COLLEGE BASKETBALL / TEAM-BY-TEAM LOOK AT NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT : SOUTHEAST REGIONAL

OHIO STATE

Record: 23-5. Seeding: 1.

Coach: Randy Ayers.

Key Player: Ohio State’s chances revolve around two players: guard/forward Jim Jackson and forward/center Lawrence Funderburke. Jackson is the constant in the equation, the player who provides the Buckeyes with leadership, points, rebounds, grace under pressure and the ability to control a game in the late going. He is invaluable. Funderburke is the “X” factor, the player who, like Indiana’s Henderson, can elevate Ohio State to another level. At times this season, he has done so.

Little-known Fact: Name the coach who helped get Ayers his first job--an assistant’s position at Army. Give up? It was Indiana Coach Bob Knight.

Outlook: Unlike last season, when the Buckeyes stumbled into the tournament, Ohio State is playing extremely well. That counts for something. This is a well-balanced team with all the necessary ingredients for a run at the Final Four. The Buckeyes have one true star in Jackson, a potential star in Funderburke, a good coach (Ayers is 67-22 in only three seasons) and enough experience to go far.

OKLAHOMA STATE

Record: 26-7. Seeding: 2.

Coach: Eddie Sutton.

Key Player: Byron Houston, forward. Sutton has said it time and time again: If Houston isn’t available or doesn’t play well, the Cowboys are an average team, at best. But when Houston is hot, as he was during Oklahoma State’s 20-0 run to start the season, the Cowboys are a team capable of reaching the final eight. Houston provides the Cowboys with inside scoring (about 20 points) rebounding (about nine), muscle and intimidation.

Little-known Fact: Sutton is a close friend of Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda.

Outlook: If Houston stays out of foul trouble or away from injury, the Cowboys will go as far as the 6-7, 235-pound forward can take them. Oklahoma State usually plays good defense, thanks to guards Corey Williams, Sean Sutton and Darwyn Alexander. To reach the Final Four, the Cowboys would need a remarkable performance from freshman center Bryant Reeves.

ARIZONA

Record: 24-6. Seeding: 3.

Coach: Lute Olson.

Key Player: Forward Chris Mills. Olson predicted that Mills would be a much improved player this season and, for the most part, he was correct. Mills struggled at times in 1990-91 (his first at Arizona) but has played well much of this season. He averages 8.1 rebounds and a team- leading 16.4 points. Still, Mills can disappear on occasion. He was a non- factor in the Wildcats loss to UCLA on Thursday night.

Little-known Fact: Don’t ever invite Olson and Jerry Tarkanian to the same dinner table. They dislike each other. A lot.

Outlook: Somewhat forgotten in the Pacific 10 rush has been Arizona, which has slowly established itself as the team most likely to succeed in the tournament. Even with their two road losses to end the regular season, the Wildcats are a Final Four candidate.

NORTH CAROLINA

Record: 21-9. Seeding: 4.

Coach: Dean Smith.

Key Player: Senior guard Hubert Davis has done better than anyone--including Smith--expected this season. Davis has become a dangerous three- point shooter. Just ask Florida State’s Pat Kennedy or Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, who watched the Tar Heel star sink shot after shot against the Seminoles and Blue Devils, respectively. How proud Walter Davis, Hubert’s uncle, must be.

Little-known Fact: The Tar Heels have advanced to the Sweet 16 in each of the last 11 seasons.

Outlook: This is a young team. Davis has played well, as has sophomore guard Brian Reese at times. But center Eric Montross hasn’t been much of a factor, and it shows. North Carolina stumbled down the stretch. Smith is always poor-mouthing his team, but this time the truth is this: North Carolina is good enough to win one, but not two games in the tournament.

ALABAMA

Record: 25-8. Seeding: 5.

Coach: Wimp Sanderson.

Key Player: James Robinson, a sophomore guard, has few peers in the Southeastern Conference. Despite two knee operations, Robinson has retained much of his quickness and jumping ability. One thing that has never been in question is his shooting touch.

Little-known Fact: Sanderson’s real first name is Winfrey.

Outlook: Nearly every season you hear the postseason proclamations: Watch out for Alabama in the tournament. This year is no different. The Crimson Tide is the kind of team that could make a strong run, maybe as far as the Sweet 16. After that, no way.

MICHIGAN

Record: 20-8. Seeding: 6.

Coach: Steve Fisher.

Key Player: A tossup between two freshmen--forward Chris Webber and point guard Jalen Rose. Webber is the first Big Ten freshman to win the conference rebounding title (10.2). Entering the final weekend of conference play, he led the league in steals, and averaged 15.4 points. Rose averages 17.3 points and four rebounds. For all intents and purposes, this has become Rose’s team. As he goes, so does Webber.

Little-known Fact: In the nine games in which Fisher has started all five of his heralded freshmen, the Wolverines have gone 7-2.

Outlook: Good, especially if they face teams who like to fast break. The Wolverines run the court extremely well and can rebound with anyone. It is when they get stuck in the half-court game that their inexperience shows.

ST. JOHN’S

Record: 19-10. Seeding: 7.

Coach: Lou Carnesecca.

Key Player: Forward Malik Sealy, a senior, recently moved into third place on the all-time Big East scoring list. Carnesecca has compared him to former St. John’s star Chris Mullin, which is about as good as it gets. Sealy isn’t especially flashy, but he has a knack for getting open and getting good shots--no easy task, considering the attention paid to him by other teams.

Little-known Fact: Carnesecca, 66, is the second-oldest coach in Division I basketball. He has never failed to lead St. John’s to a postseason appearance--17 NCAA bids, six NIT berths. He is, however, still looking for his first NCAA championship.

Outlook: If center Robert Werdann, sidelined since Jan. 7 because of an injured right calf, is healthy enough to contribute, St. John’s could repeat its postseason performance of 1990, when it went to the final eight. One of the most unpredictable teams in the tournament.

NEBRASKA

Record: 19-9. Seeding: 8.

Coach: Danny Nee.

Key Player: The Cornhuskers have five players who average in double figures, the leader being 6-6 sophomore forward Eric Piatkowski. Piatkowski, who averages 14.6 points, is a Big Eight star in the making.

Little-known Fact: On the eve of Nebraska’s Feb. 5 upset of then-No. 2 Oklahoma State, guard Jamar Johnson couldn’t seem to fall asleep. So rather than count sheep, he called Cornhusker assistant Jeff Smith at home. If Smith was upset about the late call, he quickly forgave the sophomore’s indiscretion. Johnson scored a personal-best 25 points, had six rebounds and four assists.

Outlook: The Cornhuskers, who had more talent last year, are still good enough to make it through the first round. After all, this is the same team that beat Kansas and Oklahoma State.

CONNECTICUT

Record: 19-9. Seeding: 9

Coach: Jim Calhoun.

Key Player: Chris Smith, guard. Smith’s importance can’t be understated. He leads the team in scoring (22.2), in assists (four), in three-point shooting percentage (43%) and three-point goals per game (2.7). When he struggles, so do the Huskies. He makes Connecticut’s fast break work.

Little-known Fact: Few teams receive more media coverage than the Huskies. They are a regional phenomenon.

Outlook: After a fast start, the Huskies have struggled. Calhoun has enough talent available enough to move into the second round. Smith is a key, but the play of Scott Burrell and Donyell Marshall could be the difference in Connecticut’s chances for success.

TULANE

Record: 21-8. Seeding: 10.

Coach: Perry Clark.

Key Player: Anthony Reed, a 6-9 forward/center, is the closest thing the Green Wave has to a star. This is a team that relies on the entire roster, rather than one or two stars.

Little-known Fact: Four years ago, when Clark agree to rebuild the scandal-scarred Tulane program, the Green Wave had no uniforms or even any basketballs for practice.

Outlook: The Green Wave and Perry basked in the national attention but then experienced a late-season free fall that almost cost them the Metro Conference championship. Tulane regrouped and is playing better. How far can the Green Wave go? One victory for sure, but not two.

TEMPLE

Record: 17-12. Seeding: 11.

Coach: John Chaney.

Key Player: Forward/guard Mik Gilgore averaged 14.8 points and 5.9 rebounds for the Owls. If Temple is to beat the young but talented Michigan Wolverines, Gilgore will have to do what he does best: play well in big games. When the Owls beat Purdue, Richmond and Oklahoma State in last year’s NCAA tournament, Gilgore responded with games of 25, 18 and 17 points, respectively. Even in the final eight loss to North Carolina, Gilgore scored 18 points.

Little-known Fact: Chaney has been at Temple 10 years. This is his eighth NCAA appearance since arriving at the school.

Outlook: Can Temple repeat the miracle of 1990-91, when the Owls nearly made it to the Final Four? Not a chance--well, at least not much of one. The Owls are in a very tough bracket for such heroics.

STANFORD

Record: 18-10. Seeding: 12.

Coach: Mike Montgomery.

Key Player: This hasn’t been the greatest season for Stanford basketball. Attendance at home games is spotty, Montgomery has been rumored as candidate for several openings--including one at Wisconsin--and the Cardinal has lost several close games, most notably a heartbreaker against USC. The one constant has been the play of Adam Keefe, a center/forward who can be found among the nation’s leaders in scoring (about 25 points) and rebounding (about 13). He is one of the best players in the country and the centerpiece of the Cardinal attack.

Little-known Fact: Don’t be shocked if Montgomery is wooed to another program during the off-season.

Outlook: Keefe is capable of keeping the Cardinal in every game. But in the end, Stanford will be lucky to reach the field of 32.

MIAMI (OHIO)

Record: 23-7. Seeding: 13.

Coach: Joby Wright.

Key Player: Junior forward Craig Michaelis might not be the most talented player for the Redskins, but he is definitely their most valuable. He makes few mistakes and is a solid offensive contributor.

Little-known Fact: In his rookie season as Miami’s head coach, Wright was criticized for being too harsh of a disciplinarian. Actually, Wright’s methods shouldn’t have surprised anyone. He was an assistant on Indiana Coach Bob Knight’s staff for 10 years.

Outlook: The Redskins, who are making their first NCAA appearance since 1986, will have to settle for those 23 victories.

EAST TENNESSEE STATE

Record: 23-6. Seeding: 14.

Coach: Alan LeForce.

Key Player: Senior forward Rodney English averages 17.3 points and 7.7 rebounds, tops on the team.

Little-known Fact: LeForce didn’t become a Division I head coach until he was 56.

Outlook: A first-round victory isn’t out of the question, especially if center Greg Dennis continues to play well. Dennis was hurt last year and only in recent weeks has he begun to perform as he did in 1989-90. The 6-11, 205-pound center was voted MVP at the Southern Conference tournament. He scored 28 points against Tennessee-Chattanooga, 12 against the Citadel and 23 against Appalachian State.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN

Record: 25-5. Seeding: 15.

Coach: Frank Kerns.

Key Player: Forward Tony Windless led the Eagles in scoring this season (17.7) as he did last season. For a team that doesn’t have a starter taller than 6-7, Windless’ outside shooting is a must.

Little-known Fact: Kerns has always structured his offense around the center. This season he junked the idea and the result was a run-and-gun attack that averaged 92.1 points, fourth best in the nation. In Kerns’ previous 11 years, his teams had averaged 70.1 points.

Outlook: Georgia Southern will remember its final season in the Trans America Athletic Conference (the Eagles are moving to the Southern Conference) as the year they won the league by five games, won the league tournament and then lost during the first round of the NCAA tournament.

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE

Record: 16-13. Seeding: 16.

Coach: Lafayette Stribling.

Key Player: Point guard Alphonso Ford is ranked second among the nation’s leaders in scoring average (27.9).

Little-known Fact: Ford is an avid weightlifter and has recorded one of the best bench press totals on the team.

Outlook: Ford can’t do everything, so look for the Delta Devils to depart quickly.