Conference–Big Eight
Coach–Larry Brown
Comment–One of the best teams all year and a top pick to go to the Final Four in Dallas. The Jayhawks have superior size with 7-foot Greg Dreiling and 6-10 Danny Manning, an awesome forward. Guard Ron Kellogg and Manning pace a strong scoring machine. But what makes Brown`s team so good is the bench. The unsung heroes are led by Chris Piper.
Michigan (27-4)
Conference–Big 10
Coach–Bill Frieder
Comment–Injury slowed 6-11 Roy Tarpley early in the year. Brawny forwards Rich Rellford and Butch Wade lack finesse and high scoring averages. But sticky defender Gary Grant and versatile Antoine Joubert form an excellent guard line. The Big 10 champs have tournament experience, rebounding muscle and depth. If Tarpley catches fire, they could make the Final Four.
Notre Dame (23-5)
Conference–Independent
Coach–Richard ”Digger” Phelps
Comment–David Rivers may just use this year`s tournament as his personal showcase. The 6-foot sophomore guard, averaging 16 points and 5 assists a game, is the best to come along since Isiah Thomas and is capable of doing to any team what BYU`s Danny Ainge did to Notre Dame in the tournament a few years ago. Up front, Ken Barlow, averaging 15 points and 5 rebounds, and Donald Royal, at almost 11 points and 5 rebounds, can cause trouble when the opponent is trying to divert Rivers. Center Tim Kempton adds another 5 rebounds a game and gives the Irish a tough front line.
Georgetown (23-7)
Conference–Big East
Coach–John Thompson
Comment–Georgetown has missed Patrick Ewing, but not enough to remove the Hoyas from contention for the national title. Although they finished third in the regular season in the Big East, Georgetown remained a constant threat behind Reggie Williams, David Wingate and Michael Jackson. The Hoyas still play the tough, aggressive defense of the Ewing era and are every bit as mean. They`re a little slow at center with Ralph Dalton but continue to hold opponents to poor shooting percentages. And Williams has emerged as one of the top players in college basketball, leading Georgetown with averages of 17.6 points and 8.4 rebounds a game. Wingate was next in scoring at 16.1 and Dalton in rebounding at 7.3.
Michigan State (21-7)
Conference–Big 10
Coach–Jud Heathcote
Comment–Spartans have a ”doughnut” lineup (no center) and are led by a small, slow guard (Scott Skiles). Yet, they twice conquered Michigan and Illinois, and can knock off NCAA favorites, too, because of Skiles` scoring, passing and leadership. MSU also has one of the nation`s highest shooting averages. Guard Darryl Johnson can fill up the net, and 6-8 Larry Polec runs the court very well. Spartans may register another upset or two this season.
North Carolina State (18-12)
Conference–Atlantic Coast
Coach–Jim Valvano
Comment–The Wolfpack returned just one starter from last year`s team but played solidly all season behind 6-11 sophomore center Chris Washburn. Despite past personal problems, Washburn has pro scouts drooling. He averaged 17.3 points, fifth in the league, and 6.8 rebounds, also fifth. The team`s only returning starter, 6-5 guard Nate McMillan, was third in the league in assists with 7 a game.
Iowa State (20-10)
Conference–Big Eight
Coach–Johnny Orr
Comment–The Cyclones were the only team to beat Kansas in the Big Eight this season. They were undefeated at home but won only two of seven conference games on the road. They rely on the leadership of senior point guard Jeff Hornacek of La Grange.
Jacksonville (21-9)
Conference–Sun Belt
Coach–Bob Wenzel
Comment–The Dolphins came from fourth place to win the league`s postseason tournament. But they were no surprise with a 21-win season, in part motivated by the remarkable revovery of Wenzel from a cerebral aneurysm that forced surgery during the 1984-85 season. Two 6-5 players, Otis Smith and Ron Murphy, combined for more than 30 points. Smith, the most valuable player in the postseason tournament, also averaged 8 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots during the season.
Temple (24-5)
Conference–Atlantic 10
Coach–John Chaney
Comment–These Owls are wise . . . and well coached. Nate Blackwell and Ed Coe form a slick guard line, and Blackwell is his league`s best defensive player. Tim Perry, at 6-9, has been a shot-blocking intimidator, but he`s moving up in class. Owl front-liners aren`t very strong, but Chaney`s 14-year record (313-89) is.
Miami of Ohio (24-6)
Conference–Mid-American
Coach–Jerry Pierson
Comment–With a talent like Ron Harper to do it all for the Redskins, it`s no wonder that Pierson won the regular-season conference title and MAC coach-of-the-year award. Ohio`s offense works on the notion of motion until someone gets the ball to Harper. The 6-6 senior averaged 24.5 points and was the nation`s fifth-best rebounder (11.5). Eric Newsome, a 5-8 junior, can hit from outside or penetrate when defenses collapse on Harper.
Iowa (20-11)
Conference–Big 10
Coach–George Raveling
Comment–Lots of good role-players. Freshman Roy Marble can score and harass foes at the point of Iowa`s 1-2-2 trap. Chicago`s Andre Banks spreads his assists. Jeff Moe`s toughness helps (if he doesn`t overdo it). A Gerry Wright jam revs up the whole gang. Iowa has been a yo-yo team, however, going up and down all season. If the Hawkeyes are up, they can win a couple of NCAA games. If not, first round and out.
Washington (19-11)
Conference–Pac 10
Coach–Andy Russo
Comment–The Huskies are built around 7-foot junior Chris Welp, the Pac 10 player of the year. He scores at a 19.3 clip, adding 8.5 rebounds. New Trier East graduate Russo, a newcomer from Louisiana Tech, also got big numbers from Paul Fortier (15.0, 7.2). Washington will try to dump the ball inside all game, playing sticky zone defense. Shag Williams, at 6-3, has been strong defensively, and he also can rebound.
Texas Tech (17-13)
Conference–Southwest
Coach–Gerald Myers
Comment–After losing five senior starters from last year`s SWC champions, the Red Raiders fell to fifth this season. But senior guard Tony Benford and junior forward Dwayne Chism led them to their second straight conference tourney title. The Red Raiders are the lone qualifier from the SWC. Arkansas-Little Rock (22-10)
Conference–Trans America
Coach–Mike Newell
Comment–The Trojans breezed to the league title, their third in the league`s eight-year history. A small, quick team that likes to fast break, they are led by guard Myron Jackson, averaging 19 points, forward Pete Myers
(19 points, 7.5 rebounds) and 6-5 forward Michael Clarke, the team`s leading rebounder with 10 a game. Clarke also averages 11 points. The Trojans, with no starter taller than 6-7, also rank among the nation`s leaders in rebounding margin, outboarding opponents by 9 a game.
Akron (22-7)
Conference–Ohio Valley
Coach–Bob Huggins
Comment–The Zips have pulled players from everywhere except out of a hat. Led by Marcel Boyce, a junior-college transfer and OVC player of the year; 6-3 center Russell Holmes, a walk-on from the football team; and Doug Schutz, a Cleveland State transfer, the team shared the conference title with Middle Tennessee. The Zips rely on a deliberate, move-the-ball-around style.
North Carolina A&T (22-7)
Conference–Mid-Eastern Athletic
Coach–Don Corbett
Comment–The Aggies` fourth consecutive league title was engineered by 6-6 guard George Cale, who averaged 15 points and 5 rebounds, and sophomore forward Claude Williams (13 points, 8 rebounds). The Aggies, who also won the conference tourney, play a deliberate offense and tight defense, which ranked among the top five in the nation most of the season.
