University of Memphis Tiger men's basketball fan experience. The virtual guide contains photos, videos, bios and information about the Memphis men's basketball team.
Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/33909
THE TEAM THAT STARTED THE CITY OF MEMPHIS´ LOVE AFFAIR WITH TIGER BASKETBALL - THE 1956- 57 MEMPHIS SQUAD - GRABBED THE SPOTLIGHT WITH ITS RUN TO THE NATIONAL INVITATION TOURNAMENT (NIT) FINAL. NICKNAME “THE DIXIE DARLINGS" BY THE NEW YORK CITY MEDIA, THE TIGERS DEFEATED UTAH, NEW YORK CITY FAVORITE MANHATTAN AND ST. BONAVENTURE, BUT LOST TO BRADLEY 84-83 IN THE TITLE GAME. DESPITE THE LOSS, THE 1956-57 TIGERS AND THEIR NIT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCE SPARKED A BOND BETWEEN THE PROGRAM AND THE CITY THAT GROWS STRONGER WITH EACH SEASON. THE 1957 NIT MARKED A NUMBER OF FIRSTS FOR THE TIGERS. IT WAS THE SCHOOL´S FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE NIT, FIRST OFFICIAL GAME AT THE FAMED MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, AND THE UTAH CONTEST IN THE OPENING ROUND WAS MEMPHIS´ FIRST NATIONALLY-TELEVISED GAME. AGAINST BRADLEY IN THE 1957 NIT FINALS, WIN WILFONG SCORED 31 POINTS AND WAS NAMED THE MVP OF THE TOURNAMENT. THE TIGERS LOST THE GAME, HOWEVER, 84-83. NIT FIRST ROUND MEMPHIS 77, UTAH 75 NIT SECOND ROUND MEMPHIS 85, MANHATTAN 72 NIT SEMIFINALS MEMPHIS 80, ST. BONAVENTURE 78 NIT FINALS BRADLEY 84, MEMPHIS 83 BOB SWANDER SANK A LAST SECOND SHOT AS MEMPHIS WON 80-78 OVER ST. BONAVENTURE IN THE 1957 NIT SEMIFINALS, GIVING THE TIGER THE RIGHT TO PLAY BRADLEY FOR THE TITLE. 2010-11 Tiger Hoops Experience | 72