The surprising thing was that Memphis State coach Larry Finch didn`t tell his team to start the second half by chasing Baylor off the floor.
The Tigers simply went out and did it, ripping a close game to shreds Thursday with an incredible 20-2 blitz in 6 minutes 8 seconds of the second half. After that, all Memphis State had to do was step back, let its stunned victim hit the deck and step over the body to a 75-60 victory in the first round of the NCAA Midwest subregional.
”I wish it was that easy,” said Finch, declining to take the credit for opening the Tigers` cage with a fiery halftime oration. ”All we did was turn up the intensity another notch.”
In the early night game, Kansas State, behind Mitch Redmond`s 30 points, was an impressive 66-53 victor over La Salle.
Baylor, showing no sign of tournament jitters in the opening half, were trailing only 33-30 when the roof fell in.
Less than seven minutes later, Baylor (23-11) had its ticket
punched for a return trip to Waco, Tex. The triumphant Tigers (20-11)
inherited the unenviable task of tackling Purdue Saturday.
Richmond`s 30 points enabled the 6-foot-5-inch senior forward to set Kansas State`s single-season scoring record. He has 711 points, breaking the mark of 691 set by former Bull Bob Boozer in 1959.