Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 28, 1994                   TAG: 9403280083
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MIAMI                                LENGTH: Medium

GATORS PUT BITE ON EAGLES FLORIDA EARNS ITS FIRST TRIP TO THE FINAL FOUR BY

Brown hit 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions to break open a close game Sunday, and unheralded third-seeded Florida won the East Regional by beating ninth-seeded Boston College 74-66.

The Gators (29-7) earned their first trip to the Final Four. Coach Lon Kruger's team will play Southeast Regional champion Duke (27-5) in a national semifinal Saturday in Charlotte, N.C.

"We feel great about our opportunity," said Brown, who scored 21 points and was named the regional's outstanding player. "After we cut down one net, we got in the locker room and Coach [Kruger] told us we forgot to cut down the other net. I told him, `Hey, we're new at this.' "

Boston College, which was the lowest seed remaining in the tournament,finished 23-11.

"It's been a lot of fun getting here, but coming so far and being so close, it's going to hurt," said Bill Curley, who scored 20 points for the Eagles.

Florida entered the tournament as the Southeastern Conference's East Division champion, but still was lightly regarded, in part because of the program's lackluster past. The Gators had made only three previous NCAA Tournament appearances and were 7-21 four years ago.

Losses by Connecticut,North Carolina and Indiana helped clear the way for Florida in the regional.

"These players have not been distracted at all by the low expectations," Kruger said. "We've read the papers and seen that everyone has played badly against us. We appreciate that. Today we won a game."

The catalyst was Brown, the only senior in Florida's starting lineup. His big baskets turned a three-point deficit into a 62-56 lead with 3 minutes, 50 seconds remaining. The turnaround marked the 15th and final lead change.

"Craig hit big-time shots," Kruger said. "They weren't easy shots. BC guarded it pretty well, but he stepped up and hit them like a big-time player does."

Jim O'Brien, Boston College's coach, said Brown's 3-pointers made the difference.

"I thought we guarded him pretty well," O'Brien said. "He took the ball coming away from the basket, turned around and took the shots. Defensively,you don't mind if he takes shots like that. But give him credit - he stepped up and hit them."

The Eagles squandered chances to cut their deficit. BC missed four free throws in the final 3:24 and committed three turnovers in the last minute.

Florida always has been a football state, and it took awhile for fans to catch basketball fever. The Gators played 14 games before attracting their first sellout crowd of the season at home. But on Sunday, Florida had a partisan crowd roaring with every basket.

"We're trying to build a foundation for years to come," Brown said.

Dan Cross scored 14 points and Dametri Hill had 12 for the Gators. Andrew DeClercq gave them an unexpected boost with 16 points - nearly double his average - and 13 rebounds.

Keywords:
BASKETBALL