Now that we have set our markers on expectations heading into this weekend let's start compiling files on our next opponent. Once again we don't think it is prudent to theorize on what we need to do hang banner number 12. That would be precisely the wrong thing to do. Instead everyone should get in the mindset of who we are playing, giving them their due respect, and discuss what our guys need to do get themselves prepared and ready for the next game. Because I always think it's not good karma to look past an opponent thinking about banners, instead of taking it game by game.

Looks like bruin95 has already gotten the ball rolling with an initial look at our match-ups vs. Memphis. Here are the capsule notes on Memphis from Sportsline.com:

Well I think it's a good bet we are not going to see any zone on Saturday. I think Coach Howland will be doing on defense what has been working for him the whole season. I do believe we are going to see some shifts in defensive matchups. As I mentioned earlier this today, I don't think DC will be guarding Rose all day on Saturday. We will probably start out with DC on Rose, RW/CDR and JS/Anderson. However, I think we may see Howland switch our best defender - RW - on Rose and LRMAM take on CDR and DC on Anderson. Anderson IMHO would be the best defensive matchup for DC. He is not their shooter and he could be the optimum target for DC to lock down. Then again DC could be just fine on Rose early on and Howland could decide to stay on with that matchup.

I see some out there have already gotten back to the old talking point of how JS needs to drain some threes for us to have a chance. However, I don't see JS 3 pointers as the key for our chances (although they will certainly help) on Saturday. I think for us to win this game we have to do three things:

First, as Coach Howland already mentioned in his "Final 4 Sit down" w the WWL, we will have to rebound. I think we cannot afford to give the tough Memphis frontcourt any edge in rebounding. We need to control the boards on defensive end, making sure they don't get any second chance points.

Second, just like we did in Oakland we need to lock down on perimeter and make sure CDR and Rose don't get any kind of dribble penetration. This is why I think we will see LRMAM locking up on CDR while RW handling Rose. Sure we will probably see JS chip in here and there, but I think LRMAM could draw a huge chunk of the defensive assignment on CDR.

Lastly, we must control the tempo on Saturday. We can't do what Rick Bares did last Sunday and try to get into a shoot out with these guys. That simply will not work. We will have to be patient and methodical on offense and run the clock.  We need to do what we can to run the ball through Kevin Love and make sure he gets early touches. Also, it would be imperative for RW and DC to be aggressive in terms of driving to the rim from our half court sets, creating opportunities for themselves or their team-mates. JS actually did a really good job in this area against Xavier. We will need more of the same in this game.

For more notes on the Tigers' roster let's go back to Sportsline.com: I think Coach Howland also might try to go "big" to take on the physical Tigers frontcourt. I wonder if we will see Howland throw multiple different combination (LRMAM-KL-LMR, LRMAM-KL-AA2, LRMAM-KL-JK or others) at the Tigers to make sure they don't have any kind of advantage on the boards and also slow down the tempo on offense.

Couple of other statistics notes on the Tigers. They are not a great 3 point shooting team hitting at 35.1 (same percentage as us) from behind the three. And they are not very good in FT shooting. Although they really stepped up at the FT line during last few games: I am looking forward to further breakdown on Memphis numbers from bruinhoo, as he has been doing for all of our opponents (Xavier i.e.) throughout this tournament.

But from the initial look I think it would be a huge mistake to even entertain the notion of getting into a shoot out with Memphis and looking to force three pointers from Shipp and co. That would only help the Tigers to get on a roll, just like they did in their previous two games.

We need to keep doing what we have done through entire the season. We have to stay patient on offense, run our sets, run the clocks, and work through Kevin Love. Meanwhile on defense hopefully we can sustain the level of intensity we showed against Xavier for the entire 40 mins. If we come into Saturday and play our brand of Ben Ball we are going to be all right.

GO BRUINS.