NCAA Tournament 2000 - Lack of respect another hurdle for resilient Arizona

Lack of respect another hurdle for resilient Arizona
By Ed Graney
Special to ESPN.com

It's like the other three regions of this NCAA Tournament draw, filled with subplots and supporting cast members and appetizers. But even the most intriguing undercard themes -- Jerry Tarkanian tasting an NCAA game for the first time in nine years, Indiana State hoping to evoke memories of Larry Legend, Gonzaga wanting to prove last season wasn't a fluke, St. John's trying to avoid anyone with the letters NCAA stitched to their shirt pocket -- needs an engaging main event.

This is where Arizona comes in.

Game of the region

No. 8 Wisconsin vs. No. 9 Fresno State
Thursday, 10:10 p.m. ET
A contrast in style that was last seen when the Tortoise met the Hare. The Badgers are a poor-man's Temple, a group nobody really wants to play because your mistakes are amplified. Every pass, shot and decision is contested for 40 minutes.

The wild card here is Fresno State because we know what Wisconsin brings. The Badgers have one player (junior center Mark Vershaw) scoring in double digits, average 60 points and hope that ugly wins out. But the Bulldogs have proven to be very good (see three wins against Tulsa) and very questionable (see losses to Cal State Northridge and San Francisco).

If senior Courtney Alexander can get close to his nation-leading 25.3 points, Fresno State in good shape.

The West Regional begins Thursday in Salt Lake City and Tucson, and never in recent memory has a No. 1 seed offered so much mystery. The Wildcats have somehow survived more casualties than NASDAQ, shrugging off key injuries like Tom Hanks might another leading role.

"People will tell you we are not worthy of this No. 1 seed," junior Justin Wessel said. "We're going to prove them wrong. There is going to come a point when we have to say 'We're Arizona. We don't lose to lower level teams.' We'll be ready for that time."

Yeah, but did they ever think it might come against Jackson State?

That's what you have out West, 15 teams (including Arizona's first-round opponent) that smell opportunity, that sense weakness in a Wildcats team without (for now) starting center Loren Woods, a side that could play this tournament with just seven scholarship bodies.

Arizona will tell you it won a share of the Pac-10 title and beat Stanford (a No. 1 seed in the South) twice with a six-man rotation, that great teams find a way to contend and ultimately defeat adversity. It's a nice little mission statement to have this time of year.

"All season long, Arizona has been able to get it done with whatever players happened to be available," St. John's coach Mike Jarvis said. "I don't think Arizona is too worried about a lack of firepower, nor should they be. That is a very talented team, no matter the number of kids playing."

But if anything, the uncertainty of Woods' aching back has others in the region capable of making a serious Final Four run. Perhaps the Bulldogs of Fresno State -- who could see Arizona in the second round -- are indeed athletic enough to run with and past the Wildcats. Perhaps the Sooners of Oklahoma forget they have dropped five first-round games since the 1988 final and actually make some noise. Perhaps the Longhorns of Texas are as tough as some think and the Tigers of LSU as athletic. Perhaps the Red Storm of St. John's does have destiny on its side. Perhaps the Cardinals of Louisville get upset no one is giving them a chance. Perhaps the Sycamores of Indiana State really do bring some of that Larry Bird magic with them.

Perhaps this is all possible because No. 1 is a tad vulnerable.

"We just need to go out and play and not worry about anything else," Arizona coach Lute Olson said. "That's what we've done all year, and it has worked pretty well so far."

Searching for Cinderella
Ah, quickness. It can really propel a team like No. 10 Dayton.

The Flyers are in the bottom half of the region, which is hardly the toughest draw.

Dayton opens against No. 6 Purdue and if it's one team that has offered Gene Keady's side fits this season, it's a collection of run-and-gun enthusiasts like David Morris, Tony Stanley and Brooks Hall. Dayton isn't built for speed, but it does accept any opening to spot up shooters off a break.

Purdue point guard Carson Cunningham hasn't been the most consistent sort, not the best omen against a perimeter-based opponent. If the shots fall (Dayton averages 7.2 3-pointers) and the Flyers eliminate Purdue, a winnable game awaits against the survivor of Oklahoma-Winthrop.

Dayton proved early with eight consecutive wins (including one against Kentucky) that it has an ability to stay hot for long stretches. Also, the Flyers have eight road wins this season, meaning it won't be intimidated by the neutral site.

The one thing that obviously plays against Dayton is lack of experience. The Flyers haven't danced in 10 years, while Purdue is making its eighth straight appearance.

But nothing, and we mean nothing, can spurn an upset more than a team that consistently makes shots. That is Dayton.

Don't believe the hype
LSU doesn't enter as a happy camper, peeved at receiving a No. 4 seed after winning a share of the SEC regular-season championship.

But look closely: The Tigers aren't terribly deep, and lurking in their top of the draw are the likes of Texas and Arizona. LSU opens with Ohio Valley champion Southeast Missouri State, a team that can defend well enough to at least stay close and has a versatile threat in senior forward Roderick Johnson. LSU is solid, but certainly didn't play well in losing to Arkansas in the SEC tournament. This, after winning 10 straight.

The Tigers are young at nearly every spot, which means there will be some NCAA butterflies early. Also, a glance at the season's results prove the Tigers have at times played down to their competition. You can get away with that in December. You get sent home for doing it in March.

Stromile Swift at forward is a nightmare matchup for any opponent, but LSU needs more. Brian Beshara is the starting small forward who hasn't consistently shot well in over a month. The Tigers also showed an ability late to hurt themselves with turnovers.

This is a program that has experienced first-round upset losses, notably to Dayton in 1984 and Navy in '85. LSU should win its opener, but anything after that could be more taxing than many think.

On a roll
The speeding train that is second-seeded St. John's has won 11 of it last 12 and looks primed for a deep NCAA run after winning the Big East Conference tournament.

If you can somehow glance past a season's worth of trials and tribulations, of NCAA inquiries and suspensions, you will see a team that began its rise with consecutive wins against Syracuse, Connecticut and Duke. This, from a team that lost four of five in January.

But the Red Storm, which opens against No. 15 Northern Arizona, has created a multidimensional attack that has confused opponents defensively. The key is keeping sophomore guard Erick Barkley and forward Lavor Postell on the floor the next three weeks and away from NCAA investigators.

We have heard the same negatives all season. St. John's is too short. It lacks depth. But it also features the most impressive group of versatile players in the 64-team draw. The approach is a brave one, pushing the ball when opportunity knocks and succeeding in the half-court via much motion and even more deception.

The Red Storm, small or not, can play tough when needed. Balance? Six players have led the team in scoring this season. You can also bet Jarvis will remind the team about NAU's near first-round upset of Cincinnati two years ago.

On life support
It was a similar theme last season, when Purdue limped into the tournament and shocked many by winning a few games. But the Boilermakers we saw lose to Wisconsin in the first round of this year's Big Ten Tournament were tired and lacking interest.

Purdue has dropped two straight entering the draw. It had 11 days off between losses to Indiana and Wisconsin, and now will have waited six more before meeting Dayton in the first round.

"We have an opportunity to put (the Wisconsin loss) behind us," Keady said. "Some teams aren't that fortunate. If we can get back to playing well, no one will remember how we finished the regular season."

To stay alive, Purdue must dictate tempo and get something more than just a few courtesy numbers from its bench, two things it hasn't done well for stretches this season. You would think a starting lineup of four seniors and a fourth-year junior would understand the urgency of this month, but it certainly didn't appear so against the Badgers.

The Boilermakers have one Brian Cardinal, who has more floor burns than your average college volleyball player.

Problem is, they need three of him.

Hot hand
Funny thing about this region. You hear about Arizona's lack of depth and how well St. John's is playing and how dangerous LSU appears.

You don't hear much about No. 5 Texas, which happens to have arguably one of the nation's best players.

Chris Mihm is the junior center averaging 17.9 points and 10.6 rebounds, who has 19 double-doubles in 31 games, who leads the Longhorns in scoring, rebounding and blocks, who is the first players in the program's history to record 1,000 career points, 800 rebounds and 200 blocks.

Mihm could put up some serious numbers against a much smaller Indiana State team in the first round and, considering how he stepped up in big games this season, follow that effort through the region.

The 7-foot, 260-pounder always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Few teams can match Texas' physical play and much of that has to do with Mihm.

"Obviously, it would benefit us not to get in a half-court game and allow Texas just to feed (Mihm) all day," Indiana State coach Royce Waltman said. "Every team like ours hopes for this moment, for this opportunity. You want to be in the NCAA Tournament and have a chance to play against a great player."

Hero in waiting
Luke Walton could have traveled two different routes. He could have stepped up and, considering his limited Division I experience, hurt Arizona's chances of winning the Pac-10 and gaining a favorable NCAA seed. Or he could have stepped up and helped the Wildcats earn both goals.

He chose the latter.

The redshirt freshman forward replaced then-injured Richard Jefferson in early January and has improved his game to where opponents now must prepare for the strengths Walton provides a No. 1 seed.

"He creates so many opportunities for us with his passing," Olson said.

Walton is averaging 5.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 32 games. He might not be the hero in a sense of scoring 30 against any tournament foe, but he is definitely a player whose skill could mean a huge difference in a close game.

Hesitant with his shot early, Walton over the last month has become more confident, proving so with 15 points and 12 assists in a victory over Stanford last week.

Walton is what you would expect being the son of a Hall of Famer, a knowledgeable player with a great feel for the game. He makes the life of post players like Michael Wright much easier by distributing the ball at precise angles.

Again, little things often make a hero in some.

Ed Graney of the San Diego Union-Tribune is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.


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