Show The Herald Journal Logan Utah Tuesday March 26 2002 — A9 I Top seeds Hoosiers prepare for Atlanta By The Associated Press will feel” Coverdale said “They are doing everything they can — and so am I — to make sure! play’’ against Roy Williams has taken Kansas to two previous Final Fours losing to eventual champion North Carolina in the 1993 semifinals and to Duke in the 1991 championship game Both have seasoned focused teams Kansas has the highest scoring team in the country and comple-ments that with a strong inside game Typical was the rout of overmatched Oregon Drew Gooden and Nick Collison each had by early in the second half and the Jayhawks Outreboifnded the Ducks 4 Kansas had 26 offensive rebounds e points leading to 31 worked out accord-- i designed by the NCAA basketball selection commit' tee there would be four teams headed to next weekend’s 'Final Four In some regions it does which is why Kansas and Maryland will meet in one national semifinal next Saturday at Atlanta In others it doesn’t which is why Oklahoma and Indiana will play in the other No 1 seeded Kansas and Maryland completed the Final Four Gooden had 18 points and 20 on Sunday The rebounds and Collison added 25 points Jayhawks elimiand 15 rebounds as the Jayhawks (33-3- ) nated second- seeded Oregon simply wore down the Ducks 104-8- 6 “We knew the way to beat them to win was to beat them on the boards and the Midwest the held off and Terrapins get extra shots” Gooden said “I think Regional it was contagious We were relentless No 2 Connecticut 2 in the East out there on the backboards” No S Indiana won the South oh Maryland (30-f- ) had all it could Saturday topping Kent State 9 handle from Connecticut But in the and No 2 Oklahoma captured the end die 'fops used the senior savvy West by advancing with a 5 vic' of Lonny Baxter and Juan Dixon tory over No 12 Missouri one key shot by Steve Blake — The intrigue in the matchup of No to prevail Is begins with the coaches both 29 points Baxter had a season-hig- h named Williams both trying to win a and Dixon added 27 many of them first national championship crucial to defeat the Huskies Maryland's Gary Williams took the fops to the Final Four a year ago Blake’s only field goal of the game that barely beat the shot a before losing in the semifinals ' : in the final minute opened a against Duke which went on to win the championship )ead and proved decisiv ! top-seed- ed double-doubl- Oklahoma For Davis in his second season succeeding Bob Knight the trip to the Final Four is vindication' He was hired&mid much criticism an assistant thrust into a high-profi- le head coaching job in the Big Ten But the players sup-ported him arid after a 5 start this season the team jelled at the most important time In the stands a sign read: “Knighttime is over it's a new Da-v- is ! ” Oklahoma (31-4- ) used the pinpoint shooting of Hollis Price and Ebi Ere to defeat Missouri and extend the nation's longest winning streak to 12 ' games Price had 18 points Ere 17 “We earned our way this far but once we get down to Atlanta it's a totally different thing” said Aaron McGhee whose with 2:14 to play was a dagger for the Sooners “I think this team will be single-minde- d on its goal" It was an emotional victory for Sooners coach Kelvin Sampson whose father had brain sprgery last week “You can never imagine the exact way you'll achieve a dream like this but I’m pretty happy with the way if happened" Sampson said “Our kids have come to play If we play well we’ll have a chance to win” For Oklahoma it will be the first trip to the Final Four since 1988 high-pressu- ‘ 7-- es 63-3- -- second-chanc- : AP' photo son of Indiana coach Mike Davis Is interviewed sports reporter Jeremiah Johnson as his dad gets interviewed at a news Antoine Davis left Three-year-o- ld by WTWO conference in Bloomington 90-8- Ind That made the matchup against Kent “Any experience you have in difficult situations helps you there" Gary 'State almost anticlimactic but coach Mike Davis’ team did not let down Williams said “I've seen a lot of Indiana (24-1hit 15 of 19 3- games to get to the Final Four I and can’t believe there’s been a more point attempts opened a lead that Kent State could not overcompetitive one “As you get older there are great ' come The victory was costly though Tom Coverdale turned his games ones you’ll always rememleft ankle and was in a wheelchair ber I’ll always remember this one” for the Indiana made sure the Final Four ceremony His would have a new look when the availability next weekend if questionable Hoosiers defeated defending champion Duke in the South semifinals “It is hard to tell right now how I 81-6- 81-7- ---and six-poi- 1) 20-poi- nt net-cutti- nt FdbdsiD Foohi? Wdoqdii’s §©5 WfEtiDn DU® By The Associated Press SQOI?pDSS on gets another crack at unbeaten and Connecticut Tennessee and Connecticut will mee( for the fourth time in the Final Four Connecticut’s two national championships both came at Tennessee’s expense in the finals When Tennessee won the championship in 1996 it beat UConn ' in ths national semifinals Duke earned ifs second trip to the Final Fourand extending its school-recor- d winning streak to 22 games The Blue Devils are returning to the Final Four for the first time since 1999 when they lost to Purdue in the championship game Oklahoma which lost in the NCAA tournament’s third round the past two' years has a Final Four to go with three straight Big 12 titles The Sooners’ rise to national prominence is remarkable con- sidering die program was dropped in 1990 until coaches led a national protest that led to its reinstatement eight days later Duke 77 South Carolina 68 Alana Beard scored 24 points and Monique Currie added 15 for the Blue Devils (31-South Carolina (25-7- ) beat Duke during the regular season winning 87-- 8 1 in overtime at Cameron Indoor Stadium v The Blue Devils had an answer for " nearly run by the third seeded Game- -' teams played to form in three regional finals in the women’s NCAA tournament Monday and -seeded Tcftnessee also advanced to the Final Four Connecticut (37-0- ) joined Duke and teams headed Oklahoma as to San Antonio The Huskies will play Tennessee in one national semifinal Friday night Duke and Oklahoma will face off in the other UConn playing its finest basketball at the most important point of the season made its first 13 shots and raced to lead 10 minutes in and beat a 4 in the Mideast Old Dominion Top-seed- ed second- top-seed- 20-poi- nt 85-6- i Regional final Tennessee advanced to the Final Four for the 13th time with a 68-6- 3 victory over Southeastern Conference rival '' Vanderbilt in the Midwest Regional iHthe other regional finals Duke beat South Carolina 77-6- 8 in the East and Oklahoma became the first Big 12 team to reach the Final Four in the conference’s six-yehistory beating Colorado 94-6- 0 in the West The Sooners also mide the Final Four in the men’s tournament Connecticut is in search of its third NCAA title and second unbeaten season under Geno Auriemmawho won championships in 1995 and 2000 six-tinational champi- -' ’ ar - AP photo Connecticut's Sue Bird waves the net after' the Huskies defeated Old Dominion 85-6- 4 in the NCAA Mideast Regional championship game 3) - T Celtics pick up big W Spurs run win streak to 13 top Clippers cocks rallying from a one-poideficit' midway through the second half with ' several clutch shots and tough defense Connecticut 85 Old Dominion 64 Sue Bird scored a career-hig- h 26 points and dished out 11 assists for the Huskies The Lady Monarchs (28-6- ) miffed at their No 7 seeding had used the perceived slight to fuel upsets of second- seeded Purdue and third-seedKansas State But they could only watch help- ' and lessly as the Huskies (37-0- ) made their first 13 shots and sank their first five free throws in lead less than 10 min- facing to a 34-1- 4 utes into the Mideast Regional final Oklahoma 94 Colorado 60 Chalk up another major accomplishment for Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale LaNeishea Caufield scored 25 points-- ' and Stacey Dales had 20 as Oklahoma rolled past Nq 3 Colorado Caufield shot in the second half and scored 14 points during a 32-- 6 second-ha- lf run that guaranteed Qkla- homa (31-of becoming the first Big 12 team ever to reach the Filial Four Tennessee 68 Vanderbilt 63 Tennessee beat a familiar opponent to put itself back in a familiar setting Gwen Jackson had 18pointsaAd 12 rebounds and Michelle Snow hit three keyshots down the stretch Tennessee (29-4- ) built a lead early in the second half against its Southeastern Conference rival then survived a tally nt top-rank- :' re ed top-rank- ed - top-seed- ed top-seed- ed ' 3) ' 15-po- ' Huggins to stay at Ci N - e CINCINNATI (AP) -- Bob Huggins’ loy-- ' rebounds his 50th of the season " and four short of the franchise record v- - sr?s alty to Cincinnati won out oyer his alle-- -' Knicks 84 Nuggets 83 23 Erick Strickland served a season-hig- h giance to his alma mater: his scored this Voshon York Lenard 16of New At in Huggins decided to stay with foe Bearcats points including a pairof on Monday turning down West Virginia’s ' fourth quarter leading Boston to a 2 victory 21 points in the fourth quarter and hit the win-- : offer to take over as head basketball coach over Miami on Monday night ning shot Juwan Howard added 20 points Mid 12 rebounds for the Nuggets who trailed by as “It was a very hard decision” Huggins Stricklandfilling in for the injured Kenny 13 second ' the as in told half The Associated Press on Monday night the Celtics Anderson at point guard helped points many pull f in the Latrell Sprewell scored 33 points for the r “Both schools have been great to me” and secure a much-wi- n ' Knicks wto led by as many as 19 in die first at Miami Boston which had lost Huggins said that consideration of his hatf Kurt Thomas added 15 points and 14 three of its previous four after winning seven family and his players played a part in his decision but the support of the community rebounds for the Knicks who have lost 15 straight moved 1 12 games ahead of Milwauand working conditions at Cincinnati itl$o kee for theNo 3 spot in the Eastern Conference ' games when leading by double digits this year: AfteShandon Anderson made only one of two were decidingfactorsi Miami test for foe third straight time and has free throws to give the Knicks an 1 lead with “UC is a great place arid the community dropped five of its last seven Tie Heat once a from the half-gahas been great to me for 13 years” Huggins 501 seconds ldft Lenard hit a out of the playoffs fell four games corner over Clarence Weatberspoon who left 5aid ' After being courted by West Virginia Lenard open several times down the Stretch i playoff spot vv-- - Suns 1Q2 Cavaliers 96 for Neto Jersey which was idle Huggins had a series of meetings with Cincinnati athletic director Bob Goin the At Phoenix Jake Tkakilidis served a career Paul Fierce scored 19 points and Antoine V 'latest on Monday affonoion Walkerl7 for Boston high 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds mid ' " ' 3 West the in final sank Dan two ' Alonzo Mourning scored 20 points to go Tginia officials Majerte Hugns informed APpttoto' ' Celtics1 ' his of decision 19 Eddie Jones rebounds minutes with and 12 had IQ Erick' Striddandi front and early Monday evening along The Boston ' Shawn Marion served 29 points and grabbed f:' “Today we got foe feeling things Weren't teammate Eric WBliams celetxate a crucial points for Miami Y lOrebounds for Pboenix He sank consecutive er by Strickland In foe final minute against Miami going where we thought we were going ' Spun 91 CHppen 8$ in 20 with it” West Virginia assistant athletic 17 foeSuns front and feet to At Los Angeles Tim Duncan had 33 points put jumpers ! director Mfire Parsons said: “He fished us 19 points down in that pcriod atPprtlandvQre and 13 tebounds and David Robinson added 19 cdntrdfor good 9 with 1:11 to play ' ' Lorenrcn Wright scored 21 points to lead the 'wqll arid offered to help foe university in Stephon!Marbury had 20'ptnnts and a i points as the Spun ran their winning streak to ' Grizzlies who had lost six' straight and 15 of 17' 13 and efinefarid a playoff berth Thor victory any way he could” high 14 assists for the Suns Had said been idre Miller had 21 prvnts and 17 assistsfer : Memphis (1852) began the bight just a half-gathere no talk of a also lifted Dallas into the playpffs in the West Huggins 1 foe Cavaliers who fell to contract extension with Cincinnati Since San Antonio had to rally from a against the Pacif-- ahead of Chicago for the league’s worst record The Grizzlies trailed by as many as 25 late in 1995 foe university has paid Huggins deficit to keep the NBA’s longest ' - ic Division 0--6 on the road Rjcky Davis scored W foird comeT arid this the the 23 Michael ieasori Person white Ddeac: $130000 the biggesf w : quarter malting Wesfey going victory stiinfeof pk year into a ddferred arinuity back in foe franchise’s seven-yeto keep him at CiiKrinnati His conadded 14 apiece for the Cavi ( Michael Olowokandi had 26 points and 17 history: The desig tract aUows him to collect it after fois season U5riaBesl03fodlBlaxersl00 rebounds for the Clippers who remained 2 12 's previous largest was 23 points in a win oyer New Jersey in January 2000 game behind Utahlof the West's final Rodney Buford scored 14 of his 20 points in Btmzifcto8Cored34 points to lead the Blazers foe fourfo quarter ps4he Grizzifcs rallied from HUGGINS on All both Elton Brand had 15 points and 1! By The Associated Press double-doubl- si : - : 87-8- : fourth-quarte- : - 83-8- -- ’ F F 'F ’ : ’’ i r : t ‘ - - 96-8- ‘ 1- l3-po- int third-quart- -1 er ' i ar 1 ’ 1: |