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Dozier lifts Memphis to 49th straight conference win

Jan 31, 2009 - 9:03 PM MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Robert Dozier collected 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead a balanced attack as 19th-ranked Memphis continued its domination of Conference USA foes Saturday with an 83-68 victory over Houston.

Dozier was one of five starters to score in double figures for Memphis (18-3, 7-0), which has won 49 straight conference games dating to March 2, 2006. The Tigers have won 12 in a row overall.

It looked like the latest win would be another cakewalk as the Tigers raced to a 15-0 lead less than four minutes into the contest.

However, the Tigers allowed the Cougars (12-7, 3-3) to chip away and get back into the game.

Dozier scored 11 points in the first half, which ended with the Tigers holding a 43-38 lead.

Doneal Mack added 18 points, Antonio Anderson 16, Shawn Taggart 11 and freshman Tyreke Evans 10 for the Tigers, who used a 19-9 surge in just over a six-minute stretch of the second to take control of the game for good.

"We're a veteran enough team and an experienced enough team to know that when a team like that comes back you fold a little bit," Memphis coach John Calipari said. "But we've been through so many things that when you think about the last four years and what we've been through, no team is going to give up."

Aubrey Coleman, returning from a one-game suspension after stomping on the face of Arizona's Chase Budinger, scored a career-high 35 points to lead Houston, which has lost three straight and four of its last five contests. Coleman worked hard to score his points, making 11-of-30 shots.

"He (Aubrey Coleman) needed a little help tonight. They make you play a different game," Texas coach Tom Penders said. "They don't allow you to run your plays, so you've got to be able to break them down off the dribble. You can't just run your sets."

After digging an early hole, the Cougars hit back-to-back 3-pointers to open the second half to take their first lead.

But the lead was short-lived, as the Tigers answered with a 14-4 burst to take the lead for good. The talented Evans converted a pair of layups and Willie Kemp and Mack each drilled shots from the arc during the run.

Memphis gradually increased the lead, using a stifling defense which held Houston without a field goal for over a seven-minute span at one point.