■ SPORTS EXTRA 8ASKF TBAl i
TALENT
Continued from Page 2B
because hi* and his team are in
a new situation doesn't neces
sarily make them an underdog
Tv* been here for four years
and this is a position that I have
only had the chance to do just
this one time." he said ”1 think
it is a new feeling about going to
the tournament and being one of
the top teams, hut 1 don't con
sider us a dark horse "
In his junior year, Williamson,
who is averaging 19.8 points per
game while shooting .588 from
the field, is trying to lead his
fifth-ranked Knzorhacks (27-5)
back to the top of the college
basketball ranks. And ac< ording
to Williamson, now is the ideal
time for his team to do just that
"We kind of dug ourselves
into a hole early in the year."
Williamson said, adding that he
understood where some of the
criticism of his team has come
from "When we didn't come
bat k and play w ith the same
intensity as we did last year, I
can understand whv some peo
ple mav have fallen off of the
bandwagon.
"Now I feel that we have come
back and are playing like we are
capable of playing We are start
ing to get progressively better
and better Hopefully by the
time we reach our peak this sea
son it will be tournament time
What better place to reach your
peak than in a tournament?"
Like O'Hannon, Williamson,
who was the MVP of last year's
Final Four, believes that the
pressure that his team has faced
this season has more pros than
cons.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
■ stact*
house
a ver aged
t9 3 points
P0f game
f<3« the
Meet* <**• -o
putting
Oowri just
cwet e»ght
fopoonds
i _ K9MK-... i ■ ' il
STACKHOUSE
tournament
MVP Stackhouso w snoot -»a
71 3 percent from tfH> in* tons
year and at) impmssive 61 per
coni !iom the t«eW
■ Was named ins yew’s Sports
illustrated flayer oi too roar
"We fell a lot of pressure this
voar as far as being the No 1
team coming back," he said
"Teams are giving us their best
shot, and now the tournament is
about to roll around, and there is
pressure on everyone We've felt
the pressure all year so we want
to set* how other teams do when
they have the same pressure on
them
After going to the f inal four
last season, Stoudnmirv believes
that hts Wildcats art* ready for the
tournament
"1 think that exponent e last
year will definitely help us."
Stuudumin* said “Going into this
year's tournament, we know what
to expect and we won't have that
burden of being knocked off in
the first round on our bar k any
more."
Much like Williamson, Stoud
amire believes that his team has
the experience to sit Ixtck and see
how other teams cope with the
tournament pressure
We ire going in as an expe
rieiw wl team and we know what
lo ax pec t and we know what it
lakes to jji»t there," Htoudamire
Mid
Stoudamire earned the co-Ptu •
10 player of the year after aver
aging 2 I point* and 7 a as-siits jw*r
game this season, good for the
P* • 10 lead m both categories lie
also notched an 8.10 free throw
pen entage. a 48 \ pen enlage
from beyond the an and an aver
age of I 7 three-point field goals
per game His numbers an* one of
the key fac tors in Arizona's 11
S Pat-JO rrn ord in what
Stoudamire c alls a very compel
itive conferenc e
"The Pa< 10 Conference has
just been ao competltivitgcmd I
think that is only going to help
us out when the team's hit the
tournament. " he said
Smith's 2 9 bloc ked shots per
game, coupled with his 20 9
point scoring average and S9 4
field goal pen entage. helped
10th ranked Marv land finish the
season with a 24-7 record
Whether or not he decides to go
pro next season. Smith said, that
ns ord could very easily translate
into a national championship
right now
”1 sense an urgency to w in a
national championship but I'm
not worried about that decision
right now." Smith said, dismiss
ing any questions about his pos
sible venture to the NBA next sea
son "We have talent here right
now to wm a national c hampi
onship, so that is on iny mind "
And. In* said, there is no turner
time to win the c hnmpionship
than right now
"Myself and the whole team
are ready to get this thing start
ad." he said
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