THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, April 3, 1995 TAG: 9504030143
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB MOLINARO, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SEATTLE LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Both Arkansas and UCLA like to run and gun, but the Razorbacks and Bruins are different when it comes to the 3-point shot.
In their semifinal victory over North Carolina, Arkansas attempted 34 3s. While beating Oklahoma State, UCLA threw up only seven shots from behind the arc.
Like a lot of people, UCLA coach Jim Harrick thought North Carolina was a little hasty in hoisting up 3-pointers against Arkansas.
``I think North Carolina was settling for 3-point shots a lot,'' he said. ``We're not like that.''
NAME GAME: The full names of UCLA's O'Bannon brothers are Edward Charles O'Bannon, and Charles Edward O'Bannon.
Edward Charles O'Bannon, a 6-foot-8 senior forward, was selected college basketball player of the year Sunday by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, picking up his trophy on the Kingdome floor. He beat Shawn Respert of Michigan State, Joe Smith of Maryland, Jerry Stackhouse of North Carolina and Corliss Williamson of Arkansas.
WOODEN AND CLINTON: Former Bruin coach John Wooden, architect of 10 championships, intends to be at the Kingdome tonight to watch UCLA.
Somebody asked Harrick if he'd ask Wooden to speak to his team.
``Maybe,'' he said.
``I have said all along,'' Harrick added, ``that the biggest thrill at UCLA is having him come to our games. Certainly, it is easy to hide from the ghosts and tradition, but we want to embrace it.''
So far, Bill Clinton is sticking with his decision to pass up another Arkansas title game. The difference between Wooden and the president attending the game? For the Wizard of Westwood, officials won't need to run 38,000 people through metal detectors.
JACK JOINS UCLA PACK: Saturday, Bruin bandwagon jumper Jack Nicholson was asked by a tournament official to leave the media work room, to the disappointment of many members of the media who were enjoying their brush with Hollywood. As Jack got up to go, the official asked for his autograph. Nicholson, declining the request, said, ``Whaddya, kidding?'' Nicholson was joined at the Kingdome by actors Tom Hanks and Kevin Costner, neither of whom were seen in the media room
SEMIFINAL STATS: The Arkansas bench is outscoring opposing benches 138-47 in the tournament . . . North Carolina left its hotel at 6 a.m. Sunday for the flight home . . . The Tar Heels got what they wanted going into the semifinal with aggressive Arkansas - officials who call a tight game. Two of the three refs - Charles Range and Tom Harrington - have reputations as quick whistle blowers. Sure enough, the Tar Heels reached the free-throw line 24 times to Arkansas' nine. . . Numbing North Carolina statistic: Dante Calabria, who shot 52.4 percent for the season, made 10 percent of his field goal attempts against the Hogs.
WELL-PLANNED EVENT: Don't think the Final Four is well choreographed? Today, it was announced that the NCAA ``will allow 10 minutes for spontaneous celebration,'' before conducting the awards ceremony tonight. Is it possible to plan a spontaneous celebration?
BENCH PRESS: If you believe the conventional wisdom - never a good idea - you'd have to come to the conclusion that the darlings of the X-and-O fraternity (Eddie Sutton and Dean Smith) were beaten by a couple of guys who can't coach (Harrick and Nolan Richardson). MEMO: The Associated Press contributed to this report.
ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS photo
UCLA coach Jim Harrick, right, said he thought North Carolina was a
little hasty in hoisting up 3-pointers against Arkansas on Saturday.
At left is Nolan Richardson, coach of the Razorbacks.
by CNB