Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 4, 1995 TAG: 9504050041
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SEATTLE LENGTH: Long
The legendary former coach arrived at the Kingdome about one hour before tip-off and took part in the CBS pregame telecast. He watched the game from a second-row seat at center court.
``No, I didn't think it would be appropriate,'' Wooden said when asked if he had spoken to the Bruins, who won the the Los Angeles school's first title since he retired in 1975 with an 89-75 victory over Arkansas. ``I would rather stay in the background and not take anything away from the team. They've had a tremendous season, and I didn't want to take any attention from them.''
Wooden, who guided UCLA to a record 10 NCAA titles in 12 years, said he decided to come to the game when UCLA reached the final with Saturday's victory over Oklahoma State.
``I told myself I wouldn't come unless they reached the final,'' said Wooden, who has been to only one other Final Four (1991 in Indianapolis) since the death of his wife, Nell, a decade ago.
Wooden, 85, certainly was correct about one thing. When asked what he thought was going through the mind of Bruins coach Jim Harrick, Wooden said, ``I think he is more concerned with his guard's [Tyus Edney] health than anything else. I'm sure he's not thinking about the past or my teams at UCLA.''
Edney, the Bruins' star point guard, played only 2:37 against Arkansas before leaving the game. He sprained his right wrist when he tumbled during Saturday's semifinal victory.
RICHARDSON KEEPS OPTIONS OPEN: Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson said in Sunday's interview session that he would not rule out leaving the Razorbacks after Monday night's title game.
``I'll have to evaluate what I want to do at the end of the year,'' said Richardson, 53. ``I'm not looking for a job, and I'm not saying I would go to the NBA. But I owe that to myself and my family.''
Richardson, 53, has averaged more than 25 victories in 10 seasons at Arkansas and has reached three of the past six Final Fours. He said he is intrigued by a possible future in broadcasting.
``I want to do some games,'' Richardson said, ``but I don't want to be fired before I get to do it. I want to be able to talk about a team without coaching the team.
``I think the average fan can get a different picture from what I'd like to tell them, as opposed to the obvious [TV analysis] that you see all of the time.''
NEXT YEAR: The Meadowlands (N.J.) Arena will be the site of next year's Final Four on March 30-April 1. It is the last Final Four not scheduled for a domed stadium.
The 1995 regionals will be played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., the Metrodome in Minneapolis and McNichols Arena in Denver.
The 58th NCAA Tournament begins at eight sites March 14 or 15. The first- and second-round locations are the Richmond Coliseum, Providence (R.I.) Civic Center, Orlando (Fla.) Arena, RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Reunion Arena in Dallas, Bradley Center in Milwaukee, University Arena in Albuquerque, N.M., and University Activity Center in Tempe, Ariz.
TRIVIA TEST: Who is the only player to play for two schools in NCAA championship games? (Answer below.)
WHOLE HOG: No one can say Arkansas didn't play its way back to a second NCAA championship game. The Razorbacks played 22 of their 39 games against teams that reached the NCAA Tournament field.
Those foes were Massachusetts, Georgetown, Missouri, Murray State, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Mississippi State, Alabama, Kentucky, Florida, Memphis, Texas Southern, Syracuse, Virginia, North Carolina and UCLA.
Another three Hogs foes - Auburn, Georgia and Iowa - were in the NIT. Conversely, UCLA's strength of schedule in the Ratings Percentage Index wasn't in the top 75 nationally.
HONORED: Richardson had a long Monday. About eight hours before his Razorbacks played in their second consecutive NCAA title game, Richardson accepted the Most Courageous Award from the U.S. Basketball Writers' Association.
Richardson was recognized by the USBWA for overcoming hardships ranging from racial prejudice to the death of his daughter, Yvonne, from leukemia several years ago.
Also honored were former Southern Cal coach George Raveling, who accepted the Katha Quinn Award for service to college basketball, and Oklahoma's Kelvin Sampson, named USBWA coach of the year.
St.Petersburg (Fla.) Times columnist Hubert Mizell was inducted as the newest member of the USBWA Hall of Fame.
TRIVIA ANSWER: The answer is local. Washington coach Bob Bender played in the '76 title game for Indiana and two years later, after transferring, played for Duke in the final. Steve Krafcisin is the only other player to play in two Final Fours for two schools. Krafcisin played in the 1977 title game for North Carolina, but his 1980 Iowa team lost in the national semifinals.
DRIBBLES: In the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's poll of Division I coaches, Duke's Mike Krzyzewski was picked as the man the most coaches would like to see guide the 1996 U.S. Olympic team. Coach K had 15 votes, two more than Pat Riley of the Knicks. Kansas' Roy Williams was third, with 10 ... Rotund Utah coach Rick Majerus on this Final Four site: ``Thank God I'm going to get out of town soon. If I eat any more salmon, I'm going to spawn. I've eaten a river of salmon in Seattle.'' ... Virginia star Junior Burrough will not play in this week's Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. Burrough's play before NBA scouts will come at the Phoenix camp April 17-21. He was invited to the PIT and Phoenix games, but didn't want to miss so much class time to attend both.
by CNB