THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 17, 1995 TAG: 9503170672
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TALLAHASSEE, FLA. LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
In the time of year when bent pinkies and tweaked toe nails receive ultimate scrutiny, Rasheed Wallace's sprained left ankle nearly took on a media life of its own Thursday.
The traumatized joint, encased in tape, white sock, synthetic brace and high-top Nike, had the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center abuzz Thursday before and during North Carolina's workout for its NCAA tournament opener today against Murray State.
Was the Tar Heels' star sophomore center hurting? ``Feeling better,'' Wallace said before practice.
Would he play today for the Tar Heels (24-5), second-seeded in the Southeast Region, vs. the No. 15 Racers? ``Hopefully.''
He could walk, but could he pivot? ``Not real fast.''
Unsatiated, the reporting pack lighted upon trainer Marc Davis, a slight, balding man with a droopy brown mustache wholly uncomfortable holding court. In clipped phrases, Davis expounded, but just a little, on Wallace's condition.
``There's a good chance he'll play or we wouldn't have him practicing today,'' Davis said. And though Wallace had said the decision would rest with him, Davis begged to differ.
``We'll certainly take (Wallace's word) into account, but he's not the final decision-maker,'' Davis said. ``There are certain functional things he needs to be able to do before we'll consider letting him play.''
Jumping without wincing, for instance. That little victory was accomplished during the hour-long practice, though coach Dean Smith kept Wallace out of most full-court drills to protect the ankle Wallace sprained last Sunday late in the ACC tournament championship game.
``We have three options,'' said Smith, mindful that start-and-stop action with a sprained ankle is difficult because of tightening. ``No. 1, he isn't allowed to play at all. No. 2, he starts and plays, we hope it doesn't tighten up and I'll see how he's playing. And thirdly, we could hold him out for a half and put him in. Then you'd have to keep him in.''
With Wallace in the lineup, the Tar Heels have a 6-foot-10 sure-shooting, shot-blocking, second-team All-American in the middle. Wallace averages 17.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks, and makes 66 percent of his attempts from the floor.
Without Wallace, they have a mix of board-stiff 7-2 sophomore Serge Zwikker, modestly talented 6-8 senior Pat Sullivan and wishful prayers. The Racers (21-8) know this. They do get ESPN in Murray, Ky., (pop. 15,000) out there in dry Calloway County. They also say they don't especially care if Wallace is in or out.
``Hey, North Carolina is a very good basketball team. They've proven it all year,'' said Murray State junior guard Marcus Brown, the leading scorer at 22.2 points per game. ``But I'm looking at it from a positive frame of mind. We're a very good team; you don't get here by being a slob. And if lightning strikes tomorrow and we don't shoot the ball well, well, we've proved that we're a good team.
``We're not going out there to play the (North Carolina) uniform or the name. It's not just us playing North Carolina. They also have to play us, too.''
The Racers were last in the NCAA tournament in 1992. They run and press - averaging 12 steals a game - and shoot free throws with tremendous accuracy - 76.8 percent, third-best in the country. They have surpassed 100 points eight times, yet were stuck in the middle of the Ohio Valley Conference standings until coach Scott Edgar, a former Arkansas assistant, started ordering 6 a.m. practices in mid-February.
The result was an eight-game winning streak. Still, Edgar said his team's best hope against the Tar Heels is to keep the action in the open court, between the foul lines.
``If the game stays below the foul line, we don't have any chance,'' Edgar said. by CNB