Call of the wild

Sporting News, The, March 18, 1996 by Michael Knisley

Big East teams see Connecticut at least twice a year, and they can't do anything to stop it. Pity the NCAA Tournament teams in the coming weeks who never have experienced the Huskies' full-tilt boogie of a running game.

"Our team feeds off that," UConn Coach Jim Calhoun says. "We feed off other teams not being used to our tempo. No matter how often an opposing coach tries to convince his team that we run, it never sinks in."

Probably, it does sink in. But knowing the Huskies run and actually doing something about it are two very different story lines. Connecticut's pace makes it an offensive juggernaut' at the top of the Big East in scoring (83.9 points per game), shooting percentage (48.4 percent) and 3-point shooting percentage (11.9).

Teams know it's coming. They know Ray Allen and Doron Sheffer are coming. And still, they don't, or can't, get back. Not regularly. Not often enough to make a difference.

"Best release of the basketball off the rebound I've seen in a long time," Kentucky Coach Rick Pitino says. "They change up as quickly as any team you can find."

And the running game doesn't stop with the fast break. It's a part of the plan even in UConn's halfcourt offense, which is simply a microcosm of its transition game. The Huskies run after everything, including offensive rebounds.

"Outside of Kentucky and Massachusetts, I'm not sure there's a better offensive rebounding team in the country," Seton Hall Coach George Blaney says. "They really, really work hard at getting to the offensive glass. You either just take your eye off somebody for a second or go and help, and they've got you. That's what happens a lot. You have to help a lot because they go and penetrate and either finish it or kick out. And then as soon as you leave them, they always seem to be running from the foul line to offensive rebounds."

The lion's share of Connecticut's points come from its backcourt, the constant-motion machines Allen (23.8 points per game) and Sheffer (15.8). But that hardly means the frontcourt is something less than terrific with the ball. Or, as Blaney suggests, without the ball. Among the Huskies' other league-leading statistics is rebounding margin (8.8 per game). And the frontcourt players are all mobile enough to play UConn's stifling, pressure, halfcourt, trapping defense.

Three other quick reasons to pencil Connecticut into the Final Four, courtesy of senior center Travis Knight:

"First of all, we have a superstar in Ray Allen," Knight says. "That's the first thing. You've got to have a superstar, or somebody capable of taking over a game. Secondly, we're a good shooting team. No matter what you say, you've got to be able to shoot over a zone in the tournament. And the third thing is, we have a lot of role players. Everybody knows what they're supposed to do on this team."

RELATED ARTICLE: UConn's biggest weaknesses:

1 Muscle: UConn can be pushed around, but it has to get very physical before the Huskies are at a disadvantage.

2 Inside scoring: On the rare occasions when neither Allen nor Sheffer is connecting from the perimeter, the frontcourt's ability to pick up the slack is questionable.

BEST MATCHUP:

Cincinnati can handle pressure because it has three good ballhandlers in Keith LeGree, Darnell Burton and Damon Flint. Danny Fortson and Art Long may be too much for UConn's front line, which would have problems matching up with the big Bearcats.

RELATED ARTICLE: KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH

Everyone recognizes the stars on the top eight seeds, but who are the other players who must play well for them to advance?

1. Kirk King, F, Connecticut: When King is muscling away underneath the basket, the stellar backcourt of Doron Sheffer and Ray Allen has room to romp on the perimeter.

2. Damon Flint, G, Cincinnati: If he is not playing at his hounding best on defense or fully focused on the task at hand, the Bearcats don't figure to advance very far regardless of what Danny Fortson does.

3. Matt Harpring, F, Georgia Tech: Want versatility? Harpring led Tech in rebounding and 3-point percentage. During the Yellow Jackets' seven-game winning streak to close the regular season, Harpring averaged 19.7 points and 8.4 rebounds.

4. Jelani McCoy, C, UCLA: Ignore the Toby Bailey hype and forget about Charles O'Bannon, McCoy is the man to watch. The Bruins would be even better if they had a point guard.

5. Marcus Bullard, G, Mississippi State: Bullard is second in the SEC in 3-point field-goal percentage (43.2) and shoots a solid 48 percent overall. But his assist-to-turnover ratio is poor for a Point guard (about 1.1 to 1), and that's perhaps the main reason the Bulldogs have struggled at times.

6. Charlie Miller, F, Indiana: Brian Evans is going to get his so it's up to this lithe, smooth operator to create a distraction by beating foes off the dribble or with a jumper.

7. Lynard Stewart, F, Temple: Marc Jackson is a horse, but this athletic inside player finally has developed some long-awaited consistency. Keep an eye on him.

8. Chris Collins, G, Duke: Collins had three consecutive 27-point games before injuring his foot in the regular-season finale. Duke relies on his shot (and heart) too much to go anywhere if he is not at full strength.