. We're bumping every play." Though Memphis is seemingly cruising along at 17-3 overall and 7-0 in C-USA, the Tigers have not had a free pass, and it's no coincidence the teams they've struggled with (Southern Miss, East Carolina) tried to rough them up while teams Memphis beat handily (Houston, UAB) did not try to make the game physical. When Memphis' attacking offense is allowed to get in a flow, the open looks abound and opponents can't score enough to keep up. When the Tigers are getting slowed down with bumps and contact, the game sometimes looks ugly. Against Southern Miss on Saturday, the Tigers made just 20-of-52 from the field. The reason? The Golden Eagles initiated contact on practically every drive, barely allowing Memphis an easy scoring opportunity. "We'd rather have teams come in playing like that instead of teams coming in scared of you," Hunt, a senior, said. "It's good to have teams coming in thinking they're going to beat you because you know you can't take possessions off, and you know it's going to be a good game." The problem Saturday -- and perhaps going forward -- is that Memphis couldn't combat that game plan until the very end. Why? The Tigers took too many wild, contested shots and couldn't finish around the rim, and they failed to convert free throws for much of the second half, going 12-of-25 including four straight missed front-ends once they got into the bonus. With Memphis now shooting 61.5 percent from the line this season, putting free-throw shooters to the test seems like a reasonable strategy. Though there's only so much he can do about that issue, coach John Calipari spent Monday preaching mental toughness. "I know they don't know what (mental toughness) means and what we have to do to improve in that area to finish this out," Calipari said. "But we've got to start now. "This game for us is the next challenge. Is this one we can go down there and shoot 40 percent from the line and miss every three? No. You're going to lose. We've got to go down with a sense of purpose that it's a big-time game, and it is." Though UCF coach Kirk Speraw hopes to challenge Memphis more than anybody has so far this season, he laughed at the suggestion his team would be able to do it by playing the same way Southern Miss did. "We might need to be in the weight room two more years," Speraw said, "before we can get physical with Memphis."

01/30/07		West taps Helton to head Tigers' offense -- Replacing Fichtner, who's joining NFL's Steelers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact January 30, 2007 University of Memphis football coach Tommy West, whose search for a defensive coordinator is entering its third month, took no time finding a replacement for departing offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner. On Monday, the day Fichtner, 43, was announced as the new receivers coach for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, West tapped UofM assistant head coach Clay Helton to replace Fichtner. Helton, 34, has been a member of the UofM staff since 2000 and an assistant under West since he became Tiger head coach the following season. West said the decision to promote Helton, who worked with Tiger receivers and served as recruiting coordinator, was an easy one. ''It took about one second to make that decision once I knew Randy was going to leave,'' West said. ''We started putting this thing together, offensively, seven years ago, and Clay was in on the ground floor with us. We'll take what we've done ... and make it better. ''Clay is one of the best coaches I have, and I don't have too many of them right now. He's one of the best ones I do have. I'm excited about Clay and what he can bring to make this offense better than what it has been.'' The loss of Fichtner represents the fifth coach the program has lost -- either through dismissal or taking another job -- since the season began. Defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn was fired after the team's third game of the year. Defensive assistants Tim Keane and Craig Boller were dismissed after the season ended, and tight ends/special teams coach Tyson Helton, Clay's brother, left after the season ended to become quarterbacks coach at UAB. ''Don't paint that picture everyone is abandoning us,'' West said. ''I made that decision (to dismiss three assistants). We're six years in, and sometimes it's not bad to have some new blood. It's really not. That's why I made the changes I made on defense. I thought we needed to start over.'' Two assistants -- Garret Chachere and Derek Jones -- have been hired. Chachere's position has not been determined, and Jones will coach cornerbacks. As for the delay in hiring a defensive coordinator, West said he's got several candidates in mind, but won't make a hire until after Feb. 7, the start of the national signing period. ''I'm not in a rush because I know what we are going to do defensively, just like I know what we are going to do offensively,'' he said. ''I feel really comfortable with the systems and with Clay being here. It's a really, really easy transition. ''I'm never going to get into that again (where) I'm looking for a system. I'm looking for a guy to run a system defensively. What it tells recruits is they are going to do what they've been doing. If you are a skill player and you want the ball thrown to you, we're wide-open and exciting offensively (and) we'll be a pressure team defensively. I've always wanted to be a pressure team offensively, defensively and in the kicking game. I got a chance right now to make that happen.'' Helton won't be a stranger in the press box. West said Helton and Fichtner were upstairs during games with Fichtner making most of the play calls, but Helton having input. Fichtner, who was in his second stint as a UofM assistant, arrived in Pittsburgh Sunday and was officially named to his new post Monday. ''I take it personally as a compliment when somebody else wants your coaches,'' West said. ''It means we've done a nice job hiring.'' At Pittsburgh, Fichtner will be reunited with former Tiger player and defensive assistant Keith Butler and new head coach Mike Tomlin. All three served as assistants to Joe Hollis at Arkansas State in the late 1990s. ''I appreciate the hard work, the effort and the contributions Randy Fichtner put into our program,'' West said. ''He put everything into it that he had. I hate to see him leave, but I'm happy for him. ''It's a chance for him to go home (he has family living 60 miles north of Pittsburgh), be in the NFL, and work for a guy who is his best buddy. Those opportunities don't come along often.'' Fichtner will become an NFL assistant for the first time, following in the footsteps of his father, Ross, a former NFL player who served as an assistant at Chicago, Green Bay and Minnesota. Still, he called his decision to leave Memphis ''one of the hardest things'' he's had to do in his coaching career. ''And that's because coach West has been awfully good to me,'' Fichtner said. ''I've had opportunities to coach in the NFL before, but never an opportunity like this, where I know a coach or two on the staff. ''Mike (Tomlin) teased me. He said if he got the job would I be prepared to leave Memphis. I told him it sounded like a good opportunity for him, and he came back at me and said 'Will you leave Memphis?' It was hard because I believe in Memphis and always have loved the city.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543 Clay Helton Age: 34 Alma mater: Houston Coaching experience: Duke (1995-96), Houston (1997-99), Memphis (2000-) At Memphis: Coached running backs from 2000-02 and receivers from 2003-06. Named assistant head coach in 2004 Family ties: Clay's father, Kim, was the head coach at Houston (1993-99). Younger brother Tyson was a Tiger assistant who recently left for UAB.

01/30/07		Helton to head Tiger offense (Daily Helmsman)
		By: The Associated Press Issue date: 1/30/07 MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis coach Tommy West promoted assistant head coach Clay Helton to offensive coordinator Monday to replace Randy Fichtner, who took a job coaching receivers with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Helton has spent the past seven seasons with the Tigers, including the last three as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator. He worked with the running backs his first three seasons and worked with DeAngelo Williams in 2002. He has worked with receivers the past four years, including Darron White, who ranks second in all-time school records with 137 receptions and fifth in yards with 1,649. "He is a tireless recruiter who has an incredible work ethic and shares the same dedication that I have in taking this program to the next level," West said in a statement. "He has certainly earned this opportunity, and I am very proud for him." The Tigers recently finished one of their worst seasons in school history at 2-10 and 1-7 in Conference USA. Their only wins came against Division I-AA Chattanooga and at UTEP in the final game of the season. The top five school records for touchdown passes in a season were set by teams using the spread offense, including the record of 25 by Danny Wimprine in 2004. Martin Hankins ranked third with 226 completions in 2006. Fichtner will work again with new Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin, who was an assistant coach with Memphis in 1996. The men also worked together at Arkansas State from 1997-98. He said he couldn't pass up this opportunity. "I was raised in the Pittsburgh area and still have family there, so this is a chance to go back home. I appreciate the opportunity that Coach West gave me," Fichtner said. West has yet to name a new defensive coordinator. He fired Joe Lee Dunn after three games last season.

01/30/07		Tigers survive USM scare (Daily Helmsman)
		By: Tim Miller Sports Reporter Issue date: 1/30/07 The eyes in the crowd intermittently moved up and down, from the court to the scoreboard. Southern Miss led Memphis (17-3 overall, 7-0 Conference USA) 62-60 with 2:12 remaining in the game. Horrible thoughts of the disastrous consequences that would ensue from the home upset floated around FedExForum like a thick haze. The Tigers would surely plummet in the polls. They could kiss any chance of a high seed in the NCAA Tournament goodbye. Tigers' fans were antsy. Sophomore Chris Douglas-Roberts was calm. "I didn't think at any point we could lose," Douglas-Roberts said. "I was here last year in games like that so it never crossed my mind." Head coach John Calipari said the Tigers needed the test. Memphis passed, 67-64. This win did not come prepackaged like most of Memphis' other league games this season. It took a gutsy 15-point performance from a hobbled Douglas-Roberts, including two clutch free throws with 7.6 seconds remaining in the second half. It also took a 3-pointer from unlikely candidate Andre Allen. With the Tigers down by two points and under two minutes to play, Allen knocked down a triple after his man left him to double-team someone else. The Golden Eagles dared Allen to shoot the ball. "I don't get scared in pressure situations," Allen said. Sophomore guard Antonio Anderson was quick to credit Southern Miss. "It wasn't like it was a fluke," Anderson said. "They played real good." Jeremy Hunt agreed. "We didn't play bad," he said. "We came out ready to play just like they did. It was probably one of the most exciting games I've ever played in as a University of Memphis player." Memphis struggled in both wins over Southern Miss this season but will not see the Golden Eagles again unless it's in the C-USA tournament in March. The Tigers move on to the Sunshine State on Wednesday to face second-place C-USA foe University of Central Florida (15-5, 4-2 C-USA). The Knights won at UTEP on Saturday and knocked off Utah in mid-December. UCF Arena has been sold out for weeks in anticipation of the Tigers' arrival. "The team we're playing is the big man on campus when we come through," Calipari said. "Playing at Memphis means you're going to get the other team's best shot. This is the game for them (UCF)." UCF averages 75.4 points per game, four less than the Tigers. Calipari said Memphis has to force the Knights into bad shots because UCF leads the conference in both field goal percentage (.483) and 3-point percentage (.404). "They'll get some (points) inside, and they'll shoot 3's," Calipari said. Douglas-Roberts is expected to start on Wednesday. He said the pain in his ankle is almost gone. "I should be back to my regular minutes," Douglas-Roberts said. "I'm looking forward to a hostile environment in Orlando. They're a good team. They've only lost one (game) at home." Memphis and UCF tip off Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. in Orlando. The game will be televised on CSS.

01/29/07		Helton promoted to take over Tiger offense (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact January 29, 2007 In the wake of University of Memphis offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner accepting a job on the staff of new Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, Tiger coach Tommy West has made a quick move. He has named assistant head coach Clay Helton offensive coordinator. Helton, 34, has been with the U of M seven seasons, six under West and one under former Tiger coach Rip Scherer. Fichtner, 43, will be named receivers coach by the Steelers this week, perhaps as early as today. Helton was promoted to assistant head coach three years ago and has worked with Tiger receivers and served as the team's recruiting coordinator. With the departure of Fichtner, West has three positions to fill on his staff. He hasn't named a replacement for defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn, who was dismissed three games into the 2006 season. Four coaches have either been dismissed or left for other jobs since the end of the season. Fichtner said it was a difficult decision to leave coach West, but the opportunity was one he couldn't pass up. He'll join a Steelers' staff with linebackers coach Keith Butler, a former Tiger player, and Tomlin, both of whom served on the same Arkansas State staff with Joe Hollis in the late 1990s.

01/29/07		Helton: Nice move, right choice (Memphis Edge)
		Tiger football coach Tommy West's decision to name assistant head coach Clay Helton offensive coordinator -- as Randy Fichtner departs for an NFL assistant job with the Pittsburgh Steelers -- was not only a rapid response, but the right one. Helton has been with West since he began his run as Tiger head coach in 2001 and is an excellent communicator and teacher. There are those who think Helton isn't too far removed from becoming a head coach himself on the college level. In addition to working with Tiger receivers, Helton handles U of M recruiting and is adept and polished in the role. Although he hasn't been a coordinator, he is a former quarterback at the University of Houston and an ex-running backs coach at the school. by Phil Stukenborg

01/29/07		Women's Tennis to Kick Off Spring Dual Season Tuesday -- Lady Tigers to face UALR on the road to open 2007 schedule (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - With four newcomers and two players who just joined the University of Memphis last year, a young Lady Tiger tennis team will embark on its first dual season road swing of the season when Memphis ventures to UALR, Tuesday, for a non-conference match. Memphis is very familiar with UALR, having played a home and home with the Trojans in each of the past four seasons. Memphis is 1-3 against UALR in Little Rock and is 1-8 against UALR since 2002-03, the last year Memphis won at Little Rock. That year, Memphis won in Little Rock 4-3, and the Trojans bounced back to avenge their home loss with a 4-3 win in Memphis later that spring. "They're a tough team to beat," head coach Charlotte Peterson said. "But it will be a good match for our young team to see where they are and to get in to the dual season format." Even with four freshmen on the roster, Memphis does have some experience against the Trojans already this season, having played a season-opening tournament in Little Rock back in September. At that tournament, freshman Marjorie Ondeck went 3-1, defeating UALR's Jenna Hirdle, 6-3, 6-1. But expect Hirdle, a senior for UALR, to have a bit of a season-opening edge as she has already played in three dual matches as the Trojans already 2-2 on the season, while Memphis is just opening its dual season schedule. Hirdle is 1-2 at No. 1 singles, and has teamed with junior Laetitia Bourgeon for a 1-2 mark at No. 1 doubles. Bourgeon has also played No. 1 doubles with senior Outi Jarvinen, and the duo is 1-0 at the top doubles slot heading in to the weekend. Bourgeon faced Memphis' Ekin Zafir in the first meeting, winning 6-2, 6-2. Memphis will be looking to fill one vacancy from that fall meeting with UALR as former Lady Tiger Alex Tjioe graduated from school in December. Tjioe played at the No. 3 singles slot in the fall meeting, falling 6-0, 6-2. But Memphis may be able to look for another senior, Christina Wieser, who returns to the squad after missing all of the fall season following off-season knee surgery. Memphis will also be looking to work freshman Katie-Mary Outhwaite in to the line-up. Outhwaite joined Memphis at the semester break after graduating from high school in Australia in December. The Lady Tigers also had strong fall results from freshman Amanda Brown, who finished with a win in the consolation bracket in her singles draw at the Air Force tournament, while Ondeck capped the fall with a consolation win in Division I singles at the Lady Tiger Classic. The doubles team of Brown and Flavia Russo also advanced to the consolation doubles final in Division 2 doubles at the Lady Tiger classic, before falling to Southern Illinois' Tsala and Taillefer, 9-7 to close out their fall. Memphis will return home to host Murray State, Friday, at 2 p.m. in its 2007 home opener.

01/29/07		Clay Helton Promoted to Offensive Coordinator -- Long-time assistant elevated following departure of Randy Fichtner (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - Long-time University of Memphis assistant coach Clay Helton has been promoted to offensive coordinator as announced today by Coach Tommy West. Helton replaces Randy Fichtner who is expected to sign a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers early this week. Helton recently completed his seventh season with the Tigers, having served the last three years as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator. He came to Memphis in 2000 and worked with Tiger running backs his first three seasons before shifting to receivers in 2003. In 2002, he helped develop tailback DeAngelo Williams into one of the nation's top backs as Williams finished his freshman season ranked fifth in the country in yards per carry. In the last four seasons, Helton has helped develop some of the Tigers' top receiving talent, including Darron White (2001-04) who ranks second all-time in receptions with 137 and fifth in yards with 1,649. In that same time frame, Tavares Gideon (2002, 2004) set the school record for career touchdown receptions with 19. Most recently, Helton has worked with such noted receivers as Maurice Avery and Ryan Scott who also are listed in the Tiger record books for their impressive receiving numbers. "I am pleased to announce that we have elevated Clay to offensive coordinator," said West. "He is a tireless recruiter who has an incredible work ethic and shares the same dedication that I have in taking this program to the next level. He has certainly earned this opportunity and I am very proud for him." "With Clay, we will continue to build upon the success that this offense has seen the last several years," added West. "I am committed to this offense becoming the most exciting, productive offense in the country." For the last seven years, the Tiger offense has practically rewritten the U of M record book. In fact, the top five records for passing touchdowns in a season are all held by teams under the spread system, including the all-time record of 25 set by a Danny Wimprine-driven 2004 squad. Tiger quarterbacks also account for a majority of the top five records in most passing categories in the all-time record book as Wimprine holds the school record in completions (808), attempts (1469), passing yards (10,215) and touchdown passes (81). Martin Hankins, who was the Tiger signal caller in 2006, finished his first season ranked third for completions in a season with 226 as well as fourth in season yardage (2,550), touchdowns (18) and completion percentage (59.9). Fichtner is leaving the U of M after six years on the staff as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He will work with the wide receivers in his new position with the Steelers. "I am happy for Randy and appreciate his contributions to this program," said West. "This is a great opportunity for him as he has the chance to go back home and work with one of his best friends (Mike Tomlin)." Tomlin, who worked as an assistant coach for the Tigers in 1996, also previously served as an assistant coach, along with Fichtner, at Arkansas State from 1997-98. Fichtner will also join another Memphis connection in Pittsburgh as former Memphis All-American linebacker and assistant coach Keith Butler is also on the Steelers' staff. "This is an opportunity that I couldn't pass up," said Fichtner. "I was raised in the Pittsburgh area and still have family there, so this is a chance to go back home. I appreciate the opportunity that Coach West gave me. I have enjoyed Memphis and am proud of our accomplishments. This is a program that will continue to move forward."

01/29/07		Fichtner leaving Tigers for Steelers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Our Press Services January 29, 2007 University of Memphis offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner arrived in Pittsburgh Sunday and will be named to new Steelers coach Mike Tomlin's staff this week. For Fichtner, 43, it will be his first NFL job after an extensive college background that has included stops at Southern Cal and Purdue. He recently completed his sixth season on coach Tommy West's staff, Fichtner's second stint at the U of M. At Pittsburgh, Fichtner will be the team's receivers coach. "It will be a great challenge," Fichtner said. "I've got a lot to learn." Tomlin, 34, named Steelers coach last week, and Fichtner are familiar with one another. They served on the same Arkansas State football staff in the late 1990s under coach Joe Hollis.

01/28/07		Men's Tennis Falls 6-1 at No. 63 Vanderbilt -- Amrit Narasimhan picks up first singles win of the spring (GoTigersGo.com)
		NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Despite a 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles by Amrit Narasimhan, the University of Memphis men's tennis team dropped to 0-2 on the season with a 6-1 loss at No. 63 Vanderbilt, Sunday. The Commodores swept all three doubles matches to take an early lead in the match 1-0, and Vandy went up 3-0 with wins at No. 5, then 4 singles over a pair of Tiger freshmen in straight sets. But the Tigers would battle back with Narsimhan's win at No. 2 singles. But Vanderbilt's Vijay Paul would prevail in a third set, 7-5, over Jimmy Khougassian to decide the match in the Commodores favor despite Benedikt Fischer and Spencer Heflin both having stretched their matches at No. 1 and No. 6, respectively, to a third set. In order for time constraints, Heflin's match was played in a pro-set tiebreak after he battled back from a first set loss, but he fell 10-7 in the tiebreak to lose the match 6-3, 4-6, 1-0. Memphis will return home for additional practice before opening their 2007 home schedule against UT Martin, Feb. 3rd, at 6 p.m. No. 63 Vanderbilt 6, Memphis 1 Singles No. 1 -- No. 97 Evan Dufaux def. Benedikt Fischer (UM), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-3 No. 2 -- Amrit Narasimhan (UM) Nic Cromydas, 7-5, 6-4 No. 3 -- Vijay Paul def. Jimmy Khougassian (UM), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 No. 4 -- Nathan Sachs def. Charlie Ramsay (UM), 6-4, 6-2 No. 5 -- Andy Mack def. Cody Loup (UM), 6-4, 7-5 No. 6 -- Scott Lieberman def. Spencer Heflin (UM), 6-3. 4-6, 1-0 5, 4, 2, 3, 1, 6 (Clincher) Doubles No. 1 -- Cromydas/Paul def. Narasimhan/Fisher (UM), 8-4 No. 2 -- Mack/Sachs def. Khougassian/Ramsay (UM), 8-6 No. 3 -- Dufaux/Lieberman def. Heflin/Garrison Pilant (UM), 8-3

01/28/07		Big plays late rescue Tigers -- Calipari believes narrow escape will benefit team (Commercial Appeal)
		By Dan Wolken Contact January 28, 2007 If you're Andre Allen, and you're a 30.5 percent career 3-point shooter, what do you do when the ball comes to you with 1 minute, 56 seconds remaining and the University of Memphis down by two? If you're Jeremy Hunt, and you've missed every kind of shot imaginable, what do you do when Southern Miss goes to a zone defense and the game hangs in the balance? And if you're Chris Douglas-Roberts, what do you do when there's pain shooting up your right ankle every time you take a step, but see a victory slipping away? The only way to explain how No. 11-ranked Memphis came from six points down with 6:25 remaining at FedExForum Saturday to beat Southern Miss, 67-64, is by answering those three questions. If you're Allen, you bury that 3-pointer. If you're Hunt, you make two 3-pointers, the second giving Memphis a 58-55 lead with 3:45 left. And if you're Douglas-Roberts, you demand the basketball and score 10 points in the final seven minutes, including two free throws with 7.6 seconds left when one miss would have opened the door for a monumental upset. And after Southern Miss forward Sai'Quon Stone's tying 3-point attempt missed at the buzzer and the Tigers had their ninth straight win, coach John Calipari exhaled and thought about all the plays down the stretch that helped Memphis improve to 17-3 overall and 7-0 in Conference USA. "We need a bunch of these (close games)," Calipari said. "To go through (a season) and not have a bunch of these is tough. The reason you need these games is, as a unit, you know who has the (courage) to make a play because we weren't running plays. We were jumping on some guys' backs, and they made plays. It's easier to stop a play than it is a player." And for most of the game, Southern Miss effectively stopped Memphis' plays. Though the Tigers ended the first half on a 12-0 run to take a 32-25 lead into the locker room, the Golden Eagles came right back behind freshman guard Jeremy Wise, who scored 28 points on 10-of-24 shooting. Southern Miss also took advantage of Memphis' poor free-throw shooting -- 12-of-25 in the second half, including four straight misses on front-ends once the Tigers got into the bonus -- and grabbed the lead with a 14-4 run. A 17-foot jumper by Wise with 6:25 to play gave Southern Miss a 55-49 lead, and with Douglas-Roberts, the Tigers' leading scorer, clearly limited due to a sprained ankle that forced him to miss Memphis' previous three games, a pall fell over the crowd of 14,741. "Early in the game, my ankle was killing me but I was thinking about it too much," Douglas-Roberts said. "I saw us losing, and I was like, 'No way we're going to lose this.' I said (to Calipari), ride me for a minute." Hunt was calling for the ball too. Despite a rough start -- he made four of his first 12 from the field, 2-of-7 from 3-point range -- Hunt didn't hesitate with 5:15 to go when he got an open look with Memphis behind 53-52. It dropped. And so did the next one, 1:30 later, to put the Tigers ahead by three. "I'm going to miss shots a whole lot during the season," said Hunt, who finished with 21 points. "I'm just the type of player, I'm not going to stop shooting if I'm wide open. I just wanted to take my time on my shots, and they started falling, and they just happened to be two big threes at the end." But the biggest belonged to Allen, who had missed 14 of his previous 18 attempts from 3-point range this season. But when he got the ball wide-open on the far wing with 1:56 left and Memphis down 62-60 after a Wise jumper, he had no thought but to shoot. "I told Chris three plays earlier, when I pass him the ball, my man was running the trap," Allen said. "So I told him, my man is leaving me to come and trap you. If you pass it to me, I'm guaranteed to make it." While Memphis was celebrating, Southern Miss (13-6, 3-3) was wondering what more it could have done. Two weeks after making Memphis work down to the last couple minutes for a 75-62 victory in Hattiesburg, the Golden Eagles played even better. Southern Miss roughed up the Tigers at every opportunity, got forward Robert Dozier in foul trouble (he had seven points in 16 minutes), outrebounded the Tigers 37-31 and generally out-worked them for most of the game. "The game was closer than three points in my opinion," coach Larry Eustachy said. "Hunt hit huge shots against the zone. Allen hit a huge shot. You've got to give those two guys credit. What we wanted to happen happened." -- Dan Wolken: 529-2365

01/28/07		Tigers replay (Commercial Appeal)
		AS THE GAME TURNED This one turned many times in the final five minutes. And even after Jeremy Hunt's second straight 3-pointer gave Memphis a 58-55 lead with 3:46 left, Sai'Quon Stone came right back and converted a 3-point play to tie the game 30 seconds later. Southern Miss made another clutch play with 2:11 left when freshman Jeremy Wise made a 12-footer to give the Golden Eagles a 62-60 lead. Then, after Andre Allen's 3-pointer put Memphis back in front 63-62, the Tigers came up with a big defensive play when Hunt blocked Wise and started a 2-on-1 break that Chris Douglas-Roberts converted with 1:25 to go. Memphis never relinquished the lead after that, though Jarvis Hill missed a wide-open 3-pointer with 11 seconds left that would have tied the game. AS THE ROTATION TURNED Tigers coach John Calipari was quick on the trigger Saturday when he saw something he didn't like. First, Allen went into the fray 2:42 into the game. He came out just one minute later after he turned the ball over in transition. Then, backup center Kareem Cooper replaced Joey Dorsey with 14:54 left in the first half. After missing a hook shot and getting blocked on the next trip down the floor, Calipari didn't waste any time getting Dorsey back in the game, pulling Cooper after just 1:11. Later in the first half, Douglas-Roberts came off the bench to replaced Doneal Mack. He came out of the game 1:05 later after he airballed a 3-pointer. And freshman Pierre Niles only lasted 1:28 after missing two free throws. "I'm not settling for it," Calipari said. "You're not doing what we need you to do? I'm going with somebody else." RIM GEMS With Southern Miss leading 23-18 in the first half, Dorsey helped turn the momentum with a spectacular putback. After Antonio Anderson missed a wild runner, Dorsey came in from underneath for a two-handed tip dunk, firing up the crowd of 14,741. Memphis fed off the noise and went on a 12-2 run after Dorsey's dunk to take a 32-25 halftime lead. HIDE YOUR EYES The Tigers got outrebounded for the second straight game, this time 37-31. Part of the problem is that Memphis was forced to use its small lineup much of the game with sophomore forward Robert Dozier in foul trouble. With Niles not firmly in the playing rotation, the Tigers don't have a viable backup at power forward. Dozier played just 16 minutes and fouled out with 7:04 left. SCORER'S TABLE After a series of good games, Dorsey put together another remarkable box score. In 32 minutes, Dorsey went 3-for-3 from the field for seven points, had 16 of Memphis' 31 rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals. The only negative was Dorsey's 1-for-5 effort from the free-throw line, including one that missed the rim by a foot. LOCKER-ROOM CHATTER "Andre is all heart. So a guy like that, he can miss every shot in the game, but he knew he was as going to make it. He told (Douglas-Roberts), they're doubling you. My man's leaving, so pass me the ball." -- Anderson on Allen, who hit a huge 3-pointer with 1:56 left to give Memphis a 63-62 lead. ODDS AND ENDS Unhappy with Cooper's play and his attitude in the first half, Calipari didn't merely bench Cooper. He banished him to the locker room. With 9:57 to go in the first half, Southern Miss called a timeout. Cooper immediately checked out of the game in favor of Dorsey and took a seat on the bench. But Calipari told Cooper to go back to the locker room for the rest of the half. Cooper came back in the second and played two minutes. He finished with two rebounds and one blocked shot. "I didn't like his body language, and I told the team at halftime, if anybody has body language that's going to take us down, we're here to win," Calipari said. "I don't know if you're mad at you, me, him, the official, your mom. It doesn't matter who, but if you had that body language, would you want that around your team when you're in a dogfight? So I just said, you want to be with us with the positive body language, come out. If not, stay in." Douglas-Roberts returned to the starting lineup and scored 15 points after missing nearly three full games due to his high ankle sprain. But he didn't start the second half, which Calipari said after the game was a coaching mistake. "I should have started him," Calipari said. Members of the Tennessee Army Air National Guard rappelled from the roof of the FedExForum to present the game ball before tip-off. LOOKING AHEAD Tigers at UCF, Wednesday, 6 p.m. CST -- Dan Wolken

01/28/07		Lady Tigers still winless in C-USA play (Commercial Appeal)
		By Our Press Services January 28, 2007 BIRMINGHAM -- A five-minute scoring drought late in the second half proved costly as the University of Memphis women's basketball team opened its three-game Conference USA road trip with an 84-77 loss to UAB on Saturday. The loss drops Memphis to 3-19 overall and 0-8 in league play. The Lady Blazers are 11-9 and 6-2. The Lady Tigers used some nifty 3-point shooting to build a 39-36 halftime lead. "I thought in the first half we made the extra pass; we were totally confident," said coach Blair Savage-Landsden. Devin Necaise sank six treys and led the U of M with 24 points while Aroha Jennings had 21. Alysse Davis chipped in with 11 points, tying a career-high. Diamond Rogers paced UAB with 28 points.

01/28/07		Board gives, gets the money that keeps Tigers afloat (Commercial Appeal)
		By David Williams Contact January 28, 2007 We hear it all the time: College athletics is big business. But that's not to suggest that profits just naturally flow, millions upon millions, into athletic department coffers. Take the University of Memphis, which operated at a $1.3 million deficit for the last fiscal year. It costs the athletic department some $6 million annually just to cover the cost of scholarships. (Yes, somebody has to pay for those "free" rides.) "Every 1 percent that tuition goes up, it costs us $50,000 a year," said athletic director R.C. Johnson. "So if there's a 10 percent increase in tuition, that's a half a million dollars. "It's a race, and I'm running, but. ... " Johnson and the athletic department's Tiger Scholarship Fund (formerly the Tiger Clubs) aren't running alone, though. For a decade now, they've had the help of the Tiger Athletic Advisory Board of Directors, whose members provide donations and leads to potential donors, as well as advice, strategic planning, and a connection to the fan base that Johnson said is essential. Board members past and present were honored last week with a pregame reception before the men's basketball team played Tulsa at FedExForum. It was a thank you for 10 years of fund-raising help, 10 years of bending Johnson's ear, 10 years of keeping Tiger athletics from seeming like such a big business that the average fan can't relate. "I've never seen anyone who served who didn't understand the importance of the university, and come away more committed than when they first started," said the board's first president, Harold Byrd, who is vice chairman and president of the Bank of Bartlett. Byrd, a supporter of the school's academic side as well, said athletics can sometimes seem to "assume a much-too-important position" at a university. But, he added, "Athletics brings attention to this university, which I think is the most underappreciated and undervalued asset of this community." Adviser Cato Johnson, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare senior vice president for corporate affairs, called the board "an extremely talented, diverse group of supporters from across all the spectrums of the community." Johnson is currently serving on the advisory board's strategic planning subcommittee, studying everything from seating plans to best practices at other universities to -- of course -- funding needs. The board has 51 members, representing the full range of giving. Some donate hundreds to the scholarship fund, others tens of thousands. Board membership rotates, although the athletic department's star donors -- the 21 "Ambassadors," who have given $500,000 over a four-year period -- are permanent members. R.C. Johnson said there's a saying in the athletic department. He said board members are asked "to give it or get it." He's talking about money -- the necessary fuel for an athletic department with a budget of $26.5 million. The scholarship fund last year reached $5 million -- double the amount of a decade ago. "We're pretty pleased with that," R.C. Johnson said, "because not only have we come a long way, but we've had so many other projects in the meantime. We've built this and we've built that, and we've had to raise money for salaries and raise money to buy out salaries. That's all been separate (from the scholarship fund)." The $5 million was a long-standing goal, but still not enough to cover rising scholarship costs. The goal, then, for the athletic department's fund-raising staff -- and its friends, the advisory board members -- is to raise even more. But R.C. Johnson said the advisers' value isn't just monetary. They're the voice of other donors, and a connection to the community. "I hear from some more than others," he said. "But I always welcome their input -- and I usually get it." Sometimes, they may disagree. Byrd, for example, opposes building a new football stadium at the Mid-South Fairgrounds, an idea proposed by Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton and backed by R.C. Johnson. The athletic department and its advisers, though, are a tight team on the larger matter at hand -- moving the U of M forward. "There's not a thing that's so universal in this community," Byrd said, "as the University of Memphis." To see a list of advisory board members, visit: http://gotigersgo.cstv.com/tsf/mem-tiger-clubs-board.html. -- David Williams: 529-2310 Tiger Scholarship Fund The following shows the approximate dollar amounts (in millions) raised by the Tiger Scholarship Fund (formerly the Tiger Clubs) over the last decade: 1997: 2.5 1998: 2.5 1999: 2.2 2000: 3.1 2001: 3.8 2002: 4 2003: 4.5 2004: 4.6 2005: 4.9 2006: 5

01/28/07		Memphis has to rally for ninth win in a row (Nashville Tennessean)
		Associated Press MEMPHIS � Someone finally gave Memphis a scare at home. Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 15 points, including five in the final 2:28, and No. 11 Memphis rallied past Southern Mississippi 67-64 on Saturday for its ninth straight victory. The Tigers (17-3, 7-0 Conference USA) had to come back from six points down with 6:25 to play. Jeremy Hunt led Memphis with 21 points, and Douglas-Roberts' two free throws with 7.6 seconds left preserved the win. "We almost lost one, but almost doesn't count," said Douglas-Roberts, who is still favoring a high ankle sprain that forced him to miss the previous two games. Joey Dorsey grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds and added three blocks for Memphis. Jeremy Wise had 28 points and five assists to lead Southern Mississippi (13-6, 3-3), and Sai'Quon Stone added 15. It was by far the toughest home game of the season for the Tigers, who have won 25 in a row at the FedExForum. Coming in, Memphis had beaten visitors by an average of 23.5 points this season. Ole Miss presented the strongest previous challenge, losing by 12 in December. "We need games like this, even at home," Memphis Coach John Calipari said. "If the other team is playing harder with more desire, we'll lose." But instead of his usual stand that his team didn't play up to its potential, Calipari gave credit to Southern Mississippi. "We were fortunate to win," he said. Even Southern Miss Coach Larry Eustachy thinks Memphis' talented team could benefit from a few more tests. "They've had so much success. I think the best thing that could happen to Memphis � and I tell John this all the time � is that they lose a game," Eustachy said. "They're going to win this league, and this is all about March for them. They could be helped if they faced a little adversity." Southern Mississippi, the league's top defensive team, was unfazed by the Tigers' winning streak and caused problems for Memphis throughout. The Tigers didn't help themselves by shooting 21-of-37 from the free throw line. "This was like a tournament game," Douglas-Roberts said. "A team that is not really noticed, comes out and plays hard like they are playing for their lives. We need games like this to get ready."

01/27/07		No. 11 Tigers win a close one over Southern Miss (Commercial Appeal)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Someone finally gave Memphis a scare at home. Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 15 points, including five in the final 2:28, and No. 11 Memphis rallied past Southern Mississippi 67-64 on Saturday for its ninth straight victory. The Tigers (17-3, 7-0 Conference USA) had to come back from six points down with 6:25 to play. Jeremy Hunt led Memphis with 21 points, and Douglas-Roberts' two free throws with 7.6 seconds left preserved the win. "We almost lost one, but almost doesn't count," said Douglas-Roberts, who is still favoring a high ankle sprain that forced him to miss the previous two games. Joey Dorsey grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds and added three blocks for Memphis. Jeremy Wise had 28 points and five assists to lead Southern Mississippi (13-6, 3-3), and Sai'Quon Stone finished with 15 points. It was by far the toughest home game of the season for the Tigers, who have won 25 in a row at the FedExForum. Coming in, Memphis had beaten visitors by an average of 23.5 points this season. Ole Miss presented the strongest previous challenge, losing by 12 in December. "We need games like this, even at home," Memphis coach John Calipari said. "If the other team is playing harder with more desire, we'll lose." But instead of his usual stand that his team didn't play up to its potential, Calipari gave credit to Southern Mississippi. "We were fortunate to win," he said. Even Southern Miss coach Larry Eustachy thinks Memphis' talented team could benefit from a few more tests. "They've had so much success. I think the best thing that could happen to Memphis _ and I tell John this all the time _ is that they lose a game," Eustachy said. "They're going to win this league, and this is all about March for them. They could be helped if they faced a little adversity." Southern Mississippi, the league's top defensive team, was unfazed by the Tigers' winning streak and caused problems for Memphis throughout. The Tigers didn't help themselves by shooting 21-of-37 from the free throw line. "This was like a tournament game," Douglas-Roberts said. "A team that is not really noticed, comes out and plays hard like they are playing for their lives. We need games like this to get ready." Southern Miss led early, but a late burst by Memphis to close the first half gave the Tigers the lead. Still, the Golden Eagles stayed close and retook the lead midway through the second half. Southern Mississippi led 55-50 with just more than six minutes left when Memphis scored eight unanswered points, including a pair of 3-pointers by Hunt, to reclaim the lead. The teams exchanged the lead, with the Golden Eagles holding a 62-60 advantage with 2:12 to go. But Memphis closed the game with a 7-2 run. "We totally unraveled and could not get to the locker room fast enough," Eustachy said. "I thought the team responded well at halftime. Then we came into the same scenario in the second half, and didn't unravel." Memphis carried a 32-25 lead into halftime, but it was Southern Mississippi that controlled play early. Wise had 13 points in the first half for the Golden Eagles. Hunt, struggling with his shooting touch, led Memphis with 11 points _ but he hit only three of nine shots in the half. The Southern Mississippi defense caused havoc for Memphis early in the game, limiting Tigers shots and forcing turnovers. The defense and an early offensive burst from Wise, who hit his first four shots, gave the Golden Eagles a nine-point lead after Memphis went more than five minutes without a field goal. At the time, Southern Mississippi was shooting 50 percent, while the Tigers were at 25 percent. But Memphis finally got going and the crowd got into the game during the last 9 minutes of the half. The Tigers went on a 12-0 run in the final 6:51, led by Hunt's eight points. Calipari shuffled players throughout while trying to find the right combination to crack the Golden Eagles' defense, but the Tigers shot only 39 percent. The Golden Eagles were hurt by 19 turnovers.

01/27/07		Lady Tigers Fall Just Short of Upset Bid -- Fall at league-leading UAB, 84-77 (GoTigersGo.com)
		BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - - A five minute scoring drought late in the second half cost the University of Memphis an upset bid in an 84-77 loss at league-leading UAB, Saturday night to open a three-game Conference USA road trip. "I thought first half we made the extra pass, we were totally confident," head coach Blair Savage-Lansden said. "We were moving the ball, making the extra pass, and we stuck to our game plan. We communicated well and our defense and our energy on defense really helped us out." Memphis led at the half after shooting 43.8 percent and out-rebounding UAB 18-15. The two teams combined for 13 three-point field goals to open the game, as Memphis knocked down seven threes, including four from Devin Necaise and two from freshman Alysse Davis, while UAB drained six shots from beyond the arc, with four coming from Diamond Rogers. UAB switched to a 2-3 zone to try to slow down the Memphis shooters, and it allowed the Blazers to pull back from an eight point deficit to take a 32-31 lead, their first since the 14:52 mark. But Memphis kept working the ball around the zone, finally making a move and driving past defenders, and when Aroha Jennings drove past her defender for a jumper, she gave Memphis a 36-34 lead with 24.2 seconds to play. But UAB would hurry back up the floor and drive the paint, as Faitha Salaam converted the layup to tie the game at 36 all. But Memphis would head back down to the offensive end and the ball would go all the way around the perimeter to a waiting Necaise, who knocked down the three as the clock expired to send the Lady Tigers to the locker room up 39-36. Memphis out-rebounded the Blazers 18-15 in the first half and had drawn two offensive charges, forcing two of UAB's four first half turnovers. Memphis also got stronger on their offensive possessions, committing just two turnovers in the opening 20 minutes. "We went and played box and one and we knew Guzman was going to try to take over and she did," Savage said. "We talked about how Guzman's going to get hers and how we got to keep everybody else from scoring but we didn't get that done in the second half. In the second half, UAB started penetrating more and we just didn't get there quick enough." Guzman, the country's sixth-leading scorer, finished with 22 points, 18 of them in the second half, while Diamond Rogers led all scorers with 28 points. The win gives UAB a half game lead in the C-USA standings, with Tulane, Marshall and Southern Miss tied for second. Devin Necaise led Memphis with 24 points, hitting six shots from beyond the arc, while Aroha Jennings added 21 points. Alysse Davis added 11 points, tying her career high, but 12 second half turnovers kept Memphis from getting any good looks during the second half scoring drought from the 7:49 mark in the second half until Jennings hit a three at the 2:14 mark. Memphis will continue its three-game road trip with a game at Marshall, Thursday, at 7 p.m. (ET). That came can be heard on WUMR, 91.7 FM in Memphis or on www.gotigersgo.com.

01/27/07		Women's Distance Team Leads Memphis on Day Two of Gladstein Invitational -- Lady Tiger DMR team sets new Memphis record (GoTigersGo.com)
		BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Led for a second straight day by the Lady Tiger distance group the Memphis track team closed out the Gladstein Invitational with numerous personal bests and a new school record. "We did pretty well today," said head coach Kevin Robinson. "Overall it was a much better performance then last weekend. We're starting to show signs of improvement, and we're coming together as a team." In their first meet together, the women's distance medley relay team of Emily Malinowski, Tina Sherratt, Anneli Uys and Eryka Morris shaved 13 seconds off of the former Memphis record, running an impressive 11:56.63. "This was the first meet for them as a team, and they easily broke the school record," said Robinson. "I think they're going to improve as they become more experienced running together." The women's field team was also impressive as Gail Lee took home a third-place finish with a mark of 61-2 in the women's weight throw, and Whitney Bolton tied her school record in the pole vault with a height of 11-0. In men's action Glen Edwards finished sixth in the shot put with a throw of 54-4.25. Men's high jumper Andre Hicks had his best performance as a Tiger, taking home a fifth-place finish and clearing a height of 6-7. "All around I thought the team looked pretty good," said Robinson. "Hopefully, we can continue to improve as the season progresses and be ready for the conference meet."

01/27/07		Tigers Top Golden Eagles, 67-64 -- Hunt pours in 21 points (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Someone finally gave Memphis a scare at home. Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 15 points, including five in the final 2:28, and No. 11 Memphis rallied past Southern Mississippi 67-64 on Saturday for its ninth straight victory. The Tigers (17-3, 7-0 Conference USA) had to come back from six points down with 6:25 to play. Jeremy Hunt led Memphis with 21 points, and Douglas-Roberts' two free throws with 7.6 seconds left preserved the win. "We almost lost one, but almost doesn't count," said Douglas-Roberts, who is still favoring a high ankle sprain that forced him to miss the previous two games. Joey Dorsey grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds and added three blocks for Memphis. Jeremy Wise had 28 points and five assists to lead Southern Mississippi (13-6, 3-3), and Sai'Quon Stone finished with 15 points. It was by far the toughest home game of the season for the Tigers, who have won 25 in a row at the FedExForum. Coming in, Memphis had beaten visitors by an average of 23.5 points this season. Ole Miss presented the strongest previous challenge, losing by 12 in December. "We need games like this, even at home," Memphis coach John Calipari said. "If the other team is playing harder with more desire, we'll lose." But instead of his usual stand that his team didn't play up to its potential, Calipari gave credit to Southern Mississippi. "We were fortunate to win," he said. Even Southern Miss coach Larry Eustachy thinks Memphis' talented team could benefit from a few more tests. "They've had so much success. I think the best thing that could happen to Memphis - and I tell John this all the time - is that they lose a game," Eustachy said. "They're going to win this league, and this is all about March for them. They could be helped if they faced a little adversity." Southern Mississippi, the league's top defensive team, was unfazed by the Tigers' winning streak and caused problems for Memphis throughout. The Tigers didn't help themselves by shooting 21-of-37 from the free throw line. "This was like a tournament game," Douglas-Roberts said. "A team that is not really noticed, comes out and plays hard like they are playing for their lives. We need games like this to get ready." Southern Miss led early, but a late burst by Memphis to close the first half gave the Tigers the lead. Still, the Golden Eagles stayed close and retook the lead midway through the second half. Southern Mississippi led 55-50 with just more than six minutes left when Memphis scored eight unanswered points, including a pair of 3-pointers by Hunt, to reclaim the lead. The teams exchanged the lead, with the Golden Eagles holding a 62-60 advantage with 2:12 to go. But Memphis closed the game with a 7-2 run. "We totally unraveled and could not get to the locker room fast enough," Eustachy said. "I thought the team responded well at halftime. Then we came into the same scenario in the second half, and didn't unravel." Memphis carried a 32-25 lead into halftime, but it was Southern Mississippi that controlled play early. Wise had 13 points in the first half for the Golden Eagles. Hunt, struggling with his shooting touch, led Memphis with 11 points - but he hit only three of nine shots in the half. The Southern Mississippi defense caused havoc for Memphis early in the game, limiting Tigers shots and forcing turnovers. The defense and an early offensive burst from Wise, who hit his first four shots, gave the Golden Eagles a nine-point lead after Memphis went more than five minutes without a field goal. At the time, Southern Mississippi was shooting 50 percent, while the Tigers were at 25 percent. But Memphis finally got going and the crowd got into the game during the last 9 minutes of the half. The Tigers went on a 12-0 run in the final 6:51, led by Hunt's eight points. Calipari shuffled players throughout while trying to find the right combination to crack the Golden Eagles' defense, but the Tigers shot only 39 percent. The Golden Eagles were hurt by 19 turnovers.

01/27/07		Memphis Basketball Postgame Quotes -- No. 11/14 Tigers 67, Southern Miss 64 (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis Head Coach John Calipari "I would tell you again that Larry (Eustachy) is doing a heck of a job. Those guys fought like crazy. His guys made plays. But I'm going to tell you we had three guys on our team who are up for games like this. We need games like this, even at home. If the other team is playing harder with more desire, we'll lose." "The other reason is, in a close game, who will make plays? Who made plays today? Jeremy Hunt made two shots. Who else made it? Andre Allen made a big shot, and then Chris (Douglas-Roberts) came over and said, `Coach, ride me for awhile.' So what did we do? Whenever a player says that to me, I ride them. We just gave it to him and gave it to him and gave it to him." "We're still not where we need to be. But I'm telling you, we played today. They just played better. We were fortunate to win. I'm happy we won." "(During the timeout), I was contemplating fouling, but the team convinced me not to. If we had done that, we would have trapped. They would have taken their time in bringing the ball up, and we would foul because they had no more timeouts left. If they missed it, we had timeouts. I decided against it because four of them were in my face saying `No, don't foul.' And then they almost make the three. They didn't, but if I had to do it over again, I probably would have fouled No. 14 (Sai'Quon Stone) as he brought it up the court." Southern Miss Head Coach Larry Eustachy "In the first half, we had a situation where the crowd and momentum changed. We totally unraveled and could not get to the locker room fast enough. I thought the team responded well at halftime. Then we came into the same scenario in the second half and we didn't unravel." "This game was closer than three points in my opinion. I give Memphis credit. (Jeremy) Hunt hit a huge shot against the zone. (Andre) Allen hit a huge shot. You've got to give those two guys credit. What we wanted to happen happened. We just didn't think we could stop their bigger perimeter guys. " "How are we going to handle this? Are we going to be happy we played with Memphis? After the Alabama game, we were just excited we played with Alabama. So are we going to be happy when they tell us in Hattiesburg what a great game we played, or are we going to put this game behind us and play the biggest game of the year Wednesday against a similar type of team in UTEP?" "I think John (Calipari) has a tough task keeping a team going when they've won so many games in a row. John did a terrific job down the end making some decisions. I think Memphis is just getting better and better and better." "We've finally got to turn the corner and realize these are games we need to win. We have to put this game behind us and look forward."

01/27/07		Calipari, Eustachy friends and foes -- Closeness set aside during today's contest (Commercial Appeal)
		By Dan Wolken January 27, 2007 University of Memphis coach John Calipari says Southern Miss coach Larry Eustachy is one of his closest friends in Conference USA. But what happens to that friendship when you've got two games against each other in a two-week period? You give each other advice, naturally. "I talked to John (last Sunday), and he's telling me what he thinks we should do to get better," Eustachy said. "That's how close we are." Despite what is on the line today when Southern Miss visits FedExForum at noon -- a regional rivalry, Memphis' 6-0 C-USA record and its No. 11 national ranking for starters -- Eustachy and Calipari have not suspended their friendship, even for two weeks. Though it seems contradictory, the idea of two coaches helping each other even while they're trying to beat each other offers an instructive peek into the mentality of a business where the line between foe and friend is often hard for the public to decipher. The Calipari-Eustachy bond is a prime example of it. On Jan. 13, Eustachy grew so frustrated toward the end of Memphis' 75-62 win in Hattiesburg, he was thrown out of the game with 2:31 remaining. Nothing personal, of course. Eight days later, Calipari and Eustachy were talking about the Southern Miss program, its improvement to a 13-5 record and how to get it to the next level. "I just said look, the way you have this set up, you're two more good players away from being where you want to be in this league," Calipari said. So, how does Calipari reconcile that with the fact that Southern Miss is an opponent, not just today, but in the future? How do you get in the mentality of beating someone when you've helped them just a few days before? "I want to win every game, no question," Calipari said. "I won't look at Larry (today). I won't, because I want to be in the frame of mind, I'm trying to kill this guy. I didn't look at him (in Hattiesburg) because I don't want to have any feelings if I feel bad or I'm mad because he's killing us. I just want to coach my team. "The greatest thing is, I'm not playing, and he's not playing. We're both trying to get our teams to play well. There's no secret in how we play and how they play, and the reality of it is, I think both teams will be prepared and then, you know, it's out of our hands at that point. So I don't worry." This is one occasion where the familiarity between coaches could be felt just as strongly by the players. The fact that Memphis and Southern Miss played an emotional, close, physical game a mere two weeks ago might add a different dimension to the rivalry. "It's a game that's probably a lot harder (than the first meeting)," sophomore forward Robert Dozier said. "We know each other's plays. We know what to expect, and especially if a team lost to you the first time, they're going to come out a little more hungry. We have to come out prepared for whatever they throw at us. It will definitely be a physical game." In one way, the schedule significantly favors Southern Miss. In between the two Memphis games, Southern Miss lost 68-50 at UTEP, which runs the same offensive system as Memphis under former Tigers assistant Tony Barbee. And the Golden Eagles will play UTEP again on Wednesday, meaning they'll see the same style four times in a six-game period. "It's really an unusual situation," Eustachy said. "It happened once already and it didn't work out very well, and we're going to try it again." One question worth considering is how long Calipari and Eustachy will be matching wits in C-USA. Given how dramatically Southern Miss has improved -- from 10-21 last year with no road wins to a possible top-four team in the league -- Eustachy has emerged as the early favorite for league Coach of the Year honors. The more games Southern Miss wins, the more likely it is high-profile programs will start inquiring about the former Iowa State coach for their openings. "I think in Larry's case, he's not in a hurry to leave Southern Miss," Calipari said. "They gave him an opportunity to come back, but he'll have opportunities to leave. Good coaches do." -- Dan Wolken: 529-2365 -------------------- No. 11 Tigers vs. Southern Miss When, where: Today, noon, at FedExForum TV, radio: Comcast Sports Southeast (Ch. 6 on Comcast able, not available on satellite), WREC-AM (600)

01/27/07		McCallie star likes what he sees in Tigers -- Prep coach: Safety has 'great upside' (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact January 27, 2007 Being that his first love was basketball, it was understandable Walter Dozier envisioned himself becoming a starter at point guard for the University of Memphis basketball team. He'd follow in the lightning-quick footsteps of one of his favorite ex-Tigers, Antonio Burks. He'd lead the UofM into another NCAA Tournament and play before large crowds at the FedExForum. Four years later, Dozier's college sport-of-choice has been altered, although his destination remains the same. Dozier, a defensive back from Chattanooga McCallie, is in Memphis this weekend making an official visit to the campus he expects to call home for, at least, the next four years. A 6-foot, 195-pound safety, Dozier is sold on the UofM. ''I'm very close to closing the deal, especially with a week-and-a-half to go before signing day,'' he said. ''It looks like the place I'll be.'' Dozier, who made the Tennessee Sports Writers Association All-State team, is visiting the UofM along with Wooddale High receiver Roderick Davis, Fayette-Ware defensive back Wade Bonner and receiver Nick Dickerson, Miramar (Fla.) offensive lineman Joel McCleod, Baton Rouge offense lineman Ronald Leary, Northwest (Miss.) Community College running back Curtis Steele and Locust Grove (Ga.), offensive lineman Robbie Hardie. Hardie (6-4, 285) committed to the UofM in December, but hadn't taken an official visit. Bonner, considered the No. 19 prospect in the state by Rivals.com, is a Mississippi State commitment, but is visiting along with Dickerson (5-9, 190). Leary (6-2, 325) has drawn interest from Ole Miss and Clemson and McCleod (6-3, 275) from Pittsburgh and UCF. Davis said he was interested in visiting Memphis because the Tigers ''are my hometown team.'' Dozier helped McCallie reach the Division 2 state finals and finish with a 10-2 record by excelling at two positions. As a receiver, he caught 61 passes for 1,234 yards and 10 touchdowns. Defensively, he made a smooth in-season transition from cornerback to safety and made 43 tackles. ''He's got a great upside and he's going to get bigger,'' said Rick Whitt, McCallie head coach and former defensive coordinator under Tiger coach Tommy West at Memphis. ''I really believe he is going to be a good safety. He is explosive and he is a contact player.'' Whitt joined the McCallie program a year ago as defensive coordinator and was named head coach two weeks ago. He said Dozier shares some similarities with former Tiger linebacker Derrick Ballard, whom Whitt worked with at Memphis. ''He has athletic ability like Ballard, with the twisting and turning he can do,'' Whitt said. ''He may not be as smooth as Ballard was, but he's going to be good." Dozier said he looks forward to being part of a Memphis 4-3 defense that was similar to the one employed by Whitt at McCallie. ''Coach Whitt said if I came to Memphis I'd enjoy playing for coach West,'' he said. ''It would be almost like playing for coach Whitt. That they are good buddies helped me out a lot with my decision.'' It also didn't hurt that Dozier's stepfather, Michael Lowman, played cornerback at Chattanooga in the early 1990s when West was the team's head coach and Whitt was an assistant. Dozier, who also attracted interest from Middle Tennessee State, Samford and Chattanooga, has been following Tiger football since DeAngelo Williams began his record-setting run at the school in 2002. He's also familiar with DaJuan Wagner and Rodney Carney, the ex-UofM basketball stars who matriculated from Memphis to the NBA. His love for basketball hasn't abated. Dozier is a four-year starter at point guard for McCallie, averaging 13 points and nine assists. Last week he hit the game-winning shot to beat rival Chattanooga Baylor. ''My best games have always been against Baylor,'' Dozier said. ''Last year against Baylor I returned an interception 101 yards for a touchdown.'' Whitt expects Dozier to blossom in college because of performances like those. ''I just think he has a really good upside because of his leadership qualities,'' he said. ''And he's an incredible worker. He can do a lot of things.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

01/26/07		Lady Tiger Records Fall in Day One of Gladstein Invitational -- Sherratt and Lee set new school marks (GoTigersGo.com)
		BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The first day of competition at the Gladstein Invitational saw the Lady Tiger track team shatter a pair of Memphis records. At just 17 years old, Tina Sherratt broke the Lady Tiger mile record by five seconds, finishing the race in 4:56.64 and earning a fourth place finish. It was the first ever sub-five minute mile turned in by a Lady Tiger runner. Sophomore Emily Malinowski also took a top-10 finish in the mile with a time of 5:09.10, which improved her collegiate best by seven seconds. The Lady Tigers' other newcomer, Anneli Uys, finished the race in 5:11.92. "I was really proud of the kids today," said Memphis head coach Kevin Robinson. "We thought that a lot of the new kids could step in and make an impact and they did." While the newcomers were making a splash on the track, Lady Tiger veteran Gail Lee produced a monster throw in the women's shot put. Lee, a 2005 All-American, bested her PR and school record by more than two feet with a mark of 55-3. The distance, which was just three inches from an automatic NCAA Championship birth, all but ensures Lee her second NCAA Championship appearance. "Gail was just phenomenal," said Robinson. "She is already at the elite level, so for her to break her PR by that much is impressive. That distance stands as the second longest throw in the country so far this season." Junior Sivan Aballi also had an impressive performance in the shot, taking third place with a throw of 49-1.25. In the women's high jump, junior Chen Edri took home a third place finish with a leap of 5-4. On the men's side, Steffen Nerdal lead the Tigers in the weight throw for a second straight meet, posting a distance of 54-5.75. In the men's 400 meters Sam James posted a new personal indoor best with a time of 49.97. Middle distance runner Geoff Standen posted his new collegiate best in the mile with a time of 4:37.74. Saturday should bring more success for the Tiger track teams as they will be competing in some of their top events, including the men's and women's pole vault, the men's shot put, the women's weight throw and the women's distance medley relay. "I'm really looking forward to tomorrow," said Robinson. "We have a lot of our strongest events coming up so I'm expecting some more record performances."

01/26/07		Tommy West Adds Derek Jones to Tiger Staff -- Former Tulsa assistant to coach cornerbacks (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - University of Memphis head football coach Tommy West announced Friday afternoon that the Tennessee Board of Regents has approved the hiring of former Tulsa assistant coach Derek Jones to coach the Tiger cornerbacks. Jones coached cornerbacks one season at Tulsa after serving as an assistant at Middle Tennessee and Murray State. Last season, Tulsa finished the year with an 8-5 record and lost to Utah in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. In 2006, the Hurricane defense ranked first in the league in pass defense and total defense. Tulsa's defense also ranked second in C-USA in scoring defense, allowing its opponents just 20 points per game. "Derek is a great hire for us," said West. "He knows the area and is energetic and has been involved in successful defenses at the schools he has worked at. We are excited to have him at the University of Memphis, and know that he will do a great job recruiting for us." Prior to joining Tulsa's staff last year, Jones spent the 2005 season as the cornerback coach at MTSU. The Blue Raiders' defense showed vast improvement statistically from the previous year, ranking 30th in the nation in pass defense and 34th in interceptions. Before his one-year stint at MTSU, Jones spent five seasons (2000-04) at Murray State serving as the cornerback coach and recruiting coordinator. Jones coached seven all-conference performers in his five years. In 2004, Jones' secondary played a major role in Murray State ranking 11th nationally in total defense and 23rd in scoring defense in Division I-AA. The Racers ranked second in pass defense in the Ohio Valley Conference and 40th nationally. A year earlier, the Murray State defensive unit ranked first in pass defense in the OVC and fourth nationally. He entered the coaching ranks at his alma mater, Ole Miss, in 1998 as a graduate assistant for football operations and recruiting. He served as a defensive graduate assistant a year later. As a player, Jones was the team captain for the 1995 and 1996 seasons and earned second-team all-SEC honors as a junior and senior cornerback. Following his senior season, Jones was selected to play in the 1996 Blue-Gray All-Star Classic. He was also a standout in track and field for the Rebels, earning all-SEC honors in the 4x400-meter relay and reaching the nationals in that event as well. A native of Woodruff, South Carolina, Jones earned his bachelor's degree in public administration from Ole Miss in 1996. Following graduation, Jones played professionally for the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League and the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football League. An injury ended his playing career in 1998. West also said that he will more than likely hold off on any additional staff hires until after Signing Day on Feb. 7. "I know the question on everybody's mind is `When is he going to hire a defensive coordinator?,'" said West. "I wanted to make sure I devoted my full attention to recruiting during this period and we have been very pleased with the way recruiting is going this year. "As soon as we get past recruiting, I will spend the next couple of weeks meeting with coaches who have contacted me about the position," added West. "There are some quality coaches out there who are interested in this program, but I want to see that we get someone in here who is the right fit for our defense."

01/26/07		Lady Tigers Open Three-Game Road Swing Saturday -- Face UAB in Birmingham (GoTigersGo.com)
		The Lady Tiger basketball team will have to look to the road in an effort to snap a 10-game losing streak. Saturday Memphis will face travel partner UAB in Birmingham, kicking off a three-game conference road swing that includes games at Marshall and East Carolina. In the first meeting of the season against UAB, the Lady Tigers did not do something that most league schools have not been able to do, which is to contain senior guard Carmen Guzman. Guzman was the lone UAB player to score double-digit points in the first meeting, as the league's leading scorer finished with 23 points, but UAB scored 42 of their 75 points in the paint, and had 11 different players score in the game. UAB also used a significant 46-30 rebounding advantage over the Lady Tigers to keep Memphis at bay in a 75-59 win in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Lakitha Murray came off the bench for UAB to grab seven r