Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 28, 1994 TAG: 9403280056
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: DALLAS LENGTH: Medium
President Clinton, his wife and daughter watched from third-row seats as the Razorbacks withstood a Like it or not, Duke's back in the Final Four. B5 Michigan rally to beat the Wolverines 76-68 on Sunday in the NCAA Midwest Regional final.
"We had to find a way to win, and we were able to do it," said Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson, who was hugged and high-fived by Clinton after the game.
"I thought we had the best team in November when we started practice. I have no reason to start thinking we don't have the best team."
The Razorbacks also have the best-known fan.
"His presence is something we honor as a coach and a friend," Richardson said. "I think he was as proud of his Hogs as I was of them."
Top-seeded Arkansas, in its first Final Four since 1990, will play Arizona in a national semifinal Saturday in Charlotte, N.C.
The Razorbacks opened a 14-point lead in the second half, then held off the Wolverines.
Michigan's Juwan Howard was named the regional's outstanding player after finishing with 30 points and 13 rebounds against Arkansas. But the Razorbacks (29-3) showed they were the outstanding team, getting solid contributions throughout their lineup.
"No Final Four. It hurts bad for the coaches, the players and the whole Michigan family because we're so used to winning," Howard said. "We can always say we've been there two years in a row and been in the championship game two years in a row. This year we had an outstanding run."
Howard picked up two fouls before the game was two minutes old, but he stayed in the game and scored 17 of the Wolverines' 31 points in the first half. At times he seemed to be all Michigan had. The Wolverines struggled from the perimeter, missing 14 of 17 shots from 3-point range.
"That Juwan Howard, he's awesome," Richardson said. "Every time he touched the ball something good happened."
Good things also happened for a number of Razorbacks as they withstood Michigan's rally.
Corliss Williamson, quiet much of the afternoon, made three big baskets late in the game to help keep Michigan at arm's length.
Scotty Thurman scored 20 points for the Razorbacks, including 12 in a row during a second-half stretch and two big free throws in the closing seconds.
Freshman center Darnell Robinson scored 14 points and made a nifty jump hook after Michigan (24-8) had cut its deficit to a basket with 5 1/2 minutes left.
Arkansas' reserves outscored the Wolverines' bench 19-4. Clint McDaniel made three 3-pointers and Al Dillard had two in the first half to help the Razorbacks take control.
Michigan trailed 47-33 three minutes into the second half before working its way back into the game. A 9-0 run cut the lead to five, then Arkansas outscored the Wolverines 8-2 to lead by 11.
A 3-pointer and a driving shot by Jimmy King got Michigan started on a 17-8 surge that cut the Wolverines' deficit to a basket, 63-61, with 5:33 left.
Michigan had a chance to tie moments later when Arkansas turned over the ball, but Jalen Rose missed a driving shot. Arkansas responded with an inside basket by Robinson and two by Williamson to push the lead back to six with 3:23 left.
"That's a three-foot shot that I make 99 percent of the time," said Rose, who scored 13 points but made only five of 19 shots. "It just didn't go in."
Michigan stayed close, getting two free throws from Howard and a baseline 3-pointer by Rose to pull to 71-68 with 1:04 left.
Robinson missed the front end of a one-and-one with 36 seconds to play and the Wolverines had another chance to tie. But Rose missed a 3-pointer from the right wing and Thurman sealed the victory by hitting two free throws with 17.3 seconds left.
"It was a game where we had opportunities and every time we got close, when we had open jump shots, it seemed like we couldn't get it to go down when it could have put us a little closer," said Steve Fisher, Michigan's coach. "But that's the difference between winning and losing. We've been on the other end."
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB