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ACC Has A Monopoly On Destination Dallas
SEC Down To Two-Team Race
Starting the final leg of the 1986 college basketball regular season, let's take timeout to see how the campaign is shaping up for Destination Dallas. . .
Could ACC Have Three No. 1 Seeds In '86 Tourney?
Being good enough to be among the nation's top 10 college basketball elites is something special in itself. Obviously, it takes a special nucleus mixed with the right chemestry. It appears that in 1986 stability is the all important formula which is sprinkled throughout the
different hoop polls.
Unlike previous seasons where teams were 'leap-frogging' each other in the polls, this season, so far, has been predictable.
Nick Nicholas
Cats' Pause Columnist
The ACC has been one reason for this turn of events. North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Duke have unleashed an impressive 60-6 record (through Feb 5). Depending on the poll you prefer, these three ballclubs have been mainstays in the Top 10 ever since the tip-off of the 1985-86 season. Their future in the NCAA Tourney looks bright.
One thing that possibly could happen is that the Tar Heels, Yellow Jackets and Blue Demons may end up in different regions as No. 1 seeds in the '86 tournament. When the NCAA tournament selection committee picks the nation's top four teams, three of the four clubs may be representing the ACC. If you get right down to it, that's pretty hard to imagine.
Last season Georgetown (East) and St. John's (West) earned No. 1 berths on the way to the Final Four in Lexington. Though, three teams from the same conference could possibly get No. I spots. Count'em: ONE, TWO, THREE.
Talk about your basic monopoly in the NCAA 64-field party. That's like one person owning Boardwalk and Park Place with three hotels on each. And when the dice fall some teams invited to the NCAA tourney may pay severely.
Let's see, as of now we'll put North Carolina in the East Regional, Duke in the South, place Metro power Memphis State (20-1) in the Midwest and ship Bobby Cremins' club out West. However, it's doubtful that all three ACC clubs would be No. 1 seeds because at least two of the teams will wind up with losses after the completion of the ACC Tournament. And another reason it won't happen is that some other clubs will have a say in the matter.
For instance, three represenatives from the Big East (Syracuse, 17-2; St. John's, 20-3 and Georgetown, 17-3), two represenatives from the Big Eight (Kansas, 20-3 and Oklahoma, 20-1), Big Ten power Michigan (19-2) and UNLV (21-2) out of the Pacific Conference; are proven, legitmate contenders for the No. 1 seeds.
Number 11 through 20 have been consistent for most of season as well. Squads like Kentucky (18-3), Virginia Tech (184), Notre Dame (14-3) Bradley (22-1), Texas-El Paso (18-3) and Alabama (15-4) have run into few problems while on the road to posting outstanding slates.
"Most of the teams were picked to be good basketball teams," Eddie Sutton said when asked last week if he was surprised by any of the teams in the Top 20. "I think Alabama has been a big surprise. We thought Alabama would be good all the way. Up to this point they probably have been the biggest surprise in our league."
Sutton Happy For Another Team In Bluegrass State
The most pleasant surprise, however, to Kentucky's head coach is a team residing in Bowling Green, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.
At presstime Clem Haskin's crew was ranked 19th with a 17-3 mark and the surprise leader in the Sun Belt Conference.
"I'm very happy for Clem Haskins," said Sutton, "because they have a great basketball tradition. They certainly have been a surprise, I would think. I don't believe they were picked to win the league and it looks like they are in great position to maybe win the conference."
Stability, on the other hand, has been lacking in some camps. Whether because of injuries, academic difficulties, or other intriguing factors, some teams just haven't been able to play with consistency. Clubs like Louisville, Minnesota, LSU, Arkansas, Illinois and UCLA have had their share of problems in one aspect or another.
Five of the six schools previously mentioned were expected to be around or among the Top 25 this season. Though, for some reason or another, things have not gone well in Louisville, Baton Rouge, Fayetteville, Champaign and Los Angeles. (Though the Cardinals are ranked in the Top 20, their play has lacked consistency all season long).
For LSU and Minnesota this season has been made a difficult one, by some unforseen and sad predicaments.
Who could have predicted two Tiger players to miss a couple of games because of chicken pox, Tito Horford's departure, and Nikita Wilson forced off the squad due to academic problems? Who would have predicted the ugly incident which allegedly happened at Minnesota involving three UM players? The three players were charged with sexual assault. The incident led to the resignation of Gopher mentor Jim Dutcher. Now, Minnesota's lineup, under the guidance of a new leader (intrim coach Jimmy Williams) consists of only six players who were on the team at the beginning of the season and three recruits off the Gophers' Independence Bowl team.
Things like that would tend to turn any team's dream into a nightmare.
Scoping The Southeastern Conference Race
Closer to home, the SEC schedule is more than halfway complete. After last Wednesday night's contests it looks like Kentucky and Alabama will battle for the '86 regular season championship. With Alabama trailing by one game entering Saturday night (Feb. 8), the Crimson Tide will be eyeing their rematch with the Wildcats Thursday night in Tuscaloosa.
"I think it's a two-team race  Kentucky and Alabama," CM. Newton said after his Vander-bilt ballclub was defeated by Kentucky last week at Rupp Arena. "The game in Tuscaloosa will be a key, but there are going to be some others (key games). This is a league where anybody can beat you. It can just happen."
If past records count for anything, look for the two conference leaders to be involved in a much closer game than the one played in January. On their way to a 76-52 victory the Wildcats outscored Wimp Sanderson's team 47-30 in the second stanza. But at Alabama, with a healthy Buck Johnson back in the lineup after a four-games sabbatical, things should be different.
The record shows:
"After 11 conference games UA is 9-2. 16-4 overall, and riding a 19-game winning streak at home.
Basketball And Things According To Sonny
*Being that Alabama (in Tuscaloosa) was only one of two teams to defeat the '78 NCAA champs is reason enough why Kentucky may have trouble. Alabama is always ready to play when the 'Cats come to town. In the last 10 games UK has played UA at Memorial Coliseum, only three times have the Wildcats left Tuscaloosa with a victory. Prior to Thursday's one-two matchup, Kentucky has been the victim of three straight defeats on the road to the Crimson Tide.
The conference crown, meanwhile, won't be decided in one 40-minute span. Both Kentucky and Alabama have tough games remaining. If both teams start getting overconfident. . .they'd better look over their shoulders. You see, ovcrconfidence leads to complacency, and not too far behind are Auburn and Florida with six SEC victories in 10 outings.
Remember, as Newton, along with almost every other sports coach known to man, says, "Anybody can beat you."
The Last Words: Sonny Smith on the SEC  "I think the league is a little bit down right now because of injuries. Injuries have weakened the league. The league is not quite as strong as it was, but it's really balanced. Injuries have taken some players away from teams that could get upsets to get this league balanced 'up' again. Right now there are some arenas that Kentucky could go into and there's no way they're going to lose. That hasn't been the case in previous years. You'd make a trip to Mississippi and that was like going to Vietnam  you're going to get assassinated somewhere along the line."
Smith about playing on the road for long lengths of time  "You could take the Boston Celtics and play'em on the road all the time and still have trouble. I don't care how old they are they need to see momma and their girl every once in a while. You aren't going to play on the road and build confidence, I don't care how old you are. I've even lost some (confidence) and I'm older than dirt."