Visions of another Phi Slamma Jamma collapse

Ok, I admit it. I've never sat through an entire Memphis Tigers basketball game. However, I also have to admit that I was very, very impressed with Memphis, watching highlights on ESPN. They were merciless on the basket soaring in for slam dunks and impressing with their fast break game. And their dismantling of UCLA was, I was thinking at the time, something special.
But Monday night, they changed personalities. Instead of a fast break team in the game's final ten minutes, we got a team that played half court basketball. They went into protection mode. They no longer attacked the basket.
And basically, you have to give KU credit for this. KU has the best basketball defense in the country--hands down, no contest, no discussion allowed. I am guessing that if you bring up Memphis' shot chart, you'll see most of their makes were jump shots, not layups as fast-break basketball dictates. Memphis simply encountered a team that was faster than them in the transition game.
So with this in mind and Memphis possessing a nine point lead with roughly two minutes left in the game, KU could now challenge Memphis to make free throws to salt the game away. Memphis failed miserably under pressure and that's what opened the door for a frenzy of KU offense that included makes by Darrell Arthur, a 3 by Sherron Collins, and the three by Mario Chalmers which will no doubt go down as the biggest made shot in KU's legendary basketball history.
And as I was watching this collapse by Memphis, a memory from twenty-five years ago came to mind. The University of Houston Cougars of 1983 was a team similar to 2008's Memphis Tigers. The Cougars, aka Phi Slamma Jamma, were known for attacking the basketball, using slam dunks and fast break basketball as their mode to victory. And for some reason only clearly known to Houston coach Guy Lewis, the Cougars started playing slowdown basketball in their championship game against North Carolina State. They played a half court game trying to milk the clock. And, of course, NC State started fouling and, like Memphis, they didn't make all their free throws. The result: Houston loses due to a miraculous dunk by North Carolina State.
But I also need to add that Memphis didn't lose this game simply because they didn't make free throws. I would be in error if I didn't mention KU's ability to score in the paint, especially in the first half. I was happy to see CBS' shot chart showing KU's made field goals from the first half and that all but one or two were made within the paint. KU's inside presence destroyed Memphis and caused their big man to foul out of the came and perhaps caused Memphis to second-guess their plan of attack during the final two minutes of regulation.
On a personal note, I was charged and energized with KU's victory (like any true-blue KU should be) and I didn't get much sleep last night.

Rock Chalk!
Jayhawk!
Go KU!