COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NCAA TOURNAMENT : Hoyas Are Uneasy in Underdog Role : West Regional: Georgetown remains proud and defiant going into today’s game against Nevada Las Vegas.

While they might quickly acknowledge their newfound status as underdogs against No. 1-ranked Nevada Las Vegas, do not be fooled--John Thompson’s Georgetown Hoyas still have plenty of swagger to go around.

Yes, they are young and inexperienced. At times, their three freshmen starters can’t hit the side of the Smithsonian with a shot.

Yes, their star player, Alonzo Mourning, was injured earlier this season or was in a funk or both.

And yes, their 7-foot-2 center, Dikembe Mutombo of Zaire, is still learning Thompson’s two languages: English and Profanity.

But despite the problems, they still are Georgetown, which means they remain proud, defiant, even a little bit arrogant. Underdogs to undefeated UNLV? Of course. Desperate? Never.

“We didn’t come to praise Caesar,” said Thompson, Mr. Ides of March. “We came to bury him.”

Not since the early 1970s, before Patrick Ewing arrived on the Georgetown campus, have the Hoyas (19-12) earned such sympathy. As they prepared for today’s second-round game of the West Regional, it was as if they were embarrassed by it.

For instance, Mourning calmly explained that while he respected UNLV, he wasn’t in awe of the Rebels (31-0). To the contrary. Mourning went so far to compare today’s much-awaited game with Las Vegas to those played in his own conference.

Pens swept across note pads on that one.

“Playing against the teams in the Big East and then playing against Vegas, I don’t think there’s really any difference at all,” he said.

It is safe to say that Mourning isn’t thrilled with the Hoyas being categorized as anything other than the prohibitive favorite. Earlier in the week, when asked if he were aware of the criticisms regarding Georgetown’s invitation to the tournament, Mourning leaned forward, eyebrows furrowed and said, “We’re here. What the critics said doesn’t matter now.”

Vanderbilt will vouch for that. Georgetown defeated the Commodores, 70-60, Friday night. Afterward, Vandy Coach Eddie Fogler contemplated the UNLV-Georgetown matchup and decided that if the Hoyas could dictate the tempo, keep their turnovers to a minimum and keep Mourning and Mutombo in the game, an upset wasn’t out of the question.

Lots of ifs.

Of course, Mourning didn’t seem particularly concerned about any of this. To him, Georgetown is supposed to be in this position--in the NCAA tournament, in contention, in the back of every opponent’s mind.

After the victory against Vanderbilt, Mourning walked off the court as if he were leaving the office.

“Traditionally, we’ve been known to win ballgames,” he said. “This is really nothing new to us. We celebrate when we win championships.”

There are all sorts of subplots in today’s game. UNLV forward Stacey Augmon played on the Thompson-coached 1988 U.S. Olympic team. Las Vegas point guard Greg Anthony, who spent the summer as a congressional intern in Washington, often played with and against members of the Hoya team. Mourning is an annual summer visitor to Las Vegas.

“I think he’s got a girlfriend (there),” Tarkanian said. “I wish I would have known about that four years ago.”

Tarkanian suddenly realized the possible NCAA implications.

“I’m sure that would have been a violation,” he added, smiling.

Ever since the pairings were announced a week ago, Tarkanian has worried about the difficulties Georgetown can cause. He describes the Hoyas as a “real unusual team,” mostly because of Mourning and Mutombo.

His concerns have increased now that 6-9 starting center George Ackles is limping because of a foot sprain suffered in Friday night’s victory.

Ackles is listed as questionable for today’s game. Tarkanian said he needs Ackles at 100%. Otherwise, the Las Vegas starting lineup will include 7-foot center Elmore Spencer, who averages about 17 minutes compared to Ackles’ 25. Ackles, if still bothered by the injury, will be used as a temporary substitute for Spencer and forward Larry Johnson.

Still, it isn’t exactly the lineup Tarkanian was hoping for. In fact, this might be the first time this season Tarkanian might have to dip deeper into his bench.

“We didn’t really feel like our bench was really strong this year,” he said.

According to Michigan State Coach Jud Heathcote, whose Spartans face Utah in the other West Regional today, the Rebels are the best team in the country, bar none.

But. . . .

“I don’t think anyone in the college game today could possibly beat UNLV in a series like the pros play: three of five, four of seven,” he said. “But there’s always one game, like Villanova played in ’85 (to beat Georgetown for the NCAA title), where a team plays a great game.”

Heathcote has his own problems. The Spartans (19-10), seeded fifth, barely beat Wisconsin Green Bay Friday and find themselves against the fourth-seeded Utes (29-3), who defeated South Alabama in the first round.

Michigan State and Utah are similar in style. Both teams have a legitimate star player--guard Steve Smith for the Spartans, forward Josh Grant for the Utes. Both teams feature two huge players in the middle--270-pound center Walter Watts of Utah and 270-pound center Mike Peplowski of Michigan State. Both teams have clever coaches--Heathcote and Utah’s Rick Majerus.

The difference comes on the offensive end. The Spartans run plays galore, and Utah is a little less structured.

West Regional Notes

Jud Heathcote was asked if he had any fond memories of the Spartan national championship won at Salt Lake City in 1979. His measured response: “Did you think I had Alzheimer’s? Of course, we have fond memories. We love Utah.” . . . Several weeks ago, Utah’s Walter Watts had fluid drained from his knee. He missed two days of workouts, at which time his weight crept upward. “He had a lot of inactivity, except for his fork hand,” said Coach Rick Majerus.