KU vs. Memphis Championship Preview - Last Stand at Alamodome

Kansas vs. Memphis

San Antonio, TX (My Sportsbook) - The 2008 National Championship is on the line this evening in San Antonio, as the Kansas Jayhawks and Memphis Tigers square off at the Alamodome.



The Jayhawks are participating in their eighth Division I basketball title game and first since 2003. KU is seeking its third national crown, going 2-5 in previous championship bouts, winning in 1952 and 1988. Bill Self has guided this year's team to a school-record 36 wins, surpassing the teams in 1986 and 1998 (35 wins). Kansas reached its 13th Final Four with Midwest Regional wins over Portland State, UNLV, Villanova and Davidson. The team came into its semifinal matchup with overall top-seed North Carolina as the underdog, but took out the Tar Heels, posting an 84-66 decision.

Memphis boasts an NCAA Division I record 38 victories on the season against just one defeat, so to see the Tigers in the title game is no surprise. John Calipari's squad won the South Region with tournament wins over Texas- Arlington, Mississippi State, Michigan State and Texas. The Tigers then took on UCLA in Final Four action on Saturday, posting a strong 78-63 win. Memphis is seeking its first-ever national title and is playing in the championship game for just the second time (1973).

This is the first time Calipari has led a team to the national title game and the Memphis coach is just one win away from tying Larry Finch (220) as the all-time winningest coach in school history.

Calipari has ties to the team he will be facing this evening, as his coaching career began in Lawrence as a volunteer assistant. KU's Bill Self took a similar route, serving under Larry Brown at Kansas following Calipari's departure. Both recall their humble beginnings with fondness.

"It was tough for a 25-year-old because you're not going to hang around the students. You didn't have any money to go to the country club. But what it made me do, I just got into basketball," said Calipari.

Self also enjoyed his stint as an assistant.

"Cal is right in this regard: Making $4,500 a year, being a grad student, all that stuff, I don't know if I could have had more fun than what I had that grad assistant year in Lawrence."

This game marks the sixth all-time meeting between these two teams, although all five previous matchups took place in the 1980s. KU holds a narrow 3-2 edge overall.

One of the main reasons the Jayhawks are playing for the national title, is the maturation process of veteran guard Brandon Rush. A knee injury after last season forced the talented guard to work hard to return to the court and he is a better player for it today. It certainly showed in the semifinal clash against UNC, as he erupted for 25 points to lead the way. Rush has been a versatile leader, especially down the stretch, something that has not gone unnoticed by Self.

"You know, his play has evolved this year in large part due to health, because he's gone from being 80-percent to 90-percent to 95-percent, and now he's as close to whole as he's been. We're very proud of that. And the timing couldn't be better."

Rush got off to a fast start against the Tar Heels, as did the rest of the team, with Kansas opening up a 28-point lead, thanks to a 31-6 run in the first half. UNC closed the gap to a mere four points in the second stanza, but Kansas came up big in the end with clutch baskets to provide some breathing room. Rush finished 11-of-17 from the floor and was joined in double figures by Darnell Jackson (12 pts), Mario Chalmers (11 pts) and Sherron Collins (11 pts). The Jayhawks shot a solid 53.1 percent from the floor overall, while UNC delivered on just 35.8 percent.

Kansas has enjoyed that kind of differential for much of the season, leading the nation in scoring margin at +19.3. The Jayhawks also rank in the top-five nationally in assists (18.1 per game) and field-goal percentage (.508). Balanced scoring is this team's greatest asset, with four of the five starters averaging double digits. The backcourt is chock-full of talented performers, starting with Rush (13.4 ppg). Chalmers is next in line (12.6 ppg) and serves as the team's top distributor (166 assists). Collins (9.2 ppg) and Russell Robinson (7.4 ppg, 161 assists) provide more than enough depth. Forwards Darrell Arthur (12.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and Jackson (11.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg), as well as reserve center Sasha Kaun (7.2 ppg) give the team balance up front.

The Tigers have their own stellar backcourt with First-Team All-American Chris Douglas-Roberts and freshman sensation Derrick Rose. Both players were at their best against UCLA on Saturday, combining for 53 points. Douglas-Roberts went 9-of-17 from the floor and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line to lead all scorers with 28 points. Rose was equally impressive with an array of acrobatic shots, leading to 25 points. He finished a strong stat line with nine rebounds and four assists. Fellow guard Antonio Anderson chipped in 12 points. Power forward Joey Dorsey was shut out in terms of scoring, but made a huge contribution on the boards, pulling down 15 rebounds. Memphis was certainly the quicker team in the game, outscoring UCLA in fast break points, 14-2. That kind of athleticism has led Memphis to a 38-1 record this season.

The team is enjoying a +18.6 scoring margin, with the ability to score in bunches (80.2 ppg) and play shutdown defense (61.6 ppg allowed). Douglas- Roberts has been outstanding all season long and is one of the nation's premier shooters, delivering on 54.4 percent from the floor, including 41.3 percent from behind the arc. He leads the team in both scoring (18.0 ppg) and steals (48). Rose has made an instant impact, ranking second in scoring (14.8 ppg) and steals (46), while serving as the team's primary distributor (4.6 apg). Robert Dozier (9.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 67 blocks) and Dorsey (6.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 72 blocks) are a formidable duo down low.

CLICK HERE TO GET A 10% DEPOSIT BONUS FROM MYSPORTSBOOK.COM + BET ON THE BIG GAME TONIGHT - YOUR CREDIT CARD WILL WORK WE GUARANTEE IT!!!!!

Continued at My Sportsbook...