Memphis Roar

If someone would have said before the UAB game that:

• Lawrence Kinnard would make 5 three-point shots and score 25 points.
• Paul Delaney would score 18 points.
• Memphis would commit 19 turnovers.
• Tyreke Evans would shoot an atrocious 3-14 from the field, commit 9 turnovers and only score 8 points.

You would say with near certainty that Memphis lost the game and lost badly. Well what if Memphis won that game and won it by double-digits? Sounds crazy doesn’t it. Memphis in fact won this battle of CUSA rivals 71-60. Memphis as they have done for the last 19 games figured out a way to win. When they needed a bucket Shawn Taggart gave them one. When they needed a free throw Antonio Anderson gave them one or two or seven. When they needed a stop on the defensive end they also turned to Anderson. Robert Vaden, UAB’s leading scorer was 0-17 with 0 points mostly due to Anderson’s super defense.

In the movie, Airplane, Leslie Nielson steps into the cockpit at a critical time and says that “We are all counting on you”. This same scene is repeated several times. In the same way Doneal Mack stepped in and stepped up at a critical time. He made 3 three-pointers all of them at critical junctures. He popped in a couple of floaters also at critical times. Without Mack’s 17 points and critical plays we would have likely lost. Thank you Doneal Mack for deciding not to transfer.

20 games ago Memphis just lost to Syracuse at home. Memphis was 6-3 and had just dropped out of the rankings. Some Memphis fans were ready to write this season off. Now 19 straight wins later Memphis is rolling like an avalanche down a mountain burying teams that they play. Memphis nearly has a 2 seed wrapped up in the tournament. Now is time to work on a 1 seed.

Memphis played a highly emotional game on Thursday night. They now must play again at noon on Saturday. Normally because of the emotions that were spent and the possible fatigue of the players that game on Saturday may be dangerous no matter whom you play. Memphis game Saturday is against Southern Miss, a team which Memphis beat by 25 on the road. Thankfully Southern Miss has seen to it that Memphis will be up for this game. Earlier in the week the following comments were made:

“I think UAB is a better team, if you ask me,” USM guard Courtney Beasley said when asked about his prediction for Thursday’s game. USM coach Larry Eustachy and guard Jeremy Wise both picked the Blazers to end the Tigers’ long winning streak through conference competition.

Now instead of being a possible trap game Memphis will likely open up a 55 gallon drum of whoopass on Southern Miss.