If you could take the top 8 Memphis Tigers basketball teams and match them up against one another, who would win the title as the GOAT?

All about the Ref's; each era had different rules.

Past 1989 every PG wouldn't get past half court cause they are carrying the ball.

Teams that played before the 3-point shot would be at a disadvantage, too, simply because their offense wasn’t structured to take advantage of that option. Or, to guard against it.

Having said that, I’d take that 80’s team before Bobby Parks went down. With him still available to play, I truly believe we might have won it all. We’ll never know.

(09-21-2020 02:23 PM)Penny1 Wrote:  If you could take the top 8 Memphis Tigers basketball teams and match them up against one another, who would win the title as the GOAT?

Impossible to really determine because or 3-pt shot and shot clock have altered the game so much.

(09-21-2020 03:14 PM)SouthernMSTiger Wrote:  Having said that, I’d take that 80’s team before Bobby Parks went down. With him still available to play, I truly believe we might have won it all. We’ll never know.

^^^THIS^^^----hands down.

The nostalgic in me say the mid 80's team.

But, the 2008 team was clearly the most talented team in the nation (and in Tiger history) and would have won it all going away, if not for a guy who isn't a good floor coach.

(09-21-2020 04:20 PM)oruvoice2 Wrote:  The nostalgic in me say the mid 80's team.

But, the 2008 team was clearly the most talented team in the nation (and in Tiger history) and would have won it all going away, if not for a guy who isn't a good floor coach.

Agreed on both counts....

I'd love to say the Memphis 5 in 1985...running out all Memphis area guys!

However, that 2008 team was the best team in the nation, like you said.

Hard to choose....pretty sure the '85 front line may have won me over in this argument!

'73 Tigers win every game. Finch took the 3pt shot often and often drew a foul on it. Lawry at point could carry the ball if they let him and he would be a better distributor for it. Time clock would not be a problem. Add Derek Philips or Lorenzen to that squad and it would win national championship

The 2008 team would crush every single one of them.

Hard to argue that any past teams good best 2008. That said, if the current group along with Williams could stay together a couple of years, they would have the talent to be the best ever.

(09-21-2020 06:36 PM)Atlanta Wrote:  Hard to argue that any past teams good best 2008. That said, if the current group along with Williams could stay together a couple of years, they would have the talent to be the best ever.

huh? in what way?

(09-21-2020 05:48 PM)Stammers Wrote:  The 2008 team would crush every single one of them.

I won't argue with that. I got a ride over to Tulsa that night the Tigers played there in their gym.

I heard this many times over from the Tulsa crowd in the lower level....it started when we came out with our all-blue warmup suits and put on a show. Dorsey, Rose, all of them

"Are you sure we're playing a college team? They look like a pro team"

(09-21-2020 04:20 PM)oruvoice2 Wrote:  The nostalgic in me say the mid 80's team.

But, the 2008 team was clearly the most talented team in the nation (and in Tiger history) and would have won it all going away, if not for a guy who isn't a good floor coach.

Hard to say we were the most talented team in the nation when UCLA had Westbrook, Love, Darren Collison, AND Mbah a Moute.

(09-21-2020 07:51 PM)Dylan Wrote:  

(09-21-2020 04:20 PM)oruvoice2 Wrote:  The nostalgic in me say the mid 80's team.

But, the 2008 team was clearly the most talented team in the nation (and in Tiger history) and would have won it all going away, if not for a guy who isn't a good floor coach.

Hard to say we were the most talented team in the nation when UCLA had Westbrook, Love, Darren Collison, AND Mbah a Moute.

It isn't hard at all. We wiped the floor with them We were a missed 3 pointer away from being one of the top 10 and maybe one of the top 5 NCAA teams of all time. We were 2 baskets away from being arguably the best NCAA team of all time.

(09-21-2020 05:48 PM)Stammers Wrote:  The 2008 team would crush every single one of them.

Not having seen the ‘73 team, I think the ‘85 team beats the ‘08 team.

Rose>Turner, Askew>Anderson, CDR>Batman, Lee>Dozier, Bedford>Joey. In game coaching: Kirk>Calipari.

(09-21-2020 09:46 PM)micman Wrote:  

(09-21-2020 05:48 PM)Stammers Wrote:  The 2008 team would crush every single one of them.

Not having seen the ‘73 team, I think the ‘85 team beats the ‘08 team.

Rose>Turner, Askew>Anderson, CDR>Batman, Lee>Dozier, Bedford>Joey. In game coaching: Kirk>Calipari.

For starters, the 1985 team wasn't even a #1 seed. The 1985 team beat 2 teams that were ranked the entire season, lost to Detroit Mercy, lost to a 15-13 South Carolina team, needed overtime to beat an under .500 Florida State team in the Metro Tournament, and barely beat #7 UAB and #11 Boston College before losing to a #8 seed. The 2008 team demolished every single peer except Mississippi State.

The 2008 team beat 6 teams that were ranked, was a missed basket made and a missed basket against from being undefeated, and possibly being the greatest NCAA team of all time.

1985
Metro Tournament
W-10 USM 7-21
W-7 Loserville 19-18
W-4 OT Florida State 14-16

NCAA Tournament
15 Penn W-12
7 UAB W-1 OT
11 Boston College W-2
1 Oklahoma W-2
7 Villanova L-7

2008
CUSA Tournament
W-19 Tulane 17-15
W-16 USM 19-14
W-26 Tulsa 25-14

NCAA Tournament
16 Texas Arlington W-14
8 Mississippi State W-3
5 Michigan State W-18
2 Texas W-18
1 UCLA W-15
1 Kansas L-7 OT

Quote:Rose>Turner, Askew>Anderson, CDR>Batman

IF DJ Augustin, Drew Neitzel and Darren Collison shot 23% against us, Turner and Askew weren't going to score any points against Rose and Anderson. On what planet is freshman Askew as good as junior Anderson?

Westbrook had a good game against us, but we held Kevin Love and Darren Collison to 5-20 shooting, and if you throw in Mbah A Moute it was 10-33. We held DJ Augustin to 4-18, and Drew Neitzel to 2-8, with his only two field goals coming with less than 2 minutes left in the game. The 1985 team won in overtime against an under .500 Florida State team and barely scraped by #7 UAB and #11 Boston College.

The 1985 team could have beaten the 2008 team, but more than likely, the 2008 team would have destroyed the 1985 team worse than it did Michigan State, Texas and UCLA.

I can't remember. The year Marvin and Sylvester were ruled ineligible, who would have been the starting 5 if they had been able to play?

As good as the 85 and 08 teams were, the 73 team was the best IMO.

I'd have to go with the 85 team. No one on another team as dominating as Keith Lee with a good supporting cast. 85 vs 08 would be a monster game.