Mar 10, 2007 - 5:41 PM
0 shoutsBy PA SportsTicker
Memphis never was challenged during the Conference USA regular season and nothing changed in the postseason tournament.
Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 17 points as the fifth-ranked Tigers breezed to a 71-59 victory over Houston in the league championship game on Saturday to earn an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Memphis (30-3) won its 22nd consecutive game to become the first C-USA team to go undefeated in the conference regular season and then win the league title.
Fittingly, the Tigers secured their second consecutive automatic NCAA berth on their home floor, where they have won 32 consecutive home contests.
While Memphis likely is staring at a No. 2 seed in the NCAAs, its expected victory had to make bubble teams around the nation breathe easier. No other Conference USA team would earn a slot in the "Big Dance" unless it won the league tournament, thereby keeping an at-large bid available.
Antonio Anderson scored 17 points for the Tigers, who used a 21-5 first-half run to take control of the game. Memphis won the three conference tourney games by an average of 18.3 points.
Last season, the Tigers earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAAs and advanced to regional final before losing to eventual national finalist UCLA.
Unlike Memphis, Albany earned its way into the NCAA Tournament the hard way on Saturday, edging top-seeded Vermont, 60-59, to secure the America East championship on the Catamounts' home court.
The second-seeded Great Danes (23-9) lost both regular-season meetings to Vermont, but won the one that counts behind 22 points from Jamar Wilson to earn its second straight NCAA berth.
Last season, as a No. 16 seed, Albany pushed No. 1 seed Connecticut to the wire in almost becoming the first team to knock off a top seed in the history of the NCAA Tournament.
Nine other conference championships will be decided Saturday, including the Pac-10 and Big East.
So far, 17 automatic bids have been awarded. The entire 65-team field will be announced by the NCAA Selection Committee on Sunday.
