European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 11, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Went Tony March it ,.1987 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary Bucks talk in Mcaa tourney plan is the richest basketball tournament in inca history $200.000 for first round loin More than $ i million Lor making the final four did t pit hat Way by playing 11 games in Sandbox Campus gym or by sending we draw teams into foreign Are Nas so on the Day that North Carolina lost the Allan tic coast conference tournament and Syracuse lost the big bail hoedown their penalties were at thievery lean Peculiar Carolina which could have been shipped out of male to Atlanta or Birmingham and the Southeast regional stayed in the ban and will open at Char Lolie about 150 Miles from Chapel Hill thai How Ever is a major Road trip compared to Syracuse which goes no Fanner than its own Campus opening in the Carrier dome. One wonders where they would have been Lent had they won their tournaments the selection committee kept seven teams de Paul Indiana Arizona Alabama Birmingham and Alabama Are the others in their backyards. The visiting lean Are interesting. Georgia Southern 20-10 and with an enrolment of 7,200, Drew Syracuse in Syracuse. The eagles Field Home holds 1,500, which is about one bleacher s Worth of fans at the 32,000-Seal Carrier dome. "1 think for a tournament of this importance that maybe this to Lutton should not develop coach Frank Iceni Laid. In our Case it really does t bother me. I can see some circumstance Laler in the tournament where Oil might be a very unfair advantage. There i no doubt it Wilt be an advantage for them. But our kids seem to thrive on thai son of thing. Right now i m Happy about where we re going and who we re two of the tournament s three .500 teams Fairfield is is and Penn 13-13 Drew Power Houriet in their Home territories. Fairfield Winner of the metro Atlantic Drew Indiana at Indianapolis. Which in t exactly Bloomington but might As Well be. Penn play North Carolina in North Carolina. Indiana is Indiana wherever you play them Fairfield coach Milch Buonaguro said they have the mystique is still , Buonaguro wonders whether it might not be legitimate for the Mcaa to consider a Rule prohibit ing teams from playing in their Home areas. Spread ing them out would make a belter tournament he said. Penn coach Tom Schneider faces his assignment bravely. If you remember the last Lime Penn went to the final four 1979we had to play North Caro Lina at Raleigh he said that Penn team finished al25-7, this one Wilt nol. The Tough thing is playing Carolina Schneider said. That s True no Mailer where we go. They Tike to keep lop seeds in their Home Region. It s obviously an advantage at the Gate. I might feel differently if the game was in Chapel Hill. This is still a Little bit Ofa Road trip for them. Providence 21-8, plays Alabama Birmingha Marid North Carolina at 24-5, plays Alabama Bolh at Birmingham. Texas Elpaso s Reward for a 24-6season was Arizona at Tucson. Louisiana tech 22-7, Drew Depaul at the horizon in Rosemont Iii. Obviously we would like to be Able to play them somewhere else tech coach Tommy Joe eagles said. But we have no control Over that. This Isa policy the Mcaa adopted to boost attendance. We knew it was going to happen to someone. It happened to eagles looks at the assignment positively see it at an Opportunity be said we re play ing Good against Tough people in difficult places we be shown no tendency to shy away from a Chal the selection committee knew thai. Thai s obviously Why they arranged the schedule that Way. Mcaa selectors bypass expected stacked deck for Nemesis Tarkanian by Robert Mac Las vegas. Nev. A sunday bore the trappings of one of those Day for Nevada Las vegas basketball coach Jerry plane carrying his team Home from another Pacific coast athletic association tournament championship scooted in just ahead of a menacing thunderstorm. He wormed his Way through an Airport welcoming crowd a mob scene replayed at every return of the no. I ranked re Bels Tarkanian garbed in red sweat pants and a univ shirt slumped in nearby chair boy i m tired he moaned. Jusi after toting two heavy bags to a near by car he headed West across this gaming and entertainment capital where Basket Ball has taken Center stage and the 33-1 rebels Are the lop ticket in pouring rain and ominous Clouds cast a perfect Selling for what Tarkanish though might be his Day of reckoning with the Mcaa. Sporting possibly Thebes team he s had in his 14 years Al Las vegas Tarkanian knew the whims of Anncar selection committee could Short circuit his dream of a trip to College basketball s coveted final four tournament in new Orleans this month. Would Thebes learns in the East end up in the West where College basketball is suffer ing from a Talent drought arriving at their upscale Home in finer Section of Las vegas there were More ominous signs. A House Sitter old Lois and Jerry tartanian thai someone had tried to break into their Home while they were at the pc a tournament. Was in going to be one of those Days with an hour remaining before a Tele Vised announcement of the pairings tar kanian headed for his exercise room spending the next 24 minutes on an exer Cise Bike trying to Lake his focus off Bas will play a key role in some selections tartarian predicted fore casting that Arizona would open play at Tucson they la make Louisville the 64th seed and tend them in Here to the West Tarkanian forecast Louisville the de fending Mcaa Champion did not make this year s tournament. To newsmen began setting up lights i Tarkanian s Den As the coach fidgeted with a Remote control device switching from one Channel to another in an obvious fit of nervousness after watching regional pairings for the East Southeast and Midwest Tarka Nian hunched Forward As the Board revealed Las vegas first opponent Idaho slate at Salt Lake City thursday. We re not in a bad bracket Tarka Nian said allowing a slight smile to tug Al his face. It s very fair. 1 think the Selec Tion committee did a great Job. I m Happy. I be got no complaints about our bracket Tarkanian was t As charitable about selection. Process that found several teams playing at Home in their opening rounds. Thai s sick he barked when it was announced Arizona would begin play in that Indiana Syra Cuse Depaul and Alabama Birmingha would be playing Al Home brought Simi Lar you believe that Tarkanian complained. Why would they put team at Home if you re competing for a National championship i Don i think an team should be Able to compete on their Home court especially in basketball. Idon t see us Ever getting a break like , my god took what Indiana s got to do Tarkanian bellowed noting the Hoosier pairings. Indiana Al Home. That s so unfair. They be got a great Shoal gelling in the final the rebels beat Idaho state 10 year Sago to make Illo the Fina four the last ohm photo Runnin rebels coach Jerry tarkinian Lime univ achieved state played old Dominion in the univ Holiday classic basketball tournament in december but the two teams did not meet Ai that rebels beat Idaho state they will play the Winner of the Kansas stale Georgia game. A Sute s real Good but 1 thin Georgia will be the favorite said Tarka Nian whose rebels have been ranked no. 1 for 12 weeks this season i m just Happy we re not playing Ari Zona in Tucson or Syracuse at Home or Depaul in Chicago. I just Hope we can win in soil Lake City and move on to admitted his rebels arc currently playing some of their Best basketball this season. The rebels were devastating in winning the pc a tournament this past week taking inc three games by margins of 35. 34 and 23points. The coach hedged sunday when asked if the Runnin rebels were not enough to make in to new Orleans later this always takes a lot of Luck tar kanian said. Only one team has the raw Talent to make it there on latent alone and that s North Carolina. They re so talented it s univ named Champ in up final voting new York up Nevada us vegas was named United press inter National s College basketball National Champion for the first time Ever in Vot ing monday by up s Board of coaches. The Rennirt rebels 33-1. Received 39 no. I votes and 626 Points to Cap Ture the top spot for the sixth consecutive week and 12th time this season. Indiana moving up two notches to Sec Ond received two first place votes and548 Points the Lone blemish on univ s record came on the Road at Norman okla., when the rebels dropped an 89-88 Deci Sion to the sooner m a nationally Tele Vised game. North Carolina the Only other team to hold he no. 1 position in the regu Lar season slipped one position to no. 3 after being upset by North Carolinas tale 68-67 in the championship game of the Atlantic coast conference tournament. The tar heels were followed by Georgetown the big East Champ which surfed three spots Depaul Purdue which tumbled three positions after los ing to Michigan 104-68 in its season finale Iowa Temple Alabama and Syra Cuse. The second ten was headed by Illi Nois followed by Pittsburgh. Urcla which jumped three spots after win Ning the inaugural Pacific-10 tournament Missouri the big eight Champi on making its first appearance of the season in the top 20 Clemson Texa Christian Wyoming which returned to the top 20 for the third time this season notre Dame and new Orleans Oklahoma and Texas Elpaso in a three Way tie for 19th. Some schools arc always no. I but this is All new to us said univ coach Jerry Tarkanian who look the rebels tothe final four in 1977. The Community has been excited about it and there has been an unbelievable following this year
