Calkins: These Tigers have fight

Jimario Rivers went out to take the opening tip, looked across the way at the University of Central Florida’s massive center, 7-6 sophomore Tacko Fall, and decided to adopt an unusual strategy.

“I didn’t jump,” he said. “I didn’t see the point."

Better to save his energy for more important things, you know?

Like battling one of the world’s 40 largest men for position and rebounds.

Like collecting 12 points, six rebounds, two blocks — one was on Fall! — and an assist.

Like getting knocked down, injuring his leg, heading to the locker room, deciding the leg was good enough to drag up and down the court, returning to the game, and then  — this is the best part — helping lead the Memphis Tigers to a win over Central Florida, 70-65.

You know that old expression, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog?"

Someone asked Memphis guard Markel Crawford about this after the game.

“A Tiger can beat a dog any day,” he said.

How’s that for cutting to the truth of the matter? How’s that for summing up the developing character of these particular Tigers, who may lack size, shooting and depth, but don’t seem intimidated by much of anything.

This is a team that went into Oklahoma and got a victory, despite falling behind by eleven in the second half and enduring a banked-in Oklahoma 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime.

This is a team that beat No. 25 South Carolina by shooting a whopping 60 percent in the second half.

This is a team that defeated Houston despite missing 12 of 21 free throws, turning the ball over 16 times and losing Dedric Lawson to fouls with 3:50 left in overtime.

“We have a really tough team,” said Crawford.

We are starting to get that general idea.

Memphis guts out 70-65 win over UCF

But this was a different challenge, this matchup against a vastly improved Central Florida team that was 5-1 in conference and featured a man you had to crane your neck to believe. He is massive, he is endless, he is so tall, it’s easy to lose track.

“You’ve got guys out there not afraid to play against 7-6, 8-foot,” said Crawford.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Except, for the longest time, it was the Memphis players doing the most serious falling. Rivers went out with 15:15 left when someone rolled on his leg. Dedric Lawson went out with 4:03 left with a banged-up knee.

Both injuries caused Memphis fans to fall silent. Neither injury could keep the players out for long.

“Brad (Anderson) got me in the back, did some stuff to it and I came back out,” said Rivers.

Ahhh, the old did-some-stuff-to-it instant cure. Mr. Miyagi would have been proud.

But this is the gritty reality for these Tigers. They can’t afford for anyone to stay down. They have five players who are asked to play nearly 40 minutes. And then they are asked to do it again. And again. And again.

So, sure enough, Rivers came bounding back into the game, drove for a critical layup down the stretch, combined with Dedric and K.J. — and possibly a ladder — to block a shot by Fall, and then played superb defense on Central Florida’s final possession to clinch the win.

Small wonder Memphis coach Tubby Smith seemed almost moved after the game. And that man is not easily impressed.

“I was really impressed with our kids today, especially being banged up the way we were during the game,” Smith said. “We showed a lot of guts, a lot of toughness.  We did the things we had to do at the end of the game to win.”

There’s no telling how far this will lead the Tigers, of course. Their limitations aren’t going away. When someone asked Smith about the NCAA Tournament after the win, Smith appropriately batted the question away.

But it is impossible not to have respect for the effort of these players, for their resilience and tenacity. So maybe it really isn’t the size of the dog in the fight. It’s whether a Tiger happens to be involved.