Consensus says Tar Heels have edge on NCAA championship
By Tom Foreman Jr.
The Associated Press
Dean Smith majored in mathematics at Kansas, which explains his penchant for statistics. His current interest at North Carolina is chemistry.
The Tar Heels rode the rebounding and inside power of George Lynch to a national championship last season. Lynch graduated along with four other seniors, but the consensus gives the edge to North Carolina to repeat.
That would mean the NCAA championship would stay in the state for the fourth straight year and, for some additional incentive, the Final Four will be held in Charlotte, which for years has been the Tar Heels' home-away-from-home.
The Tar Heels culled another stellar recruiting class. Smith landed center Rasheed Wallace, forward Jerry Stackhouse and guard Jeff McInnis to help the four starters back from the 77-71 victory against Michigan at New Orleans. That is where Smith faces a dilemma, if there is one.
How is so much talent going to get sufficient playing time?
"Somebody's going to be unhappy," Smith said. "It's like alternating quarterbacks in football.
Smith says that by January, there might be no more than eight or nine players who get the majority of the minutes. It is an impressive rotation.
There is point guard Derrick Phelps, a defensive wizard, and Donald Williams, the shooting guard whose touch came back at the Final Four and earned him MVP honors. In the middle is center Eric Montross for muscle, and Brian Reese returns at one of the wing positions once he recovers from a sprained ankle. Pat Sullivan was a spot starter last year, but could take the other forward spot.
Wallace will have to fight with senior Kevin Salvadori and redshirt freshman Serge Zwikker to back up Montross. At 6-
SOUTH PREVIEW
foot-11. Wallace is the shortest of the three.
McInnis will learn from Phelps before he inherits the point guard position next season, but that doesn't rule out a challenge from sophomore Dante Calabria. Stackhouse is seen as the successor to Lynch this year, but he will have to crack Smith's seniority system if he is going to start.
Duke will lead the challenge to the Tar Heels for the top spot in the ACC. For the Blue Devils, it is the beginning of the post-Bobby Hurley age. During Hurley's four years, Duke went to three Final Fours and won twice. He left as the NCAA's all-time assist leader.
Although Grant Hill could play on the perimeter, his value to Coach Mike Krzyzewski is on the inside, and that could make freshman Jeff Capel the successor to Hurley as the offensive catalyst.
"One of the main things we have to do is not try to make anybody Bobby Hurley," Krzyzewski said. "But we've had that problem before. Who's going to be the next Danny Ferry? Who's going to be the next Christian Laettner?"
The Blue Devils will be building the team around Hill, Cherokee Parks and Antonio Lang.
Georgia Tech won the ACC title last year when it upset North Carolina in the tournament title game. James Forrest and Travis Best will have to take on bigger leadership roles for the Yellow Jackets. The team has escaped the spotlight associated with coach Bobby Cremins' decision to leave for South Carolina and subsequent reversal of that move.
Virginia is led by Cory Alexander as it bids to move up the list, but Florida State will have to wait until Charlie Ward puts down the shoulder pads and picks up the basketball.
In the Southeastern Conference, Kentucky may miss
Jamal Mashburn, but there is plenty of talent to take over. Travis Ford averaged 13 points a game, and was deadly from 3-point range. Coach Rick Pitino might consider a three-man rotation at center. While the Wildcats reign over the SEC's Eastern Division, Arkansas looks like the pick of the Western Division. Nolan Richardson landed key recruits to fill needs at shooting guard and center, making the Razorbacks the choice.
Louisville lost one-third of its scoring power and one-fourth of its rebounding, but could still win the Metro Conference title behind Clifford Rozier, Dwayne Morton and Greg Minor. North Carolina-Charlotte may be back for a challenge after struggling last year.
Three returning starters will help New Orleans overcome the loss of Ervin Johnson and make another run at the Sun Belt championship. Western Kentucky lost three starters, but a strong recruiting class might keep the Hilltopers in contention.
East Tennessee State might keep the Southern Conference title trophy in that state in 1994, but Tennessee-Chattanooga has 6-10 transfer Roger Smith and the Moccasins could repeat.
Tennessee State comes back with the Ohio Valley Conference player of the year in 6-11 center Carlos Rogers. A big front line and an experienced backcourt gives Old Dominion the nod in the Colonial Athletic Association, although East Carolina sneaked up on everyone last year and won the tournament title.
Coastal Carolina lost star performer Tony Dunkin, but four starters from last season can lead the Chanticleers to the front of the Big South Conference. Florida International is the top pick in the Trans America, and Coppin State has the same team in 1994 that went through the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference unbeaten.
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November 17, 1993 University Daily Kansan • COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW
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