Memphis-Kansas through USC's eyes
Peter Simones
As the college basketball nation collectively drools over the two teams' recent performances, one knowledgeable group has reason to be unfazed by any Packerisms or Nantz poetry lauding the Jayhawks and Tigers' play.
You guessed it.
Eighteen days removed from tournament action, USC men's basketball might not even care which team wins the title, but the Trojans might have spent some time wondering how two squads they lost to by a combined eight points now appear so superior to the pack, while they sit around watching TV as nothing more than a generously coined afterthought.
USC lost to Kansas at home Dec. 2, 59-55, then traveled cross-country to take on Memphis two days later at Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V Classic where USC lost again by four, this time 62-58 in overtime.
Had the Trojans pulled off one of the upsets, they would have handed the No. 3 Jayhawks or No. 2 Tigers their first loss. More than four months later, the two teams will end the season tonight with a combined five losses to go along with 75 wins.
So who has the edge?
You could ask Arizona and Oklahoma, who also played both teams in the regular season. The problem is the Wildcats were soundly defeated by Memphis while the Sooners were swept out of the gym by the Jayhawks.
How about Texas? The Longhorns lost two of three contests to Kansas, but were annihilated by Memphis in the Regional Final last weekend.
Tough to find telling information from those sources.
Thus, it all circles back to the Trojans, who, for at least one night, figured out how to give Kansas and Memphis a game - something only Davidson has managed to do in the NCAA Tournament.
Against Kansas, USC slowed down the pace - rule No. 1 for Memphis, which undoubtedly saw the Jayhawks score 40 points in the first 12 and a half minutes Saturday against North Carolina.

Be the first to comment on this story