A Great Battle between two former Bulldogs
Filed Under MSU Alumni | Posted on November 19, 2006
Friday evening we headed out for Memphis to catch our first Grizzlies game of the year. Fortunately for me it was the Mavericks who were in town for the night. I am a Grizzly fan, and I pull for them to win every night. Except when they play the Mavericks. I am have been a Maverick fan since college, before Memphis even thought about the Grizzlies. I have been to every Maverick Grizzly game in Memphis the past 3 years and I don’t believe I have seen the Mavericks lose yet.
Well Friday night I thought I might see that first loss. The Grizzlies played great basketball through 3 periods, but it wasn’t enough as Dirk got hot in the fourth. The big story in the game was the play of two former Bulldog greats, Erick Dampier and Lawrence Roberts. Damp was an unstoppable force down low for the Mavericks, he racked up 22 points, 15 boards, and two blocks. Roberts (8pts, 6reb, 1blk, 20min) sparked the Grizzlies early on off the bench with hustle and relentless effort on the boards.
Since the Grizz had no true center playing Friday night Roberts and Dampier met up head to head many times. The quicker and more agile Roberts proved to be tough to guard for Damp at times, but likewise the Grizzlies had no answer for Damp’s size and force down low.
At one point in the 3rd the ball went in down low to Lawrence and he went up for the dunk, but Damp was waiting and stuffed him in mid air. But Lawrence wouldn’t back down, he grabbed the ball and went right back up for the dunk.
In the end the Mavs were just to much. The Grizzlies played hard but had nothing to show for it but another L in the loss columns. Both teams left the Fedex Forum for Dallas right after the game. Yes, Saturday night matched up the same two teams in Dallas. I kicked back and watched this one from the comfort of my recliner. Same two teams, same result. The Mavs won 89-84, and both former Bulldogs played very well again.
