Missouri wins with 'hungry and humble' guys

West Regional | Edge: UConn-Missouri

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- There are moments when you just know everything is going to work out.

She invites you in on the first date.

A week until payday and the cashier forgets to charge you for the sirloin.

A backup freshman guard swishes a 70-foot 3-pointer at the end of the first half to bring down the house that Kurt Warner built. And Memphis along with it.

Duke had Laettner against Kentucky in '92. Missouri had Marcus Denmon against Memphis on Thursday. OK, maybe that's a stretch but don't discount the result at the end of that what-the-heck buzzer-beating heave.

Mizzou dominated second-seeded and top-five ranked Memphis 102-91 to advance to the fourth Elite Eight in its history.

For now Denmon's might be the signature shot of the tournament. For one, it makes for good television. But Missouri really did need every bit of it as Memphis cut a 24-point second-half lead to six twice in the final two minutes, 15 seconds. As has been the case most of the season, Mike Anderson's Tigers had enough energy to close it out, reaching their first regional championship since 2002.

That was one coach and a whole lot of heartache ago. Former coach Quin Snyder was fired in 2006, having left the program on NCAA probation. Anderson was hired three seasons ago to clean up the mess and restore some excitement to a program that had fallen off the national map.

Now they're calling Thursday's result possibly the biggest in school history.

Mike Anderson has revitalized Missouri's once-struggling program. (US Presswire)

"I don't think we're stopping there yet. ...," senior DeMarre Carroll said. "We'll enjoy it until midnight, like Coach said, and get ready for UConn. That could be our next biggest victory."

Missouri's fans were celebrating well into the night after departing University of Phoenix Stadium. These mid-Mo Tigers don't seem to understand they were almost born to underachieve. The program has never been to a Final Four, having lost regional finals in 1976, 1994 and 2002. The last regular-season conference title was 15 years ago.

Memphis came in favored, having been to the Elite Eight in three consecutive seasons. Missouri was picked in the Elite Eight of its conference to start the season (seventh in the Big 12 after winning 16 games last season).

Memphis routinely recruits McDonald's All-Americans. Missouri has a different relationship with Mickey D's. The franchise on campus was once known for selling the most burgers in America.

Perceptions might change with Missouri destined for what amounts to a two-hour recruiting video when it plays Connecticut in the West Regional final Saturday, the winner going to the Final Four.

"People put stars on people but you can't put a star on a guy's heart. ...," said Anderson, a disciple of mentor Nolan Richardson while at Arkansas. "That's what we did at Arkansas. That's what we did at UAB. You find those guys that are hungry and humble."

For now, Missouri's Tigers are tournament upset darlings even as a No. 3 seed. Sorry, Villanova. Jay Wright and his Wildcats are on TV more than SpongeBob re-runs.

Mizzou ended Memphis' nation-leading 27-game winning streak while Anderson provided a nice bookend finish for John Calipari, his old Conference USA rival. Anderson was the last coach to beat Memphis in that league before it went on a 61-game conference winning streak.

For most of the game, Missouri took on the form of Calipari's highest-flying Memphis teams -- twisting, turning, leaping and jumping to make a variety of shots. A top-five team in field-goal defense allowed Missouri to shoot 54 percent in the first half as Denmon's shot gave the Tigers a 49-36 lead.

The shot was from just beyond the top of the arc over the outstretched arm of Memphis' Antonio Anderson. And it wasn't altogether unexpected.

"We do it at the end of practice," Denmon explained. "It's a little fun thing we do. Each person on the team gets one shot at each basket. I've made it before. I haven't been making them recently. That was a little longer than the ones at practice. The harder you work, the luckier you get."

Denmon is a slight 6-feet-3 guard who was in the game because starter Zaire Taylor had two fouls. His biggest accomplishment to that point had been 16 points against Iowa State. That, and being named the Kansas City high school Player of the Year.

"That's big," Denmon said, "but this is a lot better."

Luck turned to flop sweat when Missouri almost blew a huge lead for the second consecutive tournament game. His team down by 24 with 16 minutes left, Calipari called timeout shortly thereafter. An immediate 11-0 run got his Tigers to within 13.

"That is normally, in the past, where we made mistakes and started playing safe," Missouri forward Leo Lyons said.

With 135 ticks left, Memphis' Shawn Taggart cut the lead to 89-83. Missouri had blown a 16-point lead Sunday against Marquette only to hang on. This time the Tigers made 11 of 14 free throws down the stretch.

All five Missouri starters were in double figures. Defensive specialist J.T. Tiller had a career high 23. Lyons, suspended earlier this season, had a double-double (15 points, 12 rebounds). Carroll, the dreadlocked point forward, added 17 points and six assists. The 102 points were the Tigers' most in 2½ months.

"I'm still ... in shock because they played so good," Memphis' Roburt Sallie said. "I would have never thought they'd get 100 points on us. Never. And they did."

The biggest surprise was that Missouri looked physically superior to Memphis at key moments. Now the challenge is bigger and badder.

"I grew up watching Big East basketball," said Taylor, a Staten Island, N.Y. native, "UConn was my team."

Not anymore.