Double dribble: Men
Compiled from staff and wire reportsPublished February 18, 2006
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARDS
Louisiana Tech's Paul Millsap isn't the tallest or the largest guy on the blocks, not that inches or pounds seem to matter when a ball caroms off the rim.
"You've got to outwork everybody else on the court," he said. "I just don't ever give up on a play."
The 6-foot-8, 243-pound junior forward leads the nation in rebounding with an average of 13.2. If he finishes atop the standings, he will have accomplished the unprecedented:
Leading Division I for three straight seasons.
"His rebounding is really something to behold," said coach Keith Richard, whose Bulldogs visit Southern Illinois today (6 p.m., ESPN2) as part of the made-for-TV matchups of top midmajor conference teams looking to enhance their postseason resumes known as the "BracketBuster."
"It's something I doubt very seriously that I'll ever see again in my lifetime; a young man who has this knack, this instinct, to go rebound the basketball."
Utah State coach Stew Morrill said he has tried to pack his guys around Millsap with little effect.
"If you've got hands on the ball and he's got hands on the ball, he's going to end up with it," Morrill said. Millsap set a school record Wednesday with 28 boards against San Jose State.
Millsap ended up in Ruston, La., because of what he said was a "grade situation," and the handful of major programs that were interested in him "gave up on me at the end."
Their bad.
"It would be great," Millsap said of the possible history-making third title. "It helps build my confidence up and it would mean that I gave it all I had on the court for my team."
EDDIE, COME BACKOklahoma State's Eddie Sutton won't be back this season, but his peers hope that his medical leave (back pain and recurring problems with alcohol) isn't permanent and that he has at least a 37th season of coaching left in him.
"I've never coached against a better coach than Eddie Sutton," Oklahoma's Kelvin Sampson said. "And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. . . . I've enjoyed learning from him. He's made me a better coach."
To him and others, that will be Sutton's legacy, no matter when he does retire.
Not his 794 wins, fifth in Division I history.
Not his Final Four appearances with two different schools (Arkansas and Oklahoma State).
"I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for Coach Sutton," said Colorado assistant Paul Graham, who worked for Sutton for eight years before becoming coach at Washington State. "He's just a wonderful person. He cares about his players. He cares about his coaches. When I was at Washington State, I struggled up there, but Coach would always call me on the phone and encourage me."
JOB REQUIREMENTIndiana coach Mike Davis is on the way out and has generously offered a bit of advice to any potential candidates looking to succeed him:
"I just think Indiana needs to have one of its own," he said. "They need to have someone who played here so they can embrace him."
Hmm. If he's right, Iowa coach Steve Alford, a star on the 1987 IU championship team, or Bowling Green coach Dan Dakich, a former defensive star at IU who was an assistant there under Bob Knight, or even Isiah Thomas (if he leaves the Knicks) might have the inside track.
FASHION STATEMENTFlorida junior forward Chris Richard is excited about today's game at Arkansas.
It's a big game, to be sure, but the Gators unveil their orange throwback uniforms. Each SEC school will wear its own specially designed uniform this week (as well as during the SEC Tournament). The Gators' creation is based on the era from the mid 1960s to early 1970s.
"Everybody is psyched about getting in them; everybody wants to play them," Richard said.
"I like them," echoed junior guard Lee Humphrey, adding he's relieved the vintage short shorts aren't part of the throwbacks. "They have the look, but not the length. I would wear them if that's the only way I could play, but I'm sure none of us wants to wear those."
Compiled by Brian Landman. Times staff writer Antonya English contributed to this report.