USD Football 1993

TOUCHDOWN IUUSTRATED Basketball Preview

investment. Whatever we get we' ll take." What the Hoyas got was a run- ner-up finish in the Nationa l Invitation Tournament, a launching pad for this season. Georgetown could start col lecting divide nds quickly because of the presence of 6- 10 Othella Harrington, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the 62-61 loss to Minnesota in the NIT title game. In fact, the five starters from the NIT final return: Harrington, 6-6 Robert Churchwell, 6-10 Duane Spencer, 5-10 Joey Brown and 6-3 John Jacques. Five others who also played are back. With a lineup domi- nated by freshmen and sophomores last season, Georgetown was fee ling its way. The Hoyas wound up 20-13 and, like Minnesota, have gathered momentum for th is season. Harrington averaged 16.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, had 28 steals and 48 blocks in 33 games in his introduction to the world of major-coll ege basketball. Many believe that he will be the next great big man at Georgetown, in a line that runs from Patrick Ewing to Dikembe Mutombo to Alonzo Mourn ing. e nKentucky. G oing into his fo urth season on the Hill, coach Ralph Willard has overcome a pattern of losing his top two players each year while still being able to show impressive improve- ment. Th e numbers prove it. Inheriting players that fit his system like square pegs in round holes, his first team went 14-14, starting 4-10 and finishing 10-4. In 1992, the Hilltoppers were 21-11. Aschool that boasts a deep basketball tradition, they were 26-6 last season, winning 16 of their fina l 19, and advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1978. Solid recruiting and rel iance on his system has enabled Willard close the gap opened by the departure of players who exhausted their eligibility. As the players coming

into the program learn how he wants the game played, his depth increases because he's able to go to his bench more often. That's important in the Willard way, which emphasizes an up- tempo offense. He wants players who are interchangeable. They don't have to be 7-footers. He'll happi ly accept a co ll ection of thoroughbred 6-6 jumpers who have long arms, are quick as a blink and can scorch the Sun Belt Conference opposition by flying up and down the floor. Willard will prepare for this season without his backco urt of Mark Bel l an d Darnell Mee and the 34 points a game they took with them. They are two reasons why Western Kentucky is 57- 21 since the midpoint of Wi llard's first season at the school. He'll find his offense this season from among 6- 4 Darrin Horn, 6-7 Darius Hall, 6-6 Cypheus Bunton, 6-5 Chris Robinson, two incoming freshmen (6-6 Danyell Macklin and 6-6 Andre Lewis) and two junior college transfers (6-1 Jeff Rogers and 6-8 Steve Holley). Louisiana State. I f ever a team seemed ready-made for a three-guard lineup, it is the Tigers. LSU coach Dale Brown wel- comes 6-5 Ronnie Hende rson of Jackson, MS, and 6-4 Randy Livingston of New Orleans. They were the nation's top high school backlin- ers last season. Some would even tell you that Livingston was the country's top player. Henderson was not placed in that category by most recruiting gurus, but many others who saw Henderson play will say you'd be hard-pressed to move someone else ahead of him. In any event, each is good enough that it's doubtful that they' ll stay at LSU fo r fou r years. Joi ning Livingston and Henderson wi ll be 6-4 Jamie Brandon, 6-7 Clarence Ceasar, 6-10 Glover Jackson, a junior college transfer, and 6-6 Andre Owens. They'll be backed up by 6-6 Sean Gipson and 6-5 Doug

Annison. Brandon came out of high school in Chicago as a point guard, but decided last season that wasn't where he wan ted to play. Brandon and Brown settled their differences of opinion on the subject with Brandon going to fo rward at mid-season. He was happy the re, averaging 11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds and estab- lishing a school single-season record for three-point percentage at .509 (27 of 53). Brandon, Li vingsto n and Henderson will be interchangeable in LSU's lineup, but all three are guard types regardless of which has a for- ward label pinned on him. Ceasar, a junior, can also hit the three and last season turned in 74 steals. He has 164 in two seasons. Geert Hammink was the SEC's rebounding leader last season, but he's gone, which means Brown doesn't have a pure post player in the manner of Shaq or Hammink, a 7-footer. These are tigers of a differ- ent stripe, but if Jackson can board, LSU will run. Li vingsto n and Hend erson are already big-t ime passers. Brown, the preacher man, has a bunch of sleek athletes and many weapons. He'll have plenty to say about this team come November. Count on it. M assach usetts, Texas, UCLA, Arizona, Nebraska, Iowa State, New Orleans, Tulane, Virginia Commonwealth, Connecticut, New Mexico State, Ca l-San ta Barbara, Miami (FL), Santa Clara, Southern Cal, Missouri, Unive rsity of Pacific, Purdue, Arizona State. •• •

Dave Dorr has been a member of the sports staffat the St. Louis Post- Dispatch for 26 years. In 1991, he was inducted into the writers wing of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall ofFame in Springfield, MA.