NCAA TOURNAMENT / MIDWEST REGIONAL : So Far, Knight Keeps It Light

All must be well with No. 1-ranked Indiana these days. How else can you explain the almost chipper mood of Hoosier Coach Bob Knight, who arrived at Wednesday’s practice session at the St. Louis Arena and did not once produce a bullwhip or mention his old pal, Cerebral Reversal?

Perhaps soothed by the recent play of his team, Knight was relatively calm as top-seeded Indiana (30-3) prepared for tonight’s Midwest Regional semifinal against fourth-seeded Louisville (22-8).

In the second game, second-seeded Kansas (27-6) plays surprising sixth-seeded California (21-8).

Not even an assortment of travel difficulties, which caused the Hoosiers to arrive late for Wednesday’s workout, could sour Knight. If anything, he used the opportunity to lob a few shots at the assembled reporters.

Told that only a minute remained in the allotted time for the afternoon news conference, Knight, his voice dipped in sarcasm, said: “Ahh, we’ll stay however long it takes. Hell, I really enjoy this. I look forward to this. In fact, I asked my wife to pack a little lunch in case we had a long press conference. I’ve got it here with me.”

Of course, you’d be perky, too, if your team was ranked first in the country and had All-American forward Calbert Cheaney and history on your side.

The last time Indiana began the tournament with the No. 1 seeding in the Midwest Regional, it returned home with the 1987 national championship. That was the same year the Final Four was played in New Orleans, the site of this season’s championship game.

Meanwhile, Louisville was busy warning opponents of what might happen if the Cardinals were overlooked. It is a fair point, what with a lineup that includes center Cliff Rozier, who ranks eighth nationally in rebounding and averages 15.5 points; forward Dwayne Morton, who leads the team with a 16.4-point scoring average, is first in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (.553), and guard James Brewer, who is coming off a season-tying high of 26 points against Oklahoma State in the regional quarterfinals.

“Don’t overlook us because we’ll sneak up on you,” Brewer said.

The underdog theme also got a heavy workout with the Golden Bears of Cal. But please, they asked, no more Cinderella-and-the-glass-slipper stuff.

“I think we should discard that label,” sophomore forward Alfred Grigsby said.

After 11 victories in California’s last 12 games, Grigsby’s request isn’t unreasonable. Growing slightly worn, though, is the Golden Bears’ insistence that no one is giving them their due.

“We really have to show everybody we’re not a fluke,” Grigsby said.

And this from freshman point guard Jason Kidd: “There’s a lot of doubters out there.”

Kansas doesn’t doubt a thing about Cal. After all, Jayhawk Coach Roy Williams desperately wanted Kidd to sign with Kansas and has repeatedly said that the freshman from Oakland is one of the three best high school guards he has seen in 15 years as a college coach. The list: Kenny Anderson, Derek Harper and Kidd.

“I really felt he would be unbelievable,” Williams said.

He has been, especially against Duke, when he scored 11 points and had 14 assists, eight rebounds and four steals.

Also memorable was the performance of sophomore forward Lamond Murray, who had 28 points against the Blue Devils. Murray leads the Bears in scoring and perhaps in bluntness, too.

Asked if Lou Campanelli, who was fired as Cal’s coach after 17 games this season, could have led this team to the Sweet 16, Murray said: “I don’t think we would have made it this far. Our minds weren’t into it.”