Hoping to start new streaks

When the fine folks at CBS unveiled the field for the 2004 NCAA Tournament, it appeared they might have goofed and showed us the 1964 bracket. No Oklahoma. No Indiana. No California.

Combined, their streaks of consecutive NCAA appearances totaled 30 before last March's Selection Sunday wiped out all of them at once. No one from those teams was shocked when the news broke, although the Sooners had been holding out the faintest hope. Marooned under the .500 mark, IU and Cal couldn't even get the NIT to call.

But as quickly as one season's dream ends--whether it occurs on a buzzer-beating jumper on the tournament's first weekend or exclusion from the event--hope for the next year begins.

Now is as good a time as any for these teams to try to begin new NCAA appearance streaks:

Indiana

Streak broken: 18 years. The Hoosiers gained nonleague victories over Xavier and Notre Dame and opened 5-1 in the Big Ten, but they were finished when power forward Sean Kline's contribution was diminished by injury. They were stuck playing 6-3 A.J. Moye at power forward and consistently were demolished inside.

Unconcerned about Indiana's inside game, opponents had a much easier time attacking the Hoosiers' top two scoring options, guards Bracey Wright and Marshall Strickland. "People would faceguard them," IU coach Mike Davis says. "Our forwards have got to make some plays this year."

It can't be as bad as last season. Freshman D.J. White, a 6-9 McDonald's All-American, is not ready to star but is tougher and a more versatile scorer than George Leach, the guy he's replacing. White will have at least a little help up front from Kline, coming off knee surgery, and developing sophomore Pat Ewing. In an emergency, IU can switch rugged 6-5 freshman Robert Vaden to power forward. Because Vaden has 3-point range, that should create matchup problems for opponents.

Even if IU is better, a nonleague schedule featuring six December games against major-conference opponents might preclude an NCAA return. "It'll be a challenge for us," Davis says, "but it's one we have to meet. There's no way around it."

New streak? Not quite. The schedule is too tough.

Oklahoma

Streak broken: nine years. The Sooners got hit with an injury that was even more of a blow than Kline's injury was to Indiana. They had to get by without center Kevin Bookout, their best inside scorer, a guy capable of averaging 17 to 19 points. OU started 10-0, but a damaged shoulder ended Bookout's season after 13 games. He's fine now. With newcomers Taj Gray and Longar Longar joining Larry Turner and Johnnie Gilbert, coach Kelvin Sampson calls this "the best front line we've ever had."

The Sooners' development will depend on the progress of three perimeter sophomores: small forward Brandon Foust, shooting guard Lawrence McKenzie and, foremost, point guard Drew Lavender.

Listed at 5-7, Lavender frequently was forced to operate as OU's primary offensive option. Sometimes he did so because it came naturally to him. Sampson is certain Bookout's return will result in less pressure on Lavender to create his own shot. "He'll have a better handle on things," Sampson says.

New streak? Absolutely. But the Sooners won't be in a position to fuss about their seeding.

California

Streak broken: three years. Big man Leon Powe missed only one game last season, but it's hard to say how much better Cal would have been if he hadn't been bothered all season by a knee injury.

Starting to notice a trend?

Injuries are difficult for even the most consistent programs to overcome. Powe figured to be a program-changing player, not that Cal needed much changing. Still a powerful inside presence even on one good leg, he averaged 15.1 points and 9.5 rebounds. He is talented enough to do more if he's 100 percent.

That won't be this season. Another surgery in September means he'll miss all of 2004-05. Center Amit Tamir finished his career last spring, which means the Bears will be without their two leading scorers and rebounders. Even in a middling Pac-10, that will be tough to overcome.

New streak? You could call it that. This will be the second year in a row Cal misses the NCAA's party.

SPEED READS

* Want proof there has been too much turnover among coaches? Try thinking up a list of "hot" coaches who might be ready to take over major programs. It'll be shorter than Drew Lavender. Athletic directors in a firing mood this spring might find the hiring process to be more difficult than they might imagine.

* Although nearly all of the top 100 high school players were committed to colleges by early November, according to analyst Van Coleman of Hoopmasters.com, among the unclaimed were small forward Brandon Rush and center Andray Blatche. Each has spoken about entering the NBA draft, so coaches aren't as driven to sign them. Seven schools lost recruits to the 2004 draft. They're learning fast.

* If you survey major publications and polls, you'll find at least six programs projected as the national champion: Wake Forest, North Carolina, Louisville, Oklahoma State, Illinois and Kansas. This portends a fascinating and competitive season, even with the trend of premature player defections. This is a tough game to kill.