ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 28, 1997 TAG: 9702280069
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS
SOURCE: Associated Press
TIC PRICE MAKES HIS MARK at New Orleans, but worries about a lack of respect for his team.
It could be another troubling finish to a good season for the University of New Orleans basketball team.
Coach Tic Price's team is 21-5, having won nine of its past 10 games and clinching a share of the Sun Belt Conference title. And, once again, the Privateers are sweating out an NCAA Tournament berth.
``My first year here we won 20 games and didn't go any place,'' Price said. ``So I'm taking the approach that we have to win our way in and that means winning the conference tournament. Anything less we can't count on it.''
Price, a former player and assistant coach at Virginia Tech, has been coaching New Orleans three years, and this is his third straight season with 20 or more victories. Last year the Privateers finished 21-9, won the Sun Belt regular season and tournament championship and made their fourth NCAA appearance.
This season, all five of UNO's losses came on the road, and its victories include South Alabama and a 78-55 thumping of Tulane.
Despite the records, the conference titles and the tournament victories, New Orleans has not been ranked since the final poll of 1992-93, when a 26-4 record earned the Privateers a 17th spot. In this week's poll, 18 teams have the same or worse winning records.
``I think the Sun Belt does not have the influence many leagues have,'' Price said. ``The rest of the teams in the league have pretty low RPI ratings, and that has an effect on us.''
The Sun Belt, was once known for innovation, has slipped over the years. Where it once counted on an NCAA bid for its champion, and an at-large berth and at least one NIT spot, it has had trouble getting into tournaments over the last couple of years.
Last year only UNO made the NCAA Tournament and only Arkansas-Little Rock made the NIT.
``Our schedule is tough and we play a tough non-conference schedule,'' Price said. ``But only three teams in the Sun Belt have pretty good schedules - Southwestern Louisiana, Western Kentucky and us. After that, there's a big drop off. They're pretty good teams, but they haven't played good teams or beaten good teams, and when I get beaten by one of them, my power rating drops 20 points.''
The Sun Belt's lack of prestige has resulted in less television exposure for UNO, which prevents the school from establishing the kind of charisma that landed cross-town rival Tulane in the Top 25 earlier this season.
``My approach has been that the poll is flattering, but I tell my kids to just keep winning and everything will take care of itself,'' Price said.
This season Price had only four returning lettermen, including one starter. He lost his top three scorers and rebounders from last year and was expected to struggle through a rebuilding year. Instead, the Privateers won a share of the conference title and were undefeated at home, stretching their home wining streak to 24 games.
Attendance increased but still averaged only 2,500 a game. UNO is basically a commuter school where the average age of the students is 25. Most have families and live 30 minutes to an hour from campus, and don't attend games, although they support the team, Price said.
Price's success has attracted attention from his peers.
Louisiana State athletic director Joe Dean listed Price as one of the young talents he was interested in as a possible replacement for retiring Dale Brown.
Price signed a five-year contract last year, with a buyout clause. He says he told LSU that if it were still interested after the season he would talk to the school.
``Maybe I should say I'll listen,'' Price said. ``But I'm not anxious to jump to anything else. This has been a good fit for me here. Everybody is not right for every job and every job is not right for everybody. We don't get all the recognition I think we deserve, but we play good basketball, and we have a good program.''
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Tic Price (left) has guided New Orleans to 20 orby CNBmore victories in all of his three seasons. The Privateers want a
second straight NCAA Tournament berth. color.