Notes on a Scorecard - March 18, 1992

There is nothing laid back about the basketball program in Malibu. . . .

The Pepperdine Waves are 24-6, have won a record 33 consecutive West Coast Conference games and are about to participate in their seventh NCAA tournament in the last 14 years. . . .

Southern California’s other Sweet 64 team will play Memphis State Thursday afternoon at Milwaukee, a few hours before the USC- Northeast Louisiana game in the same arena and the day before UCLA plays Robert Morris at Tempe, Ariz. . . .

“We couldn’t care less where they sent us,” Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury said. “Milwaukee is fine for us. We’re just excited to be in the tournament again.” . . .

What could make the tournament more exciting and longer than last year’s for Asbury will be the appearance of Doug Christie, who had to watch the first-round loss to Seton Hall in 1991 because of torn knee cartilage. . . .

The 6-foot-6, 205-pound senior guard from Seattle is not a household name on ESPN, CBS, ABC or NBC, but he is to the NBA. . . .

If you happen to catch the Waves during their Thursday matinee on Channel 2, look for Steve Guild, too. He won’t start, but will finish the game. The junior forward’s work ethic extends to the classroom, where he compiled a 3.69 grade-point average last year. What also distinguishes him is that his favorite athlete is Ivan Lendl. . . .

Some of Pepperdine’s best performances over the years have come in defeat. . . .

This season, the Waves led Kansas for 32 minutes of regulation time before losing, 79-73, in overtime at Lawrence. . . .

In the first round of the 1983 NCAA tournament, the Waves lost to North Carolina State, 69-67, in double overtime at Corvallis, Ore. Pepperdine led by six points with 70 seconds left in the first overtime. But Jim Valvano’s Wolfpack somehow pulled it out in what was a preview of their buzzer beater over Houston for the championship. . . .

Jim Harrick Sr. was the Waves’ coach then. Asbury replaced him in 1988. Now the rumor mill has Asbury among the possibilities to replace interim coach Jim Harrick Jr. at San Diego State. . . .

Five members of the 1979-80 Arizona State team--Byron Scott, Lafayette (Fat) Lever, Alton Lister, Kurt Nimphius and Sam Williams--became NBA players. The Sun Devils finished second in the Pacific 10 Conference that season and were eliminated in the second round of the NCAA tournament. . . .

Seniors most likely to be taken in the NBA lottery are Christian Laettner (Duke), Alonzo Mourning (Georgetown), Walt Williams (Maryland), Byron Houston (Oklahoma State), Don MacLean (UCLA), Anthony Peeler (Missouri), Todd Day (Arkansas) and Adam Keefe (Stanford). . . .

The UCLA women’s basketball team will attempt to do something tonight at Pauley Pavilion that the Bruin men and the USC men’s basketball and football teams have been unable to do lately--beat Notre Dame. . . .

USC point guard Duane Cooper has not committed a turnover in his last 2 1/2 games, spanning 96 minutes of playing time. . . .

One of the toughest assignments of the week belongs to junior forward Ray Jackson of Mater Dei High, who will guard Jason Kidd of Alameda St. Joseph’s in the State Division I championship game Saturday night at Arco Arena in Sacramento. . . .

The Detroit Lions are interested in signing Buffalo’s Cornelius Bennett or New Orleans’ Pat Swilling. Both are All-Pro linebackers whose contracts have expired. The price for either would be two first-round draft choices. In 1988, the Washington Redskins signed free-agent linebacker Wilber Marshall and compensated the Chicago Bears with two first-round picks. . . .

Roberto Duran, 40, might fight Tony Anthony, 50, in July at Anchorage, Alaska. . . .

The Lipton International Players Championship is the only tennis tournament besides the Grand Slam events in which both men and women compete. . . .

When they trade 20-game winner John Smiley to the Minnesota Twins for two minor leaguers, it appears that the Pittsburgh Pirates are conducting a fire sale. . . .

Dan Warthen, Seattle Mariner pitching coach, says he will buy Randy Johnson dinner any time Johnson throws fewer than 100 pitches in nine innings. When Eddie Stanky was manager of the Chicago White Sox, he bought a suit of clothes for any pitcher who made the opposition hit at least 20 ground balls. Tommy John’s wardrobe grew that season. . . .

USC Coach George Raveling, on Northeast Louisiana’s 279 steals this season: “I’ve had teams with 200 steals, but not all of them on the court.”