Memphis Dominates UCLA To Reach 1st Final Since 1973

By BEN WALKER
AP National Writer
Published: April 5, 2008

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - All Derrick Rose and Memphis were missing was
a trapeze.
The star freshman showed off his dazzling array of signature
moves, and UCLA could do little but watch. Flying from all angles,
the Tigers took their show to a new level Saturday, romping 78-63
to reach the NCAA championship game.
Rose wasn’t content to merely make shots, he wanted to stamp
this Final Four as his own with a series of show-stoppers. It
became an NBA audition in likely his final college weekend as he
helped Memphis (38-1) set the major college basketball record for
wins in a season.
Rose put up lefty floaters and righty scoops, often changing
hands in mid-air, and threw one try over his shoulder. He was in
perpetual motion - once, he caught a pass in traffic,
stutter-stepped just long enough to look his defender in the eye,
and then sped past him for an easy but showy layup.
“I just try to attack when I get the ball and hopefully jump
over them and shoot,” he said.
UCLA star Kevin Love put on his own show at practice Friday,
hitting a full-court shot. He managed just 12 points - and missed
both open 3-pointers - as the Bruins (35-4) again fell short in
their third straight Final Four appearance.
“I’m very proud of this group of kids,” Howland said. “Even
though it’s disappointing to get here for a third year and not win
a championship, I’m still proud of these kids.”
All season, this team from lightly regarded Conference USA
played along with coach John Calipari’s us-against-the-world theme.
Now, the Tigers need only to beat the North Carolina-Kansas winner
for their first championship.
Rose finished with 25 points and nine rebounds and a bunch of
eye-opening moves that won’t show up in the final box.
Rose also hit 11 of 12 free throws. For a team supposedly
vulnerable from the foul line, the Tigers did great in making 20 of
23.
He fittingly wound up with the ball in the final seconds and
heaved it high. Only then did he crack the slightest of smiles.
Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 28 points for Memphis, and Joey
Dorsey had the most surprising line of all - zero points, but 15
big rebounds in keeping Love out of the middle.
“It’s great, it’s great,” the All-American guard said. “We
all believe in each other and we expect great things to happen, so
this isn’t new to us.”
Memphis has won its five games in this NCAA tournament by an
average of nearly 16 points. The Tigers got off to a slower start
this time, falling behind 5-0, before their suddenly chic “dribble
drive motion” offense took over.
Memphis led 50-45 with 13½ minutes left before pulling away.
Rose made a couple of nifty passes, Dorsey came up with a monster
block and later playfully popped Douglas-Roberts on the shoulder
after a slam.
This was certainly no repeat of 1973, when the Tigers - then
known as Memphis State - got routed 87-66 by UCLA in the title
game. Bill Walton hit 21 of 22 shots and scored a record 44 points
that night. But the big man has hip and back problems and wasn’t
able to make it to the Alamodome. Fact is, the taller Bruins were
in trouble the entire way.
Russell Westbrook led UCLA with 22 points.
The Tigers spent the whole season aiming at getting back to San
Antonio. They lost to Ohio State on this same court last March in
the regional final and adopted “Remember the Alamodome” as their
motto this season.
In the first Final Four to feature four No. 1 seeds, Rose and
Memphis cruised while Love could do little to stop them.
The star freshmen needed no introduction. Rose and Love have
played with and against each other since seventh grade, and the
UCLA center reintroduced himself late in the first half, giving his
old pal a hard shoulder on a solid screen.
The first half featured a series of bursts and ended with
Memphis leading 38-35.
Josh Shipp ended his shooting slump with a pair of early 3s that
put UCLA ahead. Memphis, which never trailed in trouncing Texas to
reach the Final Four, struck back as Douglas-Roberts hit his first
four shots.
Then it was time for Rose to take over.
UCLA coach Ben Howland stood the whole game, occasionally
bumping into an official as he called out defenses. He kept
shouting “Up! Up!” at his team, trying to cut down on open looks
to no avail.
The UCLA band and cheerleaders broke out their Beach Boys medley
midway through the first half. Love’s uncle, Mike, is an original
member of the surfin’ group and a big fan - he played a show Friday
night in London and couldn’t make it to this game.
The Tigers mascot came out wearing a shirt with “Joey Dorsey
for Mayor” on the front. Once the game began, the Memphis big man
became Calipari’s candidate to yell at, with the coach twice
hollering at Dorsey for missing defensive switches.
Dorsey was the only senior Memphis had on the floor. Backup
guard Andre Allen was suspended this week for violating team rules,
and several players wrote his No. 15 on their shoes.