DATE: Tuesday, March 18, 1997               TAG: 9703180503

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER

DATELINE: CHARLOTTE                         LENGTH:   80 lines

NEWTON AND THE LAW OF GRAVITY WHEN YOU'RE IN COACH K'S DOGHOUSE, DOWN YOU SIT, EVEN IF YOU'RE 6-10.

Greg Newton disappeared quickly from a tomblike Duke dressing room Sunday after the Blue Devils were ejected from the the NCAA tournament.

While other players still in their warmups sat sobbing in the quiet room, ``Big Newt'' took a quick shower, dressed, and was gone.

In reality, though, the 6-foot-10 senior from Niagara Falls, Ontario, had been gone for quite awhile. Once the Blue Devils' leading rebounder and scorer, and the ``big guy'' the Devils needed to do well in the NCAA tournament, Newton did not play a second in Duke's second-round 98-97 loss to Providence.

He played only a couple of minutes in a close win over Murray State in the first round.

Newton, whose free-spirit personality made him a misfit in the button-down Duke program for four years, started the first 20 games this season. His only start in the final nine, though, was on Seniors Day in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Why Newton finished his career leading cheers on the bench remains somewhat of a mystery.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski says Newton never fulfilled his potential, and in the second half of the season he went with those who were playing better.

Newton says he worked hard and did his best.

``He (Newton) wasn't doing the job,'' says one observer close to the program. ``Besides that, he's loony.''

Off the court, Newton wore a ring in his navel. He wore one on his eyelid.

Then, in midseason, he shaved his head. Soon he was on the bench and, some say, in Krzyzewski's doghouse.

Krzyzewski dismissed that allegation by saying he had two dogs at home and no room for anyone else in his doghouse.

``Newton can just play better,'' Krzyzewski said.

Indeed, Newton had some outstanding game, such as his 13-rebound, 21-point performance against Florida State in December. But he never became the consistent force on the boards that Krzyzewski wanted.

Krzyzewski went with a lineup that did not have a starter over 6-8, and other teams had a problem matching up.

The Blue Devils won eight straight conference games despite being outrebounded while cruising to the regular-season championship. But it was only a matter of time before other teams adjusted, and the lack of rebounding eventually took its toll.

``We knew if they played four guards that we were going to make them pay for it on the boards,'' Providence forward Austin Choshere said. The Friars outrebounded Duke 43-24, and the Blue Devils had only seven offensive rebounds.

``We very, very much need an inside presence, but it wasn't there,'' guard Steve Wojciechowski said after Sunday's loss.

Newton, who was cheering for his teammates instead of sulking, kept looking for a call that never came his way.

``I wanted to play,'' he said. ``I felt like I might have been able to help.''

Krzyzewski used 6-10 sophomore Taymon Domzalski for a couple of minutes in the first half but didn't go to him or Newton even after starting center Roshown McLeod fouled out.

Afterward, Krzyzewski refused to second-guess his decision to stick with the smaller lineup to the bitter end.

``If anyone wants to think that's the reason we lost, I'll take the blame,'' he said. ``I'll take the blame even if they don't think that. I am not afraid to lose.''

As disappointing as the early out from the NCAA tournament was, the Blue Devils exceeded expectations by winning the ACC regular season, and the future is very bright.

``I think what we did this year laid the foundation for getting Duke back to the elite,'' said senior Jeff Capel, who went out playing the best basketball of his career.

Krzyzewski has his best recruiting class ever on the way - including 6-11 Chris Burgess, 6-8 Elton Brand and 6-8 Shane Battier.

They should provide the inside presence that was missing this season - if they can stay out of Krzyzewski's doghouse. ILLUSTRATION: SCOTT HOFFMAN/Landmark News Service

Duke's Greg Newton, right, was as invisible as his hair in the NCAA

tournament, playing only briefly against Murray State. ``I wanted

to play,'' he said. ``I felt like I might have been able to help.''

Instead, he led cheers.

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