Right now in our apartment’s Tournament pool, assistant basketball coach Marquise Wright is looking more and more like a prophet while junior forward and Louisville native Jared Strode hails himself as the second coming of Nostradamas.
And after what happened last night, when the University of Memphis, winners of 27 straight, which is a school record by the way, was upset by the Missouri Tigers, who was a middle of the road 16-16 last season in the Sweet 16 last night in Glendale, Arizona, I find it hard to believe that the Tigers played to their capabilities.
Seriously, when you have a guy in Doneal Mack that misses a wide-open dunk and to make matters worse, does this shit on national television, then you have to ask this question.
Are they supposed to win this game after that?
Obviously, we learned that the answer was no with a capital N.
As I woke up this morning and discussed the game with a few friends on the way to school, I quickly understood the reasons why we lost.
First and foremost, as much as I think moving Tyreke Evans to point guard was in a sense a good idea in January, I felt that for the most part Antonio Anderson could have moved back to the point guard position and let Evans go to the 2 at least.
Although Evans played well and scored 32 points, to me he was a one-man sideshow out on the court.
Secondly, the timely shooting of Robert Sallie disappeared about as quickly as that 14-point lead I had against a guy on the PS3 at the Vue in Poplar Plaza when we were playing NCAA Basketball 09 Thursday afternoon.
Where as he lit it up against Cal State-Northridge, he was not mentioned at all in last night’s game, so there’s the second reason.
And thirdly, and after the debacle last season with these, I thought I would never have to write this in a column but I saw this with my own eyes so I have to say it.
Free throws.
To echo what former Crew member Scottie Key said last November when Memphis lost to Xavier on the account of free throws that were missed, I have to be on a level with her and agree that free throws and destiny on Mizzou’s side was what doomed the Tigers in the end.
Antonio Anderson was downright abysmal from the charity stripe, despite the fact that the senior guard shot 75 percent from the free throw line last year and to top it off, the guy hit the two most dramatic free throws in Tiger history two years ago.
On a Thursday night for crying out loud.
Now that these acts are written for the 89th season of Memphis basketball, what will be this team’s legacy?
Seriously, will it be the fourth C-USA championship or their flameout in the NCAA Tournament?
You tell me.
