Jim Mashek  

Memphis haunted by failures at the line

John Calipari fielded questions about the Memphis Tigers' free-throw shooting for months.

They're not going to subside now.

Memphis gift-wrapped the national championship for Kansas on Monday night, failing at the foul line before the Jayhawks pulled away in overtime for a 75-68 victory in San Antonio.

Chris Douglas-Roberts, the Tigers' unconventional swingman and one of their better free-throw shooters, couldn't get it done when it counted. And the Jayhawks showed a lot of court savvy, in addition to making their free throws, to win the school's first national title in 20 years.

This is a loss that's going to haunt Memphis for a long time.

It was an uneven game, to be sure, but the Jayhawks no doubt will take it.

Derrick Rose, the Tigers' ultra-talented point guard, didn't get going until the second half. Memphis started tempting fate in the final few minutes, and once Douglas-Roberts couldn't convert at the line, it seemed no one could.

The Tigers pretty much gave the game away in the final 90 seconds of regulation, when Memphis missed four of its last six free throws. Kansas guard Mario Chalmers then delivered a 3-point field goal from the right wing with 2.2 seconds left, tying the game at 63 and sending it into overtime.

It was just the third 3-pointer for Kansas in the game.

The Tigers' Robert Dozier came up with an offensive rebound after Douglas-Roberts missed two free throws. But the Jayhawks put Memphis at the line one more time and Derrick Rose could only hit one of two.

The Jayhawks scored the first points of the overtime, too, going in front on Brandon Rush's drive that made it 65-63. Memphis was without its intimidating big man, Joey Dorsey, at that point, because Dorsey had fouled out. That was a bad omen for the Tigers once the overtime commenced.

Darrell Arthur converted one entry pass into an easy basket and a four-point Kansas lead, and with Dorsey on the bench, no one was around to stop the Jayhawks' Darnell Jackson on their next field goal.

Dorsey could do nothing but watch and glare. His glare is a lot more effective when he's on the court.

Douglas-Roberts carried his team in the first half. The Jayhawks were able to hammer the ball inside, however, and led 33-28 at halftime.

Memphis had a chance to deliver a significant national championship to Conference USA, but we'd always wondered about their free-throw shooting. We saw Mississippi State take the Tigers to the wire in second-round play of the NCAA Tournament, largely because Memphis faltered at the line.

The Jayhawks hit their free throws when it counted.

Memphis didn't.

It's that simple.

Rose and Douglas-Roberts are likely headed to the NBA, so Calipari might have to rebuild before getting his team back to the Final Four.

It'll only seem like a lifetime.

Jim Mashek can be reached at 896-2333 or jwmashek@sunherald.com