So tough he prefers eating glass

Michigan State freshman Paul Davis watches Texas' James Thomas play and thinks: "That guy's just a junkyard dog."

Connecticut star center Emeka Okafor says simply, "He's a big, strong, tough man."

Michigan State strongman Aloysius Anagonye: "He's a mini-Ben Wallace. I hear that's his idol; it's fitting."

So how would Thomas, a raging rebounding addict who wears his socks to his knees, his hair in patterned braids and a facial expression that causes his eyes to squint and his lips to purse, describe himself? "A momma's boy," the baddest man in the tournament says as his scowl sweeps up into a smile. "I'm proud of that."

Ask teammates or opponents what makes Thomas perhaps the best rebounder in the nation, and they'll say: "His desire." Ask Thomas where that comes from, and he credits Rachael Thomas. "My mom told me that once I got good at something, that's when I needed to start working on becoming great at something."

Before every free throw attempt, Thomas rubs his chest, where he has a tattoo honoring Mom, and whispers that he loves her. But his real on-court tribute to her is when he leaps high--with his legs kicking and knees reaching that tattoo--and vise-grips a ball after it has bounded off the rim. That is when he is great.

Thomas is to rebounding as T.J. Ford is to passing. Despite a disdain for lifting weights, Thomas has great strength, quickness and jumping ability. He makes team toughness the Longhorns' No. 1B strength, after No. 1A Ford.

Michigan State's Tom Izzo, a coach known for fostering lunch-pail teams, says, "(Texas) is the toughest team we've played in a number of years."

After the Longhorns beat Connecticut in the Sweet 16, Huskies coach Jim Calhoun said, "I thought the most physical team we played all year was Pittsburgh. I will now rearrange that; clearly the most physical team we've played is Texas."

In that game, eight Longhorns had four or more rebounds. They had 21 offensive rebounds. They had 35 rebounds--in the first half. Texas junior forward Brian Boddicker says of the team's five-guys-to-the-ball mentality: "We just follow the leader, and that's James Thomas:" How much does he lead? When Thomas was limited to 15 minutes and seven rebounds because of foul trouble against Michigan State, Texas was outworked on the boards, 38-28.

Crude offensively, Thomas could make Texas even better if he improved at finishing. But scoring points isn't his calling. His dream line is a Wallace-like nine points and 20 rebounds. Thomas will take the broccoli over the ice cream.

"My coaches think I can be one of the best players in the nation if I'd improve my offense," he says. "That's cool, but really all I care about is rebounding."

Then, a long pause, and the momma's boy finishes: "And winning."--K. V.

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