| | | The Seeds 1. Texas 2. Florida 3. Xavier 4. Stanford 5. U-Conn. 6. Maryland 7. Michigan St. 8. LSU 9. Purdue 10. Colorado 11. Wilmington 12. BYU 13. San Diego 14. Troy State 15. Sam Hous. St. 16. TX Sou./UNCA
| South Region Capsules The Washington Post Monday, March 17, 2003; Page F13 FIRST- AND SECOND-ROUND GAMES BIRMINGHAM-JEFFERSON CIVIC CENTER FRIDAY AND SUNDAY | TICKETS: 800-590-6908 1. Texas (Big 12 at-large) Record: 22-6 (13-3). Past 10: 8-2. Coach: Rick Barnes (5-10 in NCAAs). Starters: G T.J. Ford, 5-10, Soph. (14.8 ppg, 7.2 apg, 2.0 spg) G Royal Ivey, 6-3, Jr. (8.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.7 apg) G Brandon Mouton, 6-4, Jr. (14.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.9 apg) F Brad Buckman, 6-8, Fr. (6.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1 bpg) C James Thomas, 6-8, Jr. (11.6 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 52.6 FG%) Top reserves: F Brian Boddicker, 6-8, Jr. (8.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg) G Sydmill Harris, 6-5, Soph. (5.9 ppg, 1.0 rpg) Data: Before a Big 12 tournament loss to Texas Tech, the Longhorns spent every week of the season ranked in the top 10 behind Ford, Thomas and excellent depth -- 10 players average at least 10 minutes per game. Ford, third in Longhorns history in assists after 58 career games, has complemented his dazzling passing ability with improved scoring (32 points at Oklahoma State) and defense. Thomas, meantime, has 14 double-doubles on the season. 16. Texas Southern (SWAC champion) Record: 18-12 (11-7). Past 10: 5-5. Coach: Ronnie Courtney (0-0 in NCAAs). Starters: G Marquel Timmons, 5-11, Sr. (6.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.3 apg) G Ra'Kim Hollis, 6-2. Sr. (18.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3.8 apg) G Allan Lovett, 6-4, Soph. (16.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.1 apg) F Lionel Willis, 6-5, Jr. (10.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 54 FG%) C Jerome Bell, 6-6, Soph. (4.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 50 FG%) Data: Courtney, in his second year at Texas Southern, was a longtime high school coach in Houston. He coached Willis and Bell at Willowridge High, where some of his other players included T.J. Ford (Texas), Daniel Ewing (Duke) and Ivan McFarlin (Oklahoma State). Team enters tournament with five-game winning streak; they had lost six straight prior to that. Courtney used full-court pressure defense for the first time in the conference tournament, and his team responded with three straight wins. 16. UNC Asheville (Big South champion) Record: 14-16 (7-7). Past 10: 5-5. Coach: Eddie Biedenbach (0-0 in NCAAs). Starters: G Andre Smith, 6-2, Sr. (15.4 ppg, 3.7 apg, 2.2 spg) G Alex Kragel, 6-2, Sr. (11 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 46.5 3-pt. FG%) F Bryan McCullough, 6-6, Soph. (10.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.2 apg) F Joseph Barber, 6-9, Soph. (7.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.7 apg) C Ben McGonagil, 6-11, Sr. (14.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 61.1 FG%) Data: The Bulldogs earned their first NCAA bid, in part, by backing up trash talk. Before the season, Kragel and McGonagil sent Gregg Marshall -- a frequent candidate for more prominent coaching jobs -- an e-mail saying they hoped Marshall would return to Winthrop so the Bulldogs could beat his team. Ten days ago, Kragel hit a 17-footer at the overtime buzzer to lift the Bulldogs past Winthrop in a Big South semifinal. UNCA went 1-14 on the road. 8. LSU (SEC at-large) Record: 21-10 (8-8). Past 10: 8-2. Coach: John Brady (2-1 in NCAAs). Starters: G Xavier Whipple, 6-2, Soph. (2.5 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 1.5 apg) G Torris Bright, 6-4, Sr. (11.3 ppg, 4.9 apg, 41.1 3-pt. FG%) G Collis Temple III, 6-7, Sr. (10.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 37.7 3-pt. FG%) F Ronald Dupree, 6-7, Sr. (16.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 53.6 FG%) F Jamie Lloreda, 6-9, Jr. (12.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 56.8 FG%) Top reserves: G Darrel Mitchell, 5-11, Fr. (7.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 44.3 3-pt. FG%) G Antonio Hudson, 6-5, Soph. (7.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.0 apg) Data: The Tigers enter the tournament with plenty of momentum, finishing the regular season on five-game winning streak and then upending Florida in the SEC quarterfinals. After allowing an average of 73.3 points in their first seven SEC games, the Tigers gave up just 61.6 over the next nine, while in their eight SEC losses, they hit just 24.8 percent from beyond the arc, including blitzing Auburn and Tennessee with 16 and 17 three-pointers, respectively. 9. Purdue (Big Ten at-large) Record: 19-11 (10-6). Past 10: 4-6. Coach: Gene Keady (18-17 in NCAAs). Starters: G Willie Deane, 6-1, Sr. (18.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.3 apg) G Brandon McKnight, 6-2, Soph. (5.3 ppg, 2.5 apg, 1.9 rpg) G Kenneth Lowe, 6-3, Jr. (11.8 ppg, 42 3-pt. FG%, 89 FT%) F Matt Kiefer, 6-10, Fr. (3.4 ppg, 3.1 ppg 1.0 apg) F Chris Booker, 6-10, Jr. (9.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.0 bpg) Top reserves: G Darmetreis Kilgore, 6-5, Sr. (7.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 77 FT%) F Brett Buscher, 6-8, Jr. (6.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 52 FG%) Data: Purdue will need Lowe, who is coming off a separated left (non-shooting) shoulder, at full strength for the tourney -- he's a solid scorer who often draws the toughest defensive assignment. Lowe is also the only player left from the 2000 squad -- the last team Keady led to the tournament. The Boilermakers have made almost as many free throws (506) as their opponents have attempted (538). FIRST- AND SECOND-ROUND GAMES SPOKANE (Wash.) ARENA THURSDAY AND SATURDAY | TICKETS: SOLD OUT 4. Stanford (Pacific-10 at-large) Record: 23-8 (14-4). Past 10: 7-3. Coach: Mike Montgomery (14-10 in NCAAs). Starters: G Julius Barnes, 6-1, Sr. (15.7 ppg, 3.8 apg, 82.9 FT%) G Matt Lottich, 6-4, Jr. (11.1 ppg, 3.1 apg, 39.4 3-pt. FG%) F Josh Childress, 6-8, Soph. (14.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 43.3 FG%) F Justin Davis, 6-9, Jr. (10.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 55.7 FG%) C Rob Little, 6-10, Soph. (8.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 56.4 FG%) Top reserves: F Nick Robinson, 6-6, Soph. (4.6 ppg, 4 rpg, 48.4 FG%) F Dan Grunfeld, 6-6, Fr. (4 ppg, 77.8 FT%, 44.1 FG%) F Joe Kirchofer, 6-9, Jr. (2.2 ppg, 76.2 FT%, 55.6 FG%) Data: Stanford improved on last year's regular season record and makes its ninth straight tournament. Barnes, the only returning starter, has shined at point guard after Chris Hernandez rebroke his foot in December. The team has the Pacific-10's best scoring defense (66.8 ppg), has five players with 20 or more steals and has outrebounded all but six opponents. Despite embarrassing early-season losses to Montana and Richmond, the Cardinal beat five ranked teams (Arizona, California, Florida, Oregon and Xavier), is 8-4 in games decided by five points or less and has won six games in which it trailed by at least 16 points. 13. San Diego (West Coast champion) Record: 18-11 (10-4). Past 10: 8-2. Coach: Brad Holland (0-0 in NCAAs). Starters: F Corey Belser, 6-6, Soph. (4.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 41.5 FG%) F Jason Blair, 6-7, Sr. (16.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 52.1 FG%) C Jason Keep, 6-10, Sr. (18.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 61.8 FG%) G Roy Morris, 6-2, Sr. (12.4 ppg, 3.3 apg, 41.9 3-pt.%) G Matt Delzell, 6-2, Sr. (8 ppg, 3 rpg, 50 3-pt.%) Top reserves: F Nick Lewis, 6-10, Fr. (8.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 47.1 FG%) G Mike McGrain, 6-3, Soph. (1.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.7 apg) G Derek Stockalper, 6-4, Fr. (2.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 33.3 FG%) Data: The Toreros, who are making their first trip to the NCAA tournament since 1987, earned the automatic bid by unseating four-time WCC tournament champion Gonzaga in the final to earn the school's first WCC tournament title. Keep, the tournament's most valuable player, led the conference in rebounding and field goal percentage and was second in scoring. San Diego was the top scoring team in the WCC, averaging 75.7 points. Keep and the rest of the team struggle at the free throw line. Keep makes 56 percent of his foul shots. As a team, San Diego is shooting 66.1 percent from the free throw line. 5. Connecticut (Big East at-large) Record: 21-9 (10-6). Past 10: 6-4. Coach: Jim Calhoun (27-13 in NCAAs). Starters: G Taliek Brown, 6-1, Jr. (7.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 5 3-pt. FG%) G Ben Gordon, 6-2, Soph. (19.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 80 FT%) F Denham Brown, 6-5, Fr. (8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 22 mpg) F Emeka Okafor, 6-9, Soph. (16.1 ppg, 11 rpg, 4.8 bpg) C Hilton Armstrong, 6-10, Fr. (3.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 12.1 mpg) Top reserves: G Tony Robertson, 6-2, Soph. (10.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 81 FT%) F Rashad Anderson, 6-4, Fr. (8.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 14.2 mpg) F Shamon Tooles, 6-5, Jr. (2.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 12 mpg) Data: Okafor and Calhoun rang the bell to begin the New York Stock Exchange before the Big East tournament last week. It was quite an honor for Calhoun, who missed two weeks in February because of prostate cancer surgery. It also was an honor for Okafor -- he is a finance major in the school's honors program and has a 3.73 cumulative grade-point average. He leads the nation in blocked shots, and only four starting centers have made more than 50 percent of their shots against him this year. But his roommate, Gordon, wasn't exactly thrilled about being named second-team all-conference. "It's an honor, I guess," he said last week. 12. BYU (Mountain West at-large) Record: 23-8 (11-3). Past 10: 7-3. Coach: Steve Cleveland (0-1 in NCAAs). Starters: G Travis Hansen, 6-6, Sr. (16.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.4 apg) G Kevin Woodberry, 6-0, Jr. (6.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.3 apg) F Mark Bigelow, 6-7, Jr. (13.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 44.4 3-pt. FG%) F Jared Jensen, 6-9, Soph. (8.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 59.3 FG%) C Rafael Araujo, 6-11, Jr. (11.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 57.7 FG%) Top reserves: G Ricky Bower, 6-4, Jr. (5.6 ppg, 1.5 apg, 88.9 FT%) G Terry Nashif, 5-10, Soph. (2.2 ppg, 2.3 apg, 41.7% 3-pt. FG%) F Jake Shoff, 6-9, Jr. (2.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 58.5 FG%) Data: Lone senior Hansen showed why he was the Mountain West co-defensive player of the year March 3, limiting New Mexico's Ruben Douglas, the nation's leading scorer, to 7-for-22 shooting, including 1 for 7 on three-point attempts. Hansen's versatility made him the only consensus conference first-team member besides Douglas. The Cougars are 16th in the nation (39.2%) in three-point shooting and are 19th in free throw shooting (75.2%). They won 20 games for the third time under MWC coach of the year Cleveland, who took over after they went 1-25 in 1996-97. FIRST- AND SECOND-ROUND GAMES GAYLORD ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, NASHVILLE FRIDAY AND SUNDAY | TICKETS: 615-770-2040 3. Xavier (Atlantic 10 at-large) Record: 25-5 (15-1). Past 10: 9-1. Coach: Thad Motta (2-2 in NCAAs). Starters: G Dedrick Finn, 6-1, Fr. (7.8 ppg, 4.4 apg, 45.3 3-pt.%) G Lionel Chalmers, 6-0, Sr. (11.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 4 apg) F Romain Sato, 6-5, Jr. (18.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 75 3-pt.) F David West, 6-9, Sr. (20.4 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 1.7 bpg) C Anthony Myles, 6-9, Jr. (10.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 48.5 FG%) Top reserves: G Keith Jackson, 6-5, Soph. (5.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.7 apg) F Will Caudle, 6-9, Fr. (4 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 54.5 FG%) Data: West and Sato are two of the best players at their positions. West is the second Division I player in the last five years to collect 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. The other was Kansas forward Raef LaFrentz. Sato has scored in double figures in 46 of his last 50 games. The Musketeers are 20-3 in the last two seasons when Sato leads the team in scoring. Xavier, which is making its third consecutive NCAA appearance and sixth in nine years, is 21-0 when scoring at least 63 points. Because the Musketeers rarely commit fouls -- they rank in the top 10 in Division I in fewest fouls per game (15.6) -- their opponents rarely go to the free throw line. Xavier's opponents attempt only 13.7 foul shots per game. 14. Troy State (Atlantic Sun champion) Record: 26-5 (14-2). Past 10: 9-1. Coach: Don Maestri (0-0 in NCAAs). Starters: G Ben Fletcher, 6-3, Sr. (14.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 91 3-pt.) G Greg Davis, 6-1, Jr. (10.7 ppg, 4.8 apg, 1.9 rpg) F LaCedrick Pettway, 6-6, Sr. (6.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg) F Marcus Milhouse, 6-4, Sr. (8.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg) C Rob Lewin, 6-7, Jr. (12.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 53.6 FG%) Top Reserves: G Herbert Evans, 6-2, Jr. (7.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg) F Kendrick Johnson, 6-5, Jr. (6.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg) F Eddie Baker, 6-7, Jr. (6.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg) Data: The Trojans have been a Division I program since 1994 and are making their first appearance in the NCAA tournament after winning the conference tournament in their second title game appearance in three years. Maestri, who has coached the Trojans for 21 seasons, is one of college basketball's winningest anonymous coaches: His 331 career victories are the most in Troy State history. The Trojans are at their best when the game moves fast, amassing a 3-0 record this season when they score at least 100 points. They are able to maintain a frenetic pace thanks to liberal substitutions, with 10 players averaging at least 11 minutes. 6. Maryland (ACC at-large) Record: 19-9 (11-6). Past 10: 5-5. Coach: Gary Williams (23-11 in NCAAs). Starters: G Drew Nicholas, 6-3, Sr. (17.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 40.4 3-pt. FG%) G Steve Blake, 6-3, Sr. (11.3 ppg, 6.9 apg, 3.5 rpg) F Nik Caner-Medley, 6-8, Fr. (5.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 53.5 FG%) F Tahj Holden, 6-10, Sr. (8.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 42.3 FG%) C Ryan Randle, 6-9, Sr. (12.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 50.0 FG%) Top reserves: F Jamar Smith, 6-9, Jr. (5.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 43.1 FG%) G John Gilchrist, 6-1, Fr. (4.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 57.6 FG%) F Calvin McCall, 6-3, Sr. (4.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 46.0 FG%) Data: Blake, the only returning starter from the national championship team, had the Terrapins poised to make another deep run in the tournament before demoralizing losses to Virginia in the regular season finale and to North Carolina in the ACC tournament opener. Blake ranks among the top 10 career assist leaders in Division I and is a big reason why Maryland leads Division I in assists per game (17.8 apg). The Terrapins also are a tough defensive team, ranking second in Division I in shooting defense (37.6 percent) and fourth in blocks per game (6.4). Randle and Holden have combined for 82 blocks. Maryland was 4-7 in games decided by 10 points or less. 11. UNC Wilmington (CAA champion) Record: 24-6 (15-3). Past 10: 9-1. Coach: Brad Brownell (0-0 in NCAAs). Starters: G Brett Blizzard, 6-4, Sr. (21.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.6 apg) G Tim Burnette, 6-2, Jr. (11 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.5 spg) F Anthony Terrell, 6-7, Jr. (7.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 53 FG%) F John Goldsberry, 6-3, Fr. (4.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.5 apg) C Craig Callahan, 6-8, Sr. (16.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 32 3FG%) Top reserves: G Joel Justus, 6-6, Jr. (3 ppg, 1.7 bpg, 1.8 apg) F Mitch Laue, 6-7, Fr. (2.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 70 FG%) F Beckham Wyrick, 6-6, Fr. (2.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 42 FG%) Data: Brownell picked up right where Richmond-bound Jerry Wainwright left off, leading the Seahawks to the NCAA tournament for the third time in four years. He benefited enormously from the return of Blizzard, one of the best players in conference history and the only four-time all-CAA player. Complementing Blizzard is Callahan, who dominated most of the CAA's inside players and had 22 points and 10 rebounds in a CAA semifinal win over Delaware. Other than a mysterious pair of losses to Old Dominion, the Seahawks were remarkably consistent all season, mostly because of the unshakable Blizzard, winning 17 of their last 19 games. FIRST- AND SECOND-ROUND GAMES ST. PETE TIMES FORUM, TAMPA FRIDAY AND SUNDAY | TICKETS: SOLD OUT 2. Florida (SEC at-large) Record: 24-7 (12-4). Past 10: 6-4. Coach: Billy Donovan (8-4 in NCAAs). Starters: G Justin Hamilton, 6-3, Sr. (7.9 ppg, 3.73 apg, 56.3 FG%) G Brett Nelson, 6-4, Sr. (6.6 ppg, 29.9 3-pt. FG%, 82.1 FT%) F Matt Walsh, 6-6, Fr. (12.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 42.6 3-pt. FG%) F Matt Bonner, 6-10, Sr. (15.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 48.3 3-pt. FG%) C David Lee, 6-9, Soph. (10.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 64.1 FG%) Top reserves: G Anthony Roberson, 6-1, Fr. (12.8 ppg, 39.8 3-pt. FG%) G Christian Drejer, 6-9, Fr. (3.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.6 apg) F Bonell Colas, 6-9, Jr. (4.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 51.8 FG%) Data: The Gators defeated their highest-ranked regular season opponent ever, then-No. 2 Kansas, and ended Maryland's 87-game nonconference home winning streak. Most programs would find a prolonged slump by a senior leader such as Brett Nelson to be a major setback, but Florida just plugged in freshman sensation Roberson and kept winning. Of course, Florida benefits from senior leadership as well -- Bonner provides steady production, Hamilton makes spectacular plays on offense and defense, and Nelson finally got back on track toward the end of January. The Gators finished first in the SEC in three-point shooting, with Bonner and Walsh 1-2 individually. 15. Sam Houston State (Southland champion) Record: 23-6 (17-3). Past 10: 9-1. Coach: Bob Marlin (0-0 NCAAs). Starters: G Robert Shannon, 5-11, Sr. (10 ppg, 6.1 apg, 1.7 spg) G Eddy Barlow, 6-0, Sr. (6.2 ppg, 1.3 apg, 1.2 spg) F Jay Oliphant, 6-5, Sr. (4.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.1 apg) F Felton Freeman, 6-5, Sr. (10.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.2 spg) F Donald Cole, 6-8, Sr. (17.6 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 54.2 FG%) Top reserves: C Eddy Fobbs, 6-11, Jr. (7.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.7 bpg) G Chris Jordan, 6-4, Fr. (4.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 33.5 FG%) G Jason Stephenson, 6-2, Jr. (5.5 ppg, 1 rpg, 0.9 apg) Data: The Bearkats had never reached a conference tournament final, much less the NCAA tournament, before their 69-66 overtime defeat of Stephen F. Austin for the Southland title. Cole was named conference player of the year, and his late three-pointer against Stephen F. Austin clinched the team's NCAA berth, but the Bearkats thrive on balance. "We've done it by committee all year," Marlin told the Houston Chronicle. "Whoever's playing well plays." True to that spirit, six players led the team in scoring in at least one game, nine players had multiple starts, and 10 averaged more than 10 minutes per game. 7. Michigan State (Big Ten at-large) Record: 19-12 (10-6). Past 10: 6-4. Coach: Tom Izzo (16-4 in NCAAs) Starters: G Chris Hill, 6-3, Soph. (14.2 ppg, 3.7 apg, 41 3-pt. FG%) G Kelvin Torbert, 6-4, Soph. (9.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.7 apg) G Alan Anderson, 6-6, Soph. (9.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.2 apg) F Aloysius Anagonye, 6-8, Sr. (7.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 62 FG%) C Erazem Lorbek, 6-10, Fr. (5.6 ppg, 2,8 rpg, 47 3-pt. FG%) Top reserves: G Maurice Ager, 6-4, Fr. (5.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 35 3-pt. FG%) F Adam Ballinger, 6-9, Sr. (6.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 87 FT%) C Paul Davis, 6-11, Fr. (7.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.0 spg) Data: The Spartans squeaked into the tournament, but they still managed to make their sixth straight appearance. The Spartans showed resilience late in the season -- few bracket projections included Michigan State late in January, when the team stood at 10-8. While a roster filled with underclassmen resulted in inconsistency, Izzo can still rely on leadership from Anagonye and Ballinger, both members of the 2000 national championship squad. The 6-6 Anderson, though listed as a forward and used on the wing earlier this season, developed into the team's floor general, a slasher who creates matchup problems with his height. 10. Colorado (Big 12 at-large) Record: 20-11 (9-7). Past 10: 6-4. Coach: Ricardo Patton (1-1 in NCAAs). Starters: G Antoine McGee, 5-10, Fr. (2.6 ppg, 3.1 apg, 1.5 rpg) G-F Michel Morandais, 6-5, Jr. (17.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.5 apg) G-F Blair Wilson, 6-6, Jr. (13.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.1 spg) F Stephane Pelle, 6-8, Sr. (12.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 1.1 bpg) C David Harrison, 7-0, Soph. (14.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.2 bpg) Top reserves: G James Wright, 6-0, Sr. (6.5 ppg, 3.9 apg, 1 rpg) F Lamar Harris, 6-7, Jr. (4.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg) F Glenn Eddy, 6-5, Fr. (3.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg) Data: The Buffaloes squeaked into their first NCAA tournament in seven seasons by rocking in Boulder, where they went 13-1, including a school-record four wins over ranked opponents (Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma State and Missouri). The clincher might have been a 12-point defeat of OSU on March 5, in which Colorado sealed its ninth 18-win campaign in 101 seasons despite the absence of Morandais, who had a sprained ankle. On the road, Colorado went 3-9, 1-7 in the Big 12. Wright, relegated to a reserve role after a 12-game suspension for an undisclosed preseason incident in a school dorm, could return to the starting lineup. | | |