When Missouri coach Mike Anderson saw Marcus Denman’s three-quarters court shot pop the net and smoothly sail through at the halftime buzzer in a Sweet Sixteen match-up with Memphis, he had already been thinking it was Mizzou’s night.

 “I thought when Denman banked the shot in a few seconds earlier, it was our night,” said Anderson. “When he hit the shot at the buzzer, I thought we should call the game right then and there.”

 Well, maybe. But Memphis did mount a serous rally that cut a lead that had ballooned to as many as 24 early in the second half to six late in the game before falling 102-91 in the NCAA tournament. The loss snapped Memphis string of three straight Elite Eight appearances, and broke their 27-game win streak.

Robert Dozier, who along with Chance McGrady and Antonio Anderson, finish their careers as the winningest players in college basketball history. (David Minkin photo)

Thursday night in Glendale, it was first a technical foul on Calipari with 3:15 left in the half and then a missed dunk by Doneal Mack that set the stage for the two biggest plays of the game. Go ahead and splice in the bank shot and then the heave that ultimately summed up the night for Memphis.

Granted, Memphis fought back. Hard. “I was proud of how these guys stayed in the mode to win,” Calipari said in the post-game interview.

Observing Robert Dozier and Antonio Anderson as the final seconds ticked away was almost as gut-wrenching as last year’s final. The two have been constants on Memphis’ team, watching as the Rodney Carneys, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Derrick Roses of the world have come and gone.

“They have reestablished what we’re about,” Calipari said. “They have won more games than anyone in the history of college basketball. And they will graduate in May after four years of college.”

It is hard to fathom the team without the duo. They have come to symbolize the greatest era in Tiger basketball.

Thursday night the Tigers were knocked out by a team that did them one better.

“They beat us at our own game,” said Calipari. “They came at us. They broke us down defensively like we break people down. I was trying everything. Zone. Different combinations. They would just run it up our backs.”

Roburt Sallie hit on three of five 3-pointers, but Memphis couldn't stop Missouri, which shot 53.2 percent for the game. (David Minkin photo)

But Mack shot an air ball and then missed a dunk. Cal was whistled for being out of the coaching box. The Denmon heave with an Anderson hand in his face just as the buzzer sounded. Just like that, Missouri led 49-36 at half.

“We got punched in the mouth from the start of the game,” Calipari said.

Not helping matters was Missouri’s shots were falling at will. Good shots, bad shots —; everything seemed to roll around the rim and then drop in, but just barely.

“They were making some tough shots,” said the senior Anderson. “Whatever they threw up there was falling.”

But Memphis came back with a vengeance in the second half. After trailing by 24 points, the Tigers went on an 11-0 run. Twice the Tigers cut the lead to six. But Missouri hung on. Maybe an extra 10 minutes and Memphis could have swung its way back in.

“You wanted an up-tempo game, we gave you an up-tempo game,” said Anderson. “We took the fight to Memphis early on. We got some early confidence.’

“We got a lot of inside shots and we didn’t settle for the outside jumpers,” said Missouri guard J.T. Tiller, who had a career high 23 points.

Memphis guard Tyreke Evans time and time again split the interior Missouri defense for easy buckets, especially in the Tigers’ furious second half comeback. His 33 points were a game high. Dozier and Anderson, scoring 19 and 18 respectively, now see their college careers come to an end.

“Nothing will take away from what they did,’ said Calipari.

“It has been a terrific four years here,” said Anderson. “I feel like I have been a part of a family. I am going to miss it.”

Memphis finished the season 33-4. For Tiger fans needing a lift, two of the top four high school players in the nation —; guard Xavier Henry and 6-9, 260-pound center DeMarcus Cousins —; have verbally committed to Memphis, giving the Tigers one of the top three recruiting classes in the nation.

And just think this was just a rebuilding year.