Coach Cal Countdown: The Tigers had an answer for Adam Morrison and Gonzaga. It took a village.
Tempers flare as referees and teammates hold back Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison, left, and Memphis' Shawne Williams (4) from getting into a fight as Williams is called for a foul. (Lance Murphey/AP file, photo illustration by Kelsey Bowen/The Daily Memphian)
As the city prepares to celebrate John Calipari and his former Tigers as part of the Hoops for St. Jude Tip Off Classic preseason game, The Daily Memphian is rolling out nine stories on games that defined a wondrous era of Memphis basketball. This is the third installment.
Sunday: Memphis takes the big stage at Madison Square Garden
Monday: Darius Washington Jr. had three shots to lift Memphis into the NCAA Tournament
Two nights after Christmas in 2005, Adam Morrison and Gonzaga gifted Memphis a visit.
Knowing what Morrison was capable of — he would finish the season as the nation’s leading scorer, averaging 28.1 points per game — Tigers coach John Calipari knew he might have to resort to drastic measures.
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Tim Buckley
Tim is a veteran sportswriter who graduated from CBHS in Memphis and the University of Missouri. He previously covered LSU sports in Baton Rouge, and the University of Louisiana football and basketball for The Daily Advertiser/USA TODAY Network in Lafayette, the NBA’s Utah Jazz for the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning for the St. Petersburg Times in Florida, and West Texas State basketball for the Amarillo Globe News in Texas.
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