March 29, 2008

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HOUSTON (AP)-- Freshman Derrick Rose will play at least one more college game after a 27-point, five-assist night that showed he's ready for the NBA. He exited early in the second half with a cut on his forehead that required medical attention, but returned to the floor with 8 1/2 minutes left and started dominating again.

Meanwhile, Michigan State senior Drew Neitzel was held to six points, his first of two buckets coming on a 3-pointer that clanged around the rim.

"That first half of basketball was one of the best I've been involved in as a coach," Calipari said.

Goran Suton led the Spartans with 23 points and nine rebounds. Chris Allen had 20. This is the third straight year Calipari's team has made it this far. The two previous trips ended in the regional finals.

This team could be different. Rose is a special player, a Chicago kid sold on Memphis by the player he replaced in the starting lineup, sophomore point guard Willie Kemp.

But make no mistake, the Spartans weren't another Texas-Arlington or some other hyphenated piece of first-round fodder. In fact, there were many who believed they could make it back to the Final Four after the impressive performance they put in beating Pitt last week in the second round.

Izzo's team looked to be rounding into shape at the perfect time. Neitzel was shooting well. Freshman Kalin Lucas was starting to play like a sophomore. Suton was toughening up. In fact, all of Michigan State was tough.

Signs of the disintegration of MSU's hopes were evident, early, however, when Suton settled for a 3-point shot--his 12th of the year--that actually went in, but still screamed of a team that couldn't get the ball in the right hands in the right places.

Airballs flew. Some shots clanged awkwardly off the backboard. Neitzel let his frustration show, slamming the ball to the floor, even though he'd been fouled while a Memphis defender was trying to deny him a pass.

Neitzel finished 2-for-8 from the floor with seven assists. It was one of many ugly numbers for the Spartans.

"Coach got us ready. We knew what sets they were running for him," Anderson said. "He runs off a lot of screens. We just tried hard not to let him catch it."

Michigan State alumnus Magic Johnson was in the crowd.