Notes on a Scorecard - March 23, 1995

Los Angeles basketball fans are complaining about the 5 p.m. starting time for the UCLA-Mississippi State game today. . . .

You would think the top-ranked team’s game would be shown in its hometown, the nation’s second-largest TV market, in prime time instead of drive time. . . .

But by starting the Bruin game in the early slot, CBS can show the East an Atlantic Coast Conference-Big East doubleheader of North Carolina-Georgetown and Maryland-Connecticut. . . .

If UCLA survives this round, would it be better off playing Connecticut or Maryland next? . . .

I say Maryland, because Connecticut’s terrific transition game might offset UCLA’s. . . .

A Bruin-Maryland game would spotlight arguably the two leading candidates for national player of the year, UCLA forward Ed O’Bannon and Terrapin center Joe Smith. . . .

At 62%, center Erick Dampier is the only Mississippi State starter shooting better than 42%. . . .

The biggest favorite in the Sweet 16 is Kentucky over Arizona State. . . .

It’s improbable, but conceivable, that the Final Four will be an all-ACC event with Virginia, North Carolina, Wake Forest and Maryland. In 1985, Villanova, Georgetown and St. John’s of the Big East were joined by Memphis State in the Final Four. . . .

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One of the fastest basketball players to appear at Pauley Pavilion this season will be Marion Jones, the world-class sprinter from Thousand Oaks who will play guard for North Carolina against Stanford in the NCAA women’s West Regional tonight. . . .

Nebraska vs. Penn State in an NCAA football championship game would have been a lot more attractive than the NIT game between the two schools. . . .

Mighty Duck rookie Paul Kariya clearly was the best player on the ice in the third period of the 3-3 tie with the Kings Tuesday at Anaheim. . . .

Jim Carey, the net detective for the Washington Capitals, has three shutouts in his last five games. During two seasons for the University of Wisconsin, he had two shutouts in 66 games. . . .

Do you suppose the Orlando Magic might have an edge over the Phoenix Suns at center? On Tuesday, Shaquille O’Neal outscored Danny Schayes and Joe Kleine, 26-4. . . .

Patrick Ewing outscored his teammates, 35-34, during the New York Knicks’ 78-69 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. . . .

Most interesting NBA race is among Orlando, Phoenix, Utah and San Antonio for best record in the league. . . .

Owners Martin and Pam Wygod are enjoying a dream season at Santa Anita, where their horses have won 22 races, including six stakes, and earned $891,700. . . .

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The Football Writers Assn. of America’s preseason top 10: 1--Florida State, 2--Nebraska, 3--Florida, 4--Texas A&M;, 5--Penn State, 6--Auburn, 7--Alabama, 8--Notre Dame, 9--USC, 10--Tennessee. . . .

USC All-American wide receiver candidate Keyshawn Johnson, who weighed 195 at the end of last season, opened spring drills at 210 and hopes to add another five pounds. . . .

Johnson’s cousin, Chris Miller, who also played at Dorsey High and West L.A. Junior College, is battling Larry Parker for the other starting wide receiver spot. . . .

The annual Trojan spring scrimmage and barbecue will be April 8 at Howard Jones Field at 11 a.m. . . .

UCLA doesn’t begin spring practice until April 3. . . .

USC outfielder Jacque Jones has a 22-game hitting streak, four fewer than the school record set by Tim Tolman in 1978. . . .

The coaching matchup will be brother vs. brother when Jim McLaughlin’s USC volleyball team faces Rick McLaughlin’s Loyola Marymount Lions on Friday at the Lyon Center. . . .

Two of the nation’s best bass tournament fishermen are Claude Fishburne and Mike Wurm. . . .

There should be tremendous competition for rookie-of-the-year honors during the replacement baseball season.