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Dorsey's double-double helps extend Memphis' perfect start

Dec 16, 2007 - 5:17 AM NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- It took a while before Joey Dorsey and Memphis shook off their long delay.

Dorsey scored 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the second-ranked Tigers continued their undefeated start with a 65-41 victory over Middle Tennessee State in the Sun Belt Classic on Saturday.

Playing for the first time in 11 days after a 62-58 overtime win over Southern California at Madison Square Garden on December 4, Memphis (8-0) displayed some early rust before picking it up.

After opening the game by scoring 10 of the first 14 points, the Tigers found themselves tied at 16-16 following a jumper by Kevin Kanaskie with 9:36 left to play in the first half.

Dorsey then scored the next five points and had eight leading into the break to give his team a 35-23 advantage at the half.

Memphis continued to roll after the break, pulling ahead, 48-30, on a dunk off an offensive rebound by Dorsey with 14:43 remaining.

Robert Dozier and Shawn Taggert also scored 11 points for the Tigers, who finished 48 percent (24-of-50) from the field en route to matching their best start since the 1995-96 season.

While Dorsey, who finished 4-of-4 from the field and blocked three shots, had a strong showing, leading scorers Chris Douglas-Roberts and freshman Derrick Rose combined for just nine points.

A 20.1 scorer coming in, Douglas-Roberts went just 2-of-5 from the field and had three turnovers without an assist.

The junior guard has managed just 15 points over his last two games, going 6-of-18 from the field. Douglas-Roberts has not made more than one 3-pointer in his last four games.

After a brilliant start in which he averaged 19.8 points over his first four games, Rose has failed to break double-digits in three of his last four contests.

Similar to Douglas-Roberts, Rose also went 2-of-5 from the field and had three turnovers.

Demetrius Green, Theryn Hudson and Dino Hair had eight points apiece for Middle Tennessee State (3-5), which shot 27 percent (13-of-48) and committed 20 turnovers.