December 1, 2008
NCAA TOURNAMENT SOUTH REGIONAL: MEMPHIS 92, MICHIGAN STATE 74
Tigers refute naysayers
HOUSTON - Vulnerable? Not exactly.
The mighty Memphis Tigers humiliated Michigan State and embarrassed all those naysayers who suggested they were the most suspect of the top seeds in this year's NCAA Tournament.
The final score Friday night: Memphis 92, Michigan State 74, but really, it was worse than that.
Next up in the South Regional, a game Sunday against Texas with a trip to the Final Four on the line, though the message on this overwhelming night was clear: Don't mess with Memphis.
Freshman Derrick Rose will play at least one more college game after a 27-point, five-assist night that showed he's ready for the NBA. He exited early in the second half with a cut on his forehead that required stitches, but returned to the floor with 8 1/2 minutes left and started dominating again.
Meanwhile, Michigan State senior Drew Neitzel's career is over. He was held to six points, his first of two buckets coming on a 3-pointer that clanged around the rim and fell, mercifully, with 1 minute, 47 seconds left.
The score at halftime was 50-20.
Goran Suton led the fifth-seeded Spartans with 23 points and nine rebounds. Chris Allen had 20.
The Tigers (36-1) already were rolling, ahead by 15, when they went on a 15-0 run to close the first half. It was borderline ridiculous. It included a jam by Antonio Anderson, a double-pump stuff by Rose, a breakaway windmill dunk by Joey Dorsey and an appearance from Pierre Niles, a 310-pound forward who played 93 minutes this season.
By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, the Spartans (27-9) were walking off in shock, and the crowd full of Texas fans was murmuring about the task ahead.
How to stop the Tigers?
This is the third consecutive year John Calipari's team has made it this far. The two previous trips ended in regional finals.
Chris Douglas-Roberts finished with 23 points and probably played this one with a chip on his shoulder; he's a product of Detroit who was ignored by Coach Tom Izzo and Michigan State in the recruiting process.
Mixx it!
Copyright © 2008, Orlando Sentinel
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