Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 24, 1995 TAG: 9503240128
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KANSAS CITY, MO. LENGTH: Medium
The Jayhawks (25-5) rotate three players who are 6 feet 10 or taller, headed by senior Greg Ostertag, listed at 7-2 and probably underestimated at 270 pounds.
``The one aspect of their team that really jumps out at you is how big they are,'' UVa coach Jeff Jones said. ``We haven't played anyone with the size of Kansas.''
Fourth-seeded Virginia (24-8) does not have an active player taller than 6-9 center Chris Alexander, although the Cavaliers rank second in the ACC in rebounding margin.
``You don't see many 7-2, 300-pounders walking down the street,'' Alexander said. ``The only thing I can compare it to is last year, when North Carolina had [Eric] Montross, [Kevin] Salvadori and Rasheed [Wallace].''
Kansas has been listed as a 41/2-point favorite for tonight's 10:30 tipoff at its home away from home. The Jayhawks are 18-0 against non-conference teams since 1983 at Kemper, including 11-0 under seventh-year head coach Roy Williams.
``Everybody says our non-conference record is tremendous, but we haven't played teams like Virginia, Memphis and Arkansas,'' said Williams, referring to the other semifinalists.
``But if it's a small margin and somebody says we won because we were playing at Kemper, it wouldn't bother me. I'll still be smiling on the first tee in April.''
The Jayhawks dropped their last game on the Kemper Arena floor, an 80-72 overtime setback to Iowa State in the semifinals of the Big Eight tournament, a tournament Kansas has won once under Williams.
``It's like being in Cameron [Indoor Stadium] or going to the Deandome,'' said UVa senior Jason Williford, referring to hostile environments at Duke and North Carolina. ``If they boo you or cheer against you, you've just got to turn it up.''
Williford, sporting a short haircut and neatly trimmed goatee, could play a critical role against a Kansas team that has won 20 of 21 games when it has outrebounded the opposition.
``I'm glad to know that,'' said Williford, a 6-6 forward whose seven double-figure rebounding games have come since Feb.4. ``I take that as a challenge. For my size, I think I can go in and fight with anybody.''
Williford had three points and 13 rebounds in Virginia's 60-54 victory over Miami of Ohio - his second three-point, 13-rebound game of the season - but he was disgusted with his offensive productivity.
``I stunk up the gym,'' said Williford, who had a season-high six turnovers. ``I lost confidence, and I wasn't even looking for my offense. Guys were telling me, `Jay, you got to take that shot.'''
Senior forward Junior Burrough has averaged 26.2 points and 10.0 rebounds for Virginia over the last six games, but the shots might not come as easily against a Kansas frontline that usually includes two post players.
``Coach Jones is really making the big guys be aware of where Harold [Deane] and I are on the floor,'' said freshman Curtis Staples, who leads the ACC in 3-point field goals with 96. ``He never made a point of saying that before.''
Kansas generally starts Ostertag and 6-11, 220-pound freshman Raef LaFrentz, with 6-10, 250-pound sophomore Scot Pollard the first big man off the bench. Ostertag, the best shot-blocker Williams says he has ever coached, plays less than 20 minutes per game.
``I've always wanted him to work more in the offseason and for basketball to mean more to him,'' Williams said. ``Yes, I'd like him more intense, more focused, more dedicated, but ... ''
The big men are very much the focus of the Jayhawks' offense, but the team's leading scorer is guard Jerod Haase, a 6-3 sophomore who is averaging 15.3 points in his first season after transferring from California.
Haase teams with first-team All-Big Eight selection Jacque Vaughn, a 5-11 sophomore who had a conference-high 6.9 assists per game. The top backcourt reserve is freshman Billy Thomas, who has made 49 3-pointers.
Ten players have played in all 30 games for Kansas, although Vaughn's backup, freshman C.B. McGrath, is a walk-on. Williams likes to substitute five players at a time, like his mentor, North Carolina coach Dean Smith.
There was some question whether Smith would furnish Williams with information on Virginia, in effect breaking a gentleman's agreement, and apparently the two did have a conversation.
``[The Cavaliers are] very good, and you don't need me to tell you that,'' said Williams, an assistant at UNC from 1978-88. ``With that, I have shared my entire conversation with Coach Smith about Virginia.''
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB