Memphis wonders what could have been
Tigers look at what went wrong and what it could have been like to win National Championship
As Kansas fans continue to celebrate the National Championship, Memphis must ponder how it let the game slip away.
By Rustin Dodd (Contact)
Wednesday, April 9th, 2008
Before the dust had settled, before the National Champions made their way back to a throng of thousands at Memorial Stadium, Memphis’ Chris Douglas-Roberts sat at a microphone and tried reflect on how his Tiger team had squandered a nine-point lead with 2:12 remaining.
“They had the will to win tonight. And, you know, they beat us,” Douglas-Roberts, who lead Memphis with 22 points said.
Memphis' Pierre Niles (4) sits on the bench as the celebration begins for Kansas at the conclusion of the championship game at the NCAA college basketball Final Four Monday, April 7, 2008, in San Antonio. Kansas defeated Memphis in 75-68 in overtime to claim the championship.
Two days after Kansas won its third National Championship, the celebration rages on.
But miles away in Memphis, a city, a team and a coach will continue to wonder about what might have been.
“I thought we were national champs,” Memphis coach John Calipari said after the game.
Behind the inspired play of Douglas-Roberts and freshman Derrick Rose, Memphis had turned a 33-28 halftime deficit into a 60-51 lead.
Douglas-Roberts scored 13 first half points and used a herky-jerky game to bewilder Kansas’ Brandon Rush.
Rose, who scored three points in the first half, took over in the second half with 15 points.
Despite their heroics, Douglas-Roberts and Rose won’t be remembered for what they did right on Monday night in San Antonio.
Instead, the duo will be left to wonder how they managed to miss three out of four free throws with 16 second remaing.
“I really can’t explain why,” Douglas-Roberts said. “I mean, I don’t know. I don’t know. I mean, when you play basketball, you can’t describe things like that. You really can’t. I missed ‘em.”
The fortunes of two teams, two schools, and two men hedged on a Mario Chalmers’ jumpshot.
Bill Self arrived in Lawrence yesterday with National Championship on his resume, while Calipari was left to wonder what if?
“You know, I think everything in life happens for a reason.” Calipari said.
His team had lost, and his second appearance in the Final Four ended bitterly.
Memphis needed one more free throw from Rose to be National Champions. And as Rose stood at the line, Calipari watched.
“And I sat there and I looked up and I said, Lord, if he makes this, these two, we’re supposed to be national champs,” Calipari said. “And if that’s your will, I’m fine. And if he misses them and we’re not, I’m fine with that, too. That’s what I said in my mind.”
“I’m probably not supposed to say that, religiously, but that’s what it was,” Calipari added. “And when he missed ‘em and he made the shot and we went to overtime, I just — we did everything we were supposed to. It wasn’t in the cards. It wasn’t our day. It was their day. And that’s — I just sat there and went, wow.”
—Edited by Russell Davies
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