THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 21, 1996 TAG: 9602210565
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
Wake Forest coach Dave Odom is campaigning for the ACC to rid itself of the tournament ``play-in'' game between the bottom two teams.
Odom contends the game puts unfair pressure on teams and coaches.
He says trying to avoid it may be the reason for recent temperamental explosions in the league.
``People have to understand that a very bad stigma is attached to teams having to play in that game,'' Odom said.
``The coaches don't want it, the players don't want it and the fans don't want it.''
The ``play-in game'' was added when Florida State became the league's ninth member. League officials decided it would be better to have the play-in game instead of leaving one team out of the tournament all together.
Odom admitted he doesn't have an alternative plan to present, and he doesn't want to leave a team out.
One solution might be to give the regular-season champion a bye, which North Carolina coach Dean Smith would favor.
``Anything that can be done for the regular-season champion, we should do,'' Smith said.
Odom plans to ask league officials to consider changing the format at their spring meeting.
He shouldn't be hopeful of it happening, though, since the play-in game has been well attended and brings in more than $300,000 to the conference.
GOOD COMPANY: Virginia freshman Courtney Alexander joined a select group when he scored 30 points against Duke last week.
The last six players to score that many on the Blue Devils - Joe Smith, Randolph Childress, Ed O'Bannon, Monty Williams, and Jalen Rose - went on to become first-round draft choices.
AGAINST THE BEST: Virginia is the only team in the ACC without at least one victory over a ranked team this season.
The Cavaliers have gone 0-7 against top 25 opponents.
The only league teams with winning records against ranked opponents are Georgia Tech (6-5), North Carolina (3-2), and Clemson (3-2).
Wake Forest has won only one of four games against top 25 teams.
ANOTHER CHANCE: The Cavaliers' best chance of beating a ranked team might come tonight against Georgia Tech (9 p.m., ESPN).
The Yellow Jackets have won only 4 of 17 previous games in University Hall.
Virginia's Jamal Robinson, who missed Saturday's loss to North Carolina because of a sprained ankle, is expected back.
PARKING WOES: Maryland guard Duane Simpkins' three-game suspension was the result of his efforts to pay off $1,000 in campus parking tickets.
Simpkins initially tried to pay the fines with a check from a former AAU coach.
The university bounced that check back to Simpkins and told him it was against NCAA rules.
Simpkins later cashed a second check from the coach and paid the fines, which brought about his suspension.
NO ALLIES: Florida State coach Pat Kennedy might want to start checking out the ``help wanted'' ads.
He's been under fire from fans most of the season and he's getting no support from university officials or players for his claim that ACC refs have it in for him.
Forward James Collins was asked for his opinion after Kennedy was ejected from the Clemson game.
Collins replied, ``I don't want to get wrapped up in any vendettas. It's not really my concern.''
MARBURY WATCH: Georgia Tech's Stephon Marbury has a chance to beome the first freshman ever to lead an ACC regular-season champion team in scoring.
With four games remaining, Marbury is Tech's top scorer, averaging 19 points per game.
Teammate Matt Harpring is averaging 17.5.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Georgia Tech's nine league wins are its most since an 11-3 record in 1988. . . . Wake Forest's Rusty LaRue has averaged 17.5 points in his last four games, raising his average from 8.5 points to 10.2. . . . North Carolina's Antawn Jamison has set a school freshman record with 10 double-doubles. . . . Clemson's freshman class is on pace to become only the fourth in league history to total 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. . . . N.C. State's Todd Fuller is among the league leaders in six statistical categories, including a league-leading 22.0 points per game. by CNB