THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 23, 1995 TAG: 9503230700
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BIRMINGHAM, ALA. LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
North Carolina center Rasheed Wallace expects to be in much better physical condition for tonight's Southeast Regional semifinal game against Georgetown than he was for last week's games.
Wallace is recovering from an ankle that he sprained 11 days ago in the ACC tournament championship game.
``It is about 80 to 85 percent better and feels real good,'' Wallace said before a light practice Wednesday in the Birmingham Civic Center.
North Carolina coach Dean Smith said Wallace participated in a much tougher practice Tuesday night in Chapel Hill.
``It was his first practice since the injury, and I was impressed,'' Smith said.
``But we will know more when he rebounds against Georgetown.''
Smith indicated that Pat Sullivan might replace Dante Calabria at a forward to give the smaller Heels better rebounding strength.
He also is concerned with the speed of Georgetown's Allan Iverson, a freshman from Hampton.
``We haven't had anyone who could keep up with Iverson and keep him from going coast-to-coast,'' Smith said.
NO HIDING: Smith became irritated during Carolina's media session when someone brought up the old contention that players can't be stars in the Tar Heels' system.
Smith reminded that Michael Jordan was national player of the year as a junior and tied for the award as a sophomore.
``We didn't hide him very much,'' Smith said.
He pointed out that both Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse were named to All-America teams this season as sophomores.
``I'm sorry that I hid them,'' Smith said mockingly.
NOT `GREATEST': Georgetown coach John Thompson felt the need last week to take freshman Iverson to the movies because of some media attention he has received.
The clipping that bothered Thompson the most claimed Iverson already is the best guard in Georgetown history.
Thompson said he broke out old tapes and showed Iverson film of other outstanding Hoya guards.
He then told Iverson, ``You can believe all that fantasy s--- that you read, or you can work to become a better player.''
ATTENTION-GRABBER: What impresses Arizona State coach Bill Frieder the most about his semifinal opponent, Kentucky?
``There is absolutely no quit in them,'' Frieder said.
``What they did to Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference tournament was just incredible. To get 20 points down and still win the game against the national champion, that says it all.''
Actually, though, Arizona State's Mario Bennett did find something else to say.
``I will tell you one thing,'' he said. ``You won't see a blowout.''
NICE FANS: Kentucky coach Rick Pitino thinks a lot of people have a misconception of his team's fans.
``We had eight of the 10 largest crowds in Rupp Arena history the two years we were on probation and not doing very good,'' Pitino said. by CNB