NCAA Tournament preview: # 2 Memphis vs #15 Cal State Northridge

Memphis hopes to start another tourney run against Matadors
Tigers’ road to Detroit begins Thursday versus Cal State Northridge in Kansas City

Reload. It’s what John Calipari and the Memphis Tigers consistently do.

The Tigers, who had three players—Derrick Rose, Joey Dorsey, and Chris Douglas-Roberts—off last year’s 38-2 (which is the best record in NCAA history) national runner-up team taken in the first 40 picks of last June’s NBA Draft, are ready to make another run at the title after being only a Mario Chalmers’ three-pointer shy of cutting down the nets in San Antonio last April.

After starting 6-3 with losses to Xavier, Georgetown, and Syracuse, there were probably those that doubted whether this Memphis club could mature into a legitimate title contender.

Since that slow start—at least by Memphis standards, Calipari’s club has reeled off 25 consecutive wins and currently boasts the nation’s longest winning streak.

The Tigers, who have advanced to at least the Elite Eight in each of the last three seasons, are 31-3 and have now won 30-plus games for an NCAA record fourth consecutive season.

While Memphis’ incredible run—which has featured it compiling a UCLA-like 73-1 record versus league opponents en route to four straight Conference USA regular season and tournament championships—has been downplayed because of its strength of schedule, Sports Illustrated felt the job Calipari did this season warranted him being named its National Coach of the Year.

The Tigers’ offensive attack is led by another freshman point guard in Tyreke Evans. Evans, who averages 16.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest, dishes out nearly four assists per game. However, he also commits 3.5 turnovers.

Robert Dozier and Antonio Anderson, both of whom started in last year’s title game, have provided excellent senior leadership. Dozier (12.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.8 blks), Anderson (10.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.1 apg) and Shawn Taggart (10.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg) all score in double figures.

Defensively, Memphis uses its athleticism and length to limit opponents to 56.9 points and force nearly 16 turnovers per game. The Tigers have totaled 300 steals this season.

While their tenacious defense will keep them in just about any game, are the Tigers proficient enough on the offensive end to make another deep tournament run?

No. 2 (ESPN/USA Today)/No.3 (AP) Memphis will begin NCAA play today as the second-seed in the West region when they face 15 th seeded Cal State Northridge in Kansas City.

The Matadors (17-13, 11-5) won the Big West Tournament to qualify for the Big Dance for just the second time in the program’s history.

After starting 6-10, Cal State Northridge has won 11 of its last 14.

Senior forward Tremaine Townsend is the only Matador averaging in double figures with 10.9 points per game. He also leads the Big West Conference in rebounding, as he pulls down 8.4 boards per contest.

Veteran guards Rob Haynes (Sr.) and Kenny Daniels (Jr.) are the club’s top three-point threats.

If Memphis takes care of business, they will advance to meet the winner of seventh seeded Cal and tenth seeded Maryland in Saturday’s round of 32.

Memphis Tigers 2009 NCAA Tournament Capsule