Memphis Ends Bradley's
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Page C6 G Friday G March 24, 2006 The Spokesman-Review NCAA TOURNAMENT: UCLA 73, Gonzaga 71 Memphis ends Bradley’s run BY JANIE MCCAULEY Shawne Williams had 12 points, eight rebounds first half and only scored eight points for Bradley Associated Press and four blocks as Memphis won the third round of (22-11), which at No. 13 was the lowest seed still in the Oakland Regional for its seventh straight vic- the tournament. The Braves will return home to OAKLAND, Calif. – Rodney Carney counts on tory. another hero’s welcome after they turned the pro- his first dunk of a game igniting his teammates’ in- Carney raised his arms in the air in celebration gram into a household name and brought national tensity. after a two-handed jam midway through the se- attention to their town of Peoria, Ill. He dunked all right, he jumped in the passing cond half, one of several emphatic dunks by the 6- “I think we put Bradley basketball back on the lanes on defense, and Carney kept top-seeded foot-7 forward who was nearly unknown when he map,” O’Bryant said. Memphis from becoming another victim of Bra- first arrived at Memphis. Now, he is one win from The Braves had been the NCAA spoiler so far af- dley’s surprising NCAA run. finishing his stellar collegiate career in his home- ter beating Kansas and Pittsburgh to reach their Carney contributed on both ends of the floor town of Indianapolis for the Final Four. first regional semifinal since 1955 when it was 24- Thursday, scoring 23 points and leading a stingy Coach John Calipari’s young Tigers (33-3), an team tournament, but they began the second half 4 defense that gave Memphis an 80-64 victory and NIT team last season, advanced to Saturday’s re- for 16 and struggled to get open looks at the basket put the Tigers in the regional final for the first time gional final against UCLA. The Tigers beat UCLA against speedy, aggressive Memphis. since 1992 – back when Anfernee Hardaway was early this season. The Tigers took Bradley right out of its preferred their star. “We really guarded. We rebounded in the se- half-court offense. “That’s what my dunks do,” said Carney, who cond half, and my stars were stars – all three of “They wanted to run, and we run,” Washington added three steals. “I spark the team with run- them,” Calipari said. “We’re pretty good when that said. “That’s Memphis basketball.” through dunks. It gives the team intensity. I want happens. ... Your senior better do his thing, and he’s Bradley committed 14 first-half turnovers, then Associated Press to dunk on 7-foot guys.” doing it.” took better care of the ball after halftime but Memphis’ Darius Washington Jr., reacts from the Darius Washington Jr. added 18 points and Patrick O’Bryant had 11 of his 14 rebounds in the couldn’t make shots. bench during the second half of his team’s win. ZAGS Continued from C1 disbelief at an unexplainable de- feat. The Bulldogs’ Adam Morri- son, after scoring a game-high 24 points in what was probably his final college game, collapsed to the floor in despair after team- mate J.P. Batista’s last-second desperation shot from the left wing failed to fall. GU’s late-game collapse sent the Bulldogs home with a 29-4 record, while the resilient Bruins (30-6) advanced to Saturday re- gion championship against top- seeded Memphis. “We just didn’t quite finish BRIAN PLONKA The Spokesman-Review that one off,” Zags coach Mark Gonzaga’s Erroll Knight has a Few said after watching his team first half shot blocked by blow a nine-point lead in the fi- UCLA’s Lorenzo Mato, right. 1 nal 3 ⁄2 minutes of the game. “But UCLA deserves a lot of credit The Zags, trailing 72-71, put down the stretch for just hanging Afflalo on the line immediately in there.” and he hit 1 of 2 free throws for “Obviously, were pleased to the final margin. get the win,” said coach Ben GU tried a long inbounds pass Howland, whose Bruins trailed to Batista, who made the catch in 42-29 at halftime. traffic but couldn’t convert on an “That was a great finish for us off-balance jumper from about 16 and a testament to the character, feet out. the toughness, the heart of our “We had control of that game players. I’m really, really proud for most the game,” said Morri- of them.” son, the nation’s leading Division The Bruins, who got 30 points I scorer, who is expected to forgo from their sophomore backcourt his senior year at GU and declare tandem of Arron Afflalo and Jor- for this summer’s NBA Draft. “It dan Farmer, trailed 71-64 with just happened in a blur, but that’s 3:27 remaining, but then held the the way the game works. Bulldogs scoreless the rest of the “If you don’t execute down the way. stretch, you pay for it.” They closed to within 71-70 on The Bulldogs, who shot 57.7 a pair of free throws by Ryan percent in the first half, made on- Hollins and came up with a huge ly 9 of 25 shots after intermission BRIAN PLONKA The Spokesman-Review backcourt steal on the GU’s next and missed their last six of the UCLA’s tough defense surrounds Gonzaga junior Adam Morrison during Thursday night’s first-half action at Oakland, Calif. possession. game. The biggest play of the game Still, they earned plenty of BLANCHETTE wing and took a hard whack on win from the Final Four, and that thing 95 of 100 times. He’s played out when the Bruins’ Ce- praise from Howland, once a Continued from C1 the elbow from Afflalo – his the next they were one of the made it all year. That’s why dric Bozeman stripped the ball graduate assistant at GU. fourth foul – yet still managed tragically disposed in which we’re here. He had a step-back from Batista. It was picked up by “We beat a great team today,” doubt already cursed it among to bury the shot, along with the March Madness so cruelly that I’ve seen him make 1,000 of Farmar, who fed a high pass to he said. “As I said going into the themselves as they did a year foul shot for a rare four-point traffics. those. Mbah a Moute for the go-ahead game, that was the best team ago. play. At that moment, Morrison – “We had Derek (Raivio) wide bucket. we’ve played all year, with the But, of course, they left so The lead was still 10 points often derided as something less open in the corner once. Either Shortly after GU’s ensuing in- possible exception of our next many teams cursing likewise with 5 minutes to play – but than the most sportsmanlike of of those three shots would have bounds pass, the Bulldogs’ Derek opponent, Memphis (which beat this remarkable season. Gonzaga never made another competitors – got a full effectively ended the game.” Raivio had the ball tipped away the Bruins 88-80 early in the “This team has been so point. appreciation of graciousness, The Zags will mourn this loss near midcourt and Mbah a year). incredible for digging games Three of Morrison’s seven courtesy of Bruins Afflalo and in much the same way they did Moute made a diving attempt at a “Gonzaga is terrific. Adam out, making the big shot, missed shots came in the last 3 Hollins. the Texas Tech game in last steal and ended up forcing a Morrison is special. We feel very making that last stop,” sighed minutes – all tough, all under “That’s just a sign of a great year’s tournament, which they jump ball that gave UCLA an- fortunate to have pulled out this Gonzaga coach Mark Few. “It duress, but shots he has made program and great people,” lost with a poor performance at other possession. victory.” finally caught up to us in the often as not this season. Morrison acknowledged. the free-throw line. end.” “We had control of that game “They had enough guts as a As he should, Few tried to Actually, it cascaded over for most of the game,” Morrison man, in their moment of victory, “protect them a little bit in a them, leaving them stunned, said. “It just happened in a blur, to pick someone up off the floor. vulnerable moment” – only to vacant and beaten – 73-71 losers but that’s the way the game If I could thank them, I would. find that a fellow competitor, at the hands of UCLA in the works. If you don’t execute That’s more than basketball.” Afflalo, did it even better. Sweet 16 of the NCAA down the stretch, you pay for it And so was UCLA’s “I just felt for him a little bit,” basketball tournament and and we just had a few missteps. comeback. he said, recalling going to victims of a brand of Bruins You have to take your hat off to The Bruins are not a gifted comfort Morrison. “He’s a great toughness of even a different UCLA. offensive team and Gonzaga – player. There’s really no reason sort that once took the school to “I hate losing, period. In derided for its defense this for him – outside of the fact that 10 NCAA titles in 12 years.