Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 27, 1992 TAG: 9203270077
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: WILT BROWNING LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: LEXINGTON, KY. LENGTH: Medium
No one cared whether the shot was on target. His coach, Dean Smith, watched Davis' face. Davis did not grimace. He smiled.
The smile meant that Davis, who reinjured a tender left ankle in Saturday's second-round NCAA Tournament game against Alabama, probably will be ready to play tonight against Ohio State in the "Sweet 16."
"Unless he hurts it again at the other half of our workout," said Smith, who was about to take his Tar Heels to a secluded location to finish floor work away from the gaze of fans and media and other interested parties.
North Carolina, seeded fourth in the Southeast Regional, enters tonight's 8:10 game as a five-point underdog to the No. 1-seeded Buckeyes. Michigan faces Oklahoma State in the second game of the regional semifinals doubleheader, approximately 30 minutes after the first game.
"There's less pressure" as an underdog, Smith said. "But I'd love to be favored by 30 tomorrow. That's the best situation of all. But you don't get that much in the Sweet 16.
"Everybody picks Ohio State, and yet we have a chance. We really do."
Smith said he too had been eager to watch Davis go through his paces.
"He hasn't worked out since the Alabama game," Smith said. "He just took a few easy jump shots yesterday, and today I was really anxious to watch him defensively because there's where all the pressure will come on his ankle.
"I was pleased with the way the ankle felt and, unless something happens in our other half-hour workout, he'll be in there tomorrow night."
Davis and Ohio State's sensational junior, Jimmy Jackson, had off-days offensively in games last weekend at Cincinnati. Both are seen as key players tonight.
But Eric Montross' work inside against Chris Jent and Lawrence Funderburke, a transfer from Indiana who became eligible at the beginning of the winter semester, probably is going to be even more crucial.
Against either, Montross has a height advantage, but Ohio State's strong suit is its quickness.
"My concern is on rebounding," Ohio State coach Randy Ayers said Thursday. "Defense and rebounding.
"But hopefully, we can get the ball into [point guard] Mark Baker's hands and get him into the flow of the game and keep the game up-tempo.
"We're not as physical as we were last year, but we're more a perimeter-oriented team. And because we have five senior lettermen, we're mentally tougher."
Ohio State lost to St. John's, 91-74, in the round of 16 last year. North Carolina lost to Kansas 79-73 in the national semifinals.
by CNB