Say this for Jerry Johnson and his Tigers: they have quieted all the pundits and so-called high-school basketball prognosticators who believed there was no way a Tiger team that lost 11 seniors from the year before, including a monster in McDonald’s All-American Thaddeus Young, could make it back to the state-title game.

Sure, Mitchell’s talented, long and athletic this season, but it’s Johnson’s loud, militant style that’s driving this 06-07 squad. These young Tigers fear him. Last year’s team - with three Division 1 signees and a bunch of other seniors who all along wished they were getting the attention drawn by their more heralded teammates - did not, probably because of their senior status or the vultures in their ears. Who cared about Johnson’s yelling then? Those guys were on their way to bigger and better things.

Now, with a team that starts a freshman, a sophomore and three juniors, Johnson’s got a group that is finally listening, like his Class AA state-title winning Kingsbury squad did back in 1998. The Tigers enter Saturday’s championship game in the exact opposite fashion they did last year, playing this time as the underdog against a more heralded, nationally ranked Liberty team.

Oh sure, it would be a helluva story for Mitchell to win it, but just look at the numbers:

First, Liberty handled Mitchell quite easily in an 80-67 regular-season victory over the Tigers on Jan. 15 at FedExForum. Second, Mitchell has been outrebounded this week in two tournament games by a combined 101-71 margin (including 44-24 on the offensive glass). Thirdly, the Tigers are an abominable 25-of-54 on the free-throw line in two tournament games.

Against Liberty, a team that expects to win today’s 5 p.m. final, that simply won’t cut it. If Johnson’s Tigers are to earn the school’s first basketball state title (Mitchell has finished runner-up twice in 2006 and 1987), it’ll take more than his yelling and screaming on the sideline.

There’d better be some boxing-out and some better shooting from the charity stripe or it’ll be a long, quiet ride home back to Memphis. Talk to you all tomorrow.

Our Tiger Bloggers will give us their thoughts throughout the University of Memphis’ run through the NCAA Tournament

From Felix Caldwell, Memphis:

As far as the Tigers lackluster performance today, overall one thing was clear. I think I can speak for the Tiger faithful here in New Orleans that there is only one way to spell heart and that’s A-N-D-R-E.

He is much maligned by the basketball pundits for being too short, too poor a shooter — both long range and from the line — and not a Final Four worthy point guard. Still somehow Andre raises his level of play as he did in last year’s tourney and again today. He is the single reason we won by his sheer will to win. He made our first three, he repeatedly disrupted th offense of North Texas creating opportunities for his teammates or driving to the hoop when we needed a bucket. Finally he made free throws like no one expects him to do. What a gutty performance! I don’t care how it’s spelled in Webster’s. In my book its A-N-D-R-E.

Our Tiger Bloggers will give us their thoughts throughout the University of Memphis’ run through the NCAA Tournament

From Mike Parham, Memphis:

Here are my impressions of Day One in New Orleans. First, New Orleans is NOT ready to host an NCAA tournament. The arena is clearly not up to par. The concession areas aren’t fully functional, the scoreboards aren’t working properly, and it is not properly staffed.

Players were slipping all over the place during the Memphis game and later during the Nevada/Creighton game. Once, a referee called for a towel to clean up some sweat and they didn’t have one. Finally, one of the managers from the Tigers went over and wiped it up. They had some kids who were supposed to be sweeping, but they were mostly moving dust around. I just hope nobody gets hurt because of it. Good luck with the NBA All-Star Game.
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6:09 left in first quarter
Both teams have knocked down 3-pointers and we’re tied at 3. Mitchell just called for its second team foul…no biggie….Tigers have shown already this tournament they can go 9-11 deep…..Steal by Mitchell, up to Darrell Neal, who’s called for traveling….still tied, 3-3

4:22 left in first quarter
Jarvis Jones drains a 3-pointer to give Mitchell a 6-5 lead……Jones pulls up from deep again on Mitchell’s next possession, but misses….this one’s up-and-down the court, sort of like watching a tennis match….be interesting to see if I can keep up…Mardracus Wade headed to line for Mitchell with 3:51 left..makes first, misses second….

2:33 left in first quarter
Mitchell now leading, 14-7, on a 3-pointer by Darrell Neal, who’s playing particularly well this tournament. Mitchell now on a 9-0 run, leading 16-7 on Mardracus Wade basket

50.5 left in first quarter
Chance Jones to line for two FTs with Mitchell leading, 16-11…..misses first….makes second…Mitchell by four….Tigers 6-of-12 from the field when J. Jones hits deep 2 to make it 18-11….

End of first quarter…Mitchell 18, Austin East 14
Mitchell 7-of-13 from the field in first quarter, but has committed eight turnovers trying to push the pace…..Austin East, as advertised, seems comfortable trying to run with Tigers

7:23 left in second quarter
Ken Torry’s middle name should be “The Microwave”….Mitchell’s sixth-man extraordinaire steals the inbounds pass and gets a reverse to put Mitchell back up, 22-16…..Neal leads Mitchell with eight points, but Torry, who had 25 off the bench in Mitchell’s quarterfinal win, hasn’t gotten rolling - yet.

6:23 left in second quarter
Justin Walker bucket inside makes tightens score to, 22-20. ….Torry fouled on other end for Mitchell, and makes 1-of-2….23-20, Mitchell, which has been called for seven team fouls to AE’s four.

5:43 left in second quarter
“The Microwave” starting to heat up……Torry gets a 3-point play opportunity after being fouled on drive to the hole….free throw good, but waived off on lane violation on Mitchell,…..25-20, Tigers

5:17 left in second quarter
Tough swing for Mitchell, which isn’t boxing out on defensive glass…..Chase Jones misses two FTs, but AE gets offensive rebound before Jamal Lundy buries a 3-pointer to make it 25-23, Mitchell…..

3:52 left in second quarter
Mitchell commits its 10th turnover of half, leading 27-25……Justin Walker sent to line for Austin East, which is now in double bonus….makes 1-of-2….Mitchell steal leads by 1

2:48 left in second quarter
Just when Tiger offense appeared to be bogging down, Torry finds a way to get to FT line, as he’s fouled underneath….misses first, though….makes second…..28-26, Mitchell

2:02 left in second quarter
Mitchell getting killed on offensive glass….don’t have totals in front of me, but AE ties it up on a putback by Trevil Prior…..28-28

1:15 left in second quarter
Jamal Lundy 2-pointer gives AE its first lead since it was 5-3 early in the first quarter…..AE up, 31-30, and Trevil Prior fouled and makes basket for potential 3-point play…misses FT….AE up now, 33-30

End of first half……Mitchell 33, AE 33
Mardracus Wade nails 3-pointer to tie things before the half…..Mitchell is now 4-of-14 (28.6) from 3-point range, and much too content to jack it from deep. Take away the 3-pointers, and the Tigers are 9-of-17 from the field…..Torry leads the way with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting off the bench….Wade and D. Neal have eight apiece…..AE has outrebounded Tigers, 23-17 and is shooting 12-of-28 (42.9 percent) from the field…..many of its points coming on second- and third-chance opportunities…Keep in mind, though, Mitchell was outrebounded, 49-29, and came back from a double-digit third-quarter in its quarterfinal win Thursday.

7:03 left in third quarter
AE now leads 37-33 on a pair of FTs and a tip by Justin Walker….I see we’re picking up where we left off for Mitchell, which just doesn’t seem to have grasped the concept of boxing out….

5:38 left in third quarter
Timeout Mitchell, trailing, 39-33….Tigers have fallen to 13-of-33 from the field (39.4 percent), and have already missed another 3-pointer

4:07 left in third quarter
Mardracus Wade putback cuts lead to four, but Chase Jones gets one on other end to push lead back to 43-37….With 3:30 left, Jarvis Jones finally nails another 3-pointer, Mitchell trailing, 43-40…

2:48 left in third quarter
McCaster, a 6-5 post, is a non-factor in the lane, both offensively and defensively, with 3 fouls…AE isn’t a big team, but they’re hitting the boards with more tenacity than Mitchell……AE now leads, 45-40, on Chase Jones bucket inside…..

38.3 second left in third
J. Jones getting hot for Mitchell!!! makes his second trey of quarter to knot score at 47-all……AE possession, holding for last shot

End of third quarter….AE 49, Mitchell 47
Trevil Prior bucket inside with 13.4 seconds left the difference so far….Torry had a 3-point attempt blocked at buzzer, and appeared to be fouled, but no call despite the fact he hits the floor hard to end quarter…..Both teams now 19-of-46 from the field, but difference is on the boards, where AE holds a 35-25 advantage….

6:34 left in fourth quarter
Mitchell on 8-0 scoring run now following Wade’s 3-point play….make it a 12-0 run now….McCaster gets a bucket, then Wade gets another potential 3-point play…misses FT, it’s now 60-50 Mitchell……

5:24 left in fourth quarter
Timeout Austin East after Justin Walker putback halts 12-0 Mitchell scoring run….Tigers now lead, 60-52…..

4:18 left in fourth quarter
Not sure why Mitchell isn’t being more patient now offensively leading, 63-54……Austin East forces jump ball call, and possession goes back to AE……A. Robinson to line for AE for 1-and-1 with Mitchell with nine team fouls…makes first, misses second…..63-57 Mitchell…..Timeout now with 3:28 left…Wade got another layup just before TO to make it 65-57….

1:55 left in fourth quarter
starting to look really good for the hometown team….J. Jones heads to line with Mitchell leading 67-59…..Jones, one of the Tigers’ better free-throw shooters, makes first, makes second….69-59 Mitchell

1:02 left in fourth quarter
As bad as Mitchell has been from the line this tournament, it doesn’t matter at this point…..Torry heads to line after Wade just missed a pair and makes first with Mitchell already leading 71-61…makes 1-of-2…..72-61 Mitchell….Tigers now 11-of-22 from the line, and a combined 22-of-50 in two games….had better do better tomorrow against Liberty.

20.1 left in fourth quarter
Ken Torry to line now with Mitchell leading 74-66….Justin Walker fouls out for AE with a team-high 15 points and 10 rebounds…Torry makes 1-of-2….75-66, Mitchell…….Small Mitchell following is making little noise, if any…..I can hear Mitchell principal John Ware screaming, but that’s about it…

That’s it folks. Mitchell 75, Austin-East 67
For the just the second time in boys state-tournament history, two teams will meet in back-to-back years for the state title. Liberty was an easy 94-70 winner over Dyer County in the earlier semifinal, setting up a Class AA state-title rematch. The Crusaders, nationally ranked this season (No. 14 by RISE/SI.com) and led by a Mr. Basketball finalist in senior guard Jewuan Long, won last year’s meeting, 64-60, and beat Mitchell this season at FedExForum, 80-67, on Jan. 15.

Our Tiger Bloggers will give us their thoughts throughout the University of Memphis’ run through the NCAA Tournament

From Alisa D. Williams, Bartlett:

Ok…we won..yes…but the win should have been by more. The Tigers had me nervous for a minute…

I couldn’t understand what was going on.

I know a few teams had already been upset this round but I was determined the Tigers were not going to be one of them!

Slowly but surely, they pulled away to secure the lead but I feel the lead should have been by more..at least 25-30 points.

But a win is a win…whether it’s by 3 points or 30 points.

Congratulations Tigers for advancing to the second round!

Final Four here we come!

Our Tiger Bloggers will give us their thoughts throughout the University of Memphis’ run through the NCAA Tournament

From Erik Henninger, Birmingham:

Gonzo Tiger Blogging – North Texas Game (Round of 64)

1) Another busy day at the office. The TV, which I think was intended for inclement weather updates, is prematurely tuned to CBS and Bob Barker’s thrilling Showcase Showdown. I can’t wait to get this early morning Tiger tip-off underway.

2) Does this game scare me? No, not really. I don’t know enough about “The Mean Green” to be worried. I just know the committee thought so much of them that they are a 15 seed.

3) The pregame storylines: We are to believe that Dorsey is a reformed hothead, and Memphis players are now obsessed with skull art. Great. Let’s hope the Tigers took a little time away from the barber shop to practice this week.

4) Memphis seems to have a pretty strong contingent of fans in the lower bowl. I wonder how many of them were hugging the toilet bowl early this morning after a hard fought night in the Casino and out on Bourbon street. Let’s just hope they get loud.
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Our Tiger Bloggers will give us their thoughts throughout the University of Memphis’ run through the NCAA Tournament

From Patti Yancey, Bartlett:

Hey all from New Orleans…we are having a great time esp since we won…just wondering who will we play on Sunday…left at half time…the game was a little what I expected…sluggish but always have heart that someone would step up and that someone was Andrea Allen…He was the spark and plug for us today…we had a great fan base and I recruited several people on Bourbon Street to cheer for us…as a matter of fact…2 of the ones I talked to turned out to be the refs in the second game…lol….they were afraid to blow the whistle too loud….if that tells you anything…welll…using hotel computer…from the kindness …will find another tomorrow….GO TIGERS…..