Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 2, 1994 TAG: 9404020099
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
So why is the Crimson Tide considered the underdog in the rematch today at noon in the NCAA national semifinals?
1. Since that first meeting, the Lady Techsters have gone 26-1, including impressive tournament victories over Tennessee and Southern California, the Mideast Region's No. 1 and 2 seeds, respectively.
2. Louisiana Tech has made an appearance in every women's NCAA Tournament since its inception in 1982 - including eight Final Fours - and owns two national titles. Alabama is making its fifth tournament and first Final Four showing.
3. Debra Williams and Pam Thomas. The guard duo has accounted for 38 points per game for the Techsters (30-3) in the tournament.
But don't tell that to 'Bama boosters.
"I think once you get to the Final Four there are no underdogs," said Alabama's Betsy Harris, a senior guard who has contributed 20.5 points per game in the tournament, 6.5 more than her season average.
"Look at the intensity with which each team is playing. . . . Every team is peaking now."
But even Alabama head coach Rick Moody noted there was a distinct difference between the Tech team he encountered in December and the one a sold-out Richmond Coliseum crowd will see today.
"Louisiana Tech has the same people and runs the same plays, but they are doing everything on such a higher level than before," Moody said. "When we played them the first time, their perimeter game was not anything close to what you see now. Therefore, you could pack the defense in tight, give them the outside shot and take their inside game away from them. . . . Now it's a lot more difficult to do that. They are playing so much more aggressively."
Tech, which historically has boasted strong post players, now relies on its outside game. Williams made 42 percent of her 3-point attempts (33-of-79) during the regular season and improved to 50 percent (11-of-22) in the tournament. She also has been shooting 50 percent from the field along with Thomas, Tech's point guard.
On the inside, the Techsters have Vicki Johnson, a forward who averages 14.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, and Racquel Spurlock, a 6-foot-4 center averaging 10.7 points and 5.8 boards.
"Our strength lies offensively in our guards," said Leon Barmore, Tech's coach. "I would always like a great post player, but as a coach, you have to take the players and adjust to them."
The Crimson Tide (26-6), winner of the Midwest Regional, also runs a guard-oriented offense and has been compared to the men's team at Kentucky.
"Our style is very up-tempo," Moody said. "We want to run the basketball on every single opportunity that we get - after made shots, after missed shots. . . . It's very, very close to Kentucky in many respects. One thing we're not doing that Kentucky's men's team does is that we have gotten away from the press. In my opinion, we have better athletes and can play people better in the half court."
Balance, Moody said, has been the key to Alabama's success. In addition to Harris, the Tide has speedy Niesa Johnson, a 5-9 junior, on the wing. Johnson, a first-team All-American and Naismith Award finalist this year, averages 15 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game.
On the inside, Alabama has 6-2 Yolanda Watkins (15.2 points, 9.5 rebounds) and 6-1 Consuela Daniels (7.0, 3.8).
by CNB