Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 22, 1993 TAG: 9303220017
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SYRACUSE, N.Y. LENGTH: Medium
BEARCATS MAUL AGGIES 92-55
NEW MEXICO STATE can give Virginia a thorough scouting report on Cincinnati's pressure defense. The Cavaliers will need it when they meet the seventh-ranked Bearcats on Thursday.\ Virginia, beware. Cincinnati is no ordinary pressing team.
The Bearcats forced New Mexico State into a season-high 26 turnovers Sunday and routed the Aggies 92-55 in the second round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament at the Carrier Dome.
Seventh-ranked Cincinnati (26-4) advanced to the round of 16 for the second straight year and will meet unranked Virginia (21-9) in the East Region semifinals Friday in East Rutherford, N.J.
"We're not used to that kind of treatment," said New Mexico State coach Neil McCarthy, whose Aggies have won 100 games in four seasons. "I don't think there's anybody in the country who can press for an entire game like Cincinnati."
The score was 2-2 with under 17 minutes left in the half, and the next thing New Mexico State knew, it trailed 27-4. Cincinnati led 41-9 before going to halftime on top 50-18.
"How much were we down at the half?" an incredulous McCarthy asked. "I told the team, `If they could be up 32, maybe we could come back from 32 [down]. That's what I said. I don't know if anybody believed me."
Cincinnati led 88-39 and the Bearcats were without one of their starters, senior guard Allen Jackson, who tore left knee cartilage Friday in a 93-66 win over Coppin State.
Tarrance Gibson, the lone four-year player among Cincinnati's cast of junior-college transfers, stepped in and scored a career-high 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the field.
Forward Eric Martin was 9-of-13 and finished with 21 points for the Bearcats, who didn't miss a step despite All-American Nick Van Exel's season-low three points on 1-of-9 shooting.
"The fallacy is we won two games here without him," said Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins, referring to Van Exel's seven-point outing against Coppin State. "We need Nick on the floor. The job he did defensively was outstanding."
New Mexico State's Sam Crawford, an All-Big West Conference guard, had double figures only in turnovers (10). He finished with seven points and none of his teammates had more than 11.
"I'd be feeling a lot worse if [the Bearcats] weren't such a great team," Crawford said. "That team's capable of beating anybody in the country. They were coming at me from everywhere."
Moreover, Cincinnati is not lacking for motivation. The Bearcats feel they have been overlooked by the national media, most notably ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale.
"I think New Mexico State and Sam Crawford were more recognized than we were," Gibson said. "I've been watching these NCAA Tournament games for two days and I haven't heard anybody mention Cincinnati yet." \
see microfilm for box score