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© St. Petersburg Times, published March 2, 2002
For the first time since 1990, the Pac-10 won't be mentioned in the same sentence as the Ivy League.
If this were a matter of academic reputation, that would be bad. It's not. Instead, the Pac-10 has resurrected a postseason conference tournament, leaving the Ivy as the lone league without one.
"There was a feeling that we were missing out on something," Stanford coach Mike Montgomery said.
The league had a postseason tournament from 1987-90 but dropped it. Beginning Thursday, with the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament at stake, the top eight teams will converge on Los Angeles for an un-Ivy like event.
Not everyone, however, is thrilled.
Arizona's Lute Olson, whose Wildcats won the last three Pac-10 tournaments, said it makes little sense for the teams to have played 18 times then continue to beat each other up. Not only could that affect NCAA seeding, but more games can only tire teams as they enter the NCAA Tournament.
"Some people say that you need a tournament to get ready for a tournament, which I think is a lot of bunk," Olson said.
In the past eight years without a conference tournament, Pac-10 teams have won two national titles (UCLA in 1995 and Arizona in 1997) and three reached the Final Four (Arizona in 1994, Stanford in 1998 and Arizona in 2001).
Olson's biggest objection involves academics.
"I detest having our players miss three days of school at a very critical time when we're dealing with midterms," he said. "But from a fan's standpoint, it's going to be great."
AUTHOR, AUTHOR: Folks who peruse the New York Times bestsellers list might not realize it, but Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan is an accomplished writer.
While the coach at Wisconsin-Platteville (1984-99), he received so many calls from high school coaches in the state to explain his philosophies he penned three booklets. The Swing Offense, a Structured, Motion Attack, Applying and Attacking Pressure and Passing and Catching: A Lost Art.
The Badgers are 18-11 and atop the Big Ten at 11-5. Maybe sales will be going up.
SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE: Even in the season most of its streaks ended, North Carolina extended one of its precious runs -- its home domination of Clemson. The Tar Heels are 48-0 against the visiting Tigers.
ONE FOR THE BOOKS: Top-ranked Kansas can become the first team in the six-year history of the Big 12 to go undefeated in league play if it beats Missouri on Sunday.
It also would be the Jayhawks' first unbeaten conference season since 1970-71, when they reached the Final Four and lost to eventual champ UCLA 68-60.
But don't expect the Tigers to cooperate. Since 1988-89, they have beaten a Top 10-ranked Kansas team nine times. Three times, Kansas was No.1.
END OF AN ERA: No.2 Maryland plays its final game in Cole Field House on Sunday against Virginia. The Terrapins will move from the 14,500-seat building with plenty of tradition (two Final Fours, the first nationally televised women's game) and none of the amenities of a 21st century arena into the 17,100-seat Comcast Center.
Said Maryland alumnus and coach Gary Williams: "It's always different when you change. The intimate feeling you get in the old places isn't there in most new places, and it's up to us to create as close as we can the same atmosphere you get in Cole Field House."
-- Brian Landman covers men's college basketball. He can be reached at landman@sptimes.com or at (813) 226-3347.