COLLEGE BASKETBALL : TEAM-BY-TEAM LOOK AT THE NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT : WEST REGIONAL

1. MISSOURI (25-3)

* Player to watch: Choose between senior guard Melvin Booker, the Big Eight Conference player of the year, or swingman Kelly Thames, the league’s freshman of the year. Both players are largely responsible for Missouri’s success. Thames is often compared to Chicago Bull forward Scottie Pippen. Same facial expressions. Somewhat similar moves.

* Little-known fact: Two statistics the Tigers would prefer to forget: Coach Norm Stewart’s teams are 9-14 in NCAA tournament play and none have reached the Final Four.

* Outlook: If senior forward Jevon Crudup, who gives the Tigers an intimidating inside presence, can stay out of foul trouble, Missouri could be tough to beat. The Tigers have lots of experience (eight seniors), lots of depth and unlike most Missouri teams, can shoot the three-pointer. The Tigers looked a little shaky as the regular season came to an end, but that might have been because of the pressure to finish the Big Eight schedule without a loss (they did).

2. ARIZONA (25-5)

* Player to watch: Guard Khalid Reeves is the easy choice, what with his 24.1 scoring average. But keep an eye on Reggie Geary, the excitable and exciting sophomore guard who almost always is assigned to the other’s team best offensive player. Geary held Michigan’s Jalen Rose to 12 points and, before he fouled out, caused all sorts of problems for Lamond Murray of California. It was no accident that as soon as Geary left the game, Murray began scoring.

* Little-known fact: During the last seven seasons, Arizona has an .841 winning percentage, the nation’s highest.

* Outlook: Arizona has one of the best backcourts in the country with Reeves and Damon Stoudamire, but they don’t have a high-scoring small forward, something of a rarity for a Lute Olson-coached team. Instead, they have the defensive-minded Geary at that spot. As usual, Olson has done an admirable job during the regular season. Now he needs to re-establish his postseason credentials. The Wildcats lost each of their last two opening NCAA matchups.

3. LOUISVILLE (26-5)

* Player to watch: North Carolina’s loss has been Louisville’s gain as former Tar Heel Clifford Rozier continues to establish himself as one of the best centers in the nation. He recently named as one of five finalists for the U.S. Basketball Writers Assn.’s player of the year.

* Little-known fact: Louisville’s NCAA record of 46 consecutive winning seasons, established from 1944-1990, was matched by UCLA this season.

* Outlook: A strange but often wonderful team, the Cardinals are good enough to go long and far . . . and inconsistent enough to lose in the first round. We like their chances to go far, but only if they keep their starters out of foul trouble and shoot reasonably well from the perimeter. Louisville has a thin bench, but its starters, especially Rozier and senior guard Greg Minor (who ranks among the top 10 in six of the top 10 statistical categories in the Metro Conference), are golden.

4. SYRACUSE (21-6)

* Player to watch: Junior Lawrence Moten doesn’t jump that well, doesn’t run that fast, doesn’t dazzle anyone with dunks. But CBS basketball analyst Billy Packer calls Moten one of the smartest players he’s seen in recent years. Packer will get no argument from Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim, who has seen Moten (20.7 scoring average) distinguish himself as a Big East all- conference selection in each of the last two seasons.

* Little-known fact: Moten was a high school teammate of Syracuse quarterback Marvin Graves.

* Outlook: The Orangemen don’t have much depth, but they do have three excellent players in swingman Moten, guard Adrian Autry and forward John Wallace. All three are among the top 10 scorers in the Big East. How will it translate in the NCAA tournament? Sweet 16 sounds about right.

5. CALIFORNIA (22-7)

* Player to watch: Jason Kidd not only is the player to watch, he’s the player to gawk at. The sophomore guard (soon to be NBA rookie) is the only player in Pacific 10 Conference history to record four triple-doubles. He leads the nation in assists (about 9.5 per game) and is averaging 16.8 points (nearly four points higher than last season’s average) and 6.6 rebounds.

* Little-known fact: The Golden Bears’ record is even more impressive considering that Coach Todd Bozeman has only seven scholarship players available.

* Outlook: If the Golden Bears can stay out of foul trouble and not dip into their iffy bench--a big if--they could reach the Final Eight. Kidd has no peer at guard and forward Lamond Murray (24.1-point average, 48% shooting) is a star in his own right. Cal also needs contributions from swingman Monty Buckley (13.1 points) and center Ryan Jamison (7.5 points). If it happens, watch out. Kidd might get his going-away wish: a trip to the Final Four.

6. MINNESOTA (20-11)

* Player to watch: Guard Voshon Lenard is one of the 10 best guards in the country. Case closed.

* Little-known fact: In the last three seasons, the Golden Gophers have won only seven Big Ten Conference road games. And all came against Northwestern, Wisconsin or Penn State.

* Outlook: We had high hopes for Minnesota, but it is obvious that the Golden Gophers are a different team when they have to pack a suitcase and go on the road. Sure they won the NIT last year, but the first three games were at home. The NCAA isn’t so generous. For Minnesota to have a chance at a title run, Lenard can’t afford a poor shooting night. Forwards Randy Carter and Chad Kolander also have to contribute in a big way. A Sweet 16 team, but the Gophers should have been better.

7. VIRGINIA (17-12)

* Player to watch: Junior forward Junior Burrough became the centerpiece to Virginia’s offense when star guard Cory Alexander suffered an injury during the season. Without the gifted Alexander, Burrough, like the entire Cavalier team, has struggled.

* Little-known fact: The Virginia roster includes senior guard Chris Havlicek, son of former Boston Celtic star John Havlicek.

* Outlook: The Cavaliers were hard-pressed to earn an NCAA invitation and don’t figure to last long. Barring the unexpected return of Alexander--and even then, how good could he be?--Virginia is probably destined for one-game-and-out status. At times, an ugly team to watch.

8. CINCINNATI (22-9)

* Player to watch: Freshman Dontonio Wingfield is the obvious choice, but we’ll pick guard Lazelle Durden. If Durden, who gives the Bearcats a perimeter game, is making his outside shots, things get much easier inside for Wingfield.

* Little-known fact: Three of Cincinnati’s starters were named to the conference’s all-newcomer team.

* Outlook: Very young, but very talented. The kind of team that is capable of an upset or two . . . or getting blown out. The Bearcats have a problem concentrating for 40 minutes, a must in tournament play.

9. WISCONSIN (17-10)

* Player to watch: Junior forward Michael Finley and freshman center Rashard Griffith both deserve mention. Finley hasn’t had quite the season everyone expected, but then again, everyone expected so much after his All-Big Ten Conference selection last year. As for the 6-11, 265-pound Griffith, he certainly doesn’t look like a freshman. Or play like one, either.

* Little-known fact: The Badgers haven’t been to the NCAA tournament since 1947.

* Outlook: Wisconsin enters the tournament with six losses in eight games, which is the wrong kind of momentum. But the Badgers survived a grueling Big Ten schedule and scored their share of upsets.

10. NEW MEXICO (23-7)

* Player to watch: Only 5-7, senior point guard Greg Brown averages 19.9 points and was recently named Western Athletic Conference player of the year. Born and raised in Albuquerque, Brown has made Coach Dave Bliss a very happy man. The reason: Brown has bumped up his scoring average more than 10 points from last season.

* Little-known fact: This is New Mexico’s eighth consecutive 20-victory season. Only three other teams have longer streaks: North Carolina, Syracuse and Duke.

* Outlook: The Lobos lead the nation in three-pointers, which makes sense since they don’t have much of an inside game. Maybe good for two tournament victories--tops.

11. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (23-6)

* Player to watch: A tough call simply because Southern Illinois is so balanced. If you had to pick someone, it would probably be guard Paul Lusk, who is averaging 15.4 points.

* Little-known fact: Lusk, who transferred from Iowa, is a former roommate of Hawkeye star Chris Street, who died in an automobile accident in January of 1992.

* Outlook: Southern Illinois has five players in double figures, including Lusk and forwards Marcus Timmons and Chris Carr. Timmons is a legitimate NBA prospect. The Salukis are a strong rebounding team and have held opponents to 43.2% shooting. But they also are prone to turnovers--a no-no in the tournament.

12. WISCONSIN GREEN BAY (26-6)

* Player to watch: After a so-so freshman season, Jeff Nordgaard has established himself as Green Bay’s first offensive choice. The sophomore forward/center averaged only six points last season, but has since increased his average to 15.3 and added 6.3 rebounds per game. In 17 of the Phoenix’s last 20 games, Nordgaard has been the leading scorer.

* Little-known fact: Since the NCAA expanded the tournament field to 64, Wisconsin Green Bay is the first team to win 25 games but not receive a bid to the tournament. It happened in 1991-92, when the Phoenix finished 25-4.

* Outlook: This isn’t the most athletic team you’ll ever see. But conference opponents rave about how smart the Phoenix play. Nationally ranked in team scoring defense and field-goal defense, the Phoenix make opponents work for their points. A first-round victory is unlikely. Then again, so is a blowout loss. The Phoenix play most teams tough.

13. HAWAII (18-14)

* Player to watch: Senior guard Trevor Ruffin, a streak shooter if you ever saw one. Example: After scoring only six points in the first half of Saturday’s victory over Brigham Young in the Western Athletic Conference tournament final, Ruffin pumped in five three-pointers. In all, he made six of 11 second-half shots.

* Little-known fact: Hawaii is the first NCAA tournament entry not to come from the 48 contiguous states.

* Outlook: The Rainbows played a tough nonconference schedule (North Carolina, among others) and have some size and a decent backcourt. The kind of team that could sneak up on someone. BYU, which blew a 14-point lead against the Rainbows, can attest to that.

14. BOISE STATE (17-12)

* Player to watch: Senior forward Shambric Williams, a sometime starter last season, has established himself as an offensive force this season. Williams scored 27 points in the Big Sky Conference tournament final and was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

* Little-known fact: The Broncos lucked out big time when conference officials named the Boise State Pavilion as site of the conference tournament. The home-court advantage helped the Broncos defeat three higher-seeded opponents as they earned the improbable NCAA bid.

* Outlook: Williams can score another 27 in the first-round NCAA tournament game, but it won’t matter. The Broncos are fortunate to be here. Alas, no more home-court advantage.

15. LOYOLA (Md.) (17-12)

* Player to watch: Two players are the key for Loyola’s slim upset chances--Michael Reese, a 6-8 senior forward who averages 20.3 points, and point guard Tracy Bergan, who averages 17.6 points and was recently named the most valuable player of the Metro Atlantic Conference tournament.

* Little-known fact: Loyola Coach Skip Prosser, who helped Pete Gillen rebuild the Xavier program, is a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy--not exactly the birthplace of college basketball coaches.

* Outlook: Dreadful. Reese is the tallest starter and Loyola lacks any sort of bulk inside. The Greyhounds shot lots of three-pointers and made 33%. They’ll have to do better than that if they plan to stay close.

16. NAVY (17-12)

* Player to watch: Junior guard T.J. Hall, the only returning Navy player with backcourt experience, has become the Midshipmen’s leading scorer, averaging 13.7 points. During Navy’s recent seven-game winning streak, Hall averaged 21.

* Little-known fact: After an 8-19 record last season, second-year Coach Don DeVoe has Navy back in the tournament for the first time since 1987, when David Robinson was at Annapolis. How big of a turnaround is it? Navy’s last five seasons included victory totals of eight, six, eight, five and six.

* Outlook: Navy, which has won 12 of its last 14 games, has 10 players who average five points or more. The Midshipmen out-rebound opponents by five per game and feature the No. 1 defense in the Patriot League. Of course, it is the Patriot League we’re talking about. Still, DeVoe and Navy deserve a round of polite applause before their first-round loss.