NCAA TOURNAMENT / SOUTHEAST REGIONAL : Pitino Struck by Power of Key Matchup

Rick Pitino is not one to waste time. But then, who has time when coaching the Kentucky Wildcats to a possible Final Four appearance?

So Pitino was making the most of what he had while riding in a plane the other day. He used those precious minutes to review a video of Wake Forest’s Rodney Rogers. Forgetting for the moment where he was, Pitino shouted, “I can’t believe how strong he is!”

“And when I said that we got hit by lightning,” Pitino recalled Wednesday. “It was quite a jolt. All that time I was thinking how we would be able to control him, but for the next 30 minutes I wasn’t thinking about that too much.”

Pitino hopes he has the formula to avert another jolt, this one tonight when top-seeded Kentucky faces fifth-seeded Wake Forest in the Southeast Regional semifinals at Charlotte Coliseum.

The Wildcats and Demon Deacons play after third-seeded Florida State (24-9) faces seventh-seeded Western Kentucky (26-5) at 4:35 p.m. PST.

Pitino was not alone, however, in scrutinizing Rogers. Much of the attention along Tobacco Road this week focused on the superstar matchup of Rogers and Kentucky’s Jamal Mashburn.

“I haven’t been one who is too crazy about the hype,” Rogers said Wednesday. “But that’s what people want to see and hear.”

Mashburn, a friend of Rogers, also was not taking the bait.

“It’s not a personal thing about (which) player is the best,” he said. “It’s a team thing.”

If so, give Kentucky (28-3), runners-up in the Southeastern Conference, the advantage. Mashburn, a 6-foot-8 junior All-American, averages 21.8 points and 8.5 rebounds. But Kentucky also has a strong supporting cast.

Travis Ford, a 5-9 transfer from Missouri, is a 52.3% three-point shooter and has matured into a solid guard. Dale Brown also is a long-range threat.

So, inside and out, Dave Odom’s Deacons have problems. But that’s not to say Wake Forest (21-8) is helpless.

Indeed not. Most are familiar with Rogers, a second-team All-American forward. Unlike Mashburn, Rogers, a 6-7 junior, is expected to complete his collegiate eligibility. Mashburn said he plans to enter the NBA draft after the season.

Rogers, the Atlantic Coast Conference’s player of the year, averages 21.4 points and 7.5 rebounds. He is complemented by Randolph Childress, a 6-2 sophomore guard, with a 19.8 scoring average.

“They have the freedom to do whatever,” Rogers said of Kentucky. “They play real lose. We’re going to have to play them physically.”

Pitino promises to run against Wake Forest, and suggests Mashburn is prepared to ignore the hype surrounding his matchup against Rogers.

“A lot of times players have an off-night trying to match an opponent,” Pitino said. “Jamal won’t get caught up in that.”

Florida State was caught in a flux after losing three of four games to end the season. The Seminoles experienced their nadir when losing in the first round of ACC tournament in Charlotte. They were bounced by Clemson, 87-75.

“We weren’t putting a lot of effort into our games,” guard Sam Cassell said. “We went on the court and took things for granted because we were Florida State, members of the ACC.”

That changed in Orlando, Fla., last weekend. Florida State eliminated Evansville and Tulane to reach the Sweet 16.

Awaiting the Seminoles is surprising Western Kentucky, the first Sun Belt Conference team to advance this far since Alabama Birmingham in 1982. The Hilltoppers are led by guards Darnell Mee and Mark Bell.

“Bell is flat out the key,” Florida State Coach Pat Kennedy said.

The 5-8 point guard runs the Hilltopper offense and their trapping defense. “We plan on running up and down with them and having fun,” Bell said.

Coach Ralph Willard, a Pitino protege, is trying to shed the image of Cinderella team.

“They don’t consider themselves underdogs,” he said of the seventh-seeded Hilltoppers.

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Southeast Regional Notes

Florida State forward Rodney Dobard suffered a stress fracture in his left foot during the Seminoles’ victory over Tulane last weekend. Trainer Sam Lunt said Dobard would play tonight. . . . Wake Forest’s Randolph Childress on playing in the NCAA tournament: “It’s exciting to watch it, but to play it is even better.”