Spring Break
Missouri wins battle of the tigers, will face UConn in Elite Eight
Kevin Duffy
Issue date: 3/27/09 Section: Sports
After UConn finished off Purdue, Stanley Robinson sat in the team's locker room with one wish - to play Missouri on Saturday.
In Robinson's sophomore year at Huffman High School (Birmingham, Ala.) his team was knocked out of the state tournament quarterfinals by John Carroll Catholic High, led by DeMarre Carroll, who is now a senior at Missouri. Robinson simply wanted a shot of revenge.
And, at about midnight in Glendale yesterday, he realized he would get it.
Third-seeded Missouri (31-6) knocked off No. 2 Memphis (33-4), 102-91, last night and advanced to the regional final to take on the top-seeded Huskies. Tipoff is set for 4:40 EDT.
The Tigers advance to the Elite Eight after winning the Big 12 tournament and coming in third place in Big 12 regular season play with a 12-4 record. They are led by Carroll, who averages 16.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Carroll scored 17 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out six assists in Missouri's Sweet 16 victory. Leo Lyons, an athletic 6-foot-9, 244-pound forward/center, is the only other Tiger who averages double-figures. He scores 14.6 points per game.
The Tigers, who completed an improbable turnaround after going 16-16 last season, play a quick, frenetic pace that UConn guard A.J. Price says the Huskies are accustomed to.
"I haven't seen much of them, but I know they're athletic, they get up and down the floor," Price said. "We can do that too, we've played teams with that style, so it shouldn't be a problem."
UConn and Missouri have two common opponents this season - Marquette and Texas A&M. Missouri defeated Marquette in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, 83-79, and lost to Texas A&M, 96-86 on March 3. UConn defeated both those opponents and scored a combined 37 points in those two games.
UConn is one of five Big East teams still alive in the tournament and one of three that have advanced to the Elite Eight. Pitt also advanced to its regional final with a 60-55 victory over Xavier and Villanova upset second-seeded Duke, 77-54, in its Sweet 16 game.
In Robinson's sophomore year at Huffman High School (Birmingham, Ala.) his team was knocked out of the state tournament quarterfinals by John Carroll Catholic High, led by DeMarre Carroll, who is now a senior at Missouri. Robinson simply wanted a shot of revenge.
And, at about midnight in Glendale yesterday, he realized he would get it.
Third-seeded Missouri (31-6) knocked off No. 2 Memphis (33-4), 102-91, last night and advanced to the regional final to take on the top-seeded Huskies. Tipoff is set for 4:40 EDT.
The Tigers advance to the Elite Eight after winning the Big 12 tournament and coming in third place in Big 12 regular season play with a 12-4 record. They are led by Carroll, who averages 16.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Carroll scored 17 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out six assists in Missouri's Sweet 16 victory. Leo Lyons, an athletic 6-foot-9, 244-pound forward/center, is the only other Tiger who averages double-figures. He scores 14.6 points per game.
The Tigers, who completed an improbable turnaround after going 16-16 last season, play a quick, frenetic pace that UConn guard A.J. Price says the Huskies are accustomed to.
"I haven't seen much of them, but I know they're athletic, they get up and down the floor," Price said. "We can do that too, we've played teams with that style, so it shouldn't be a problem."
UConn and Missouri have two common opponents this season - Marquette and Texas A&M. Missouri defeated Marquette in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, 83-79, and lost to Texas A&M, 96-86 on March 3. UConn defeated both those opponents and scored a combined 37 points in those two games.
UConn is one of five Big East teams still alive in the tournament and one of three that have advanced to the Elite Eight. Pitt also advanced to its regional final with a 60-55 victory over Xavier and Villanova upset second-seeded Duke, 77-54, in its Sweet 16 game.
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