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Memphis looks to extend winning streak vs. Tulsa

Mar 14, 2009 - 11:40 AM By Jeff Mezydlo Stats Writer

Tulsa (24-9) vs. No. 3 Memphis (30-3), 11:35 a.m. EST

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Memphis could be one decisive victory away from earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

The No. 4 Tigers look to extend the nation's longest active winning streak to 25 games while trying for a fourth straight Conference USA tournament title Saturday against second-seeded Tulsa at the FedEx Forum.

A day after a less-than stellar 10-point win over Tulane in its tournament opener, Memphis (30-3) had little trouble in a 74-49 semifinal victory over Houston on Friday.

That result put the top-seeded Tigers in the Conference USA tournament final for a record fifth straight season. Tulsa (24-9) beat No. 3 seed UAB 70-67 on Friday to set up a rematch of last season's championship game, won 77-51 by Memphis.

A 10th straight victory over the Golden Hurricane could further strengthen the Tigers' case for their second straight No. 1 NCAA seed. Memphis is hoping to benefit from quarterfinal losses by No. 2 Pittsburgh, No. 3 Connecticut and No. 6 Oklahoma in their respective conference tournaments.

The national runner-up last season, Memphis has not lost since falling 72-65 to then-No. 11 Syracuse on Dec. 20. The Tigers are the first Division I program to win 30 games in four consecutive seasons.

"If Memphis isn't a No. 1 seed, it's utterly unbelievable to me," Houston coach Tom Penders said. "Why they still don't get respect is absurd ... I think the perception is nobody's in this league. Every year the people forget what these guys do when they go to the tournament."

Memphis coach John Calipari, though, isn't ready to look beyond this contest. Tulsa has won seven in a row and nearly beat the Tigers on Jan. 13 at home, when Antonio Anderson's last-second shot gave Memphis a 55-54 victory.

"We've still got season left," Calipari said Friday after the Tigers won their 60th straight league game and 11th consecutive conference tournament contest.

Robert Dozier had 16 points Friday to lead Memphis, which had a much more impressive performance after scoring a season-low 51 points against Tulane.

Dozier, Anderson and fellow senior reserve Chance McGrady have won 134 games at Memphis to make them the winningest three players during a four-year stretch in men's college basketball.

"I think 40 years from now they'll still be the winningest players in the history of college basketball," Calipari said.

Dozier had one point and fouled out Jan. 13 at Tulsa, but scored 23 while shooting 8 of 14 in the Tigers' 63-37 home rout of the Golden Hurricane on Feb. 11.

Freshman Tyreke Evans, who averages a team-leading 16.5 points, had 23 at Tulsa in January.

Ray Reese had 17 points and Glenn Andrews added 15 on Friday for the Golden Hurricane, who have not defeated Memphis since a 72-64 home victory March 27, 2001.

Tulsa, which is shooting 37.4 percent and averaging 54.3 points during its nine-game losing streak to Memphis, looks to avoid its 15th straight defeat to a ranked opponent since beating then-No. 16 Dayton 84-71 on March 20, 2003.