Is Rose the MOP?Even though the Memphis Tigers’ mascot is sporting a shirt that says “Joey Dorsey for Mayor,” everyone knows that Derrick Rose is the Tigers’ leader. After being named the Most Outstanding Player of his region, Rose is making the supremely athletic Darren Collison look foolish trying to guard him through the first half of the national semifinal. He shook Collison at half court early in the half, and DC hasn’t found his jock yet. “You’re talking about Rose putting on a show here against one of the quickest defensive guards in the country,” said Billy Packer.
While Packer can’t stop talking about how Rose is “way too strong” for Collison, which doesn’t really seem like the case, it’s Dickie V who is the card-carrying president of the Rose fan club. Vitale is the first guy I’ve heard jump off of the Mike Beasley as the first pick ship. He thinks that Rose is going first no matter who wins the lottery - but does his stellar play through the Dance merit a jump over a 25-12 guy?
Honestly, it might. As Packer noted, he’s abused Collison. But, he has also given Pac-10 defensive player of the year Russell Westbrook a tough time. Westbrook took home that award over some of the best defenders in the nation, and Rose hasn’t struggled at all when Westbrook rotated over to him.
After Memphis held D.J. Augustin to 4-18 shooting during the Elite 8, they’ve clamped down on Collison even more staunchly in this one. With less than three minutes left, he’s fouled out with the golden sombrero of stat lines: 2 points, 5 fouls and 5 turnovers. Collison’s fifth foul is the exclamation point on a miserable four-and-a-half minute scoreless drought for UCLA.
And down the stretch, the Tigers’ backcourt has done more than play floor-slapping D. Chris Douglas-Roberts and Rose helped extend the lead to 13 with two exclamation points of their own. CDR cranked a lefty slam over Kevin Love, a picture that should surely be on the cover of the Commercial-Appeal come Monday. A couple of possessions later Rose knifed in the lane and swung the ball back and forth at his waist like a pendulum on speed before smooching it up off the glass and in.
By the time they set the record as the first team to win 38 games in a season, Rose finished with 25 points and 9 boards, CDR had 28 points, and Joey Dorsey didn’t score, but pulled down 15 boards.
April 5th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
miamiVIS3 says:
I really like rose I agree with dickie V he’s my #1 pick
April 5th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Smitty313 says:
Rose is great but CDR is no slacker either. They both been dominating who ever you put in front of them. It’s not just Rose makng people look silly.
April 5th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
kobeef says:
CDR’s dunk on Love was the funniest moment of the tournament. Love is an oversized frat boy who has no business in the first round of the NBA
April 5th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
kobeef says:
draft
April 5th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
kobeef says:
And the AP’S Player of the year just got man-handled by Kansas. Lesson of the night? Good college player does not = good NBA prospect (Hansborough/Love)
Another funny note on the night - Before the games started SI’s writers picked their teams for the championship - all but one (out of four I think) picked UCLA to win it all and the remaining writer picked UNC. It was gone from the site about 1/2 hour into the game but goes to show how much some of these writers know about basketball.
April 5th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
KB24! says:
Beasley is a BEAST. And he can Shoot the outside shot. I have him over Rose in the Draft. But don’t get me wrong. Rose puts up buckets.
April 6th, 2008 at 1:29 am
word says:
god damn what a weird night– this is why college ball is ill though, unpredictable shit. yea that dunk on love was funny as hell and i gave dude too much credit, he’s a freshman never been to a finals before and folded under pressure. but seriously how stupid was collison’s 5th foul, wtf was the point? it just made him look like a horrible teammate who was playing so bad he just wanted to get the fuck out to save face, thats selfish immature shit.
April 7th, 2008 at 1:06 am
MoxWestCoastRep says:
kobeef, Love is the most fundamentally sound big man in a long time. He may not be the most athletic, but he definitely deserves to be in the first round. He dominated cats in the best league in college hoops. He looked gassed in the game in against memphis, but he can improve his wind. He has a lot of heart and skill. Give him a little credit dude…
April 7th, 2008 at 9:56 am
iain. says:
no ncaa basketball team from a school located in its state’s capital has ever won the national championship.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Mike C says:
I can’t figure out who Rose reminds me more of..
A stronger D-Wade or a smaller LeBron..
Either case, the kid will be the next big thing in the NBA. Teams would be stupid to pick Beasley over him.
April 7th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Big Shot BOB says:
Nah I think he reminds me more of a young Stephon Marbury (like georgia tech days.)