MEMPHIS 78, UCLA 63

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- As hard as it is to imagine, Memphis keeps getting better just when it matters the most.

The Tigers claimed their piece of history Saturday, beating UCLA 78-63 in the NCAA men's semifinals to become at 38-1 the winningest team ever in a single season. Now they have a chance to do what the other 37-win teams -- Duke, Illinois and UNLV -- couldn't do: cap it off with a national championship.

All season, this Memphis team from lightly regarded Conference USA played along with Calipari's us-against-the-world theme. Now, the Tigers need only one more victory for their first championship.

UCLA star Kevin Love put on his own show at practice Friday, hitting a full-court shot. He managed just 12 points -- and missed both open 3-pointers -- as the Bruins (35-4) again fell short in their third straight Final Four appearance.

Star freshman Derrick Rose wasn't content to merely make shots, he wanted to stamp this Final Four as his own with a series of show-stoppers that became an NBA audition.

Rose put up lefty floaters and righty scoops, often changing hands in mid-air, and threw one try over his shoulder. He was in perpetual motion -- once, he caught a pass in traffic, stutter-stepped just long enough to look his defender in the eye, and then sped past him for an easy but showy layup.

Rose finished with 25 points and nine rebounds and a bunch of eye-opening moves that won't show up in the final box.

He also hit 11 of 12 free throws. For a team supposedly vulnerable from the foul line, the Tigers did great in making 20 of 23.

(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)