Related

Associated Press photo

Memphis guard Derrick Rose (23) and Memphis guard Antonio Anderson (5) react after beating Texas 85-67 in the NCAA South Regional basketball final Sunday in Houston.

Henry Caldwell doesn't think there's anything wrong with a Tennessee fan jumping on the Memphis bandwagon. After all, he is a Memphis graduate.

Caldwell, founder and proprietor of Henry's Memphis BBQ in Roanoke and Salem, has pledged to give out free barbecue sandwiches between 4-5 p.m. Tuesday if the Tigers win the NCAA Division I men's basketball championship.

"We always have a couple hundred pounds hanging around, ready to go out the door," said Caldwell, who was born in Memphis and grew up there. "We've always got a couple of thousand pounds ready to cook."

When Caldwell was a youngster and as recently as his graduation, Memphis was known as Memphis State. As the Tigers prepare for their semifinal meeting with UCLA on Saturday, Caldwell is quick to recount their previous Final Four matchup.

"We still have the pent-up aggression from [Bill] Walton having the most wonderful game ever in college basketball when he went 21-for-22 in the national championship," said Caldwell, referring to the 1973 title game, won by the Bruins 87-66.

"I think Memphis has got something to prove there. I think they're on a little bit of a mission."

Caldwell likes the setting for the Final Four in San Antonio, Texas.

"Memphis likes playing in Texas," said Caldwell of the Tigers' South Region victories in Houston. "There is another great connection between Texas and Tennessee, one being the fact, I do believe, that neither state has a state income tax, which is rare these days.

"And Texas asked for some volunteers to help with the skirmish with the Mexicans way back when, and we sent Sam Houston and he kind of cleaned up that Alamo mess."

There is one issue that Caldwell needs to clear up before he starts handing out the free sandwiches (one per customer, please). If he's such a staunch Tennessee supporter, how did he end up graduating from Memphis?

"It was too much satisfaction with my experience," he said. "I was overdue with my four-year plan at Tennessee. Mom and Dad said, 'You've got to bring it home and finish.' "

Transitions

Duke announced that Taylor King, a 6-foot-6 freshman forward, will be leaving the program. Although he played sparingly in ACC games, King averaged 5.9 points and 2 rebounds for the season and had 43 3-point field goals.

King first came to national prominence when, as a 14-year-old, he was offered a scholarship by UCLA prior to his freshman year at Mater Dei High School. King subsequently committed to the Bruins, then, by mutual consent, reopened his recruiting.

n Another ex-Blue Devil who earlier had sought greener pastures, Eric Boateng, played in all 34 games for Arizona State (21-13) but made only one start and averaged fewer than 12 minutes. Boateng, who averaged 3.9 points and 2.6 rebounds, shot 61.5 percent from the field but only 36.5 percent (19-of-52) from the free-throw line.

Along those lines, Virginia senior Ryan Pettinella was 9-for-35 (26.7 percent) from the line this year and 18-for-72 (25 percent) over two seasons. The previous low for a UVa player with as many as 25 attempts was John Dyslin (8-for-26, 30.8 percent) between 1984-87.

Moving north

West Liberty State, a Division II program located in West Virginia's northern panhandle, has emerged as a possible home for Branden Ore, recently dismissed from the football program at Virginia Tech. West Liberty State was 8-3 last season and, unlike a Division I-A program, could offer Ore instant eligibility.

n Also headed to the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is former Franklin County quarterback D.J. Willis, who will be going to Glenville State after a postgraduate year at Hargrave Military Academy.

Willis' fellow Glenville recruits include Patrick Henry defensive end Gerard Payne and one-time Miami signee Willie Williams, who also spent time at Louisville in his checkered past. On the day that Williams signed with Miami in 2004, it was revealed that he had been arrested 11 times.

The draft

Mel Kiper's latest draft board for ESPN shows Virginia defensive end Chris Long dropping to No. 2 behind Michigan offensive lineman Jake Long, but Cavaliers offensive guard Branden Albert has moved up to No. 5 in the first round after pro scouts determined he also could play tackle. Kiper has Virginia Tech cornerback Brandon Flowers going to Green Bay with the 30th pick of the first round.

Connections

Tarron Robinson, a freshman first baseman on North Carolina's baseball team, is the son of Tar Heels men's basketball assistant and former Roanoker Steve Robinson. Tarron Robinson is rehabilitating a hamstring injury and has not played this season for the Tar Heels, who have been as high as No. 3 in the rankings. He is eligible for a redshirt year.