1996 Ad

Sporting News, The, March 25, 1996 by Lelie Gibson McCarthy

It could be Rick Pitino's worst nightmare: A Kentucky-Louisville matchup to determine which team makes the Final Four. But if Kentucky gets past Utah and Louisville outlasts Wake Forest, it sure would be a lot of fun. And be forewarned, Rick, it's happened before. In 1983, Louisville defeated Kentucky in overtime in the Mideast Regional final to advance to the Final Four.

Why Kentucky will advance: Kentucky proved it is more than a free-wheeling, wide-open, full-court team in the second-round victory over Virginia Tech. The Wildcats dominated in the halfcourt, too, by clamping down on the Hokies' offense and shredding their defense. With 10 players averaging at least 10 minutes, Pitino uses his bench like no other coach.

Why Kentucky won't advance: Kentucky looked, well, ordinary, in the first half of its first-round game against 16th-seeded San Jose State until the Wildcats woke up and remembered they were in a championship hunt. There is no room for more complacency.

Why Utah will advance: The Utes advanced with their best player making barely a ripple. Keith Van Horn missed Utah's first-round victory over Canisius with a viral infection, then was virtually ineffectual in the second-round victory over Iowa State. With the momentum gained in the first round and a healthy Van Horn, Utah has a chance. A plus: The Utes are the best foul-shooting team in the nation at 78 percent.

Why Utah won't advance: The opponent is Kentucky. The Utes will be unable to overcome Kentucky's depth and press -- even with a healthy Van Horn. Somewhere between Dallas and Minneapolis, Utah needs to develop a killer instinct.

Why Louisville will advance: Denny Crum is appearing in his 19th tournament, which means the Cardinals have a coach who knows a thing or two about winning in March. Crum has won two championships and has been to six Final Fours with Louisville. The two victories last weekend tie Crum with Mike Krzyzewski for third place on the all-time tournament victories list.

Why Louisville won't advance: The Cardinals have been overachieving all season and appeared sluggish in the first round, nearly allowing Tulsa to pull out a victory. That game revealed one of Louisville's biggest weaknesses. Other than top scorer DeJuan Wheat, the Cardinals don't have anyone to shoot from the outside.

Why Wake Forest will advance: The Demon Deacons advanced with their two best players ailing; center Tim Duncan was suffering from the flu and guard Tony Rutland has a gimpy knee. Rusty LaRue and Ricky Peral picked up the pieces in the first two rounds. If the Demon Deacons are at full strength, watch out.

Why Wake Forest won't advance: Rutland's status is shaky, which may be the Demon Deacons' downfall. He is their top 3-point shooter and leader in assists and steals, and he's been running the offense through Duncan all season. Duncan may not be able to carry the team to the Final Four by himself.

TSN's pick: Kentucky. The Wildcats are too deep, too strong and too determined to walk away from the Metrodome with anything less than their 11th trip to the Final Four.