Memphis Tigers Chris Douglas-Roberts at the free throw line
The free throws did in the Memphis Tigers last night at the 2008 NCAA championship game when they lost 75-68 against the Kansas Jayhawks. The Tigers didn't make the free throws when it counted the most. The Jayhawks knew the Achilles Heel of the Memphis Tigers and Coach Self had told them to foul a couple of their worst shooters and that is what they did.Memphis Tigers coach, John Calipari had stated Saturday evening after their semi-final victory over the UCLA Bruins, "Tough -minded kids will make free throws. A weak minded player could have a 90% average at the line, and his knees are knocking. Well he's gonna miss. So percentages don't matter." His teams average was 71%. The Tigers' most reliable free throwers, Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts both blew it.
Coach Calipari should know now that percentages do matter. His team came witin 2.1 seconds of proving him right, but the percentages came home to roost at the worst possible time, the NCAA Basketball Championships.
