MATCHUPS

Sporting News, The, Jan 31, 2000

DUKE AT NORTH CAROLINA, 9 P.M. ET THURSDAY, ESPN2: A win for UNC, caught in a rare quagmire of four straight losses, would go a long way toward righting the ship and slowing another Duke title run.

Frontcourt: Chris Carrawell, one of the leading candidates for ACC player of the year, Shane Battier and freshman Carlos Boozer face an underachieving, albeit shorthanded, UNC unit.

Backcourt: Duke freshman point guard Jason Williams can do a little of everything, but the Heels will have the edge if Ed Cora can get healthy, take charge and find a rhythm with stellar freshman shooting guard Joe Forte.

Prediction: UNC, accused of playing without passion, should have no problem here, giving Duke its first ACC loss of the year if Cota plays.

TENNESSEE AT KENTUCKY, 9 P.M. ET TUESDAY, ESPN: The SEC's top road team heads to Lexington to determine the top team in the nation's toughest division. Isiah Victor and the rest of the Vols' frontcourt will have to slow surging center Jamaal Magloire and make the `Cats' guards hit from outside.

MICHIGAN STATE AT MICHIGAN, 7 P.M. ET TUESDAY, ESPN: The Spartans need more help from their bench. The Wolverines need their youngsters, including stellar freshman guard Jamal Crawford (who indicated he has considered transferring), to show more maturity and consistency.

FINAL FOUR THOUGHTS OF THE WEEK

The week's latest turn of events on the way to Indy:

1 The Alford/Knight feud. Must be a chapter in Knight's copy of "The Art of War" that states, "Allow your enemy to steal all the good press."

2 Sam Clancy Jr. Out for the year with a broken foot, the USC forward may need to follow his dad's lead into a less punishing sport: pro football.

3 Scoonie Penn. Put Vermont and American in front of him, or Michigan State and St. John's. No difference; he beats them.

4 Instant replay. The colleges might use video to check buzzer-beating shots. But what about the games that aren't on TV--both of them?