Coach: John Calipari, nine years at Memphis, six years in NCAA tournament.
How they got here: Automatic bid (CUSA tournament champion); West first round: def. No. 15 seed CS Northridge 81-70; West second round: def. No. 10 seed Maryland 89-70.
They'll keep winning if ...: The defense continues to be dominant. As good as the Memphis offense has run since Tyreke Evans took over at the point, it's been the defense that has gotten the Tigers to where they are. Putting pressure on opposing offenses and getting easy baskets in transition off turnovers helps Memphis get its motor running and out ahead of other teams because of the team's athleticism all over the floor.
Memorable moment: The Tigers' Conference USA winning streak looked like it was coming to an end when Tulsa took a one-point lead on Memphis with just 4.5 seconds left in their Jan. 13 contest. It was the Golden Hurricane's first lead of the game, and playing at home, it didn't seem like a solid defensive team like Tulsa would give up any more points. But Antonio Anderson took the inbounds pass and drove nearly the length of the court to the basket, scoring a double-clutch layup over Tulsa's shot-blocking center, Jerome Jordan, at the buzzer to give the Tigers the clutch victory. Pulling out the improbable win on the road against probably Memphis' biggest challenger in the conference gave the Tigers even more confidence and the rest of the conference even more of an inferiority complex.
Tyreke Evans
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Go-to guys: Tyreke Evans may only be a freshman, but since he was installed as the team's point guard, the Tigers didn't lose a game. The 6-6, 219-pound Evans can drive to the hoop and finish or pull up for the mid-range jumper. He's also a very good passer who finds Memphis' shooters on the perimeter. One of those is senior Antonio Anderson, who always seems to come through with the clutch play, whether it's offensively or defensively. Up front, Shawn Taggart and Robert Dozier are both extremely active on the glass, getting a good share of their baskets off offensive rebounds.
Strengths: Memphis doesn't have a starter under 6-foot-5, which gives the Tigers' defense a lot of space covered. Taggart and Dozier really hound players who venture into the paint, while Anderson and Evans are both very strong on the glass, giving Memphis quite an advantage. And when John Calipari puts 6-8 freshman wing Wesley Witherspoon at the top of the Tigers' zone defense, it makes it even harder for teams to penetrate. Offensively, the Tigers can get to the hoop with Evans and Anderson strong enough to drive on most defenders. And on kickouts, Anderson, Doneal Mack and Willie Kemp are all solid shooters from beyond the 3-point arc.
Weaknesses: The Tigers haven't shown a whole lot of weaknesses in recent weeks. Like last year's team, though, the free-throw line isn't always kind to the Tigers. Memphis hit just 70.1 percent from the charity stripe in conference play, leading to comparisons to the 2007-08 team that missed crucial free throws down the stretch of the national title game. The Tigers' three regular-season losses all came when they shot 35 percent or worse from the field.
Coach: Bill Self, six years at Kansas, six years in NCAA tournament.
How they got here: At-large bid; Midwest first round: def. No. 14 seed
North Dakota State 84-74; Midwest second round: def. No. 11 seed Dayton 60-43.
They'll keep winning if ...: They control point guards. North Dakota State's Ben Woodside (37 points) lit them up in the first round, but Sherron Collins nearly matched him with 32 points. He poured in 25 points in the second round victory over Dayton. Next up for Collins is Michigan State's Kalin Lucas, who isn't as strong but is quicker. An off game by Collins or center Cole Aldrich hurts the Jayhawks' chances considerably, largely because of inconsistent production from everyone else. Collins and Aldrich are the only Jayhawks to have reached double figures in scoring during their first two tournament wins.
Memorable moment: Playing at Oklahoma for the sole possession of first place in the Big 12, the Jayhawks got off to a slow start, but rallied for a huge
lead before downing the Sooners, who were without standout Blake Griffin. Kansas was content feeding the ball inside to Cole Aldrich, who dominated the glass. Outside
bombs by Sherron Collins and drives by Tyshawn Taylor sealed the outcome and the Jayhawks went on to capture their fifth consecutive regular-season title in the Big 12.
Sherron Collins
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Go-to guys: Sherron Collins is a stocky guard who is fearless going to the hoop and just as dangerous from 3-point range. Tough to contain, though he's
only 5-foot-10. Cole Aldrich moved into the starting lineup as a sophomore, but figured to be a special contributor after stopping North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough in last
year's national semifinal. Aldrich is a beast on the glass and the best in the Big 12 at altering shots.
Strengths: Kansas does not swipe the ball and launch its transition game off steals like it did with Mario Chalmers and Russell Robinson in the
backcourt, but its defense remains solid. Enough perimeter threats exist to make teams play honest defensively, which prevents them from sagging on Aldrich, who is good
at converting lobs. Collins is a player who can ice games when he's hot.
Weaknesses: Sometimes Collins grows too impatient and tries to force offense when he's not hitting. Taylor, an unsung freshman, is wildly inconsistent,
though he improved over the final half of conference play. It's possible to get Aldrich into foul trouble. How he adapts to different officiating in the NCAA tournament will be
interesting. Experience could be an issue, though enough Jayhawks experienced the national title run a year ago to be able to groom the rookies.
