THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, March 28, 1995 TAG: 9503280392
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
Rasheed Wallace is excited about going to the Final Four for the first time, but don't expect him to tone down his attitude.
``I am what I am, and I won't change,'' said North Carolina's controversial 6-foot-10 center.
Wallace, a sophomore, is a big reason the No. 2-seeded Tar Heels emerged from the Southeast Region to reach the Final Four in Seattle, where they play Arkansas on Saturday.
But he almost was the reason that they didn't make it.
Wallace became engaged in a confrontation with Kentucky's Andre Riddick in the opening minutes of the regional championship game in Birmingham on Saturday.
Replays showed Wallace banged Riddick in the face with an elbow before Riddick charged back and grabbed Wallace by the throat.
``It had been going on since the start of the game,'' Riddick said. ``A few seconds earlier he had slung me out of bounds.''
``I was just playing my game,'' Wallace maintained.
A few minutes later, though, Wallace was on the bench and teammates did not know if they could count on him the rest of the way.
``We wanted to throw the ball inside and get him going, but we thought he was rattled,'' guard Jeff McInnis said.
``He showed us we were wrong, though, and played a great second half.''
Wallace scored 12 points the final half in the 74-61 upset of top-seeded Kentucky.
Wallace has been the most emotional and excitable player for the Tar Heels the last two years. In fact, he may be the most volatile player in team history, especially under conservative coach Dean Smith.
At one time, Smith refused to allow his players to show any emotion on the court, especially after a victory.
But there was Wallace after the Kentucky victory, heaving the basketball more than 100 feet in the air to hit one of the huge overhanging speakers.
Smith seems to realize that Wallace must play emotionally, and at times physically, to be effective.
``He is what you see,'' Smith said.
``He does it (throws an elbow) in practice a lot and doesn't realize it. He gives it to (backup center) Serge Zwikker all the time.''
Wallace is effective, as evidenced by his statistics.
He averages 16 points and eight rebounds per game and is the ACC's career leader in field goal percentage at 65.2.
He also set a North Carolina single-season record for blocked shots with 89 this year.
Wallace developed a fiercely competitive style of play while learning the game on playgrounds in his hometown of Philadelphia.
``You had to hold your ground and not allow anyone to push you around,'' Wallace said.
``There was a lot of trash talking, too. It was part of the game.''
Most observers thought Wallace would have to change his style - especially his trash-talking and on-court behavior - at North Carolina.
But he never felt that way.
``I am proud to wear North Carolina across my chest and play for a legend like Coach Smith,'' Wallace said.
``But I don't know of any law that says you can't have fun on the court if you play for Carolina.''
Most of the time, Wallace's teammates feed off his emotions, and he's even pumped up the ``wine and cheese'' crowd at the Dean Dome in Chapel Hill.
``Rasheed does keep us loose,'' McInnis said.
``Before games in the locker room he is always rapping, singing, going crazy. And, after warmups, before we go back on the court to play, we sing or chant, usually something Rasheed makes up.''
The only North Carolina player who doesn't get caught up in Wallace's pregame antics is fellow superstar Jerry Stackhouse.
McInnis says Stackhouse doesn't object.
``Jerry is just laid back and serious all the time, especially before games,'' he said.
The two make sweet music on the court together, though, and have a mutual respect for each other.
``When I'm killing somebody, I like to show it by talking, yelling, or by how I run down the court,'' Wallace said.
``If Jerry is killing somebody, he never shows it. He just turns and runs down the court like he always does.''
The bond is so strong between the two super sophomores with ``fire and ice'' personalities that if one decides turn pro after this season, the other might follow.
Both have indicated they would seriously consider leaving school for pro careers if North Carolina wins the national championship.
Smith refuses to speculate on the possibility of losing both superstars after only two years.
``When our fans ask about that,'' Smith said, ``I just tell them to enjoy this season and let me worry about next year.''
With 'Sheed and Stack, North Carolina fans already have plenty to enjoy.
And the best still may be yet to come. ILLUSTRATION: Associated Press color photo
Rasheed Wallace of North Carolina, left, engages in a scuffle with
Kentucky's Andre Riddick during last weekend's regional action.
by CNB