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Tigers report: Getting inside 1/18/08

The Sports Xchange
During the Conference USA season, there are games where Memphis has such an advantage in talent and athleticism that the outcome is not really in doubt. So coach John Calipari, to keep his team sharp for March, must focus on how the Tigers are playing regardless of the opposition.

For Calipari, much of that is related to the desperation and hunger his team displays. And heading into arguably the most difficult stretch of the league schedule, he wants to see more than he got Wednesday in a 77-50 victory over Rice.

“We had some guys not compete to the level they have to compete to do well,” Calipari said. “You have to look at the other guy and say, ‘I’m going to play harder than him.’ We have some guys that don’t feel there’s an importance there.”

It’s a difficult situation at times for the Tigers, who can beat several C-USA teams even when they play poorly. But shooting 36.8 percent from the field and 22.6 percent from the 3-point line — as Memphis did against Rice — certainly won’t get it done against quality opponents. In fact, it probably won’t even get it done against Southern Miss, which played the Tigers close in both meetings last season. Southern Miss plays the Tigers on Saturday night at FedExForum.

Calipari said he will continue to hold players accountable, as he did Wednesday by benching starters Chris Douglas-Roberts and Robert Dozier for the start of the second half and playing Shawn Taggart just four minutes, 13.5 below his average.

“We just have to find out who has that competitive mentality that’s going to go out and maul their man (defensively) and help our team,” Calipari said.

MEMPHIS 77, RICE 50: Despite their worst shooting performance of the season, the Tigers had little trouble with Rice on Wednesday, jumping out to a 19-4 lead early and maintaining a 20-point margin for most of the second half. On a night when they made just 7-of-31 from 3-point range, Memphis was able to do it by forcing 29 turnovers and creating easy baskets with its full-court pressure.

Rice did show some fire, closing the gap to 28-21 momentarily, but the Tigers created three quick baskets in 30 seconds and finished the half on a 12-2 run. Memphis had a 26-5 advantage in points off turnovers and a 19-8 edge in second-chance points, thanks to 18 offensive rebounds. The Tigers also made 20 of 27 from the free-throw line, a statistic that usually does not favor them.

Perhaps the Tigers were due for a poor shooting game; they had made 62 of 136 from 3-point range (45.6 percent) in their previous seven games.

Posted by Tug | Filed under Men's Basketball