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By BRIAN LANDMAN
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 26, 2001
DUKE BLUE DEVILS
RECORD: 33-4.
COACH: Mike Krzyzewski (531-164, 21st season; 604-223 overall).
KEY PLAYER: Jason Williams. The sophomore guard, the East Region's most outstanding player, can shoot the three, beat a defender off the dribble and create open shots for teammates.
FINAL FOUR HISTORY: The Blue Devils are making their 13th appearance, their ninth since 1986, and are looking for a third championship (1991, 1992).
LOWDOWN: The Blue Devils feature the nation's deadliest three-point attack (391-for-1,003) behind Williams, fellow All-American Shane Battier, Mike Dunleavy, Nate James and Chris Duhon. A key will be the continued recovery of center Carlos Boozer, who was becoming a force inside before breaking a bone in his right foot against Maryland. The Blue Devils are 2-1 against Maryland this season, but the Terps could have won all three.
RECORD: 25-1.
COACH: Gary Williams (242-136, 12th season; 449-264 overall).
KEY PLAYER: Juan Dixon. The rail-thin guard (the Terrapins list him at 6 feet 3, 152 pounds) is a dazzling shooter and scorer. He also led the Atlantic Coast Conference in steals at nearly three a game.
FINAL FOUR HISTORY: This is the Terrapins' first trip. During Williams' tenure, the perennially talent-laden Terps never had advanced beyond the Sweet 16.
LOWDOWN: Maryland lost its confidence after seeing Duke erase a 10-point deficit in the final minute Jan. 27, then losing in overtime. It lost four of its next five, hitting a nadir in a home loss to Florida State. But instead of ripping his team, Williams tried a softer, kinder approach, and the Terps, who have perhaps the most quality depth in the Final Four, have won 10 of their past 11.
RECORD: 28-4.
COACH: Tom Izzo (148-52, sixth season).
KEY PLAYER: Charlie Bell. The senior, who plays both guard positions, can score (he had 21 in the South Region semifinal against Gonzaga), but he is an even more adept man-to-man defender. Last weekend, he neutralized Gonzaga's Dan Dichau and Temple's Lynn Greer.
FINAL FOUR HISTORY: The defending national champion Spartans are in the Final Four for a third straight season and fifth time overall. They also won the 1979 title behind Magic Johnson in the ballyhooed showdown against Indiana State and Larry Bird. In case you're wondering, Duke is the last team to repeat since John Wooden's UCLA teams won seven straight (1967-73).
LOWDOWN: The Spartans may lack both the star power of last season (Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson) and a consistent perimeter game, but they are a powerful, aggressive bunch. They outrebound their opponents by about 15 a game. Senior forward Andre Hutson has been outstanding the entire season. Electrifying sophomore forward Jason Richardson needs to regain his outside shooting touch, however.
RECORD: 27-7.
COACH: Lute Olson (449-134, 18th season; 641-226 overall).
KEY PLAYER: Loren Woods. The 7-1 senior center, a preseason favorite for player of the year, has been maddeningly mercurial. But he can dominate games and can put up a triple double in points, rebounds and blocks.
FINAL FOUR HISTORY: The Wildcats are making their fourth trip, all under Olson. In 1997, the Wildcats had to beat three No. 1 seeds, Kansas in the region semifinals, North Carolina in the national semifinal and Kentucky, in overtime, in the championship game.
LOWDOWN: The Wildcats, with all five starters preseason candidates for national player of the year honors, were the consensus No. 1 but had a chaotic, turbulent season. First, Woods was suspended by the NCAA for six games. Then Olson's wife died, and he left the team temporarily. But the Wildcats have won 10 straight and might have the nation's best lineup with Woods, forwards Michael Wright and Richard Jefferson and guards Gilbert Arenas and Jason Gardner.