Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 17, 1990 TAG: 9003172198
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: KNOXVILLE, TENN. LENGTH: Medium
His mind is.
"I can't lose form on what I've been doing all year - having that point guard mentality," said Anderson, selected a third-team basketball All-American by The Associated Press. "I can't get into a one-on-one battle. We're two exciting point guards; but, like I said, I want to keep my composure."
Anderson also will try to keep Tech in the NCAA Tournament when the Yellow Jackets, seeded fourth in the Southeast Regional, play fifth-seeded LSU at 7:10 tonight at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tech (25-6) will be trying to reach the round of 16 for the third time in the past six years. LSU (23-8) has advanced past the round of 16 twice in the past four years, both times beating Georgia Tech along the way.
LSU coach Dale Brown, for one, says he wants no part of the Anderson-Jackson hype. Jackson, who averages 28.7 points but scored 16 against Villanova on Thursday, is businesslike.
"I just have to be aggressive and concentrate on defense, and try not to let him get off on the break and do the things he loves doing," Jackson said of Anderson, who had 21 points and 10 assists Thursday against East Tennessee State.
Tech coach Bobby Cremins said Anderson probably won't guard Jackson; Brian Oliver will. If, that is, Oliver's sore left ankle doesn't cop out. Cremins said Oliver, an AP honorable mention All-American, will play, but he said he didn't know how much the stress fracture will affect Oliver.
Cremins hopes this year's team overcomes NCAA Tournament disappointments of the past three years. Tech was 1-3 in that stretch, losing in the first round twice. Two years ago, Tech was upset by Richmond in the second round. Brown is fighting an underachiever label because some picked LSU No. 1 in the preseason, but the young Tigers lost three of their last four games before beating Villanova.
Brown has taken the blame for his team, which starts four sophomores and a freshman, and he is trying to generate another unlikely tournament run like the one in 1986. That year, the 11th-seeded Tigers went to the Final Four.
His hyperbole has flowed during the past three days, including his analogy that he carried an Easter basket throughout the season - treating the team too lightly - and now has adopted a lunch bucket, symbolizing his new get-tough attitude.
"[And] we have something in our lunch bucket: It's called war paint," Brown said. "Whoever puts on the most war paint wins. I think we can decorate ourselves pretty good for this one."
Cremins said he fears LSU's inside duo of 7-foot-2 freshman Shaquille O'Neal and 7-1 sophomore Stanley Roberts. The two combined for 24 points and 19 rebounds against Villanova. In Tech's game against ETSU, Cremins sent Dennis Scott to the low post. Tonight, Scott probably will be on the perimeter launching 3-pointers.
And, Cremins said, he isn't counting on a Tigers letdown such as the one LSU experienced against hapless Florida in a 76-63 loss.
"They've been up and down, but when they're up, they could be the best team around," Cremins said. "I don't see them being down with this type of situation."
The region's top seed, Michigan State, was down and nearly out against Murray State in the first round. The Spartans survived to play ninth-seeded California-Santa Barbara (22-9) at 4:50 p.m. today in the first meeting between the schools.
Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote said he is worried his team has been drained by the Big Ten season, and he said the Spartans (27-5) have "played tired" in the past three games.
"We're just checking people now," Heathcote said of Michigan State's defense. "You're there, you're doing a job, but you're not really doing the job we want."
Heathcote said special defensive attention will be paid to UC-Santa Barbara's duo of 6-7 forward Eric McArthur and 6-4 guard Carrick DeHart.
Heathcote also hopes for big games from 6-6 guard Steve Smith and 6-1 guard Kirk Manns, the Spartans' top 3-point shooter. Manns missed three games late in the regular season with a stress fracture in his right foot, but he scored 21 points - including the winning basket - against Murray State.
UC-Santa Barbara coach Jerry Pimm wants his team to control the tempo and frustrate the Spartans, but he worries about Michigan State's frame of mind after the first-round close call against Murray State.
"I think it'll make them play a little better," Pimm said. "Confidence or fear of failure: What's better? I always like fear of failure."
by CNB