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Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2008 > April > 08 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThink Calipari still believes ‘percentages don’t matter?’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
San Antonio- OK, give Kansas credit for hanging tough, for applying pressure when all seemed lost, for making shot after big shot in the wildest finish of any NCAA final ever. But this will not be remembered as the title Kansas won. It will be remembered forever as the one Memphis cast away.
“Tough-minded guys hit free throws,” John Calipari had said breezily Saturday, the night his Tigers blitzed UCLA and made their foul shots. “Percentages don’t matter.”
File those under Infamous Last Words. File the final two minutes of regulation under the worst ever played by a team that was already celebrating its title. File this as the game Calipari will never, ever live down.
The Tigers led by nine - nine! - inside those two minutes. They’d seized control of a game going the Jayhawks’ way behind a dizzying display from the freshman guard Derrick Rose, and when Robert Dozier of Lithonia sank two free throws with 2:12 left (in regulation, and at the time overtime didn’t seem possible) the Tigers were up 60-51 and their reserves were smiling and jostling one another and readying for the playing of “One Shining Moment.”
And then … Choke City.
Darrell Arthur hit from the perimeter. Antonio Anderson threw the ball away, leading to a Sherron Collins trey that cut it to four. “One Shining Moment” had just morphed into two frazzled minutes.
Chris Douglas-Roberts (remember the name) made two free throws. Back to six. But Joey Dorsey, the senior center of whom Calipari had said, “He does some of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen,” fouled Mario Chalmers 40 feet from the basket, fouling out in the process. Chalmers made his pair. Back to four.
And now it was serious free-throw time for the team that had made only 61.3 percent of its foul shots (and that number had gone way up during the Big Dance). Dozier had said Sunday: “We can make them. We all have great form. It’s not like we’re shooting curveballs.”
But then Douglas-Roberts turned into Bert Blyleven. He missed the front end of a one-and-one. Arthur hit from the baseline. Two-point game. Douglas-Roberts missed on a drive, and Collins fled for the basket, all but certain to tie the game. But Rose blocked the shot - what a reprieve! - and CDR was fouled again, only 16.8 seconds left now, the game his to seal.
And he missed. Twice. But Dozier somehow seized the rebound in the corner, and Rose was fouled with 10.8 seconds to go, the title now his to clinch. And he missed the first.
True, he made the second, but Kansas had one final window. And Chalmers drained a 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left - it was a decent look, and it looked good from the instant it left his fingertips - and now Memphis had to play five minutes more instead of standing on the podium and hearing “One Shining Moment.”
Crushed, the Tigers never led again. Kansas scored on its first three possessions of OT - a layup, a dunk and another layup - and the championship had, for all intents and purposes, changed hands. Memphis came closer than any team has ever come (and this includes Houston in 1983 and Syracuse in 1987) to winning the gold-and-wood plaque only to see it fall into other hands. Nine up, two minutes to go: How do you not win?
“I thought we were national champs,” Calipari said afterward. “As a coach, when you’re up five with whatever seconds to go, you’re supposed to win that game.” And Memphis didn’t. It lost. It lost when losing seemed unthinkable. It lost because the free throws Calipari insisted his men would make went unmade.
“I guess you can boil it down to the free throws,” Douglas-Roberts said, and you can. So, just maybe, percentages do matter.
Comments
By Bono
April 8, 2008 12:33 AM | Link to this
Why all the hyperbole. It was a great game, s** happens. Congrats, to both teams.
By Bradley
April 8, 2008 12:59 AM | Link to this
Bradley,
All of you writers have gotten what you’ve been waiting on the whole tournament- emphasizing the free throw percentage. Although that was a problem for Memphis, I would have to say that the questionable foul trouble memphis got in played a bigger factor. Calipari should have fouledat the end of regulation, we should have hit our throws, yes. But Dorsey got 2 fouls- one for drawing a charge on the 3 point play in the 1st half. And one for going up strong for a rebound. So lets not discount the refs influence on this game- clearly favoring a more household name in Kansas. Admittedly bad calls on both sides, but there was a different criteria for fouls on different ends of the floor. Its obvious there were suspect calls when the CBS broadcast team points out 4 mistakes at a minimum- all favoring Kansas.
By Bearded Lady
April 8, 2008 1:05 AM | Link to this
Bradley, I thought the refs were good, they could have called a technical on Memphis but let it slide anyways tough way to lose, to bad someone had to I thought both teams played a little tight.
By Bradley
April 8, 2008 1:21 AM | Link to this
Bearded Lady- I agree with the no call on the technical and the obvious walk on rose that was a no call.(which is why i said above there were bad calls on both sides!) That being sad, the refs were far from “good”. All I’m saying is that there didn’t seem to be as much contact when Kansas was playing D.(if you know what I mean) And the refs clearly overreacted to every move Dorsey made to defend Kansas. Kansas D realized that early and took advantage by everyone selling out for the block or contested shot. But make no mistake by the fact that I’m admittedly a disgruntled Tiger fan, Kansas is a GREAT team and did what it took to win the game. But I would challenge anyone to watch the last 2 Memphis games and tell me that UCLA/Kansas didn’t have a little something extra on the floor.
By Fulton
April 8, 2008 1:41 AM | Link to this
Choke City? Mr Bradley, although I agree with most of your assessment, I have to draw the line whenever a ‘spectator from the sidelines’ uses that word to discribe athletes in competition. In each game there is a winner and loser; mistakes are made, the ball takes a weird bounce or maybe even a call is missed but choking is never applicable. Regardless of the moment, a free throw is either missed or made, period. Those that use the word choke, rarely understand what really goes on in competition and most have never stepped on a court or field in their lives. I would like to give you more credit than that, sir.
By Artie
April 8, 2008 1:51 AM | Link to this
Rock Chalk Jayhawk, baby!!!!!
By Artie
April 8, 2008 1:56 AM | Link to this
Come on, Bradley…the refs called a good game. They let Memphis slide on two potential technicals…CDR slamming the ball and Dorsey chest-bumping the KU guy trying to inbound the ball. KU just played with a lot more heart than Memphis.
By ROCKet
April 8, 2008 2:01 AM | Link to this
There’s a winner! ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!! Congratulations KU Jayhawks!!!
By ROCKet
April 8, 2008 2:01 AM | Link to this
There’s a winner! ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!! Congratulations KU Jayhawks!!!
By Tiger
April 8, 2008 5:54 AM | Link to this
Memphis had an amazing season… they lost TWO games all year.. enough said. Get over yourself. You and every other writer wrote them off back at the point they played Texas. So what do you know? NOTHING. go back to typing and shut up.
By A game given away
April 8, 2008 7:02 AM | Link to this
Someone is always going to complain about the officiating —never could a complaint be more displaced than this game. Memphis blew it. With a nine point lead and two minutes left, Memphis: turned the ball over, fouled a Jayhawk 40 feet from the basket (something you just DON’T do), missed the front end of a one-and-one, missed a drive to the basket, missed two free throws, missed the first of two free throws (so five points were left at the line in the final 2 minutes of regulation), chose to give up a three point attempt rather than fould at the end of the game, and finally, showed up DOA for OT.
Never has a championship game been given away more than this game was. Congrats to Kansas, who basically just happened to be there to be the recipient of a game being handed to them.
By A game given away
April 8, 2008 7:03 AM | Link to this
Someone is always going to complain about the officiating —never could a complaint be more displaced than this game. Memphis blew it. With a nine point lead and two minutes left, Memphis: turned the ball over, fouled a Jayhawk 40 feet from the basket (something you just DON’T do), missed the front end of a one-and-one, missed a drive to the basket, missed two free throws, missed the first of two free throws (so five points were left at the line in the final 2 minutes of regulation), chose to give up a three point attempt rather than fould at the end of the game, and finally, showed up DOA for OT.
Never has a championship game been given away more than this game was. Congrats to Kansas, who basically just happened to be there to be the recipient of a game being handed to them.
By Lighten up Frances
April 8, 2008 7:08 AM | Link to this
Another group of bloggers attacking the man who wrote this article —why? Mark has done nothing more than state the facts here. Fact is FT shooting cost Memphis a title —deal with it.
By Erock
April 8, 2008 7:35 AM | Link to this
Kansas showed a champion’s poise. Memphis, shaky on the fundamentals, folded. Nice season for four finalists. Hail to the camp.
By Racinoto
April 8, 2008 7:36 AM | Link to this
Great game! Don’t blame the officials, they just thought the Kansas Jayhawks were the Duke Blue Devils. Honest mistake, but the Tigers should have won the game by either making their free throws, or fouling Kansas before the last shot. C’est la Vie.
By Wehre did they get
April 8, 2008 7:48 AM | Link to this
Seriously, I have never seen a college team with bigger human bodies than ever before. Kansas had their good players then these dumb giants who screened for those good players. Where in the heck their parents breed those kind of boys? Aldrich, Kaun. my gosh. What kind of seeds their parents put in the semen to get those dumb giants. with those kind of giants, no wonder SpayedHawks can be dominating in the paint. In some sense i feel sorry for guys like Aldrich and Kaun who would be pretty much worthless after the ball game.
By William Mazone
April 8, 2008 7:52 AM | Link to this
Good Game, Kansas ….. Rough lost for Memphis. They had no business missing all those foul shots.
By Tommy O
April 8, 2008 7:56 AM | Link to this
Yep the free throws were huge, but KU is due all the credit. They showed they have the athletes, they matched Memphis on everything. They won because they have even more depth - look at how their substituting paid off at the end. MU was tired - a major factor in bricking their FTs. And KU played with heart then entire game. MU mailed in the OT. They looked like a pitiful bunch of whiners - and Calipari looks, sounds and smells like one.
By R. Kelly
April 8, 2008 8:26 AM | Link to this
GREAT GAME!!!!!
How can anyone complain about the officiating, especially Memphis fans? Officiating had nothing to do with the out come of the game. Memphis had the game won. Up 7 with a little more than a minute left on the clock, and if I can recall correctly the only fouls called from that point to the end of regualtion was on Kansas. Plain and simple Memphis CHOKED. Fulton I have been a competitive athelete all of my life, and there is a such thing as choking. If you need some evidence, replay the last 2 minutes of last night’s game. There is a difference in time and situation. As the old saying goes, pressure can burst a pipe and the pressure of a national championship burst the free throw shooting of Memphis in the tournament. Anyone can make free throws during practice, and that was exactly what Memphis was doing, while they were beating the brakes off of their opponents by 20.
GREAT GAME!!!!!!
By Larry
April 8, 2008 8:26 AM | Link to this
Mark, you blame Calipari and that is correct. CDR’s 2 foul shots with 16.8 sec to go up 4 would not have sealed the deal. Remember Memphis got the rebound and Rose hit one foul shot with 10.8 sec. What would more than likely have sealed the deal is that Memphis fouls KU just when KU starts its offense past half court, probably with about 5 sec. Then KU has all the pressure of having to make the front end of a one and one, miss the back half, rebound, and score;; much more difficult than hitting one three point shot. Calipari should have called time after Rose made and given these instructions. That is where Calipari blew it.
By SpayedHawk
April 8, 2008 8:27 AM | Link to this
Caulking SpayedHawk Sux
By TW
April 8, 2008 8:29 AM | Link to this
Good coaching and great players beats the better players without a coach. Calpari does little more than sub players. He gets incredible talent, INCREDIBLE TALENT, but he’s little more than a cheerleader. His guys don’t hit FT - goes to practice. His guys cry at every foul - goes to coaching. ‘Give it to Rose and get out of the way’???? That’s it? All that talent and that’s all they run?
Very similar to the Norcross - Wheeler State Championship. When the shake and bake is on…it’s incredible. When it runs into guys fast enough to handle it and a coach who knows what to do…it’s a loser.
Not to mention character. Both teams got checked, Kansas had it…Memphis didn’t.
The better coach won.
Can we play football yet????????
By azcat225
April 8, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this
Before the tournament started, a commentator (I don’t recall who but I vaguely recollect it was one of the ESPN talking heads) said Memphis wouldn’t win it all because at some point not making your free throws would cost you a game. I do remember in the context of the comment, he didn’t expect Memphis to make it this far, but—-he was right.
Kudos to the Jayhawks for never, ever quitting.
Lump of coal to Calipari for not having some one foul the Jayhawks in the backcourt or at the midcourt line before they could get a three point attempt off. With a three point lead, I would think that would be automatic nowadays but you still don’t see it being done very often.
Sad sidelight to this Final Four is how many of the non-senior stars from all four teams won’t be playing college ball next year. I know, it’s the modern reality, but I wish more of these kids would pull a Tim Duncan.
By Coach 101
April 8, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this
Coach Cal showed folks how NOT to coach in pressure situations. I have never seen a choke job perfected this well. He will never be known as a great coach, he sealed that fate last night. Memphis made so many mistakes and yet still could have won if the Coach would have called a TO after Roses’s made freethrow with 10 ticks left to insure that they foul so KU could not put up a three. What a BLUNDER, this loss goes on the Coach and not the players. KU deserve credit for fighting but Mark is correct, this game will be forever remembered as the game Memphis lost.
By cb
April 8, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this
By cb YESTERDAY’S POST
April 7, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this
Advantage guards… Memphis…but slight… Chalmers and company have better size and quickness than UCLA did to match up against Rose and CDR. Collison looked like he was standing still.
Advantage in the paint… Kansas… their big guys can not only rebound and play D… but score.
Intangibles… Kansas has played in a couple of close games in the tourney. Memphis has not. In the end,that will be the downfall.
Kansas… by less than 5.
BIGGEST CONCERN: What is relevant about the fact that Dozier was originally a Dawg signee? Why is it in the title? What did THAT add to the story? He’s from Lithonia… that’s great… but the rest was just not pertinent at all. Commend the guy for being where he is… not where he was… just lame.
SO I MISSED THE POINT SPREAD…
By The Greatt Wazoo
April 8, 2008 9:55 AM | Link to this
Calipari is a scumbag, but the man can coach, and to blame him for this loss is asinine. If his players were just DECENT free throw shooters, they would have won the game.
The bottom line is that FAR TOO MANY basketball players — high school, college and pro — have been ESPN-ized.
In other words, they practice the dunks that will get them on SportsCenter, but they ignore fundamentals … like free throw shooting.
The sad thing is, in the Georgia high school girls state tournament, I’ve seen 16 and 17 year old females shoot 85 and 90 percent from the line.
And yet, MAJOR COLLEGE MALE basketball players can’t even make 2 out of 3?
It’s the result of pure laziness, and nothing else.
By azcat225
April 8, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this
Laziness on whose part, Wazoo? There are still some coaches who make their players practice free throw shooting.
Otherwise, I agree with your comments. Passing is a lost art, too. The only time most players care about assists now is if they can get that all-important triple double.
By Pastor Baskerville Holmes
April 8, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this
Jesus Christ Bradley! 30 minutes after game time! I am impressed. The body didn’t even have enough time to stiffen.
If Memphis just focused more on the fundamentals (cue me throwing up in the background) and perhaps practiced the three man weave more in they’d be national champs. Clearly, the issue was that Memphis should have made 5 passes before each shot. Maybe Calipari should have taken Douglas-Roberts off the floor after bouncing the ball and said “We’ll play with four”.
You are about to witness a wave of old, Cialis addled, Adolph Rupp quoting Caucisoids with very definite opinions about how basketball is a “thinking man’s game” overrun the airwaves of every major media outlet with grand exclamations about how “Memphis just proves the old addage…fundamentals win basketball games.” Take cover immediately. God have mercy on our souls.
Pastor Baskerville Holmes Church of the Holy Mikan Drill Atlanta, GA
By azcat225
April 8, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this
Did the good Pastor have a point, or was he just practicing his sarcasm on people who don’t give a rip?
By Pastor Baskerville Holmes
April 8, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
By three o’clock this afternoon we will be wading knee deep in cliches dribbled from the elderly mouths of pasty octagenarians who think because they beat their nephew in a game of horse back in 1964 they can give Coach Cal a few pointers on how to run a practice and you sit there and ask me my point. Good lord….the horror!!!
Billy Packer and his nation of second guessing, balding sycophants are, at this very moment, bludgeoning everyones eardrums bloody with cries of “TEAMWORK!!!!!” and “DISCIPLINE!!!” These are the times that try men’s souls!!!!
Pastor Bubba Wells Church of the Given Rip Atlanta, GA
By rmutt1917
April 8, 2008 1:26 PM | Link to this
The only fundamental thing that the Jaybirds applied that Memphis lacked was FT shooting. KU’s least disciplined talent is probably their most mercurial, which is Sherron Collins (he of the dribble to the basket and get blocked by the bigs, slip countless times dribbling while getting ahead of himself, etc). - yet, he was in the game at the end, making the crucial steal and 3 pt’r, pushing the ball to Chalmers for the tying shot while hitting the deck. The only “thinking” going on was the fact that Self had a deeper team and took advantage of it (thus the two white 7-ftrs that scared the incoherent earlier poster - by the by, Kaun is getting a degree in some type of Computer Programming; I know he’ll feel useless after his basketball career).
By WinderBBaller
April 8, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this
Great Game I really think shooting FT begins in the backyard by yourself shooting hundreds ft will make you shoot with a better pertcentage when tired. Do not forget the rebound difference with Kansas big guy depth keeping KU in the game until ft shooting comes into play. Coach Felton close the door on players like Dozier getting away. DawgBBall will never get to the top ten level until the back door is closed.
Grats to Memphis on a great year and more GRATS to KU.