2001 Ad

Sporting News, The, March 12, 2001

Tourney final: Last Monday.--M.B.

16. WEST COAST

Regular-season champ: 86. Gonzaga (13-1, 22-6),

Tourney contender: 89. Santa Clara (20-11, 10-4).

The rundown: Gonzaga, a Sweet 16 team in 2000, replaced Matt Santangelo and Richie Frahm with point guard Dan Dickau and shooting guard Blake Stepp and hasn't missed a beat. Casey Calvary is still huge in the post for a balanced, versatile team that doesn't scare easily. A physical, slow-it-down team could frustrate the Bulldogs. Third-place Santa Clara, which owned the nation's 15th-toughest non-conference schedule, was the only WCC team to beat Gonzaga in the regular season.--L.C.

Tourney final: Last Monday.

17. SUN BELT

Regular-season champ: 82. Western Kentucky (22-6, 14-2 East), 92. South Alabama (21-9, 11-5 West).

Tourney contenders: 141. Louisiana-Lafayette (16-12, 10-6 West), 186. Arkansas State (16-12, 10-6 East).

The rundown: Western Kentucky has come a long way in one season, and it's not hard to figure out why. None of the four starters the Hilltoppers returned from a .500 Sun Belt team has missed a game this season, and three of them have improved significantly on the stats sheet. The best of them is 7-1 junior center Chris Marcus, the nation's second-leading rebounder at 11.7 a game and the league's Player and Defensive Player of the Year. South Alabama's athletic ability and inside-outside combo of 6-10 Virgil Stanescu and Ravonte Dantzler helped it to the West title.

Tourney final: Last Tuesday.--Steve Greenberg

18. OHIO VALLEY

NCAA qualifier: 116. Eastern Illinois (21-9, 11-5).

Regular-season champ: 112. Tennessee Tech (20-9, 13-3).

The rundown: Despite having one the league's smallest lineups, Eastern Illinois' backcourt scoring punch of 6-2 Kyle Hill and 6-4 Henry Domercant (they combine for more than 46 points a game) has 21-year EIU coach Rick Samuels headed to his second NCAA Tourney nine years after his first. The league's top shooting team (48 percent a game) is also one of the nation's top scoring teams (82 ppg). Hill and Domercant both shoot better than 42 percent beyond the arc, and guard Matt Britton joins them as better than 82 percent free-throw shooters. But the offense drops off considerably after them, and a team with some size and quick guards could be instant trouble.--Anna M. Jones

19. METRO ATLANTIC

Regular-season champ: 125. Iona (21-10, 12-6).

Tourney contender: 137. Canisius (20-10, 9-9).

The rundown: Iona and coach Jeff Ruland faced Canisius in last Monday's tourney final, looking for their second straight NCAA berth behind the interior force of Nakiea Miller (15.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 65.1 percent on FGs and three blocks a game) and Rutgers transfer Earl Johnson (13.3 ppg), a slick guard. Seventh-seeded Canisius, which eliminated Siena, relies on forward Darren Fenn and his 14.4 ppg and 7.4 rpg. But Hodari Mallory's big play since recovering from turf toe also has been a big boost.

Tourney final: Last Monday.--M.B.

20. MID-CONTINENT

Regular-season champs: 95. Southern Utah (23-5,13-3), 107. Valparaiso (23-7,13-3).