THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 26, 1995 TAG: 9503260406
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
The University of Massachusetts learned how to win without guard Michael Williams, its long-range, last-second bomber who was bounced from the team 13 games ago.
Now, if the Minutemen are headed to the Final Four, they'll have to do it without starting guard Edgar Padilla.
Padilla, who averages 7.1 points, sprained his foot early in UMass' 76-51 blowout of Tulsa on Friday night and will miss today's NCAA East Regional final against Oklahoma State.
``I don't think he will be able to go,'' coach John Calipari said. ``He's barely walking right now.''
The trickle-down effect of Padilla's absence could be devastating for UMass, which relies on multiple substitutions.
Replacing Padilla will be Carmelo Travieso, who has played in 31 games and averaged 5.1 points. But he also has an assist-turnover ratio of 32-21 and has played the point but once in practice since Williams was suspended.
Donta Bright will move from small forward to the backcourt, where he'll share time with Dana Dingle.
And point guard Derek Kellogg now goes from being a 28-minute-a-game performer to one who, Calipari said, ``will play all 40 minutes, unless the game goes overtime. Then he'll have to play 45.''
PRO CALIPARI: Someone asked Calipari if it was still a goal of his to coach in the NBA. The boyish-looking UMass coach shot him an incredulous look.
``I keep hearing these rumors I'm going to the NBA,'' he said. ``These rumors always crop up at recruiting time. I wonder why?
``For the past five years, it's been I was leaving here for a different college. That didn't work. So now it's the NBA. Let me say this: I am going to be at UMass next year.''
THE LORD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS: Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton, ousted at Kentucky after the 1988-89 season when it was found that one of his assistant coaches was sending money to the father of a recruit, Saturday called it ``maybe God's way of making me a better coach and a better person.
``Everyone involved in that situation grew as people,'' he said. ``It made me more alert, more cautious, more organized in dealing with staff members to do the right thing. I thought we were, but evidently not.''
Sutton worked a year for Nike, giving clinics, traveling the country watching college basketball ``congratulating the winners, consoling the losers.'' He says it recharged his battery.
``I wish everyone in their mid-50s '' could take a break from work, he said. ``I'm 59, but I feel 35. It prepares you for the home stretch.'' by CNB