Mar 26, 2009 9:37 pm US/Pacific
Missouri One Win Away From 1st Trip To Final Four
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) ―
-
-
Guard Zaire Taylor #11 of the Missouri Tigers goes up for a shot against the Memphis Tigers in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the University of Phoenix Stadium on March 26, 2009 in Glendale, Az.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
A career night by J.T. Tiller put Missouri one win away from its first trip to the Final Four. Memphis' 27-game winning streak, meanwhile, is history.
Tiller scored a career-high 23 points - 15 more than his season average-and Missouri held off Memphis' frantic rally for a 102-91 win Thursday night in the semifinals of the West Regional.
Third-seeeded Missouri led by 24 points four minutes into the second half, then saw Memphis close within six with 2:14 to play. Free throws put it away for Missouri.
Dynamic point guard Tyreke Evans scored 33 for Memphis (33-4). The second-seeded Tigers shot only 18-for-32 from the foul line-last year, a poor showing at the foul line cost them dearly in an overtime championship game loss to Kansas.
Missouri (31-6), the No. 3 seed, faces No. 1 seed Connecticut for the West title on Saturday.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)