Coach: John Calipari, eight years at school, five years in NCAA Tournament.
How they got here: Automatic bid (C-USA tournament champion); South first round: def. No. 16 seed Texas-Arlington 87-63; South second round: held of No. 8 seed Mississippi State 77-74; South semifinals: pasted No. 5 seed Michigan State 92-74; South final: routed No. 2 seed Texas 85-67; National semifinals: dominated West No. 1 seed UCLA 78-63.
They'll win the title if ...: Winning 38 games by an average margin of 18.6 points -- 80.2 to 61.6 -- the Tigers are earning credibility after feeling disrespected much of the season and through the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Memphis keeps the pedal to the floor with double-digit wins over Michigan State, Texas and UCLA in the last three games. That erased doubts about whether Memphis was among the nation's elite. The Tigers' backcourt tandem has become the team's rudder and, while barely leaving the floor as the stakes were raised building to Monday's grand-prize finale, scoring in bunches without making mistakes. Memphis has 16 turnovers in the last 80 minutes, covering the UCLA and Texas wins. Rose and "CDR" had 53 points against the Bruins, 46 against the Longhorns and 52 against Michigan State. If KU is to grab the Tigers by the tail and take the national title, disrupting the dynamic duo of Rose and Douglas-Roberts is essential. In a loss to Tennessee on Feb. 23, Memphis had 11 turnovers and Rose scored 23 points. But "CDR" was held to 14 points, shot 8 of 17 from the line and shot 39.7 percent from the field.
Memorable moment: The Tigers was ranked No. 1 in both polls and 26-0 when it lost 66-62 at home to then-No. 2 Tennessee on Feb. 23. That loss probably did more for the Tigers than any of their C-USA wins. It forced the Tigers to re-focus before the tournament.
Chris Douglas-Roberts |
Go-to guys: Memphis has multiple go-to scorers. Sophomore reserve guards Willie Kemp and Doneal Mack can score from the perimeter, junior guard Antonio Anderson can score off the drive and junior forward Robert Dozier can produce inside, but no two players are more valuable to the Tigers than their first-team all-conference selections -- junior guard Chris Douglas-Roberts and freshman point guard Derrick Rose. If the game is close and the Tigers need a basket, the ball will be in their hands.
Strengths: Memphis has the No. 1 RPI and was tested outside the well-cushioned conference schedule. The Tigers are deep and versatile, and their interchangeable parts fit together well. Rose is the closest thing to a complete player on the roster, but the Tigers have many different skills and talents in their playing rotation. They're capable of winning with defense and rebounding, even when they're not shooting well, because they can make the most of a fast, intense tempo and create easy shots.
Weaknesses: This is still a sum-of-all-parts team. Take one or two pieces out of the Memphis puzzle and cracks in the foundation can be exposed, especially if Dorsey disappears or finds foul trouble. Opponents prefer to play zone and take their chances with the Tigers erratic 3-point shooting. The Tigers were one of the nation's worst free-throw shooting teams during the regular season, but is hasn't been an issue during the tournament.
Coach: Tom Izzo, 13 years at school, 11 years in NCAA Tournament.
How they got here: At-large berth; South first round: def. No. 12 seed Temple 72-61; South second round: def. No. 4 seed Pittsburgh 65-54
They'll keep winning if: Raymar Morgan scored four points and attempted only four shots against Pitt. While Michigan State won with Kalin Lucas and Drew Neitzel combining for 40 points in that game, Morgan has to show up in the Sweet 16. He's passive and too unselfish at times. The approach can create open shots for others, but he has to prove a threat to put the ball in the bucket. Michigan State thrives without getting much offense from Drew Namick and Goran Suton, but if the Spartans can get 15 total points fro that pair, they'll be in fine shape. The Spartans are guard-oriented and rank among the top shooting teams in the country. Even without a consistent No. 2 scorer behind Neitzel, the Spartans feature enough balance on offense to keep opponents from focusing on any one player. If MSU can keep Suton's intensity high and the Spartans work to disrupt on defense, Michigan State will be tough to slow down.
Memorable moment: Coming off a stretch that saw MSU drop three of five games in late February, the Spartans needed a win on Senior Night to get back on track. The team responded by torching Indiana in the first half at the Breslin Center, scoring 59 first-half points and cracking the century mark in a 103-74 win over the Hoosiers. Michigan State shot a sizzling 77.9 percent (21-of-27) in the first 20 minutes and drained 9-of-12 3-pointers before halftime to erase any thoughts of a late-season slide.
Drew Neitzel |
Go-to guys: The duo of Drew Neitzel and Raymar Morgan can score and Neitzel will pull from anywhere on the floor. Morgan's versatility sets him apart. Neitzel never stops moving without the ball, and his experience keeps him from panicking when things start going poorly. Neitzel also uses his scoring skills to draw defenses and set up his teammates for easy buckets.
Strengths: Head coach Tom Izzo gets the most out of his team, and there is plenty of experience on the MSU roster. Neitzel is a game-changer on the perimeter, and Morgan and Kalin Lucas are dominating when they push the tempo. The Spartans also feature a quality shot blocker in Drew Naymick, and Suton has developed as a post scorer.
Weaknesses: Izzo's rotation goes nine players deep, but there is a serious drop-off on the offensive end behind his first four scorers. MSU's big men are inconsistent at best, and Michigan State has developed a bad habit of playing down to its opponents' level. The Spartans give up too many easy baskets in transition, and Lucas has been known to force things on the offensive end.
