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Sporting News, The, March 15, 1999

1     AUBURN TIGERS                 Coach: Cliff Ellis
      F Chris Porter is the star    (3-5 in NCAAs).
      on a team of no-names         Record: 27-3; 14-2 in
      that wins because it has      SEC (1st, West).
      the depth to press all        Last NCAA: Lost in 1988
      game and bang the boards.     Southeast Regional second
      It can run with anyone        round to Oklahoma.
      and feast on slower teams.
      It will beat you if you
      can't handle its press.
      Poor free-throw shooting
      could hurt in tight
      tournament games.

2     MARYLAND TERRAPINS            Coach: Gary Williams
      The Terrapins don't have      (10-8 in NCAAs).
      much depth or size, so        Record: 26-5; 13-3 in
      they must rely on talent      ACC (2nd).
      and athleticism. And no       Last NCAA: Lost in 1998
      one on this team is more      West Regional
      talented than G Steve         semifinals to Arizona.
      Francis, who can dominate
      with his offense or his
      defense. Maryland has yet
      to advance to the Elite
      Eight under Williams, but
      this team should,

3     ST. JOHN'S RED STORM          Coach: Mike Jarvis
      The Red Storm are so          (3-6 in NCAAs).
      well-balanced that any        Record: 25-8; 14-4 in
      starter can lead them in      Big East (3rd).
      scoring in any game.          Last NCAA: Lost in 1998
      F Ron Artest is one of the    Midwest Regional first
      most versatile players in     round to Detroit.
      the nation, but team
      success may come down to
      the shooting of guards
      Erick Barkley and Bootsy
      Thornton. This team has
      trouble against zones,

4     OHIO STATE BUCKEYES           Coach: Jim O'Brien
      Guards Scoonie Penn and       (5-3 in NCAAs).
      Michael Redd could carry      Record: 23-8; 12-4 in
      the up-tempo Buckeyes far.    Big Ten (2nd).
      In addition to shooting       Last NCAA: Lost in 1992
      well, they don't commit       Southeast Regional
      turnovers, but they'll        final to Michigan.
      need scoring help from
      F Jason Singleton. Don't
      underestimate the shot
      blocking of C Ken Johnson.
      Free-throw shooting
      could be this
      team's Waterloo.

5     UCLA BRUINS                   Coach: Steve Lavin
      Too many fouls and poor       (5-2 in NCAAs).
      foul shooting may             beard: 22-8; 12-6 in
      preclude the young Bruins     Pacific-10 (3rd).
      (12 freshmen and              Last NCAA: Lost in 1998
      sophomores) from going        South Regional
      deep into the tournament.     semifinals to Kentucky.
      The team's strongest
      unit is the guard duo of
      Baron Davis (15.8 ppg)
      and Earl Watson (13.0).
      F JaRon Rush is explosive
      and strong on the boards,

6     INDIANA HOOSIERS              Coach: Bob Knight
      G A.J. Guyton is              (41-19 in NCAAs).
      capable of big things.        Record: 22-10; 9-7 in
      He is catquick                Big Ten (T 3rd).
      and capable of                Last NCAA: Lost in 1998
      hitting the big               East Regional second
      shot, but he                  round to Connecticut.
      sometimes plays
      recklessly and
      is asked to do too
      much. F Luke Rocker
      is the key; if
      he scores, the
      Hoosiers shine. It's
      also vital that a
      mishmash of inconsistent
      frontcourt
      options contributes,

7     LOUISVILLE CARDINALS          Coach: Denny Crum
      This is a quick,              (42-21 in NCAAs).
      smart and athletic            Record: 19-10; 11-5 in
      team that wears               C-USA (2nd, American).
      down foes. The                Last NCAA: Lost in 1997
      Cardinals have                East Regional final to
      survived without              North Carolina.
      having bruisers by
      getting solid
      shooting from
      everyone, led by
      forwards Alex Sanders
      and Nato Johnson. If
      Louisville is
      fortunate to avoid teams
      with legitimate big
      men, the Sweet
      16 is possible.

8     SYRACUSE ORANGEMEN            Coach: Jim Boeheim
      Syracuse has muscle           (29-18 in NCAAs).
      up front in F Ryan            Record: 21-11; 10-8 in
      Blackwell and                 Big East (T 4th).
      C Etan Thomas,                Last NCAA: Lost in 1998
      but it needs to               South Regional
      use it more                   semifinals to Duke.
      often. The key,
      though, is G
      Jason Hart. As he goes,
      so goes Syracuse.
      Hart can shoot,
      make steals and
      control the tempo.
      However, like
      his teammates,
      consistency is
      spotty. Expect
      an early exit.

9     OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS        Coach: Eddie Sutton
      Eddie Sutton's                (28-19 in NCAAs).
      teams always                  Record: 22-10; 10-6 in
      are prepared for              Big 12 (T 5th).
      postseason play,              Last NCAA: Lost in 1998
      and he frequently             South Regional second
      coaxes unexpected             round to Duke.
      wins from
      them. This
      junior-laden team is
      peaking at the right
      time. If the Cowboys
      shoot well, get some
      interior scoring and
      aren't fatigued, a run to
      the Sweet 16 is possible.

10    CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS            Coach: Dana Altman
      The Bluejays have             (0-1 in NCNb).
      the ability to                Record: 21-8; 11-7 in
      score anywhere on             Missouri Valley (T 2nd).
      the court, and                Last NCAA: Lost in 1991
      F Rodney Buford               West Regional second
      is a legitimate star.         round to Seton Hall.
      They use a variety
      of defenses
      and traps that
      might present
      problems to a
      team that hasn't seen
      them. They enter
      the tournament
      on a roll, having
      won seven of their
      last eight and
      the MVC tourney.

11    GEO. WASHINGTON COLONIALS     Coach: Tom Penders
      George Washington is          (12-9 in NCNb).
      playing some of its best      Record: 20-8; 13-3 in
      basketball right now.         Atlantic 10 (1st, West).
      The Colonials are a force     Last NCAA: Lost in 1998
      on the offensive boards,      South Regional first
      create turnovers and can      round to Oklahoma State.
      light up the scoreboard.
      They will need all the
      points they can get
      because the defense still
      isn't where it could be.

12    DETROIT TITANS                Coach: Perry Watson
      Few teams play                (1-1 in NCAA's).
      defense like                  Record: 24-5; 12-2 in
      Detroit. The Titans'          Midwestern Coll. (1st).
      attack is decidedly           Last NCAA: Lost in 1998
      dependent on the backcourt    Midwest Regional
      trio of Jermaine              second round to Purdue.
      Jackson, Rashad
      Phillips and
      Desmond Ferguson.
      Despite an
      absence of height,
      Detroit rebounds
      well. But a lack
      of depth and frontcourt
      scoring options
      could spell trouble.

13    MURRAY STATE RACERS           Coach: Tevester
      As the nickname               Anderson (0-0 in NCAAs).
      implies, the Racers           Record: 27-5; 16-2 in
      like to run.                  OVC (1st).
      Led by G Aubrey Reese,        Last NCAA: Lost in 1998
      this is an athletic team      Midwest Regional first
      with balance, as              round to Rhode Island.
      four of five
      starters average in
      double-figures.
      Murray State gets
      a lot of its points
      in transition off
      turnovers. However,
      a lack of depth
      and shaky shooting
      are troubling.

14    SAMFORD BULLDOGS              Coach: Jimmy Tillette
      Don't expect the              (0-0 in NCAAs).
      senior-less                   Record: 24-5; 15-1 in
      Bulldogs to pull a            Trans America Athletic
      first-round upset.            Last NCAA: First
      But much like                 appearance,
      Princeton, this is a
      patient and
      disciplined
      team that works for an
      open shot and
      plays with
      smarts. Although the
      club lacks
      athleticism, it
      won't beat itself. Any
      upset bid will be
      speared by F
      Reed Rawlings.

15    VALPARAISO CRUSADERS          Coach: Homer Drew
      Ball movement and             (2-3 in NCAAs).
      hawking defense are           Record: 23-8; 10-4 in
      trademarks of a team whose    Mid-Continent (T 1st).
      inside-outside balance        Last NCAA: Lost in 1998
      and frontline size            Midwest Regional
      make it dangerous.            semifinal to Rhode Island.
      Valpo will
      pound the ball
      inside to F Ivan
      Vujic and C Zoran
      Viskovic until
      they're double-teamed.
      Once that
      happens, openings
      for 3-pointers
      are created.

16    WINTHROP EAGLES               Coach: Gregg Marshall
      The Eagles, who won           (0-0 in NCAAs).
      13 of their final 14          Record: 21-7; 9-1
      regular-season games          in Big South (1st).
      and the Big South             Last NCAA: First
      Tournament title,             appearance,
      simply don't have
      enough talent
      or size to survive
      the first round.
      6-7 F Heson
      Groves, the Eagles'
      leading scorer
      and rebounder, must
      have a magnificent
      game for Winthrop
      to even stay close.