Mizzou Links, 3-27-09

So...yeah...5:00 came really early today...

Pretty sure this is a good time for a one-subject links post.  Mizzou to the Elite Eight links!

• Mutigers.com: Mizzou tops Memphis to advance to Elite Eight
• Statsheet.com/AP: Tiller leads Missouri past Memphis 102-91 in West
• The Trib: Missouri shocks Memphis
• The Trib: Missouri still smoking in the desert
• KC Star: In dramatic fashion, Tigers soar into Elite Eight over Memphis
• PowerMizzou: Elite and wanting more
• The Missourian: Tiller leads Missouri to its third Elite Eight (um...third?)
• The Missourian: Missouri finding energy in first half
• The Maneater: Not the typical tango
• Post-Dispatch: Mizzou moves on to Elite 8
• Post-Dispatch: MU shines off the court as well as on
• Post-Dispatch (Burwell): Mizzou all the way?  Why not?
• Post-Dispatch (Bernie): The Fastest 40 Minutes became the Fiercest 40 Minutes
• Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Tigers' rally falls short against Missouri
  
• Memphis Commercial Appeal: In this game, ball bounced right for other Tigers
  
• Memphis Commercial Appeal: Missouri's press beat Tigers at own game
  
• Memphis Commercial Appeal: Tigers' postgame: Missouri 102, Memphis 91
• Mizzourah: Falling head over heels for this team
• Atomic Teeth: Holy $#@%!!!

Joe Posnanski, take it away.

Up and down. All night long. Funny thing, most people really thought Missouri’s style, its full-court chaos, was absolutely the wrong way to beat Memphis. After all, Memphis had the big-time athletes. Memphis loved to play fast. Memphis had not lost a game in three months. And early on, it did look as if Memphis might pull away; it made layup after layup, grabbed rebound after rebound, led by four midway through the first half.

Then Missouri coach Mike Anderson unleashed a different defense, a matchup zone, and everything changed. Memphis looked entirely lost. And Missouri’s players made shot after shot after shot. Matt Lawrence made a three-pointer. DeMarre Carroll hit an open jumper. The irrepressible Tiller drove hard to the basket for a layup. Lawrence hit another jumper. Tiller made another layup.

Memphis came into the game with the best defense in the country. But Memphis was fading.

“It seemed like every shot they threw up there went in,” Memphis’ Antonio Anderson said.

When Denmon got the ball, 3 seconds left in the first half, Missouri led by 10. That was staggering enough. And then, it happened: History. Denmon got the ball, and he took a couple of dribbles, and he launched the shot from about 70 feet away. He shot it high and straight. Antonio Anderson, seeing what was coming, actually got his hand up and tried to block the shot. He didn’t touch it, though.

Photo Galleries!

• AP
• The Trib
• The Missourian
• Post-Dispatch (you really need to see pic #1)
  

And for the stat-conscious...well, you'll have plenty to sink your teeth into in a couple hours with my stat post, but in the meantime...

• Statsheet.com stats
• Official box score

Finally, this was posted in FanShots yesterday, but just in case people missed it, the KC Star is reporting that Board of Curators member Doug Russell has said that Mizzou will whip out the checkbook and scrounge around in couch cushions to find the money to pay Mike Anderson.  We clearly don't know if anybody will come after him for sure, or how much they'll be willing to pay, but that's a bit reassuring nonetheless, no?