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Show SPORTS SECTION | DailydsHerald MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2006 ‘SPORTSEDITOR| Darnell Dickson - 344-2555 - ddickson@heraldextra.com NCAA TOURNAMENT Thefieldis MARYANN CHASTAIN/Associated Press BYU will have its hands full trying to guard Houston's leading scorer, “Oliver Lafayette (20). BYU draws Houston, no home game Jason Franchuk DAILY HERALD The NITlooksdifferent, based moreon success thanticketsales. But the 40-team tournament, now run by the NCAA,still has a sense of drama. BYU will play Wednesday night Houston, (6) BYU at coach Dave Rose's alma (3} Houston mater. NITTOURNAMENT First round The Cougars of Provo (20-8) will face the Wed., 6:30 p.m. Cougars of TV: None Texas (20-9)in Radio: 1160 AM,, an intriguing gamein a tournamentfull of them. Rosehas interviewed for the head 102.7 FM SS eee a coaching job at his old school, where he played on the famous Phi Slamma Jammateams of the 1980's, on three separate occasions.The last time FILE PHOTOS/AssociatedPress Duke's J.J. Redick(top left), Memphis’ Rodney Carney(top right), Villanova's Allan Ray (bottom left) and Connecticut's Rudy Gaywill lead their teams, the four No.1 seeds, into the NCAA Tournament, which begins Wednesday after Tuesday's play-in game between Monmouth and Hampton. Big East sendseight teams,including two No. 1 seeds, to NCAAs Michael Marot THE ASSOCIATED PRESS theis | Selection surprise INDIANAPOLIS — Dukewas selected as a No. | seed in the NCAA tournamentfor a record-tying 10th time Sunday,while Connecticut and Villanovaled the BigEast's unprecedented eight teams in thefield with top seeds oftheir own. Memphis was the final No. 1 chosen among tournament's 65 teams. No, BYUdidn't sneakin. But Air Force, which lostin the quarterfinals of the MWC Tournament, did. As did Utah State, losers of the WACtitle ing,” commit- tee chairman Craig Littlepage said of the 16-team conference.“At the endofthis process wefelt the eight teams that were selected were very good teams.” The otherbig winner appeared to be the mid-1-major teams. This year's bracket features six game. And San Diego State teams each from the Big Ten and got the highest seed oflocal Southeastern Conference. The interest, an 11 seed pitted Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Missouri againstsix seed Indiana. For | Valley and Pac-10 each had four Duke's 10th No.1 selection additional NCAA coverage, C4. | teams chosen. The Colonial Athletic matched North Carolina for the J also got two bids, and most ever.It is Ce icut’s fourth Utah State of the Western Athletic top seeding andthe first time for ” 1991; the Big Ten in 1990, 1994, 1999 Conference, which was left out two both Villanova and Memphis. and 2001. years agodespite finishing in the Eight Big East teams brokethe “In terms of what we saw with Top 25, madeitin this year as an atconference’s own previous record the Big East,it created some very large team. of seven, whichit had shared with tough questions forus,specifically Among the teams which had been. the Big Ten. The Big East did it in mentioned as possible at-large teams but weren't selected were Cincinnati, Creighton,Florida State, Hofstra, Maryland,Michigan and Missouri State. Not everyone, even among the mid-major conferences, was leased. “I thoughtit was a good day, but we'd hopedfora better day,” Colonial commissioner Thomas Yeagersaid after champion North Carolina-Wilmington and at-large George Masonwereonthe bracket but Hofstra was excluded.“From my vantagepoint, I think the story wasn't that we got squeezed out by thereal high profile teams but the questions revolve around teams that See TOURNEY, C3 was in 2004,butit wentinstead to the more recognized Tom Penders, whohad previous top-spotstints at Texas and George Washington. Rose said Mondaynight, a couple of hoursafter the bracket was announced,that he had a premonition that BYU would be part of some storyline. He thought maybe anold rivalry (say, with formerconference mate UTEP) wouldbe rekindled. Instead, he returns home. No awkwardness,heinsists. Helikes mostofall that the tournament, which finishes in New York City, looks moreserious.It's divided into four 10-team quadrants. It has big-name teams and other successful programs,andthe seeding has done more-to reward good years instead of who can put the most fannies in the seats. BYU is a sixth-seed, while Houstonis No.3. Higher seeds will play host, and the top six seeds were protected from play-in games. “It has a whole differentfeel,” See COUGARS, C4 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC A-Rod singles in winning run to beat Japan : Group One USA Mexico WL Pet GB 2 0 4.000 — '0' 0 .000 — S.Korea 0 0 .000 — Japan 0 1 000 4 Group Two ‘WL Pct GB b John Nadel H L WBC standings r ROUND TWO Cuba 1 P.Rico 1 Dm. Rep.O Vazuela O 0 © 1° 1 1.000 — .000 — .000 4 000 1 B'T0p tho teams in each group advance to WBC semifinals, beginning Saturday, March 18 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS base while catching third bee payed Morey ioe ioe Loser Kyuji Fujikawa threw out Wells at third on Michael Young’s attempted sacrifice, Fou: Japan appeared to take & 4-3 lead off Joe Nathan in the man Akinori Iwamura’s throw. ANAHEIM,Calif. — Alex Rodriguez came through with the winning hit for the United and Derek Jeter was hit bya eighth when Iwamuraflied to States after Japan.appearedto _pitch to load the bases. Versial call. fore Rodriguez appeared to be. throw home, and second base get the short end of a contro- Ken Griffey struck out be- Roariguer. Hit & basesleaded, jammed ona 1-1 pitch, but his . groundergot past Fujikawa left with one out and the bases _loaded. Nishioka beatWinn's umpire Brian Knight ruled safe when Team USA appealed the antinthe and Nishioka’s sliding attempt USA a43 victory inthe opener of Round 2in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. Vernon Wells opened the ‘The run was unearned because of Nishioka’s error. Ro_driguez went 2-for-5, making him 7-0f-14in the Classic. An announced crowdof the other umpires. It didn’t seem Nishiokaleft ony on the television replay, and Japan manager Sa‘ Oh argued to no avail. Randy Winn sacrificed, but Round 2, Mexico and South the ninth on three walks be- USA JAPAN 4 ninthSunday behind second was unsuccess3 togiveTeam ful. ninth with his third hit, and 32,896 attended the opener of reached first when second base- Korea werescheduled tomeet man Tsuyoshi Nishioka drew later Sunday at Angel Stadium, an error for coming off the where single games will be ae 4 to complete the secon ¢ play. But plate umpire Bob Davidson overruled the call fola brief discussion with Japan loaded the bases in CHRIS CARLSON/Associated Préss Team USA's mobs Alex Rodriguez after he hit the game-winning basehit in the bottomofninth inning a, ainst Japan in the See USA, C6 World Baseball Classic in Anaheim, Calif., on Sunday. —_fore winner Brad Lidge, Team CALL3755103TOSUBSCRIBE © y |