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Memphis 2007 NCAA Tournament Capsule

Memphis Tigers - Conference USA (30-3, 16-0)

Seed: #2 - South Region

Big Wins: 11/22 vs Kentucky (80-63), 12/9 Mississippi (82-70), 2/17 at Gonzaga (78-77)

Bad Losses: 11/21 vs Georgia Tech (85-92), 12/6 at Tennessee (58-76), 12/20 at Arizona (71-79)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2006, Elite Eight loss to UCLA

Coach: John Calipari (15-8 in 8 NCAA appearances)

Probable Memphis Starters:

Willie Kemp, Freshman, Guardm 6.6 ppg, 2.4 apg
Chris Douglas-Roberts, Sophomore, Guard, 15.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg
Antonio Anderson, Sophomore, Guard, 7.9 ppg, 3.7 apg, 4.0 rpg
Joey Dorsey, Junior, Forward, 8.7 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.3 bpg
Robert Dozier, Sophomore, Forward, 9.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.4 bpg

Key Roleplayers for Memphis:

Jeremy Hunt, Senior, Guard, 13.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg
Doneal Mack, Freshman, Guard, 7.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Andre Allen, Junior, Guard, 5.1 ppg, 3.1 apg
Kareem Cooper, Sophomore, Center, 4.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg

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Why They Can Surprise:
Memphis cannot be faulted for not having enough scorers. On the wings, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Jeremy Hunt average over 14 points per game. Douglas-Roberts will not take many outside shots, but he always finds a way to score. Hunt is by far the most dangerous long range shooter on the squad and is an instant spark off the bench. Freshman Doneal Mack and versatile sophomore Antonio Anderson can go off on any given night as well.

Up front, Robert Dozier has developed into a quality scorer and rebounder. His mate in the paint, Joey Dorsey, is an amazing athlete who averages 9.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. They call him Joey because he can jump like a kangaroo and, when he stays out of foul trouble, he can change the game on both ends of the floor.

Why Memphis Can Disappoint:
Memphis starts four underclassmen and the lack of experience could be a problem. In C-USA, the Tigers do not play difficult games day in and day out, and how the youngsters react in times of trouble will make the difference between a Sweet Sixteen quality team and a Final Four quality team. The Tigers have only played one NCAA Tournament team (Gonzaga) since mid-December and Coach John Calipari has some work to do in order to get his group prepared for the big games. Despite the good shooters, Douglas-Roberts is the only player who sees significant minutes that shoots over 70% from the charity stripe. That is another sign of inexperience and lack of concentration.

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Who To Watch:
Willie Kemp does something we have not seen from a point guard in Memphis in a few years…pass first. His assist numbers will not scare anybody, but the freshman has done a good job of taking care of the ball and he has the ability to step out and hit the jumper. Backup Andre Allen will almost see as much time on the floor as Kemp. Allen is not a scorer either, and he is not flashy, but the 5-10 sophomore gets it done. Like Kemp, Allen takes care of the ball and leads the team on the defense end.

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 79.6 (12th in nation, 1st in conference)

Scoring Defense: 62.3 (41, 2)

Field-Goal Percentage: 46.1 (76, 2)

Field-Goal Defense: 38.5 (8, 1)

Free-Throw Percentage: 61.0 (315, 10)

Rebound Margin: 5.4 (28, 3)

Assists Per Game: 15.1 (68, 3)

Turnovers Per Game: 13.6 (92, 2)

Joel’s Bracket Says: Second Round loss to Nevada

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