Page 6-The Michigan Daily- Sports Monday - April 5, 1993
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; Tar Heels pound Kansas, 78-68
Daily Basketball Writer Adam Miller scouts tonight's
NCAA championship contest.
POINT GUARD
Michigan's Jalen Rose shined Saturday night- he's on a roll.
Tar Heel Derrick Phelps is hurting. Bad. And Rose handled
Phelps in December-when he was healthy.
ADVANTAGE: MICHIGAN
SHOOTING GUARD
Don't expect Wolverine Jimmy King's performance against
Kentucky (only two points) to hamper him tonight. But don't
expect Donald Williams (25 points last game)to cool down,
ejther.
ADVANTAGE: EVEN
CENTER
Juwan Howard is having a great tournament. He scored 17
points in Saturday's game, and is playing great in the blocks.
But Tar Heel 7-footer Eric Montross is dominating
the inside now with his jump hooks and post-ups. 4
ADVANTAGE: NORTH CAROLINA
SMALL FORWARD
Ray Jackson keys the Wolverine defense while scoring over nine
points per game. Brian Reese scores over 11 ppg. Jackson went
down early in the game in Hawaii with a shoulder
separation. He'll be healthy, and ready,toni ght
ADVANTAGE: MICHIGAN
POWER FORWARD
Tar Heel George Lynch (14.8 ppg.) stands 6-foot-8 and is a great
compliment to Montross. But Chris Webber became an
unstoppable force in the Kentucky overtime.
He'll remain that way tonight.
ADVANTAGE: MICHIGAN
BENCH
North Carolina brings two 7-footers off its bench, Kevin
Salvadori and Matt Werstrom, to compliment Montross.
Michigan can't match the height, but counters with
Rob Pelinka, James Voskuil, and Eric Riley. Still ... Q
ADVANTAGE: NORTH CAROLINA
by Ken Davidoff
Daily Basketball Writer
NEW ORLEANS - Unlike its
successor- Michigan's 81-78 over-
time thriller over Kentucky - the
Kansas-North Carolina game Satur-
day night will not go down as one of
the finer basketball contests in recent
history. The Tar Heels' 78-68 tri-
umph over the Jayhawks proved to
be a triumph of size and execution
over a failure to produce in the
clutch and a lack of depth.
The contest had been anticipated
by both schools since December,
when the teams almost met in the
championship game of the Rainbow
Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. Michi-
gan's Jalen Rose sank a putback at
the buzzer of the semifinal contest
between the Tar Heels and Wolver-
ines Dec. 30, giving Michigan a 79-
78 victory and sending it on Kansas
in the New Years' Eve final. The
Jayhawks had easily beaten the host
Hawaii Rainbows earlier that after-
noon.
However, when the teams finally
met, the same factors that led to
Michigan's victory in the Rainbow
Classic final - size and physicality
- benefited the Tar Heels. On this
account, Kansas' coaches and play-
ers espoused more respect for North
Carolina's performance than disap-
pointment over their own play.
"We do congratulate North Car-
olina and their staff and their play-
ers," Jayhawk coach Roy Williams
aid. "I thought our youngsters played
extremely well and played very hard.
Donald Williams made a three for
them and we had three possessions
and didn't come up with anything.
That's the most criticism you are go-
ing to get from me."
The Williams trey, knocked
down with 2:43 left in the contest,
extended the Tar Heels' lead to 71-
65 and cooled off the Jayhawks'
rally. Rex Walters' long distance
shot with 21 seconds left turned out
to be Kansas only other production.
Williams converted five of his
seven three-point attempts and to-
taled 25 points to lead all players.
Center Eric Montross came in right
behind with 23, as he found himself
with easy shot opportunities all
game.
"He's a great player and did just
a great job tonight," Kansas center
Eric Pauley said. "His teammates do
a tremendous job getting him the
ball on lobs and he does a great job
converting those. It's difficult guard-
ing someone that big, that strong and
who takes up so much space."
Pauley and backup center Greg
Oostertag could only contribute a to-
tal of seven points.
While the game never got out of
hand, Dean Smith's players basically
held control the entire game. Kansas
held a single lead of 3-2, and al-
though it had several opportunities
to ties the score of take back the
lead, it never came through.g i
"We know we're not going to,
come back from 10-14 points down
every game," Tar Heels forward
Brian Reese said. "We have to play
early and we did that tonight. We
have to concentrate from the begin-
ning and we did."
In conjunction with North Car-
olina's front line dominance on the
scoreboard, the Tar Heels ruled the
boards, compiling 35 rebounds to the
Jayhawks' 24.
"Our big people did a good job
on their big people," Smith said.
Guards Walters and Adonis Jor-
dan - a senior who left the game to
a standing ovation with under a
minute to play - led the way for
Kansas with 19 points each.
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COACHING
Wolverine coach Steve Fisher deserves a world of credit for how
he has handled the team, despite constant criticism. But he's
going up against The Dean - Dean Smith.
I
KANSAS (68)
FG FT Rob.
M. MA A -A O-T A F Pt.
Hancock 23 2-5 2-2 2-5 1 1 6
Scott 23 3-5 2-2 1-1 1 5 8
Pauley 27 2-5 1-1 2-9 2 3 5
Walters 32 7-15 0-0 0-0 5 2 19
Jordan 35 7-13 0-0 0-1 4 1 19
Rayford 5 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Woodberry 20 2-S 0-0 1-2 2 4 4
Richey 17 1--4 0-0 2-2 0 1 2
Ostertag 12 0-2 2-2 1-2 0 3 2
Gurley 5 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 3
Pearsn 1 0.1 00 01]000 0
Totals 20025-57 7-710-2415 20 66
FG%- .439. FT%- 1.000. Three-point goals:
11-20, .550 (Waters 5-9. Jordan 5-7, Woodberry
0-2, Gurley 0-1, Pearson 0-1). Team rebounds: 2.
Blocks: 4 (Richey 2, Hancock, Ostertag).
Turnovers: 16 (Walters 8, Jordan 3, Hancock 2,
Scott 2, Woodberry 2, Pauley). Steals: 5
(Hancock, Jordan, Ostertag, Scott, Walters).
Technical fouls: none.
NORTH CAROLINA (78)
FG FT' Rob.
Min. U-A M-A 0-T A F Pto.
Reese 23 3-5 1-2 3-4 6 0 7
Lynch 34 5-12 5-10 5-10 0 3 14
Montross 26 9-14 5-8 2-4 1 4 23
Phelps 30 1-3 1-2 2-5 6 2 3
Williams 29 7-11 6-6 0-3 0 1 25
Sullivan 17 0-2 0-0 0-1 1 1 0
Rod! 20 0-0 0-0 0-0 2 2 0
Salvadori 18 3-5 0-0 1-3 1 0 6
Calabria 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Cherry 2 0-0 0-0 0-2 0 0 0
Davis 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Stephenson 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Geth 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Wenstrm 0 0-0 ¢-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 20028-5217-2414-35 17 13 78
FG°,- .538. FT%- .708. Three-point goals:
5-7, .1714 (Williams 5-7). Team rebounds: 3.
Blocks: 1 (Salvadori). Turnovers: 16 (Phelps 4,
Lynch 3, Montross 3, Reese 3, Cherry. Rodl,
Williams). Steals: 8 (Lynch 2, Montross 2, Phelps
2, Sullivan, Williams). Technical fouls: none.
Kansas .... ........ 36 32 - 68
North Carolina-.....40 36 - 78
At Louisiana Superdome; A-64,151
.
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ADVANTAGE: NORTH CAROLINA
.PREDICTION
Rose's putback gave itto Michigan, 79-78, Dec. 30.
Michigan won without Ray Jackson, who plays tonight
But Montross said he didn't play his best game.
Webber, Jackson ... Montross, Lynch ... Fisher, Smith, enough
aready. Print the shirts, and prepare Crislerforthe victory party.
MICHIGAN 82, NORTH CAROLINA 76
North Carolina center Eric Montross blocks Kansas forward Richard Scott's shot in Saturday's semifinal.
Montross Tar Heels overpower
Jayhawks to reach final, 78-68
by Andy Do Korte
Daily Basketball Writer
"NEW ORLEANS - Remember playing
"Wonderword" as a child in school? The teacher would
put a word on the board, say "thanksgiving", and the
students' job was to make as many small words out of it
as possible.
Behind its monster Eric Montross, the "ton of cars"
(North Carolina) drove to victory over a team without
enough to spell 'gas' (Kansas), defeating the Jayhawks,
78-68.
t'(Montross) has really improved in the past year and
he is very strong and aggressive inside for us," North
Caiolina backup center Kevin Salvadori said. "He used
his physical play and dominated inside at times tonight.
We all work hard underneath and take the pounding it
takes to be successful inside."
The monster made eight of his nine field goals from
within the lane, including four lay-ins and a dunk. But
Montross was not alone in his efforts.
Brian Reese made a big contribution for the Tar
Heels also. Leading his team with 6 assists, he and his
teammates continually found Montross underneath.
The Jayhawk defense did keep the guards further out
then normal. Some entry passes came outside the three-
point line.
"I was impressed with our ability to get it in to Eric,"
Tar Heel coach Dean Smith said. "Our people were do-
ing a good job on their big people."
Opposing forward Eric Pauley sounded at least as
impressed with the North Carolina guards' passing abil-
ity as with Montross.
4 (nnm.l a . .. n.3nv.. addda a m-_ .. n n
Heel forward George Lynch said. "We tried to keel
Kansas from shooting the threes. I don't think Kansa
was prepared for the defense we showed them."
After witnessing Kansas' physical dominance, the
Jayhawk players drew parallels to the Michigan front
court. While the teams' physical prowess drew simila
praise, no one would guess which of the two would pre
vail. The styles were contrasted. The players describes
Dean Smith's team as disciplined, and fundamentall
strong, while they called the Wolverines athletic, pow
erful, and extremely physical
Choosing between the two styles may be as tricky a
choosing between a hurricane and a hand grenade or
Bourbon Street - both provide explosive results. An
remember this: Michigan has already dispatched on
- team led by a monster in this Final Four.
MONTROSS
Continued from page 1
"I never really had a second
guess," Montross said. "I haven't
given that a second thought. It was a
p really easy decision when I thought
s about it." %
Montross highlighted a recruiting
e class consisting of Brian Reese,
- Derrick Phelps, Pat Sullivan and
r since-transferred Clifford Rozier. At
- the time, it was looked upon as the
d best class ever. Unlike Michigan's
y Fab Five, which arrived only a year
- later, the quintet took its time in
making its mark.
s Tar Heel coach Dean Smith said
n he didn't realize how far his center
d had come until he-viewed the film
e from the 1991 semifinal game be-
tween North Carolina and Kansas.
"I watched the Kansas tape
shortly after I realized that I would
be playing Kansas," Smith said.
"Eric in the Kansas game didn't play
a lot. He was active, his hair was
longer. He just looked different. He
was not as confident and didn't play
as well.
"He's really come on defensively
and has been very consistent, ever
since (taking on Lawrence)
Funderburke at Ohio State. Offen-
sively, getting passes from Derrick
and Brian and Hemnick (Rodl), like
he did yesterday, he knows what to
do with it and that's to score and get
it outside"
goto guy for the Tar Heels, and
while the nation became more aware
of his playing skills, it also came to
know him better as a person.
His biography in the North Car-
olina media guide contains plenty of
idiosyncrasies. His favorite televi-
sion shows? "Cops,""Rescue 911,"
"MacGyver," and "Sesame Street."
What does he enjoy reading?
"Where the Red Fern Grows" and
"Encyclopedia Brittanica Volume
II."
But Montross may not be as
much hungry for information as he is
laid-back and funny. His composure
at an interview podium shows off his
comfort in front of a crowd. His
choice of speech communication as a
major seems a natural fit.
"Speech communication is some-
thing I really enjoy because it allows
me to speak," he said. "I feel very
comfortable in front of a group of
people. I enjoy that, and it's some-
thing I feel is a great way of
communicating."
After his basketball days con-
clude, Montross said he would like
to follow his father's footsteps and
study law in the hopes of someday
becoming a personal injury law yet.
However, unlike his love for basket-
ball, this is not a career he has al-
ways desired.
"As I grew up, I wanted to be a
foreman or a trashman," Montross
recalled. "I liked the big truck they
rode on. But then I Rot bigger than
three of our big players," Fisher said.
"I don't know who'll start on him
but Juwan, Chris and Eric Riley will,
all three take turns defending him."
At the same time, Fisher said he
knows Montross does not make the
entire Tar Heel squad, and an
overemphasis on containing Mon-
tross will likely result in a loss.
"We're going to have to stop
both a heavy inside and outside at-
tack," Fisher said. "They're not a
team where you say 'Stop Montross x
and you stop Carolina,' or 'Stop
Phelps and you stop Carolina.'
That's what makes them so good and
that's what makes our team so good..
If we defend well, and that covers a
multitude of things, and if we re-
bound, we will have an excellent
chance to have success."
Much like they look at most op-
ponents, the Wolverines regard
Montross and his teammates with
high praise, but they don't sell
themselves short.
"We are very confident of our in-
side plan," Webber said. "North
Carolina is a good team, but I feel
we've got the best backcourt in the
country and the best big men. Mon-
tross is a good player, but I feel I'm
a good player and Juwan is one of
the best big men in the country."
It has been three years since
Montross made his decision to snub
the Wolverines and it wouldn't be
too cynical to suggest that the sore-
snorts are still out there. not willing
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