By John
McManus
Thursday, February 21st, 2002
If you thought that Duke's loss to Maryland on Sunday might have opened up
a number one seed in the NCAA tournament, you are mistaken. It did quite
the opposite. What it did was all but lock up three of the four number one
seeds which, unless dinosaurs come out of extinction in the next three weeks,
will consist of Duke, Kansas, and Maryland.
With that said, we must not lose sight of the fact that things can change
quickly on the college hoops scene. Sunday morning, we were prepared to call
the 2002 NCAA Tournament the next coming of the "Duke Invitational." By 3:00
PM on the same day, we came to the realization that the Blue Devils will
have to share their elite status with two other teams.
Kansas has dominated the Big 12. Recent blowouts over Iowa State, Baylor,
Texas Tech, and Missouri have given the Jayhawks an aura of invincibility.
They look like the best team in the nation right now. Drew Gooden and Kirk
Hinrich have raised the levels of their games exponentially, much like Mike
Dunleavy has done for Duke.
The additions of freshmen Aaron Miles, Wayne Simien, and Keith Langford have
solidified this team in terms of quickness, size, and depth. And let's not
forget about unsung heroes like Jeff Boschee and Nick Collison. Boschee is
the only senior starter and can shoot the three just about as well as anyone.
Collison would have been the star big man on this team were it not for Gooden.
He and Gooden are part of a new breed of mobile inside players. And let's
not forget that Collison was the most highly heralded recruit in a class
that included Gooden and Hinrich.
Maryland is now on the inside track to win the ACC regular season title and
ruin Duke's chances at winning its sixth in a row. Last Sunday was the first
time Duke was embarrassed in years. Think about it. When was the last time
Duke was dominated in such a fashion? This group never was. You have to go
back to 1998 and the ACC Final when North Carolina, led by Antawn Jamison
and Vince Carter, handed the Blue Devils a 15-point defeat.
Maryland is probably the only team in the land that knows how to play Duke.
Steve Blake is probably the only point guard who knows how to contain Jason
Williams. I've seen a good number of Jason's games and recall him struggling
only against two guards, Blake and Kansas's Hinrich, who gave him fits in
the second round of the 2000 NCAA Tournament.
That game if you recall was one of the best of that tournament. Kansas, a
number eight seed, had Duke on the ropes and in danger of being the third
number one seed to fall that weekend. Late heroics by Williams and Carlos
Boozer bailed the Blue Devils out and they advanced to the Sweet 16.
Gary Williams had a brilliant game plan on Sunday. It was a blueprint for
stopping Duke. It didn't hurt that the Blue Devils were off their game, but
nonetheless, a lot of credit had to go to the Terps' defense. Another factor
was forward Chris Wilcox stepping it up. He and Lonny Baxter were just too
much inside for Boozer, who has yet to receive the help he needs from reserves
Matt Christensen, Nick Horvath, and Casey Sanders.
Duke's starting five is unquestionably the best in the land, but they seem
to be in the same situation as last year at this time after losing to Maryland
then. The few weaknesses stick out like a sore thumb compared to the many
strengths. Duke will regroup and that is not a good sign for upcoming opponents
Wake Forest and St. John's.
I am not sure how they'll get from point A (today) to point C (Selection
Sunday), but rest assured that Duke, Kansas, and Maryland will get number
one seeds. They are far and above the rest of the field.
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