University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
USF
No. 16 Tigers Advance In C-USA Tournament
Mar 13, 2003 | Men's Basketball
March 13, 2003
Box Score | Gear Up
By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Memphis coach John Calipari credits DePaul with an assist.
The Tigers beat South Florida 62-56 in Thursday's quarterfinal of the Conference USA tournament behind Chris Massie's 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Memphis (23-5) won its 12th straight game, holding the Bulls to 1-for-15 from 3-point range - and that's where Calipari learned a thing or two from DePaul.
South Florida (15-14) went 11-for-21 from 3-point range in a 76-74 win over the Blue Demons in Wednesday's first round.
Instead of double-teaming South Florida center Will McDonald, as DePaul did, Calipari decided on single coverage - as long as the perimeter shooters were guarded.
McDonald scored 16 to lead his team, but the other half of Calipari's strategy worked. The Bulls went 0-for-11 from 3-point range in the second half.
"We wanted him (McDonald) to dribble so we could go after the ball," Calipari said. "What happened against DePaul was they were double-teaming the post. That meant their other guard had to leave somebody and guard the big man. McDonald was finding him and the guy was wide open."
Rodney Carney added 18 points and Antonio Burks had eight assists for Memphis, which advanced to the tournament semifinals for the third time in four seasons.
The Tigers struggled with South Florida's 1-2-2 zone defense the entire game, going 19-of-53 from the field (36 percent) and 7-of-22 from 3-point range (32 percent).
But Calipari said the Tigers have overcome poor shooting with their defense all season.
"We did a pretty good job on them defensively," Calipari said. "It's taking me 2? years being in this program to get it to the point where we can shoot 35 percent and still win the game. You can do that if you guard."
Massie, who dealt with constant double-teams, scored twice inside to give Memphis its biggest lead, 53-47, as the clock went under four minutes.
The Tigers then went more than two minutes without a field goal after Massie's basket in the lane with 4:05 left.
McDonald's putback with 2:12 left drew South Florida to 54-53. But Jeremy Hunt sank a 3-pointer from the wing - the freshman's only basket of the game - and the Tigers went 5-for-6 from the line in the final minute to seal the win.
Calipari had given Hunt the OK to shoot during a timeout earlier in the second half.
 Chris Massie looks for a teammate to pass to during the first half.  |
|
The Tigers will play the winner of the Tulane-Louisville game in Friday's semifinals.
The Bulls lost for the sixth time in nine games, and were hoping for an NIT bid.
"We are not into moral victories," South Florida coach Seth Greenberg said. "And there is a thin line between winning and losing and we were not able to cross that line today."
The Bulls hit eight of their first 16 shots and led 20-14 early. The Tigers turned to their inside game during a 12-3 run. Anthony Rice missed a free throw, but Massie rebounded and found Rice for a 3-pointer that cut South Florida's lead to 21-20.
The teams combined were tied at 30 at the break. South Florida scored 11 points off nine Tiger turnovers but shot only 36 percent in the half.
"Our guys played with a sense of purpose and urgency," Greenberg said. "But yesterday we made our shots and today we didn't."
