Winning big just isn't enough to satisfy Memphis head basketball coach John Calipari.
The first-year coach made that clear Wednesday night after the Tigers used a 28-5 second-half scoring run to cruise by Tennessee-Martin 81-49 before 15,933 at The Pyramid.
"For me to sit there and watch some of the stuff that's going on," Calipari said minutes after the game, "I want to throw up."
"I mean, I was upset that last play. [Nathaniel] Root was wide-open up the sideline and you're [John Grice] going to go between your legs, behind your back and spin. That's all we've been talking about for five weeks. Just give Root the ball so he could get the basket. I don't care who's in the game late, you play how you're supposed to play."
Calipari didn't seem to care either that his team shot a blistering 57 percent from the field in the second half -- including 5-of-8 from three-point range -- while holding the Skyhawks (2-1) to 21 points on 8-of-31 shooting.
No, none of it mattered to Calipari Wednesday night because, according to him, Memphis (2-3) was out-hustled and out-played over the game's first 20 minutes.
"[UTM] beat us to every ball that was fumbled around," he said. "They drove the ball to create contact. We avoided contact and missed shots. We missed dunks. We missed layups. Yeah, we win by 30. I'm not worried about that."
What he is worried about, he said, is that his team has yet to play consistently for two halves.
"Look folks, we have not been able to play for 40 minutes. This is the first time you've seen me fired up and angry, and I'm angry."
Memphis had to battle back from an early five-point deficit to lead the Skyhawks by a single point, 29-28, at halftime. The Tigers shot just 36 percent from the field over that span against UTM's 46 percent, but helped themselves with second-chance opportunities earned by working hard on the offensive glass.
Senior forward Shannon Forman, who Calipari credited with winning the game for Memphis, did most of the first-half damage with seven points, five rebounds (four offensive), two steals and a block.
"We have been coming out flat," Forman said. "We've got to find a spark, some how, some way. Wherever I can be successful is fine with me."
Forman (11 points) was one of five Tiger players to finish the game in double figures. Kelly Wise added 15 points while Grice and Modibo Diarra had 12 and 11, respectively.
UTM was led by sophomore swingman Okechi Egbe's 11 points.
"I don't care that we played better in the second half," Calipari said. "Why don't we play 40 minutes that way?"
