[TomWilkinson]

If you didn’t already know about the Memphis Tigers, you probably do now. They are good, very good. Some people think, myself included, that they are the best college basketball team in the country.

Darius Washington scored nine of his 22 points in the final 3:18 to help the Tigers down No. 8 Gonzaga 83-72 on Tuesday night for their seventh straight victory and their best start since the 1985-86 season. The team in 1985-86 started 20-0, but didn't play a ranked opponent during the first 10 games that year. This year’s team has played four Top 25 teams and is 3-1 against them, with their lone loss coming to No. 1 Duke.

Memphis also held preseason All-American Adam Morrison, the nation's top scorer, without a point in the final 9:31 by switching defenders on him and wearing him down. Morrison finished with 34 points, including 12-of-12 at the free-throw line.

Rodney Carney had 17 points for Memphis and Shawne Williams added 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Tigers outshot Gonzaga 31-of-63 (49.2 percent) to 22-of-64 (34.4 percent).

"They are as talented as anybody in the country," Morrison said. "We've played UConn and that's the No. 2 team, so they are right up there. They probably will go pretty far this year."