NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT : Midwest Regional : Orr Still the Teacher as Iowa State Ousts Michigan; Wolfpack Advances

Johnny Orr and Bill Frieder worked on the same bench for seven years, but this time they were on opposite sides.

Orr, the mentor, gave his student another lesson Sunday when Iowa State surprised fifth-ranked Michigan, 72-69, in the second round of the Midwest Regional.

“It has to be my biggest victory, ever,” said Orr, who has 339 coaching victories in 21 seasons, including 12 years at Michigan. “I took a program that didn’t do anything six years ago. Everyone thought I was crazy.”

But Orr added: “I feel sorry for Bill. I would have rather not played him.”

The victory propelled the Cyclones (22-10) into the regional semifinals Friday at Kansas City against North Carolina State.

Michigan (28-5) lost in the second round for the second straight year. Last year, the Wolverines lost to Villanova, which went on to win the NCAA title.

The Cyclones built an 11-point lead and then survived a rally by Michigan, which Orr coached to a Final Four appearance in 1976 before leaving to coach Iowa State in 1980.

“If I had to lose, I couldn’t lose to a better guy,” said Friedler, Orr’s assistant at Michigan from 1973 until he took over the program when Orr went to Iowa State. “I love Johnny Orr.”

Iowa State had a 46-35 lead with 16:17 to play when Michigan started back.

Roy Tarpley scored 14 of his 25 points in the last 16 minutes to pull Michigan within one point on two occasions.

After Tarpley’s rebound basket sliced Iowa State’s lead to 64-63, Gary Grant had a chance to put the Wolverines ahead with 1:25 to play but his short jumper banged off the rim.

Iowa State’s Elmer Robinson took a superb pass from Jeff Hornacek for a dunk, and the Cyclones hit six-of-eight free throws down the stretch to clinch the victory.

Both coaches agreed that Iowa State’s quickness won the game for the Cyclones.

“Great quickness solves a lot of problems,” Frieder said. “We’ve had problems all year with quickness. We were outquicked at three positions.”

Said Orr: “Quickness is the most important thing in athletics. I don’t care if they’re 6-5 or 7-footers, but get good athletes.”

The Cyclones shot 61.5% from the floor in the opening half to grab a 40-31 halftime lead.

Michigan could never regain the upper hand.

“On CBS, all they talked about was Michigan coming out of the Midwest,” said Hornacek, who scored seven points and had six assists for the Cyclones.

“But we’ve played one of the toughest schedules in the country, and I hope they start talking about the Big Eight now.”

Jeff Grayer scored 16 points for Iowa State, Ron Virgil added 14 and Sam Hill had 11.

North Carolina State 80, Arkansas Little Rock 66--Bennie Bolton, who missed last-second shots in regular-season losses to Oklahoma and Virginia, wanted the ball.

Bolton scored with 27 seconds left in overtime to force a second overtime, and the Wolfpack then ended the dreams and the seasons of the unheralded Trojans.

“I’m a shooter,” Bolton said. “I’m going to keep shooting. I knew they’d fall.”

Said Coach Jim Valvano: “The thing I love about Bennie is he wants the basketball even when it doesn’t go in.”

Bolton sank four straight free throws in the Wolfpack’s 14-point surge at the end of the second overtime. He had gone 0 for 4 from the field in the first half but hit 6 of 10 in the second half, including an 18-foot jumper with 3:24 left in regulation to give N.C. State a 56-53 lead. But three key free throws by Arkansas Little Rock’s Pete Myers and Ken Worthy tied it, 56-56, to force the first overtime.

Bolton, who made 12 of 15 free throws and scored 24 points, hit a 25-footer with 27 seconds left in the first overtime to tie it, 64-64.

“I didn’t want to let the team down again,” the 6-foot 7-inch junior forward said. “I had the Virginia game on my mind. I was just trying to redeem myself.

“I thought I let the team down a little against Oklahoma and Virginia. I’m glad I had the opportunity to do it today.”

Valvano had split his trousers squatting on the sideline in Friday’s 66-64 victory over Iowa. On Sunday, he lost his jacket.

“I’ll be naked before the tournament is over,” Valvano quipped. “That jacket--I wore it for Louisville and I wore it for Kentucky.”

The Wolfpack won those two games.

“I’m superstitious,” Valvano said. “I’ll wear the same jacket, pants, shoes the next time.”

Valvano is hearing echoes from Albuquerque, N.M., where the Wolfpack won the NCAA title three years ago.

“I said, ‘Yeah, this reminds me of ‘83,’ ” he said. “We’re used to being down by a few points.”

This was N.C. State’s second consecutive comeback victory. In 1983, on the road to the NCAA title, the Wolfpack rallied for five straight victories.