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Friday, April 13, 2001
The Word's Answer Man
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The Answer Man is back after taking a March hiatus during the tournament. Every Friday, Andy Katz will tackle some of the questions he receives each week.
In the 64-65 seed play-in game for the NCAA tourney, how is it determined who plays? For this past year, shouldn't a team like Georgia have played as opposed to an automatic bid receiving team like NW State or Winthrop?
No. The intention of the play-in game was for two of the lowest rated teams to earn their way into the field of 64. A number of coaches from the lower rated conferences would like to see a play-in game from the bubble teams. But the selection committee isn't about to do that. Expect to see more teams from the Big South, Southland, MEAC or SWAC in the play-in game for the next few years.
I understand that the WAC made a proposal for the University of Hawaii to retain their exemptions for tournament games but it was narrowly defeated, with 2 abstentions. Now we hear that they are planning to re-submit that proposal later this summer. What are the chances of getting that proposal passed? What is involved in lobbying to get some voters to reverse their postion or the get the abstainees to vote? I'd love to see the Rainbow Classic return to it's former glory.
Devon Thagard
Honolulu, Hawaii
WAC commissioner Karl Benson is confident the proposal will pass a second time around. The committee has another shot over the summer to petition for the proposal and then get it passed in October. The NCAA would be making a major mistake if it didn't give Hawaii an exemption. The Rainbow Warriors are the only Division I school that needs an exemption, otherwise they might not get teams to come over for a non-conference game.
Can Ricky Anderson be effective at the power forward position for Arizona next year? He doesn't seem to have the tough inside presence and rebounding ability that the Wildcats will need.
He won't be a traditional power forward. Anderson is a finesse player. Assistant coach Jim Rosborough thinks Anderson is like Shane Battier. It's a reach, especially defensively. But Anderson can cause matchup problems if he can step out and shoot, drawing defenders further out from the basket. The Wildcats' rebounding will likely be a sore spot all season long without Michael Wright, Loren Woods and Eugene Edgerson. The guards will have to rebound better next season.
What's the deal with Caron Butler? After UConn lost to Detroit, he said he was leaving, but didn't indicate if it was a transfer or an early entry to the draft. Do you know what his deal is?
Jonathan Springs
East Marion, N.Y.
Every indication is that Caron Butler will return next season. He made that first public statement after the win over South Carolina in the NIT, but has since rescinded. He is expected back at Connecticut. The Huskies need another outside threat to step up and compliment Butler.
What the heck is going on at Arizona? Four players go early from a program which only had three early defections in the past 17 years? Huh? It really looks like something more than the usual ($) is going on. Lute retirement? Especially since a few of those departures (especially Wright) do not seem to be guaranteed first-round picks.
Don't read into this too much. There isn't anything more than what you see. Lute Olson's son, Greg, told me that he wants his father to keep coaching and that's what Lute said at the Final Four, as well. Richard Jefferson, Gilbert Arenas and Michael Wright were going to declare once the Wildcats got to the Final Four. Jason Gardner will likely return. They don't care about whether or not they're guaranteed to be a first-round pick. They believe they are and that's all that matters to them.
Is the Las Vegas Shootout, with UNLV on ESPN, an exempt event?
No. The event is a doubleheader on ESPN in Las Vegas. That's it. No exemption, so this is safe from the new legislation.
What is the status of Penn State head coach Jerry Dunn, who is at the end of his 5-year contract?
Larry Peters
Ephrata, Pa.
Dunn is negotiating his new extension with the school. The process has been slower than expected, but it should be wrapped up within the next month. He will be the coach at Penn State next season.
What are the general opinions now on Daniel Gadzuric! When he was a freshman there was all the hype. That turned into reality when he got injured en seemed out of sync on offense. But after two NCAA games it seems that he's a monster inside! That ain't no fluke if you ask me, he's a legitimate big-time player. The only problem I see is that he's really foul prone. What's your opinion about his progression? And how good can he become?
Frans Reijnhout
Amersfoort, Netherlands
Gadzuric made the right choice by returning to school. Gadzuric isn't ready to leave. He needs to play consistently at a high level. He has the athleticism that the scouts love, but his moves in the post need to be refined. His range could improve as well as his ball skills. His potential is still high, but he is making the right choice based on the limited playing time of his former frontcourt mate Jerome Moiso. Moiso could have stayed at UCLA but instead chose to sit on the bench with the Celtics.
Do you think that Gregg Marshall from Winthrop is going to picked up by a major school this year? I went to Radford, and I was able to see him coach. I truly beleive he is going to be something special, but is he going to get his break?
Marshall is one of the most underrated coaches in the country. South Carolina didn't give him a sniff. Dave Odom is a good choice for the Gamecocks, but Marshall is a native to the state and, in the end, could become the head coach of South Carolina 10 years from now. He should get a shot at a higher level program than Winthrop. He keeps getting to the Big South title game and should be given more national recognition. He'll probably have to make one more move to get to the SEC or ACC, but he's on track.
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com. He answers questions on college basketball every Friday. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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