South Regional Today’s Games at Indianapolis
Auburn (27-3) vs. Winthrop (21-7): Coach Cliff Ellis calls his Tigers a Cinderella story for going from 16-14 and the NIT a year ago to No. 1 in the region, but the underdog role won’t play today. Because Winthrop arrives from Rock Hill, S.C., as the Big South champion without any size or experience, or chance for victory. But the Eagles will still be a success story--they made the tournament a season after going 7-20 and being picked to finish last in their conference.
* Syracuse (21-11) vs. Oklahoma State (22-10): Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim is the fifth-winningest coach all-time by percentage and Oklahoma State’s Eddie Sutton is 12th, but the game also includes a matchup of point guards from Southern California. Syracuse’s Jason Hart (Inglewood High) averages a team-leading 13.8 points and has 99 steals, and Oklahoma State’s Doug Gottlieb (Tustin High) averages 8.5 assists, best in the nation. Etan Thomas, the Orangemen’s shot-blocking 6-foot-9 center, was Big East defensive player of the year.
* UCLA (22-8) vs. Detroit Mercy (24-5): Although few Bruins had seen the Midwestern Collegiate Conference champions play before watching film of them this week, they seem to understand that Detroit is very dangerous for a 12th-seeded team. But Detroit only goes about seven deep, a major shortcoming against an opponent that, at least when injury-free, is able to boast of its depth. The Bruins won’t miss Dan Gadzuric for matchup purposes in this game, at least, because 6-11 center Walter Craft averages only 16.7 minutes and no other Titan is taller than 6-8.
* Ohio State (23-8) vs. Murray State (27-5): The Buckeyes unleash their standout backcourt of Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd on the Racers and 61-year-old first-year Coach Tevester Anderson. At least one of Anderson’s assistants has a history of preparing for talented guards in the tournament. Bill Hodges--helping out with a junior varsity high school team in Florida a year ago--was the coach when Larry Bird and Indiana State lost to Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the 1979 championship game.
At Orlando, Fla.
* Indiana (22-10) vs. George Washington (20-8): The presence of Bobby Knight means the Hoosiers will always be an attraction, even as the sixth-seeded team. They just won’t always be a worthwhile attraction. Indiana is trying to avoid first-round elimination for the fourth time in five years. George Washington has three sophomore starters, but the two seniors, guard Shawnta Rogers and forward Yegor Mescheriakov, average 20.1 and 17.1 points a game. Rogers is an erratic shooter but averaged 6.9 assists and four rebounds, despite being 5 feet 4.
* St. John’s (25-8) vs. Samford (24-5): What shapes up as a rout--No. 3 versus No. 14--allows people to look ahead to the possible second-round matchup between first-year Red Storm Coach Mike Jarvis and his former team, George Washington. St. John’s should do its part today. The Red Storm, though coming off a 19-point loss to Connecticut in the Big East final, took Duke to overtime and has a well-balanced lineup that precludes one bad night from a player doing the team in. Samford, from Birmingham, Ala., will launch three-point shots to try and stay close. Center Marc Salyers will play today, despite his recent arrest on disorderly conduct and public intoxication charges.
* Louisville (19-10) vs. Creighton (21-8): Don’t hold it against Creighton that Benoit Benjamin played there. The Bluejays, from Omaha, won the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship, averaged 77 points and beat tournament-bound Iowa and Oklahoma State. But they don’t have the motivation that has come to Louisville--a second chance. NCAA sanctions were supposed to keep the Cardinals out of the postseason, but a successful appeal, and a strong finish, got them in.
* Maryland (26-5) vs. Valparaiso (23-8): The Crusaders a year ago became only the second 13th-seeded team to reach the round of 16, but they didn’t have to deal with the likes of Steve Francis in ’98. Maryland is No. 2 in the region, its highest tournament placement since 1980, but many consider the Terrapins the favorite in the South to reach the Final Four.