<div align="center"> <font color="Indigo">#7 Gonzaga</font> at <font color="blue">#10 Memphis</font> Tuesday, December 27th, 2005 FedEx Forum; Memphis, Tennessee 7:00 EST; ESPN2 </div> [div=50%] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"><font color="Indigo"> <font size="1">(D. Raivio, P. Altidor-Cespedes, A. Morrison , J. Batista, S. Mallon)</font></font></div> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Adam Morrison - 27.5 PPG Leading Rebounder: J.P. Batista - 8.2 RPG Assist Man: Jeremy Pargo - 2.9 APG The 'X' Factor: Derek Raivio (12.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.7 APG)</font> <font size="3">Backcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegebasketball/players/60x80/441261.jpg[/imgl]<font color="Indigo">Derek Raivio</font> (12.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.7 APG) Derek Raivio is the main guy you'll see trying to get the ball in the hands of their playmaker, Adam Morrison. Although Raivio is a true point guard, one number that doesn't stick out is 2.7 assists. For a point guard with a wing like Adam Morrison on his side that number should be up at least three more dimes a game. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegebasketball/players/60x80/524762.jpg[/imgl]<font color="indigo">P. Altidor-Cespedes</font> (3.8 PPG, 2.4 APG, 2.0 RPG) Altidor-Cespedes at 6'0" is an athletic freak. He has been getting some quality playing time in the past few games and he has been taking advantage of them. The sophmore creates for others on the court, and isn't a bad shooter himself. </font> <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegebasketball/players/60x80/441260.jpg[/imgl]<font color="indigo">Adam Morrison</font> (27.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.6 APG) Morrisonis having a great season so far, arguably the best season by an NCAA player so far. The sharpshooting junior seems to be hitting from everywhere this season, including a last second bank for the win against Oklahoma State. Morrison already in this season has gone for 40 points...twice! </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegebasketball/players/60x80/439823.jpg[/imgl]<font color="indigo">Sean Mallon</font> (6.6 PPG, 1.0 APG, 4.9 RPG) The junior from Washington is a very skilled big man for his size. In the post he is a great compleament to all-american canidate J.P. Batista. If Gonzaga wants to go far into the post season, Mallon has to step in and be a key factor. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegebasketball/players/60x80/524763.jpg[/imgl]<font color="indigo">J.P. Batista</font> (19.0 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.5 APG) Batista is definitely having the season of his life and he should take advantage of that today against Memphis. The Tigers don't have a dominate low post threat so look for Gonzaga to go to Batista early and often. </font> [/div] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"><font color="blue"> <font size="1">(D. Washington, A. Anderson, R. Carney, J. Dorsey, S. Williams) </font></font></div> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Rodney Carney - 17.5 PPG Leading Rebounder: Joey Doresey - 8.2 RPG Assist Man: Washington Jr. - 3.9 APG The 'X' Factor: Shawne Williams (16.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.7 APG)</font> <font size="3">Backcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegebasketball/players/60x80/525966.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Darius Washington Jr.</font> (14.1 PPG, 3.9 APG, 2.8 RPG) As Washington goes, Memphis goes. Expect Washington to take advantage of the point guard play, or lack there of, Gonzaga. He'll use his lighting quick speed to easily go in for 20+ points the question for Gonzaga will be can they stop him? </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://images.sportsline.com/images/players/unknown_player.gif[/imgl]<font color="blue">Antonio Anderson</font> (8.1 PPG, 3.5 APG, 4.0 RPG) Antonio Anderson has turned out better than expected for Memphis fans. The 6'6" freshman was really in the spot light against Cincy, going off for 32 points! Expect Anderson to get a couple three balls off in the second half either to sink Gonzaga or trying to climb back in it. </font> <font size="3">Frontcourt</font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegebasketball/players/60x80/439445.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Rodney Carney</font> 17.5 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.3 APG An athletic freak and a track star, Rodney Carney is the unspoken leader of this Memphis team. The only senior that is getting any kind of playing time, Carney is taking advantage of it. When he goes up against Adam Morrison tonight look for what he did against JJ Redick in the second half and that would be completely shut him down. JJ Redick in the second half of that game got around 3 shots off and scored only 2 points in the second half. Expect Carney to stick to Morrison for most of this game. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://images.sportsline.com/images/players/unknown_player.gif[/imgl]<font color="blue">Shawne Williams</font> (16.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.7 APG) Shawne Williams has been a pleasent surprise for this Memphis Tigers team. Although it's likely he is only going to stay one year, he supplies a nice three point shot and a go to guy when Washington is hurt or on the bench. Expect Williams to get some three balls off early in the game. </font> <font size="1">[imgl]http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegebasketball/players/60x80/525965.jpg[/imgl]<font color="blue">Joey Dorsey</font> 6.3 PPG, 0.5 APG, 8.2 RPG Of course the number that sticks out at you is the 8.2 boards per game and that's basically an overview of what Dorsey has meant to this team. He is a guy to come in, get some boards and do the dirty work. </font> <font size="3">Prediction</font> This is going to be another great non-conference game early in the season. I'm expect the duo of Rodney Carney and Darius Washington to explode out of the gate and go for 20+ a piece. I'm also going to say that Rodney Carney will contain Adam Morrison and limit his points, and really test the other starters of Gonzaga. This would be a bad time for the other starters to be tested. Also the Zags really haven't played a good game since they left Hawaii, don't be surprised if this game gets out of hand but I don't think it will. I'm picking Memphis in a close one. Bulldogs: 74, Tigers: 76
Nice preview, I see Memphis winning this one 79-76 because I don't think Gonzaga has enough fire power to pull this one out.
I really don't look for Carney to shut Morrison down. Honestly, I don't think there is a single player in the nation that can stop Morrison...People said Washington's Bobby Jones could stop Morrison and all Morrison did was put up 43 pts. I see Morrison having yet again another monster game on national tv as Gonzaga beats Memphis 78-67.
Gonzaga has a 40-35 lead at halftime. Adam Morrison leads the way for 'Zaga with 21 pts and Carney leads the way for Memphis with 11 pts. Carney hasn't "shut down" Morrison thus far and I don't expect him to in the 2nd half either. Raivio or someone else on Gonzaga is gonna have to step up, because I expect Memphis to start double teaming Morrison... BTW, am I the only one who would have loved to seen Morrison knock Shawne Williams out when Shawne got up in his face?
What the hell was Shawne Williams thinking stepping up to Adam Morrison like that? There's no doubt in my mind that Adam Morrison would kick his ass. Not only that, but it sent him to the bench with two fouls and screwed Memphis over, because they have no bench. About depth, Carney coming off the bench is a laugh. The kid's obviously their best player, and Calipari's not fooling anyone by trying to create the illusion of depth. Gonzaga should probably be up by a lot more than five points right now. Memphis just isn't playing smart basketball. They sprint down the court every play and just hack one up from beyond the arch. Either that, or one of their players will sprint down court for a wideopen, uncontested dunk and then bang his chest while the crowd goes wild as if he just dunked over Adam Morrison. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">BTW, am I the only one who would have loved to seen Morrison knock Shawne Williams out when Shawne got up in his face?</div> You beat me to it.
Two things are really bothering me about the way the game is being called - 1) Every time Memphis attacks the basket, there's a foul called, whether there was contact or not. 2) Everytime a Memphis player gets the ball in the post, if there's more than one defender near him, he just has to throw it up at the basket, and there'll be an official from the other side of the court blow the whistle in anticipation. Biased anticipation calls have been the story of the second half.
Yeah, all the good calls went Memphis' way in the 2nd half. But besides that, Gonzaga couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Raivio shot 3/12 from the field for 8 pts, Batista shot 5/13 for 15 pts, and Morrison shot 9/20 for 34 pts. Oh well, I guess the overrated Memphis Tigers next stop is moving into the top 3...
Even though they were beating Memphis High for 90% of the game, Gonzaga uncharacteristically fell apart in the clutch. This is definitely not the same Gonzaga team that played in Hawaii, and while Morrison is one of the best players in the NCAA, he alone can't make the Zags an elite team. They need guys like Derek Raivio to step it up like they did in Hawaii, or else they'll be seeing a lot of losses come their way. This is a very nice resume win for Memphis High, but I still think they're overrated. They've got the talent to be a top ten team, but they don't have the mental aspect of the game down. Calipari is a horrible teacher, and he recruits the type of kids who were too dumb to get into Big Ten schools *cough*Rodney Carney*cough*. They're also a very streaky team. They'll go on 10-0 runs with hot perimeter shooting, but then they'll give it right back up. MHS vs. Texas should be interesting next week.
Not having Erroll Knight is really hurting Zags' rotation. If they had him right now 100% not 50%, they'd be playing better. They just faded down the stretch, after all, a 290th ranked player in his recruiting class can't carry a team......
This game was a lot closer than the score looked like. Gonzaga most of the second half was up by 4 or 5 points the whole way and just trading buckets with Memphis then Morrison in the final 10 minutes of the game decided not to score and there went Gonzaga's chances of winning the ball game. Let me tell you, if Adam Morrison ever gets hurt for a game or is just not on in a game, the Zagas are going to lose.
