BUFFALO, N.Y. - Nearly four years to the day after his last NCAA Tournament game in Buffalo, Bob Knight was in no mood to reminisce.
"I don't have any interest in being here previously," Knight said Wednesday after leading his Texas Tech Red Raiders through practice for their first-round game against Charlotte.
And for good reason. It was his last game after 29 years at Indiana, and it certainly wasn't worth remembering. At a packed news conference a day before the tournament began, instead of focusing on beating Pepperdine, Knight had to defend his program and his methods after former Indiana player Neil Reed alleged he was choked by Knight during a practice.
Two days later 11th-seeded Pepperdine beat sixth-seeded Indiana 77-57 in the opening round of the 2000 NCAA East Region. It was Indiana's second straight tournament loss by at least 20 points.
Knight was hired by Texas Tech in March 2001, six months after he was fired by Indiana for what school president Myles Brand called his "pattern of unacceptable behavior."
In his first season at Tech, Knight took a group of players who didn't know one another well - six holdovers, four junior college transfers, two freshmen and a walk-on - and schooled them in his offense and defense. The Red Raiders went from 9-19 the previous season to 23-9, earning Tech's first NCAA bid since 1996.
In his tenure at Indiana, Knight led the Hoosiers to 24 tournament appearances, including 15 straight between 1986 and 2000, and won national championships in 1976, 1981 and 1987.
"(Our players would) be excited no matter who we were playing, but I think it is a little something extra to know you're going against one of the best coaches that's ever been," Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz said. Rib injury may sideline Duke's Duhon tonight
Senior guard Chris Duhon may miss tonight's game against Alabama State because of a rib injury.
Duhon insisted he could play, but coach Mike Krzyzewski said the senior's availability would be determined at game time.
Duhon was hurt Sunday diving for a ball in the ACC final, a 95-87 overtime loss to Maryland.
Even though the Blue Devils are favored by 34 against the Hornets, the coach said Duhon will play if he's healthy and won't be held out because of the perceived weakness of the opponent.
"I have respect for Alabama State," Krzyzewski said. "You don't want to enter the tournament half-stepping it."
If Duke wins, it plays the winner of a game between Seton Hall and Arizona. A Duke-Arizona game would be a rematch of the 2001 final.
DEPAUL: Guard LeVar Seals will miss the tournament opener today because of a punch he threw during the Conference USA championship game. Seals was ejected Saturday for punching Cincinnati's Tony Bobbitt in the groin. The junior said it was unintentional, but referees called it a fight. NCAA rules call for an automatic one-game suspension if a player is called for fighting.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE: Julius Hodge was selected ACC player of the year. Hodge, a 6-foot-6 swingman, received 52 of 93 votes from members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Duhon, who led Duke to the regular-season title, was second with 31 votes.
SAINT JOSEPH'S: Coach Phil Martelli is finished stewing about the loss and answering questions from the doubters. Finally, it's time to play. Saint Joseph's faces Liberty in the today's opening round and is ready to erase the painful memories of its 20-point collapse against Xavier. The top-seeded Hawks try to start another winning streak a week after their perfect record was ruined. "I really think we have a lot to prove," Martelli said. "But it has nothing to do with proving to somebody that has said something. It's now about us proving to ourselves that we can and will play good basketball." On Sunday, Martelli created a stir on national television when he angrily responded to CBS analyst Billy Packer, who said Saint Joseph's wasn't worthy of a No. 1 seed. Martelli refused to mention Packer by name Wednesday, saying, "Does he have something to do about basketball?"
STANFORD: Forward Justin Davis, day to day as he recovers from a partially torn left knee ligament, was expected to play today against Texas-San Antonio. Davis, averaging 6.5 rebounds, was hurt Jan. 29 against Oregon State. After returning for the Pac-10 tournament he was sore.
