2009 NCAA Tournament: Sweet 16 Preview

Memphis has kept opponents to an impressive 57.6 points a game. On the offensive side, Memphis has four players eclipsing 10 points a game, with freshman Tyreke Evans and senior Robert Dozier averaging 16.6 and 12.7, respectively. But Robert Sallie, who averages 5.7 a game, scored 35 in Memphis' first-round game against Cal State Northridge.

"One of the things they do is crush people on the boards," said Mizzou coach Mike Anderson to the Associated Press, reflecting on his previous experience facing Memphis starters Dozier and Antonio Anderson. "Their best offense was to throw it up there and go get it. We can't afford to let that happen."

Memphis, which lost in last year's championship game to Kansas, is on a 27 game winning streak. As to how Memphis stands up to the other Sweet 16 contenders, Xavier and Syracuse account for two of Memphis' three losses. It did claim a win against Gonzaga.

"We can't play much better," Calipari said after Memphis topped Gonzaga. "There may be a better defensive team in the country [than Memphis], but I've got to see it."

On Friday, another Big 12 team, Oklahoma, and Blake Griffin will take on Syracuse. Griffin, likely the player of the year, averages a double-double, contributing 22.5 points and 14.4 rebounds a game. Griffin even outdid his own averages in the last tournament game, with 33 points and 17 rebounds.

"We're going to play the team that would be the No. 1 seed in this tournament if it weren't for Griffin getting injured," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said after the Orange got past Arizona State. "If he hadn't gotten hurt, they'd be the No. 1 seed. That's enough to worry about."