Kansas Jayhawks vs Memphis Tigers

Less than two years ago, the Memphis Tigers were the toast of college basketball, until their surprising season came to an end in the 2008 NCAA championship game, to the Kansas Jayhawks as the teams meet for the first time since that game at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on Tuesday night.

Kansas and Memphis were hardly rivals before that game, but they certainly seem to be now as one of the Tigers (1-0) top recruits changed course and joined the Jayhawks (1-0) instead.

Xavier Henry was planning to play his college hoops in Memphis until coach John Calipari left the Tigers to take the vacant job at Kentucky following last season. Henry has already shown he is the real deal in his first official collegiate game when he dropped 27 points in 24 minutes in the Jayhawks 101-65 victory over Hofstra on Friday.

Kansas Jayhawks appears loaded as they look for their second title in three seasons with the return of All-Americans Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich and the team is the preseason number one team.

Memphis has had a tumultuous offseason when Calipari departed the program after posting a 252-69 record in nine successful seasons, including three straight undefeated conference seasons. This was followed by four star shooters leaving the program at years’ end.

The dominoes began to fall after Calipari’s departure as the program is under investigation for alleged violations due to former point guard Derrick Rose was ruled ineligible.

Swimming through the wake left behind by departed players, coaches, scandals and decommittments is new coach Josh Pastner who will rely on Elliot Williams and Will Coleman heavily this season as each player scored 19 and 16 points respectively when the Tigers beat Jackson State 82-53.

Click here for more College Basketball Betting Lines and Online Sports Betting Lines

---

---

Comments