FINAL FOUR NOTES : UNLV’s Hunt Expected to Play Despite Injury

A strained shoulder ligament apparently has healed enough to allow UNLV guard Anderson Hunt to play in today’s NCAA semifinal game against Duke.

Hunt, who scored 29 points against the Blue Devils in last year’s championship game and was voted the 1990 Final Four’s most valuable player, hurt the shoulder against Seton Hall last Saturday. He missed two days of practice, then aggravated the injury during Thursday’s workout. On Friday, his condition had improved.

“He should be OK,” UNLV Coach Jerry Tarkanian said.

Also hurt is Rebel point guard Greg Anthony, who has a stretched hand ligament. Tarkanian said it affects Anthony only when he makes long passes.

Duke and North Carolina are without major injuries, but Kansas forward Richard Scott, who is averaging 5.6 points in a reserve role, suffered a sprained ankle during Friday’s practice. The same ankle was sprained about three weeks ago. Kansas Coach Roy Williams said he expects Scott to play.

Kansas won the national championship in 1988, led by forward Danny Manning, now with the Clippers. While acknowledging Manning’s contribution, Kansas forward Mark Randall, a redshirt that season, said it is often forgotten that four other players helped the Jayhawks earn the national title.

“People talked about Danny and the Miracles,” Randall said. “I thought that was a bunch of. . . .”

Randall said the 1990-91 version of the Jayhawks is similar to the Kansas team of several years ago. “We don’t have any individual stars,” he said. “The team in ’88 was also a Cinderella team. I’d like (this season’s) results to be the same.”