Rose shows that doubting Memphis is unjust, thanks to just hoopin'

SAN ANTONIO -- Just hoopin' might just be good enough.

This is what Memphis is teaching us.

One blowout at a time.

Derrick Rose is only a freshman but he's earned the respect of Memphis' veterans. (Getty Images)

"Just going out there and just hoopin', that's what it's all about," said Memphis point guard Derrick Rose, the coldest hooper of them all. "No matter what's going on. Call all the plays? Whatever. If you're just hoopin' you've got nothing to worry about."

Seems that way now, doesn't it?

The Memphis Tigers are one win away from the first national title in school history thanks to Saturday's 78-63 victory over UCLA that was impressive and dominant, but mostly just a lesson to the nation. Folks keep waiting for this team to be exposed, to run into a bad matchup, to reach a point when just hoopin' doesn't get it done. For the record, I thought that point would come last weekend in an Elite Eight game with Texas.

But I was wrong.

The Tigers blew by Texas.

And now they've blown by UCLA.

And everybody who thought playing a weak Conference USA schedule wouldn't properly prepare Memphis for the NCAA tournament couldn't have been more off-target. Turns out, it was perfect preparation because now the Tigers are blowing out Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-10 opponents just like they blew out C-USA opponents.

They pounded Michigan State by 18 points.

Then they pounded Texas by 18 points.

Then they pounded UCLA by 15 points.