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The No. 1 team and No. 1 player will be in Atlanta, but they're coming on separate planes. UMass is this season's premier team until someone proves differently, but Georgetown point guard Allen Iverson, not Minutemen center Marcus Camby, has been the best player in the tournament.

Why UMass will advance: Coach John Calipari says he recruits for toughness, and the Minutemen have proved it by withstanding nearly every challenge. When the solid play of guards Edgar Padilla and Carmelo Travieso and Camby's spectacular presence in the middle aren't enough, senior forward Donta Bright will make the necessary shot or defensive play.

Why UMass won't advance: It has been a nice ride, but these guys have got to run out of gas. The Minutemen have been in so many competitive games that the starters have been forced to play an abundance of minutes. Asking them to win four games in 10 days against this level of competition after such an arduous season is asking too much of a team that doesn't have the interior size to keep bigger teams like Georgetown from dominating the glass.

Why Arkansas will advance: Nolan Richardson has supplanted Duke's Mike Krzyzewski as the premier tournament coach. If he can stitch this bunch into a Sweet 16 team, why not the Final Four? The Hogs have confidence now, and they always had size and talent. The backcourt of point guard Kareem Reid and shooting guards Marlon Towns and Pat Bradley provides outside shooting and the ability to break down defenses.

Why Arkansas won't advance: Teams that keep Reid on the perimeter and refuse to allow him to dash into the lane have just about solved every problem the Razorbacks present. Everything these guys do flows from Reid's ability to get into the defense and force opponents to react. Big men Lee Wilson and Darnell Robinson can be taken out of the game with the slightest amount of defensive attention, and Richardson tends to lose patience with each.

Why Texas Tech will advance: Player for player, there is no physically tougher team. The Red Raiders are tremendously aggressive in attacking the basket and the offensive boards, which is why no backboard is safe in their presence. Forward Jason Sasser not only is gifted enough to carry the Raiders, he is strong enough to handle it each time it is required of him.

Why Texas Tech won't advance: At this level, guard play tends to take over, and the Raiders don't have the dexterity and flexibility they need in the backcourt. Their game still is mostly about dominating opponents with their power and athletic ability, and they'll encoun-ter more teams that have those qualities as well as skill. Look back over recent tournament history, and you'll see Texas Tech is the picture of the Sweet 16 loser.

Why Georgetown will advance: Point guard Allen Iverson has dominated every game he has played the past six weeks, shooting with great range and finishing plays close to the basket. The already-productive front-court has been streng-thened by the emergence of backup center Jahidi White. The Hoyas' pressure de-fense is intimidating and unpredictable, and Iverson's ball pressure puts some bite into their halfcourt man-to-man.

Why Georgetown won't advance: New Mexico showed the Hoyas are vulnerable if someone is wise enough to slap a zone defense on them and play it well. A team like Texas Tech that is muscular and agile in the frontcourt could prove to be a difficult matchup. Georgetown's ability to hold a lead remains suspect, given its collapse in the Big East championship game against UConn.

TSN's pick: Georgetown. The Hoyas entered the tournament playing as well as any of the 64 teams, and they're playing even better now.

COPYRIGHT 1996 Sporting News Publishing Co.
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