MIDWEST REGIONAL

* As the Kentucky Express moves full steam ahead in this regional, there’s one team that seems to have the talent to pull the switch on the Wildcats--those other Wildcats from Villanova. Before star guard Kerry Kittles reached out and touched a telephone credit card that wasn’t his too often, Villanova was playing as well as Connecticut and Georgetown in the Big East. If the Wildcats can regain that momentum, they should be able to handle Louisville and its high-fiber offense of DeJuan Wheat, who has averaged 27 points in his last two games, and maybe even those other Wildcats down the road.

* Tim Duncan, a non-factor for Wake Forest? Well, assuming Texas continues to shoot from the wide-open spaces, Duncan won’t be able to block shots. And if the Longhorns try to tie up Duncan in the post with two or three players as virtually every team has done this season, he won’t touch the ball much either. And since Rusty LaRue and Ricky Peral should find enough Texas-sized gaps in the Longhorn defense for easy baskets, Duncan won’t have to worry about offensive rebounding. Well, one thing Duncan can factor in is a lot of defensive rebounds--Texas’ gunners make only 41% of their shots.