Recipe For NCAA Champ
Ingredients make the cook.
As all weekend chefs know: if a dish is good, it's because of the right ingredients.
And as all college coaches know: if a team is to do well in the NCAA tournament then they must have the right ingredients. (Coaches might not use the word ingredient, but the term is still adequate for the story.)
If a recipe. . .uh team, wants to win the coveted title, certain things must fall into place. And if a team has all the ingredients -- look out!
My culinary expertise may not range beyond the peanut-butter and jelly sandwich stage. And even though my basketball knowledge may not be of gourmet status, I will try to serve you the key ingredients in making an NCAA champion:
Nick Nicholas
CtiLV Pause Columnist
Team Concepts -- When in the tourney, more than anything players must realize they're playing for their college, college town, state, and their teammates. Everyone on the squad needs to work as a team -- no crying or pouting because they didn't score their regular season average on a given night. All individual statistics need to be forgotten and all ears should be tuned in to their coach's wise guidance. Not to say that a team shouldn't look for their star player to score 30 points a game, but everything must be geared toward a team effort.
Good Play From The Bench: When the brackets are completed for the NCAA tourney, it is considered, with some exceptions, 64 of the best teams in the nation were invited. Besides the obvious (Georgetown and Michigan, compared to Middle Tennessee and Marshall) most of the teams are at an even keel. But if one team's initial five doesn't get off to a good start, the door is then left wide open for the opponent to take advantage of the opportunity. So, a team that can go seven or eight deep will have a definite edge over less fortunate competition.
Ask Coach Joe B. Hall how important it is to have quality depth in NCAA play. If not for depth, Kentucky might not have won the '78 title.
In their first-round game against Florida State in Knoxville, the No. 1 team found itself behind at halftime 39-32. To start the second half Coach Hall started reserves La Von Williams, Freddie Cowan and Dwayne Casey, along with regulars Mike Phillips and Kyle Macy.
When the final second ticked off Stokely's scoreboard the Wildcats were winners, defeating the Seminoles 85-76, which enabled Kentucky to continue their championship quest.
The UK coach was able to apply some incentive to the three benched starters by putting in three strong replacements. Casey, Cowan and Williams were definitely contributors during the 'Cats' title drive, and they'll be remembered as such.
North Carolina, Indiana, Georgetown and others have always depended on the strong bench in the NCAA tournament. It's a nice asset to have. Coaches try not to leave home without it.
A Good Draw -- Playing sites and being paired against certain opponents are key factors. If a team can play close to home (or on it's home court for that matter) then this ingredient can be a positive ally.
Familiar surroundings, less travel time and large supportive crowds can be a big help. Even though the situation can backfire, schools have benefited like: LSU (won the Midwest Regionals in New Orleans in 1981), Alabama-Birmingham (defeated Ralph Sampson and Virginia in Birmingham in a 1982 Mideast Regional semi-final contest), Middle Tennessee (in 1982 shocked Kentucky in nearby Nashville during a Mideast game) and Kentucky (captured the Mideast Regionals by beating Illinois last year in friendly Rupp Arena).
Within the brackets lie many unexpected upsets. If a squad is lucky enough to play a team which is coming off an upset victory in the tourney, then that squad may hold the upper hand.
After an upset win, it's hard for a team to get fired up for another game within a limited number of days. It's not impossible for a team to pull off two, three, or four upsets, but with each game the odds of winning get less and less likely.
Edge on Scouting -- NCAA games are played on almost every night or day of the week. With this in mind, it's tough to get the inside word on the upcoming opponent. If coaches have the opportunity to scout a game concerning their next opponent, it's a very vital ;advantage, though all coaches usually have their assistants scout possible future opponents.
It helps if a team has already played their tourney opponent during the regular season. And if a coach knows some sort of tidbit about the opposing squad, believe me he'll use it to his advantage. When it comes tourney time smart college mentors leaves no stone unturned. To my knowledge, I can't think of a dumb coach winning the NCAA, can you?
Consistency -- Whatever it is: exceptional outside shooting, relying on tenacious defense or a patient offense, a team must be more consistent inthe tournament than in regular season action. If a team has to change its strategy in post-season play because of poor execution, the squad will be sent packing. Mass confusion erupts when a coach has to change his strategy during the regular campaign, not to mention the NCAA. The less confusion, the better.
Clutch Play Down The Stretch -- Close contests are inevitable in the NCAA. In the tourney every champion has almost always been involved in one close duel. Not being able to hold on to a lead or being outplayed during crucial moments is a definite no-no. Nothing else should be said. Like I mentioned before, it's inevitable.
Luck -- This may be the most key ingredient of all. Hitting the 50-footer, getting the close calls, receiving a lucky draw or anything else that has to do with magical wonders is a necessity for a successful NCAA tourney. You know the ole saying, "It's better to be lucky than good."
So comes the end of this recipe for the NCAA hopefuls. You can agree or disagree with these important ingredients. Anyway, I never said I was a cook.