Great bunch of games this past weekend...I can't wait for more this thursday...THe San Antonio games look tight...
Can't wait for the game tonight. Hopefully the Ags will ride into the Elite Eight, but it is going to be tough. I'm really concerned about the offensive rebounding from Memphis because they are so athletic and their center is a beast on the offensive boards. This game is all going to be on JJ, AK, and Marlon being aggressive and not allowing too many offensive rebounding. Memphis does not shoot well enough to beat A&M, but if they get a bunch of put backs, then they don't need to shoot well. Should be a great game. Wish I was still in TX so I could go watch it.
Memphis is a really interesting team, and this is an interesting matchup. Memphis has more athleticism than anyone in the tournament, and if they can run A&M, they'll run them out of the building. Memphis will outrebound A&M and maybe by a lot. Both teams press relentlessly, but for two different reasons. A&M does it to make bringing the ball up difficult and set tone. Memphis does it to force turnovers and get easy opportunities. Anywhere else, Memphis would be a prohibitive favorite, IMO. But in San Antonio, the 12th Man should be out in force. Texas A&M has a puncher's chance.
Memphis' leading scoring is questionable / doubtful for today's game apparently (as of yesterday, at least).
I completely disagree with this. On a neutral court I think this is a pick 'em. And Vegas agrees because they usually give about 3 points for a home court advantage. Yes Memphis is very athletic, but if you look at their stats, there is no way they would be a prohibitive favorite. Memphis Shoots 46% from the field, shoots 35% from 3 pt range, and shoots only 61% from the line. It's not like they were going up against premeire defenses either. A&M Shoots 50% from the field, shoots 42% from 3 pt range, and shoots 72% from the line They may have more athleticism, but they are not a good shooting team at all. I think the athleticism/rebouding make up for a lack of shooting, but no way they would be a prohibitive favorite. To me they have the athleticism of Kansas, but don't have near the shooting capabilities of Kansas.
I say run zone and force Memphis to beat you shooting. However that puts the defense out of position for offensive boards. As big and quick as Memphis is maybe its a risk worth taking. They'll board us up either way. AK fades against talent, he never steps up, hes gonna piss me off tonight.
Yep, he should be doing a press conference either tonight or tomorrow. I don't blame him. And I will bet you will see Randolph in the draft now.
bill raftery is awesome. memphis is terrible. they're athletic and can handle the ball and usually can shoot, but they've thrown about a million points away so far. they're so sloppy, blow defensive assignments left and right (like letting law break a backcourt press by simply going down the sideline, or letting sloan turn the corner off picks for no reason), and have missed wide open 3's all game long (somehow if they were playing UT they'd be about 8 for 11 with the shots a&m is giving up). conference USA must just be disastrously bad for not one team to have risen up and beaten memphis with how sloppy and inconsistent they are.
