Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 8, 1991 TAG: 9103080115
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
"After getting embarrassed last year, I think that could work to their advantage," said Smith, referring to UNLV's 103-73 victory in the NCAA final. "We got blown out at Georgia Tech last year and came back to beat them.
"I hope they [the Blue Devils] will get another crack. I'm not saying they want to go out west; I'm sure of that. But that could be something you might look for on the horizon."
It might surprise some people that Duke's regular-season title was its first since 1986 and only its second in 11 years under Mike Krzyzewski.
"Duke certainly has done extremely well since 1986," Smith said. "Mike has what we call a program going. He's done an unbelievable job in recruiting.
"We had several players who we thought wanted to come to North Carolina - [Bobby] Hurley, [Bill] McCaffrey and Grant Hill - but never got to visit. They've done just a tremendous job [at Duke]."
Duke has 171 victories over the past six seasons, compared to 159 for Carolina, but the Tar Heels have the better regular-season conference record, 62-21 to Duke's 59-25.
"I think the big thing for their program is the four wins that propelled them to the Final Four," Smith said. "We've been to the final eight maybe six times in the last 10 years and that doesn't mean a thing.
"There's something magic now about the Final Four. I think Duke should be proud of going to the final two twice [in 1986 and '90], but that's not what anybody talks about."
\ North Carolina sophomore George Lynch from Roanoke is averaging 13.0 points and a team-high 7.4 rebounds, good for ninth in the ACC. Lynch ranks seventh in field-goal percentage at 52.1.
"Last year, he played very well, but he was a typical freshman - up and down," Smith said. "He's been a much more consistent player and has really improved defensively.
"He loves to compete and tries very hard on every play. He's relentless getting the basketball off the backboard. We've gotten him to block out on the defensive boards because that's one extra rebound his man won't get."
\ In a space of three days last week, last-place Clemson was the only one of five ACC teams to prevail in the final home appearance by its seniors.
Losers included Georgia Tech to North Carolina, Virginia to Maryland, North Carolina State to Wake Forest and Carolina to Duke.
"I've said all along that games are decided by a combination of four factors - when the game is played, where the game is played, what the game means and how the styles of the teams mesh," Wake Forest coach Dave Odom said.
"The style of play was not to our disadvantage against State. Somehow, we've been able to offset their outside shooting. I think those kind of factors override the atmosphere surrounding the game."
\ Virginia guard Anthony Oliver said he "felt like hollering" when he learned Monday that he would be starting tonight for Virginia against Wake Forest.
"I need to know what to expect," said Oliver, a junior. "I'm not the kind of person you can insert into a game and say, `Do it.' "
Oliver missed nine games after suffering a broken hand Jan. 21. He has played in five games since his return, all as a reserve, and has averaged 4.8 points.
"It was very frustrating the first couple of days back," Oliver said. "It hurt every time I caught the ball and, if I shot a couple of times, I had to stop."
Oliver said his shooting has improved since he removed a soft cast that covered the palm of his hand. He would like to duplicate his showing in the first round of the 1990 ACC Tournament, when he had 23 points in UVa's 92-85 upset of North Carolina.
"If he had a tournament like he had last year, we could go a long way," UVa coach Jeff Jones said.
\ UVa assistant Dennis Wolff was expected to rejoin the team Thursday night after attending the funeral of 41-year-old Chris O'Brien, wife of Boston College coach Jim O'Brien.
Wolff coached with O'Brien at St. Bonaventure and their wives were best friends. O'Brien's wife, who had a history of heart problems, died Sunday after taking a walk.
\ The last time Virginia beat Wake Forest in a first-round ACC Tournament game, Ricky Stokes hit the game-winning shot to beat the Deacons in overtime, 51-49, in 1982. Stokes is now a Wake assistant.
\ First-year ACC head coaches Jones and Les Robinson of N.C. State can't be enthused by statistics that show rookie coaches are 5-28 in the first round of the tournament and 9-31 overall.
by CNB