As the final seconds ticked off the clock at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio on Monday night and it was inevitable Kansas would win the 2008 NCAA National Championship the Jawhawks jubilantly celebrated, hugging each other, jumping up and down as irrepressible smiles permeated their faces. On the opposite end of the spectrum, frowns and jersey covered to cruhsed to open their eyes filled the Memphis bench.
 
 This was supposed to have been Memphis time to shine. The Tigers had done everything they needed to win, except win. What was supposed to have been a moment of sheer elation was replaced with feelings of disbelief, despair and devastation. Rather than cutting down the nets, jamming championship t-shirts and folded brimmed ballcaps and Joey Dorsey and Robert Dozier getting Coach John Calipari to walk it out, Memphis simply walked out of the dome with the sick, empty incomplete feeling of being the second best team in the country, losing in overtime 75-68.

 Memphis deserved to win the title. Despite getting outrebounded 37-27 and outshot (Kansas- 52.7 percent, Memphis- 40.3) the Tigers overcame those deficits by forcing the Jayhawks into 17 turnovers. Memphis soundly outplayed Kansas in the second half and was in total control holding a 9 point lead with 2:12 left. The Tigers had the first national title in program history on smash and Kansas was reeling, waiting to receive the knockout blow. Unfortunately for Memphis they were never able to deliver that blow. Instead the Tigers were done in by the same nemesis that had hampered them all year- poor free-throw shooting.

 It’s no secret the Tigers are a horrific free-throw shooting team. This year they made 61.7 percent of their throws, ranking 320 out of 327 D-1 schools. Yet, it appeared Memphis had turned the corner, shocking everyone converting nearly 82 percent of their throws against Michigan State, Texas and UCLA. Having made 9-11 on their trips to the charity stripe and with their two best players and free-throw shooters in Chris Douglas-Roberts and Derrick Rose stepping to the line, Memphis must have been supremely confident.

 But when it mattered most CDR and Rose were unable to bust the title-clinching throws. The difference was in each of those past contests Memphis was smashing their opponents and held comfortable leads. This was the first time the Tigers were in a pressurized situation with the game on the line. Muscles got tight, minds got a little weaker and the All-American and freshman phenom’s shots went wayward.

 Calipari was very gracious in defeat and did an admirable thing taking the blame for the loss. While the players played a major part in the debacle Calipari does deserve some blame for underemphasizing the importance of free-throw shooting during the season. In interviews all year Calipari said his squad’s horrendous free-throw percentage didn’t make that much of a difference. That blasé attitude spread throughout the team, leading them not to sweat their inaccuracy and think they were so nice they couldn’t lose. All season basketball analysts predicted Memphis bad free-throw shooting would cost them and it came to fruition at the most inopportune time as Memphis untouchable cockiness and apathy finally burned them.

  Calipari is a fantastic coach, but at the end of the day he got outcoached by Self. Calipari should have called a timeout after Rose drained the second throw with 10 seconds left so his players would have had clear directions on whether to foul after the ball crossed half-court. Memphis also could have called a TO to diagram a play after Chalmers three because 4 seconds was enough time for Rose or CDR to get a decent shot off. The Tigers unraveled from top to bottom and were never able to regain their composure and hunger. When it went to overtime it was pretty much a formality Memphis was too demoralized to mount a comeback and they were done.

 However, let’s not downplay Kansas furious charge. The Jayhawks showed tremendous heart, resiliency and mental gulliness to keep playing and never quit. Sherron Collins drained a clutch treyball from the corner off a steal on an inbounds pass under Memphis basket, Mario Chalmers made two throws and Darrell Arthur capped off a huge 20 point 10 rebound game with a jumper to make it 62-60 with 44 seconds left. And Chalmers triple fading to the left over Rose is one of the most disgusting, incredible shots you’ll ever see and ranks among the greatest in tourney history.

 On the 20th anniversary of Danny Manning and the Miracles improbable upset win over the Oklahoma Sooners in the 1988 NCAA Championship Game, Kansas duplicated the feat with a win equally unbelievable fashion. Bill Self will now be revered as one of the premiere coaches in the game, Kansas will go down as having one of the most memorable comebacks in title game history and Brandon Rush got the validation he needed as a star player. Memphis might have lost the game, but Kansas was one of the main reasons they lost, so big ups to the Jayhawks.

 It’s ashamed Memphis self-destructed with a national championship sown up. They brought so much joy and hope to a crime-ridden city comprised of good people begging for a hero. The Tigers had the game won but they did everything they possibly could to gift wrap game to the Jayhawks. The Tigers missed free throws, stopped aggressively pushing the rock, hit cruise control and got bullied by Kansas like a grade schooler on the playground who just had his cookies stolen. Kansas was the big bully who involuntarily punked Memphis into giving up the title as they crumbled like a saltine cracker under duress.

 Memphis had a phenomenal season and they should be proud of everything they accomplished. But Monday April 7, 2008 is a night that will haunt the Tigers for the rest of their lives. Memphis will remember the Alamo, but instead of sweet dreams it will bring agonizing nightmares. The night championship destiny cruelly eluded the Memphis Tigers and found the Kansas Jayhawks.