European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 18, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 the stars and Stripe wednesday March 18,1992 College basketball last Chance for purple Knight Bridgeport s final team seeks division ii title by Bob Ehalt the Stamford advocate Bridgeport Conn. A its not a tale from the Fertile imagination of a gifted author. Its not a a Hooks Erst or a the  this is real life the Story of a College basketball team in the midst of its final season determined to win a Mcaa championship in its last game. This melodrama centers around the Farewell tour of the University of Bridgeport purple knights. Us is ranked no 6 nationally among Mcaa division ii teams and fresh off winning a third consecutive new England regional title last weekend and advancing to the division ii elite eight March 26-28 at the Springfield mass civic Center. A a in a just praying that we have destiny on our Side a said Bridgeport coach Bruce Webster. National runner up a year ago the purple knights had set a National title As their ultimate goal in the preseason. But that quest took on a different look feb. 21 when the University strangled by More than $20 million in debt announced it was dropping All of its athletic programs at the end of this semester. Players and coaches knew of the University a problems Long before the fateful february announcement. A year ago there was a bitter teacher s strike and salaries were Cut by roughly 33 percent. The situation was so dire that Webster was forced to spend his off Days working As a limousine Driver. When this season began Webster had to scramble to find Money for basketballs and uniforms. The University fell behind on its Mcaa dues. There were widespread fears the school would not re open for the second semester. Finally came last months jarring announcement that turned every us player into a senior. Quot we be been through a lot of Tough times in my four years Here a said All America Forward Lambert Shell ubis All time leading scorer. A but every time something has come up to distract us we be been Able to overcome it. Its made us much stronger As a  that strength will be severely tested later this month As the purple knights try to avenge last seasons 79-72 loss to North Alabama in the division ii National title game. A this can be a perfect dream come True ending a Shell said. A this is it for us. If we can win a National title in our last season playing on National television no less it would be something we could All cherish for the rest of our lives.�?�. Even rival coaches Are having a hard time steering Clear of the powerful emotion packed into ubis drive for a first a and last a National title. A you would have to be pretty cold hearted not to grab on to what Bridgeport is trying to do a Merrimack coach Bert Hammel said. A if they win it All they belong on the cover of  Webster also sees a rather poignant Story in the making. A this could go Down some Day As something people can look up to a said Webster the winning est Mcaa coach in new England history 476 wins in 27 seasons at us. _ a i can remember being with former North Carolina state coach Jimmy Valvano after he won the National title. He would go to a children a Hospital and everyone wanted to talk to him. He had done the impossible by winning that title and he had become an inspiration to those kids. I can see some similarities Between that and the situation we re  Duke s laettner unanimous on Apall America by Jim of Connell a basketball writer Christian laettner who led Duke to the National championship last year and Back atop the rankings this season was a unanimous Choice monday for the associated press All America team Shaquille of Neal was the Lone repeater from 1991 and four votes shy of being unanimous. Georgetown a Alonzo mourning and laettner were the Only seniors selected As of Neal was joined by fellow juniors Harold Miner of Southern Cal and Jimmy Jackson of Ohio state. The 6-foot-11 laettner a second team selection As a Junior and the map of last years final four was named to the first team on All 63 ballots by the same nationwide poll of writers and broadcasters which selects the weekly top 25. Laettner averaged 21,9 Points and 7.9 rebounds for the Blue devils the wire to wire no. 1 team this season As defending Mcaa champions. His game has been augmented of late by the 3-Pointer. He has made 47 of 82 attempts 57 percent. A i think i practice As hard or As Long As anyone on our team or anyone that in be come across in four years a laettner said. A i think that is a strength of  the 7-foot-2 of Neal averaged 23.6 Points was the nations second leading rebounded 14.1 and tied for the top spot in blocked shots with mourning 5.0. Of Neal a appearance As a Sophomore last season followed the consecutive years of tigers guard Chris Jackson As a first team selection. A this shows All Young people that hard work truly pays Orf a leu coach Dale Brown said. A Shaquille was Cut from his High school team As a freshman and was told he was too slow and his feet were too big. Now he repeats As first team All american. Hard work and perseverance do pay  Miner the guard who averaged 26.7 Points and almost As Many thrills per game was named on 52 first team votes and like of Neal was never voted below second team. A this Honor is consistent with his performance All year a Tro laettner Jans coach George Raveling said. A i certainly think he a played like one of the five Best players in the nation this  Jackson a 6-6 swing Man who was on the second team last season received 58 first team votes while mourning at 6-10 the latest of the Strong centers to emerge from Georgetown had 37. Jackson averaged 23 Points 6.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 45 percent from 3-Point Range. A this is a very deserving Honor As he was very consistent with his play a buckeyes coach Randy Ayers said. A the times we struggled he carried us  mourning averaged 21.5 Points and 11 rebounds and was the Only hoyas player above the Sophomore class. A the biggest indication of Alonzos season was what he did with six freshmen and six sophomores with him Quot Georgetown coach John Thompson said. Of Neal Miner a this greatness makes other players  Maryland guard Walt Williams led the second team and was joined in the backcourt by Missouri Santhony Peeler. The tron court was Byron Houston of Oklahoma state Don Mac can of Urcla and Adam Keefe of Stanford. Jackson Arkansas Todd Day a Forward and Lee Mayberry a guard highlighted the third team. They were joined by Duke guard Bobby Hurley and forwards Malik Sealy of St. Johns and Calbert Cheaney of Indiana. Day was a second team pick last season and Cheaney was on the third  completes wire to wire run As no. 1 by la he associated press Duke can now try to do what univ could t last year a run the season As no. 1 and defend its National championship. The Blue devils were ranked no. I in the preseason and stayed there through mondays 17th and final regular season voting. Last season univ was Able to do the same thing and like Duke this season was the defending Champion. In Lvi a Only problem was Duke which beat the Runnin rebels in the National semifinals. The last team to go no. 1 Start to finish and win the National championship was Indiana in 1976, the last team logo unbeaten. Duke is followed in the latest voting of a National panel of sports writers and Broad Casi Eis by the other three no. 1 seeds in the upcoming Mcaa tournament a Kansas Ohio state and Iscla. The Blue devils 28-2the top seed in the East received 64 of 65 first place votes and 1,624 Points to easily beat the Midwest Stop seed Kansas 26-4which had 1,543 Points Ohio state 23-5the top seed in the Southeast had 1,461 and was followed by Urcla 25-4the West a no. 1, which had 1,390. Both teams won the two major conferences which done to have postseason tournaments the big ten and Pac-10 on the final weekend of Competition. Indiana 23-6 dropped one spot to fifth and was followed by Kentucky 26-6 univ 26-2southern Cal 23-5arkansas 25-7 and Arizona 24-6. Univ is the Only member of the final poll not going to the Mcaa tournament. The Runnin rebels who received the other first place Vole Are ineligible for the postseason because of sanctions As part of the settlement of a 12-year Battle Between recently resigned coach Jerry Tarkanian and the Mcaa. Oklahoma state 26-7 started the second ten and was followed by Cincinnati Alabama Michigan state Michigan Missouri Massachusetts North Carolina Seton Hall and Florida state. The final five were Syracuse Georgetown Oklahoma Depaul and leu. Big East Champion Syracuse 21-9 returned to the poll at no. 21 after a one week absence