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Another One Goes Down To The Wire
The Fabulous Four!
That could be the interpretation of this week's Mideast Regional as Kentucky joins Louisville, Illinois and Maryland to provide hoop fans with the toughest regional bracket in the NCAA today.
Maryland and Illinois may just be the hottest teams in the country today but you cannot count out the likes of home-standing Kentucky and Louis ville, two teams which have a lot to prove this weekend.
Of the four, only Louisville appears (on paper) to have crashed the party which is supposedly reserved for the elite of college basketball. But history reminds us that the Cardinals have a knack for performing great magic this time of the year.
Actually, Louisville is just where most experts figured they would be back last October - that is competing for the national title. Practically everyone labled the Cardinals a sure bet for a Top Ten finish, above both Maryland and Illinois.
After all, the Cardinals possess the nation's finest backcourt of guards in Milt Wagner and Lancaster Gordon, not to mention top reserve Jeff Hall who some believe would get all-star mention if he weren't playing behind his two teammates.
Add to that dimension the nation's most underrated center in Charles Jones, the nation's top prep star of the year (Billy Thompson who finished far
Sam Bowie
ahead of Kenny Walker in the 1982 sweepstakes) and the man (Denny Crum) some perceive as the nation's finest coach, and you'd have to agree that anything less than a real run at the crown would be a major disappointment for Cardinal fans.
The dream first crumbled back in November when Kentucky beat the Cardinals in Rupp Arena by a score of 65-44, but many experts reminded basketball fans it was early in the season  and  it  would  be   a totally
different story if the two clubs should meet again in March.
Less than a week after UK defeated Louisville,  the  Cardinals were am bushed again on the road at Purdue
Billy Thompson
before returning home and bombing what was to be a great Iowa team. Unfortunately, Iowa turned out to be a sad club. Still, UL followers insisted February and March would be kind to the Cards.
But Louisville wasn't through being embarrassed, the next time in Hawaii by some NAIA school which humiliated Ralph Sampson and Virginia a year ago. By then, UL was hit by injuries, including one to star forward Billy Thompson. Even with the injury, the Louisvilles of the world (like North Carolina, Kentucky and Georgetown) is not suppose to lose to NAIA schools. Such an upset at UK would be justification for a coaching change on the spot.
Nevertheless, the Cardinals did rally briefly in February, only to stumble again at the season's end in the Metro tourney. After a very disappointing, but victorious win over Morehead State, the Cards jumped all over highly regarded Tulsa and led by as many as 15 before almost blowing the game at the end.
Now, it's another showdown with Kentucky. Ironically, the shoes are reversed from a year ago. At that time, UK entered the game ranked No. 11 in the country. UL was ranked No. 2. Kentucky shocked the Cardinals by forcing them into overtime before losing by 12.
Had Kentucky correctly implemented a designed play near the end of regulation play, the Wildcats probably would have been in the Final Four instead of the Cards. It would have been one of UK's greatest tourney upsets.
They didn't and Louisville rolled to the Final Four along with Georgia, Houston, and N. C. State. Now, UK
would like to return the favor to Louisville. This time, UK will be the favorite, ranked No. 3 in the nation. Louisville, the underdog, is ranked nowhere near the top ten. But rankings mean nothing as was proven last season when N. C. State won the title.
The game will come down to execution, just like last year. Will Louisville's super guards destroy Dicky Beal, Jim Master, James Blackmon and Roger Harden? Will Charles Jones again come up with the big defensive play? Will Billy Thompson prove he's better than Kenny Walker?
Or will Kentucky's five seniors go out as did the McCray brothers did a year ago. Will the Cards be able to stop the inside game of Melvin Turpin, Sam Bowie and Kenny Walker? Will a healthy Dicky Beal and Jim Master cope with the backcourt pressure of UL.
And will Winston Bennett be able to return home this summer to Louisville?
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Louisville isn't the only Mideast entry licking its chops for another crack at the Wildcats. Lou Henson's Illinois club is itching for another shot at UK after losing a two-point decision on a last second shot by James Blackmon in Champaign on Christmas Eve.
Another reason why Illinois would give anything to meet the Cats again is because it would mean the Illini will have beaten a very good Maryland
Jim Master
team in the Mideast on Thursday night in the first game.
Maryland comes to town as one of, if not, the hottest collegiate teams in America. The Terps got rolling in the Atlantic Coast Conference tourney and defeated Duke in the title game, then exploded against West Virginia in the
Mideast first round at Birmingham last Saturday.
It will also be homecoming for Somerset's Mark Fothergill, a senior reserve on the Maryland club, Fothergill, although not a starter, has enjoyed his moments of glory at Maryland and can be expected to see plenty of action this week.
Mark Fothergill
For many Maryland officials, it will also give them an opportunity to have a reunion with UK football boss Jerry Claiborne and many of his staffers who coached so long at the ACC school before coming to UK two years ago.
Assistant athletics director Jack Zane, who does a great job promoting Maryland athletics, says he hopes to spend some time with his old buddies during his stay in Lexington. "They're a real fine bunch," said Zane during the Mideast tourney in Birmingham, "as I've said before, Jerry will get the Kentucky program on the right track." A post season bowl (Hall of Fame) in his second year made Zane look very good on his prediction of two years ago.
With the NCAA Final Four nearing, here's a guess at who the lucky teams will be in Seattle later this month.
From the East, it will be North Carolina. The final four clubs in that region is a joke with Dean Smith having to meet a baby-faced Indiana club, then toy with the winner of Syracuse and Virginia. Dean, ole buddy, you got some friends in high places!
In the Mideast, you have to like Kentucky's chances. With Louisville first on the agenda, there is no fear of UK looking ahead. If UK can get by UL in a close encounter, it would be the winner of Illinois and Maryland. This is a first-class toss-up job. There is no
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