Tiger fans take Houston by storm; Memphis wins 92-74

By Greg Russell

HOUSTON -- Thirty-five years ago, Bennie and Janet Crossnoe gave new meaning to the phrase “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

Not only was it the newlywed’s honeymoon, it was also the backdrop to the 1973 NCAA championship game between then-Memphis State University and the UCLA Bruins, a game in St. Louis that served as one of Memphis’ finer moments on the court despite an 87-66 setback.

Little did the Crossnoe couple know, it would also be a weekend that would give them a bit more than their “15 minutes of fame.”

“We went up there to St. Louis for our honeymoon but we didn’t have tickets to the game,” said Bennie. “The Commercial Appeal came to our hotel to do a story on us coming up without tickets and it being our honeymoon. Well, later that night, the sports editor, Roy Edwards, called and said he had found tickets for us.”

The Crossnoes found their story across the sports pages of the CA the next day. “We took up most of the page — our picture and story,” Bennie said.

Now, 35 years later, the Crossnoes are in Houston, still following the Tigers. But unlike their honeymoon weekend, the pair had tickets to this weekend’s South Regional performance for the Tigers before they arrived.

“We felt it was the perfect way to celebrate our 35^th wedding anniversary,” said Janet. “And, yes, we have tickets.”

The Crossnoes joined about 2,000 other Tiger fans at Friday night’s pep rally at the Reliant Center and several thousand more at the Sweet 16 appearance against Michigan State at Reliant Stadium later in the evening.

Memphis fans, as athletic director R.C. Johnson pointed out at the pep rally, were well represented.

“The NCAA called Stanford and asked them if they had tickets to return. They said ‘yes,’” said Johnson. “The NCAA called Michigan State and asked them if they had tickets to return and they said, ‘yes.’ They called us and what did we say? ‘No!’”

The Houston Chapter of the U of M Alumni Association hosted the pre-game event.

“Do you think Michigan State is going to call and say, ‘Houston, we have a problem?’” asked Houston club president Robert Stephens. “Yes!” roared Tiger faithful.

The Tigers, now 36-1 after disposing of the Spartans 92-74 before 32,931 at Reliant, move on to play Texas Sunday with the winner advancing to the Final Four next weekend in San Antonio. This is the third straight Elite Eight appearance for Memphis.

The last appearance for the Tigers in the Final Four came in Lexington, Ky., in 1985. Memphis suffered a 52-45 semifinal loss to eventual national champion Villanova.