Memphis Needs the Blues (NCAA Basketball)

After Memphis buried Tulane 97-71 on the road yesterday and Tennessee did the same to Auburn at home 89-70, most college basketball fans around the nation yawned, turned off the television, and set their alarm clocks for 9 p.m. on Feb 23. Until then, there’s no reason to get out of bed.

This Saturday, when No. 2 Tennessee (24-2) tips off against No. 1 Memphis (26-0), it’s going to feel like a championship game—even though it really doesn’t mean a whole lot.

Memphis and Tennessee are in the same state and they’re both insanely talented, but that’s about all they have in common. This isn’t a conference game, Memphis is in C-USA and Tennessee is in the SEC, and because these teams are ranked first and second, the top 25 standings aren’t going to drastically change after it’s over.

For Memphis, the most important thing about this game could be the 1991 UNLV Rebels. The Rebels are the first and only team to go into the NCAA tournament undefeated. Great. Here come the NFL analogies.

The Memphis Tigers are already being called “America’s Team”, a term previously reserved for the Dallas Cowboys. The Tigers are also in the middle of a New England-style “Pursuit of Perfection” against a 1991 UNLV squad who, while we’re at it, might as well be the ’72 Dolphins.

If you watch Kevin Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption, then you know how obsessed Kornheiser is with any team, no matter what the sport, going undefeated for a season. You also know how dead-set Wilbon is against it.

Well, sorry Tony, but Wilbon is right on this one. An undefeated season is what a team wants, but a loss in the regular season is what a team needs.

I’ll bet that any college basketball team in the nation would rather drop a game in the regular season, learn their own weakness, and win a championship over dropping their first game in the tournament and having the off-season to chew on it.

Just ask those ‘91 Rebels after they ended up 34-1, and without a national title.

It doesn’t matter how humble a person is. Perfection has way of spreading hubris all over the soul, and complacency is sure to follow. That’s when it gets dangerous. That’s when people start overlooking or underestimating things—like the New York Giants’ defensive line. Right, New England?

I like Memphis’ coach Calipari. He’s running a tight ship and the Tigers have a championship caliber team, but if there’s ever a perfect opportunity to lose a game without hurting the big picture, this Saturday is the time to do it.

The only influence this game will have is on Selection Sunday when the tournament seeds are announced, but both of these teams are expected to play deep into March anyway so a No.1 seed or 2 seed won’t be a huge deal either.

Actually, the only thing this game is really changing is the ticket prices.

Right now on Stubhub.com, there are 19 tickets available ranging from $399.99 to $1249.99. If you decide to buy all of them it’ll cost you $13,274.81, so if you and 18 friends go Dutch, that’s a paltry $698.67 per person, and as a bonus you’ll probably get to see Peyton Manning and his brother Eli there.

If you do, ask him how important a spotless record is when it comes to winning championships.

–Joey Alfino, RED Editorial Staff