Coming in as heavy underdogs, Memphis turned some heads today with a solid 98-94 win over Detroit. Said one broadcaster, "I didn't know Memphis were that good, quite frankly. They really haven't done much all season, but the way they came in and handled Detroit showed what they're capable of."

The thoughts were echoed by Detroit coach David Smith. "We had pretty thorough film sessions coming into the game, and we never saw them execute that well. [Memphis coach] Bob did a great job getting them ready, and we'll have to see if this was a one-time performance or if they can maintain that level of play."

Memphis was led by Brown (14 points, 22 boards, 3 assists, 2 blocks), Smith (34 points, 2 assists, a block), Washington (20 points, 6 boards, 1 assists, a block). Detroit was led by Kay (35 points, 7 boards, 2 assists, a steal, a block), Gilliam (19 points, 6 boards, 3 assists, a steal), Henderson (7 points, 18 boards, 0 assists).

With this win, Memphis improve to 52-25 and 27-9 at home. They clinched the Southwest championship and remain at #3 overall in the Western Conference. Detroit stand at 70-8. They have won the Central crown and hold at #1 overall in the Eastern Conference.

box score Memphis roster Detroit* roster