DATE: Saturday, March 29, 1997              TAG: 9703290674

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: FRANK VEHORN

LENGTH: 147 lines

NCAA REPORT

UNC has avenged all losses except the one to Arizona

INDIANAPOLIS - North Carolina used a string of pay backs to turn around its ACC season. A slate-cleaning final payback today in the Final Four semifinals would send the Tar Heels to the championship game.

North Carolina lost six games during the season, five in the first half of the ACC season to Wake Forest, Virginia, Maryland, Florida State and Duke.

The Tar Heels defeated each of those teams convincingly in the final half of the ACC season.

The only other team to beat the Heels was Arizona, their opponent today.

``It is exciting we get the opportunity to play Arizona again,'' UNC's Vince Carter said.

``But we are not worried about getting them back. We are just here to play basketball and hopefully win a national championship.''

Arizona's A.J. Bramlett said during Friday's press conferences that the Wildcats' 83-72 season-opening win in November ``obviously gives us a sense of confidence.''

Much has changed for both teams since November, though.

So much that Arizona coach Lute Olson did not allow his players to watch tape of the game.

``That game seems like light years away now,'' Olson said.

The last time North Carolina met a Final Four foe that had beaten it in regular season was in 1993.

The Heels lost to Michigan in the Rainbow Classic and then beat the Wolverines 77-71 in the NCAA championship game.

Other similarities, too

There are several other similarities between this Final Four team and the one in 1993.

UNC finished both seasons ranked No. 4 in the AP poll.

North Carolina was the No. 1 seed in the East Regional both times

The 1993 Final Four was the first with three No. 1 seeds, this year's is the second.

Kentucky was a participant in both Final Fours, playing a Big 10 team in the bracket opposite North Carolina.

Each time North Carolina had a top 3-point shooter named Williams - Donald in '93 and Shammond this year.

Deja vu, anyone?

Rupp Jr.: No hard feelings

Adolph Rupp Jr., son of the man whose coaching record was broken by Dean Smith, holds no grudges.

North Carolina's NCAA first-round victory over Fairfield two weeks ago tied Smith with the late Kentucky coach at 876 career victories. Three wins later, Smith is at 879.

``I know him very well. I talked to him the morning of the game where he did surpass my father's record,'' Rupp said. ``Of course, he was a friend of my father's. They have a common background of both being born in Kansas and playing at Kansas University.''

Rupp was at the RCA Dome as Tim Duncan of Wake Forest was honored as The Associated Press Player of the Year, an award named for Rupp's father.

``It's one of those things you don't give a whole lot of thought,'' Rupp said of the possibility his father's record would be broken. ``But when the time came, we accepted it. It's a tremendous record for both gentlemen. I don't think it detracts from my father's record one way or the other, and I think it's quite an accomplishment for coach Smith.''

The key match-ups

Arizona's Olson doesn't go along with the hype that the key matchup will be the two freshmen point guards - UNC's Ed Cota against the Wildcats' Mike Bibby.

He suggests you watch the inside matchups between UNC's Antawn Jamison and Arizona's A.J. Bramlett and UNC center Serge Zwikker and the Wildcats' Bennett Davison.

``We cannot allow those two the kind of shots they've gotten against most of the other teams, an awful lot of layins, an awful lot of put-backs,'' Olson said.

Stopping UNC inside

Olson admitted he isn't sure how his team can prevent Zwikker and Jamison from getting the high percentage shots.

``We've watched an awful lot of tape and no one has found the secret to that,'' Olson said.

``I thought if anyone knew a secret it would be Duke, but Carolina got basically wanted it wanted inside against against Duke.''

Olson got some advice from Clemson coach Rick Barnes, who was asked on ESPN the best way to defend UNC's inside game.

``Dean won't like this, but you got to put a body on them,'' Barnes said.

Incidentally, UNC beat Clemson twice in regular season.

Gophers ailing

Minnesota point guard Eric Harris is still nursing the bruised and sprianed shoulder he received last week against Clemson, but coach Clem Haskins expects him to play against Kentucky.

Harris watched from the bench as his teammates went through the hour-long workout in preparation for Saturday's semifinal against Kentucky. He said he was about 80 percent healthy and would be ready to go tonight.

``He could not have played today,'' Haskins said Friday.

Junior swingman Sam Jacobson is bothered by a sore back sustained in the Clemson game, but he's a definite starter.

Yes, Arizona has a prayer

``Lord, we ask that you peer into the fiery and hungry hearts of our own University of Arizona Wildcats and grant them the three-point shot, free throw shot, layup and slam dunk. We pray that as you anointed David to be King, you anoint our Wildcats to be national champions. Amen.''

Two Tucson lawmakers left nothing to chance Thursday as they got behind their hometown team. Rep. Ramon Valadez and Sen. George Cunningham led the prayers in both chambers.

Even Gov. Fife Symington got in the spirit by proclaiming ``Back the Cats Weekend'' in Arizona.

Rep. Bill McGibbon asked for the proclamation, which urges all Arizonans to support the Wildcats in today's game.

Kentucky's NOT as good

You won't insult Kentucky's Ron Mercer by telling him this year's Wildcat team isn't as good as the one that won the title last year.

In fact, he'll agree with you.

``We are not even close as far as talent since we lost four NBA draft picks,'' Mercer said.

``But we do have guys who sacrifice and play hard.''

Mercer said he did not bring last year's championship ring with him because he expects to have another to wear home.

Kentucky's new bench

For a variety of reasons, they were not part of Kentucky's championship run a year ago.

Jared Prickett was being redshirted because of a knee injury and an abundance of other, more talented frontcourt players. Scott Padgett had flunked out. Nazr Mohammed and Cameron Mills were on the school's junior varsity team.

It was not supposed to turn out this way. The loss of four starters from last year's team, as well as star forward Derek Anderson in mid-January to a season-ending knee injury and reserve Allen Edwards with an ankle injury, had left Kentucky with eight scholarship players.

It also left coach Rick Pitino with more than a few doubts.

``I'm very surprised at the way we developed,'' Pitino said of his team's sudden depth. ``Our expectations weren't very high If you pick them one by one, this guy against that man, we're not going to fare too well.''

High price for nosebleed

Scalping is legal in Indianapolis, so fans showing up to buy tickets off the street are having to pay big bucks.

Tickets in the upper section are going for $1,200 and some courtside are selling for as much as $5,000. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by ASSOCIATED PRESS

The daring ``Mr. Basketball'' (whose secret identity is a

mild-mannered Minnesota fan) cheers the Golden Gophers at practice

Friday.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu