The Memphis Tigers are currently #1 in both the coaches' and AP polls, 10-0 in conference and 24-0 overall.
They will not reach the Final Four. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they don't even reach the Elite Eight. When you're filling out your bracket, Memphis has to be the first number 1 seed you eliminate.
What sort of crazy, Bill Jamesean statistical analysis did I use to reach this conclusion? You might want to sit down. You might even want to take notes. It's that complicated:
The Memphis Tigers can not shoot free throws.
And I don't mean they're just mediocre; they're terrible. I wouldn't bet 5 dollars on them making any given one.
The team is shooting 58.4% from the charity stripe. Fifty eight. The number one free throw shooting team, the mighty Gauchos of UC Santa Barbara, are shooting 78.4%. There are a few schools tied for 100th in free throw shooting - powerhouses like Coppin State, Akron and a few others. Memphis' 58.4% is good for 338th place in Division 1 basketball. That is not a typo.
I'm not going to harp on this. I don't even follow much college basketball until the tournament starts in March. But my god. Don't say you haven't been warned. The Memphis Tigers are going to shoot themselves right out of the Final Four. The 1976 Hoosiers can rest easy, and join with the '72 Dolphins in their feelings of superiorty to us defeated mortals.
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