Miami Making History, Tulsa Making Strides
March 23, 2000
By Jim Vertuno
Asssociated Press
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AUSTIN, Texas – Tulsa’s march back to the final 16 started with a lossin the 1999 NCAA tournament.
“We had a nice team,” coach Bill Self said. “I thought we had the piecesto at least make Duke sweat.”
Hardly.
Duke won 97-56 and showed just how far the Golden Hurricane had to go toreach the elite level. A victory over sixth-seeded Miami (23-10) Friday nightin the South Regional would be further proof that seventh-seeded Tulsa (31-4)has made it.
Tulsa used the 41-point second-round loss to Duke as motivation to return tothe tournament and make the round of 16 for the third time since 1994.
“Duke showed us everything a good team had to be,” Tulsa forward EricColey said.
Since then, the Golden Hurricane has lost to only two teams – to OralRoberts once and Fresno State three times – with the four losses by a total ofseven points.
And their victories are seldom close. Twenty-five times this season, Tulsabeat opponents by double-figure margins on the way to winning the WesternAthletic Conference regular season title.
“It’s been a dream season so far,” Self said. “We’re confident, but I’msure everyone still playing at this time is confident.”
For Miami, each postseason victory makes history at a school with littlebasketball tradition.
The ‘Canes are in only their fourth NCAA tournament and their first regionalsemifinal.
Friday’s game is another step in a long, sometimes difficult, 10-year marchto basketball respectability under coach Leonard Hamilton. Miami won its firstshare of the Big East title, and a win over Tulsa would set a school record forseason victories.
“I never thought we would not get to this point in the program, because ofthe will, desire and determination,” Hamilton said.
“Obviously, by us making the Sweet 16, it’s a history making event for theUniversity of Miami,” ‘Canes center Mario Bland said. “We don’t have all theNCAA tournament banners that other schools have that are in our currentposition. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. If we start thinking aboutwhat we’ve done, we can lose our focus of the game tomorrow.”
Both teams see themselves in each other. Defense comes first under thedisciplinarian Hamilton and Self, who once was Hamilton’s assistant at OklahomaState.
“Miami plays exactly like we do,” Tulsa guard Marcus Hill said. “We bothlike to shoot the quick shot and play good defense. I think it will be one ofthe best games in the tournament because we are so much alike.”
Offensively, Miami relies on the finesse of 6-foot-5 guard Johnny Hemsley,who averaged 18.2 points per game in the regular season and 22 in two NCAAtournament victories over Arkansas and Ohio State. Four Miami starters areaveraging in double figures in the tournament.
Tulsa had four players average at least 10 points or more during the regularseason but its biggest offensive weapon starts the game on the bench. Sixth-manDavid Shelton leads the Golden Hurricane with a 14-point scoring averagedespite playing only 22 minutes a game, sixth-best on the team.
Even with its recent success, Tulsa is rarely considered among the nation’selite. Tulsa was the first team in the nation to reach both 20 and 25 victoriesthis season but couldn’t earn higher than a No. 7 seed.
Self and his players believe that will change. Schools like Tulsa and Miami,even without strong national traditions, put plenty of talent on the floor,Self said.
“Players are filtering down, and now there’s not a nickel’s worth ofdifference between players in the WAC and in the ACC,” he said. “I thinkthere is so much parity that on any given night any team can win and I don’tthink that existed 10 years ago.”
