ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 30, 1996 TAG: 9604010127
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: FINAL FOUR NOTES
DATELINE: EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J.
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
Virginia Tech basketball coach Bill Foster has a prediction on tonight's NCAA semifinal between Massachusetts and Kentucky, not that he's picking a winner.
``I really would be surprised to see either of these teams win by 20 points,'' said Foster, who, along with Wake Forest and Louisville, had one of the three teams to play both UMass and Kentucky this year.
The Minutemen, fellow members of the Atlantic 10 Conference, defeated the Hokies 74-58 in Blacksburg. Kentucky beat Tech 84-60 in Dallas in the second round of the Midwest Regional.
``I think the key to the game [today] is UMass' ability to play the majority of the game with six players.'' he said. ``They have the equivalent of six starters with [Tyrone] Weeks getting so much time.
``As long as they can stay out of trouble and have [Marcus] Camby out there, with their normal rotation at the other five spots, I think they'll be right there. If they have to go past six guys, the odds go down drastically.''
Foster, who has been in New York this week, said Camby's mobility would offset the post defense that was so effective in Kentucky's victories over Tech and Wake Forest. Camby is not hesitant to move to 17 feet and either shoot or drive to the basket.
``UMass has seen every conceivable approach and showed a lot of poise,'' Foster said. ``Kentucky has eight, nine [or] 10 McDonald's All-Americans and, other than Camby or [Donta] Bright, who does UMass have?
``UMass has a lot of good players, that's what. I think people can get a little brainwashed about Kentucky's talent. You can't get but five of them on the court at one time.''
Foster agreed with Wake Forest coach Dave Odom that the Minutemen would have the advantage in a tight game. Massachusetts has played in four overtime games and has won four other games decided by four points or fewer.
``I think UMass is in a great position, mainly because they beat 'em,'' said Odom, referring to the Minutemen's 92-82 triumph over Kentucky in the Great Eight Invitational.
``So, they know they can beat 'em. If it's a one-point game with five minutes left, I give the advantage to UMass because Kentucky doesn't know what its best unit is. Kentucky has that turnstile approach [to substituting].''
PACKER REBUTTED: Massachusetts coach John Calipari was one of many principals who disagreed with commentator Billy Packer, who wants the teams reseeded after the regional finals.
``People say we shouldn't be playing in the first game with Kentucky,'' Calipari said. ``How would you re-seed? Right now Mississippi State is playing as well as anybody. How would you say they would be seeded third?
``They're playing better than us and maybe better than Kentucky, and they just beat Kentucky. So, maybe they should be seeded first. Who would judge it? Who would do it? People are mad where they're seeded going in. I think it would open up another can of worms.''
NAME GAME: The sign on the front of the coliseum reads ``Continental Airlines Arena,'' but for NCAA purposes, the Final Four is being held at the Meadowlands Arena.
``That's what we signed with; that was [in] the contract,'' said Cedric Dempsey, executive director of the NCAA. ``Would we have gone there had it been named [the other] way?
``I think we've got to be a little more realistic today. A lot of the facilities we're in have specific sponsorship titles to them.''
SPRING WEATHER: The New York metropolitan area awakened Friday to a winter storm that dropped 3 inches of snow before afternoon temperatures rose close to 50 degrees.
``We got to Denver [for the West Regional] and it snowed,'' Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. ``We got to New Jersey and it snowed, so we're right at home. We feel great.
``The reason we didn't come down early like [Massachusetts coach] John [Calipari] did, it was 68 degrees in Syracuse and you get two days a year like that.
``We didn't want to leave on the one day it was 68. Summer was this week. By the time we get back, it may be fall already.''
LENGTH: Medium: 79 linesby CNB