Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 26, 1995 TAG: 9503270105
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: KANSAS CITY, MO. LENGTH: Medium
``Gee, Toto, this doesn't look like Kansas.''
No, Virginia and Arkansas will play on the yellow hardwood road to the Final Four at Kemper Arena in the Midwest final. The Razorbacks are the defending national champions and the nation's only Division I men's basketball team with 30 victories.
The Cavaliers, given little chance to do what they did late Friday night - upset fifth-ranked and top-seeded Kansas in its backyard, and convincingly - might as well have the scarecrow, tin woodsman and cowardly lion in their lineup.
On Saturday, a Kansas City columnist opined: ``The Cavaliers are nothing special.'' Well, they didn't get to 25-8 and their fifth final eight berth in 15 years by simply clicking their heels.
In the last seven weeks, coach Jeff Jones' team has done everything except beat Wake Forest, which went home Friday night against another Big Eight Conference team in the East Regional semifinal.
``We aren't supposed to be here today,'' UVa senior Junior Burrough said Saturday. ``We know playing Arkansas will be a challenge. So was playing Kansas.''
Yes, today's winner advances to the Final Four in Seattle next Saturday. Sure, getting there would be special for the Cavaliers, who after a 6-3 start were figured by some as unlikely for the final four of even the ACC tournament.
But there's a big ``but'' involved here, and that's no reference to Arkansas' porkish backup center, Dwight Stewart.
Jones wants his team to realize there's a fine line between enjoyment and satisfaction, but he wants the Cavalier to talk on both sides of that line.
``We don't walk around serious all the time,'' Jones said. ``With this group, that's not going to happen.''
Neither does he want Junior and the no-stars to walk around singing Sheryl Crow's recent Grammy-winning tune.
``It would be a mistake not to be able to enjoy being part of such a great event,'' said Jones, realizing that 40 hours after beating Kansas his team would be playing the defending champs. ``When we need to get down to a business approach, we do.
``Still, we've all worked too hard to get to this point not to be able to enjoy it. Enjoying something and being satisfied are two different things.''
Jones played in a Final Four with the Cavaliers in 1981 and returned there as an assistant coach in '84. However, the Cavaliers haven't let themselves look that far down the road.
``It wasn't so long ago that I can't remember, and thinking back, I want to make sure the players continue to enjoy this tournament and everything it means,'' Jones said.
``I really think it would be a mistake to say, "Our focus only is on the national championship, and nothing else. I want the guys to have fun. I want them to enjoy coming to a press conference like this, playing in front of big crowds, traveling, all the excitement that goes hand-in-hand with the NCAA Tournament.''
Finishing in a four-way tie for first place in the ACC regular-season race is one thing, but winning as the Cavaliers did Friday - the who, where, when and how - and playing who they will today is another rung climbed by Jones' program.
``I guess I'm not a deep thinker,'' Jones said when asked to consider his team's 67-58 triumph historically. ``I don't think in those terms. It was a really nice win and it feels good because it was over an outstanding opponent.
``Because it was in Kansas City, how much sweeter? I don't really feel that. Being able to beat a team or program that I have so much respect for in some ways makes it more satisfying.
``I said earlier in the week that during the season, I - as a fan - watched Kansas several times during the season.''
Jones may have been the only Jayhawks fan at Kemper who didn't leave the building before the finish. However, Arkansas is more than two letters different from Kansas.
The champion Razorbacks have long labeled their style ``40 minutes of hell.'' So, the Cavaliers could be 40 minutes from hoop heaven, but the road there passes through the Land of Hogs.
Unless Dorothy can help collapse in the post on Corliss Williamson or block Scotty Thurman's somewhere-over-the-rainbow jumpers, she can't help UVa against the Wicked Witch of the Midwest.
The Cavaliers have gotten this far by playing defense and not playing defensively. When a team reaches the NCAA's last eight, it indeed is something special.
by CNB