COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NCAA MEN’S FINAL FOUR : COLLEGE BASKETBALL / GENE WOJCIECHOWSKI : Sorry Bruins, It’s Time for Arkansas to Go Hog Wild

There are worse things that could have happened to UCLA Coach Jim Harrick this week. He could have lost to Oklahoma State. He could have shown up at the Oscars with his tuxedo fly open. He could have been part of host David Letterman’s strange name game (“Jeeeeeem . . . Uuuuuuma”).

Instead, Harrick is stuck playing Arkansas in the Final Four championship, which means he can pucker up and kiss this season’s title hopes goodby. Sorry, Bruins.

True, it has been a wonderful ride on the UCLA bandwagon, but I believe this is where I get off. Yes, that’s my stop right there: 201 S. King, site of the Kingdome.

It’s nothing personal. In fact, if I had my druthers, I’d rather see the Bruins than the Razorbacks snipping down the nets Monday evening. Harrick could keep a strand for himself, give one to John Wooden and save a piece for Ed O’Bannon’s infant son, Aaron. After all, it’s never too early to recruit.

There’s just one itsy-bitsy problem: Arkansas.

Unfortunately for the Bruins, Arkansas is on another of its one-size-fits-all crusades. Last season, Coach Nolan Richardson said he and his team--and here’s a new one--didn’t get enough respect. This season, the Razorbacks still don’t think they’re treated with the proper reverence and, as an added bonus, they’ve just about had it with being called lucky.

The whole thing is sillier than one of those plastic red Hog hats worn by the Bubbas in Fayetteville, but it works. Just ask North Carolina, which lost to the artificially inspired Razorbacks, 75-68, Saturday night under the world’s ugliest dome.

“Their style . . . they keep coming at you,” said Tar Heel guard Pat Sullivan. “They never give you a break.”

And this from forward Dante Calabria, who paid the Razorbacks the highest compliment: “They’re like us.”

Actually, Arkansas is also a little bit like UCLA, but with uglier uniforms, more muscles, more tattoos and a deeper bench.

Consider the checklist:

The Bruins can run. So can the Razorbacks.

The Bruins can do the Noxema thing and apply thick coats of pasty defense. So can the Razorbacks.

The Bruins, who beat Oklahoma State at Oklahoma State’s own deliberate pace, can play three different tempos: slow, medium and did-you-see-that? So can the Razorbacks.

What UCLA can’t do is match Arkansas’ depth, size, experience and celebrity fans (Bill vs. Jack). Most of all, it can’t hold a grudge as well as the Razorbacks.

UCLA has survived the pressures of being, well, UCLA--no small feat. But Arkansas has survived the pressures of being national champions, which counts for a little more these days.

After getting beat by 24 points in the season opener to Massachusetts, losing to crummy Mississippi, getting upset by Auburn, getting waxed by Alabama and Mississippi State, blowing a 19-point lead against Kentucky, escaping Texas Southern in the first round of the NCAAs and needing overtime victories over Syracuse and Memphis, the Razorbacks are still here. And while you can dump about half of everything Dean Smith says into the nearest trash compactor, the Carolina coach was absolutely right when he said a few days ago that Arkansas is “a better team than if they would have won all their games coming in here by two or three points. They’ve gone through some adversities, and it’s really helped them.”

The Razorbacks’ game against the Tar Heels was no exception. They built an 11-point lead and nearly lost it in the last 3:20. They shot only nine free throws compared to North Carolina’s 24. They shot 37.8% from the field. They were outrebounded, 43-42.

But Arkansas wins because it doesn’t care about statistics. It kept shooting three-pointers until it got the hang of it. It kept pressuring North Carolina until the Tar Heels were baby blue in the face. It used its tag-team system of substitutes to keep everyone fresh, while the Tar Heels were forced to play four starters for 33 or more minutes and injured Jerry Stackhouse for 28. Arkansas had only one starter--Scotty Thurman--on the court for more than 32 minutes.

“It seemed like their guys sat down for an eternity,” Sullivan said. “Then it seemed like they kept coming and coming at you.”

UCLA has had its share of close calls, including the second-round one-point victory over Missouri and Saturday’s game against the Cowboys. But Arkansas’ ledge walking has been done with a national championship trophy hanging from its neck.

All that changes now that the Razorbacks have reached a second consecutive Final Four title game. Getting there was the hardest part. Now it’s UCLA’s turn to feel the heat of a championship appearance, its first since 1980.

“I hope they’re nervous,” Arkansas guard Clint McDaniel said. “If they’re nervous, that gives us an edge.”

The Razorbacks don’t need a jittery UCLA to win. This crusade thing is working just fine.