1994 Eastern Regional teams looking forward to Charlotte

1. North Carolina1. North CarolinaRecord: 27-61. North CarolinaRecord: 27-6Automatic bid as Atlantic Coast Conference champion F: Rasheed Wallace, 6-10, Fr. F: Brian Reese, 6-6, Sr. C: Eric Montross, 7-0, Sr. G: Derrick Phelps, 6-4, Sr. G: Donald Williams, 6-3, Jr. Key statistics: The defending national champion boasts a shooting percentage greater than 50 percent, among other strengths. Williams, the MVP of last year's NCAA Tournament, leads the team in scoring at 15 ppg, and Montross is second at 13.6. Philadelphia-native Wallace has made an immediate impact, scoring 9.1 ppg and pulling down six rpg. Phelps dishes out more than five assists while scoring more than nine. North Carolina owns the longest current streak of consecutive tournament appearances -- this will be the Tar Heels' 20 straight waltz in the Big Dance. UNC has had 24 consecutive 20-win seasons. Season highlights: Swept Duke in the season series, including a thrilling 87-77 victory at Cameron to end the regular season. After surviving a scare in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament against Wake Forest, the Tar Heels won the tournament with a 73-66 victory over Virginia. 2. Connecticut Record: 27-4 At large selection from the Big East Conference Probable Starters: F: Donyell Marshall, 6-9, Jr. F: Donny Marshall, 6-6, Jr. F: Eric Hayward, 6-7, So. G: Doron Sheffer, 6-5, Fr. G: Kevin Ollie, 6-3, Jr. Key statistics: The Huskies are led by all-everything and player of the year candidate Donyell Marshall who paces their up-tempo offense. Marshall is the 10th-leading scorer in the nation at 25.5 ppg. He also ranks eighth in the country in blocked shots with 3.4. UConn finished second in Division I with a 50.5 field goal percentage and a 17.8 scoring margin of victory. Sheffer, a veteran of the Israeli national team, was the league's rookie of the year. The two glaring weaknesses are the Huskies' lack of size in the middle and their 15.4 turnovers per game. Season highlights: UConn won its first-ever Big East regular-season championship this year. The Huskies reached as high as second in the AP poll. Connecticut was bounced from the Big East tournament by Providence, the eventual tournament champion. The Huskies' three regular-season losses came at the hands of Ohio U., Syracuse and Villanova. 3. Florida Record: 25-7 At-large selection from the Southeastern Conference Probable Starters: F: Andrew DeClercq, 6-10, Jr. F: Brian Thompson, 6-6, So. C: Dametri Hill, 6-7, So. G: Dan Cross, 6-3, Jr. G: Craig Brown, 6-3, Sr. Key statistics: The Gators, despite their lack of size up front, outrebounded 23 of their 29 regular-season opponents. Cross finished seventh in the nation from downtown, connecting at a 48.5 percent clip from behind the three-point arc. The defense held opponents to less than 70 points and 41 percent from the floor. Florida was 10-1 in games in which it scored 80 points or more. After starting the season 19-3, the Gators have compiled a 6-4 record since. Season highlights: The Gators tied for first in the Eastern division of the Southeastern Conference during the regular season and bowed to Kentucky in the finals of the SEC tournament. They had defeated the Wildcats earlier in the year. One of the most improved teams in the land, Florida is making its first appearance in the Big Dance since 1989. 4. Temple Record: 22-7 At-large selection from the Atlantic 10 Conference Probable Starters: F: Eddie Jones, 6-6, Sr. F: Derrick Battie, 6-9, So. C: William Cunningham, 6-11, So. G: Rick Brunson, 6-3, Jr. G: Aaron McKie, 6-5, Sr. Key statistics: The combination of McKie, Jones and Brunson averaged more than 50 points per game during the regular season. Brunson, a steady playmaker, dished out 4.8 assists while scoring 13.1 ppg. McKie, an explosive shooting guard, pulled down 7.2 rpg while scoring 18.2 ppg. Jones, a flashy but sometimes inconsistent small forward who was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, scored more than 19 ppg. The Owls made the Elite Eight last season. Season highlights: Second in the Atlantic 10 behind UMass. Beat Kansas 73-59 at Allen Fieldhouse earlier this season. Performed well despite playing oppressive schedule. Three of Temple's seven losses came at hands of Minutemen. The Owls won the Big 5 title, defeating Villanova, La Salle, St. Joseph's and Penn. 5. Indiana Record: 19-8 At-large selection from Big Ten Conference Probable Starters: F: Byron Evans, 6-8, So. F: Alan Henderson, 6-9, Jr. G: Damon Bailey, 6-3, Sr. G: Todd Leary, 6-3, Sr. G: Pat Graham, 6-5, Sr. Key statistics: Bailey, recruited since junior high by coach Bob Knight, has one last run at a title. He averages 21 ppg and is the emotional leader of the Hoosiers. Henderson, injured for last year's tournament, is back and on a tear, scoring more than 16 ppg and grabbing 10 boards. Evans averaged 12 points despite being hampered all season with a shoulder injury. Graham also scored 12 ppg. This is Knight's worst defensive team as measured by points allowed in his tenure at Indiana. Knight has compiled a 554-179 mark in 23 years as a coach. Season Highlights: Indiana lost by a whopping 50 points at Minnesota. Despite struggling, the Hoosiers finished third in the Big Ten. 6. Nebraska Record: 20-9 Automatic bid as Big Eight tournament champion Probable Starters: F: Bruce Chubick, 6-8, Sr. F: Terrance Badgett, 6-6, So. G: Eric Piatkowski, 6-7, Sr. G: Jaron Boone, 6-7, So. G: Jamar Johnson, 6-0, Sr. Key statistics: Piatkowski received all-Big Eight honors for the second consecutive season and was selected the MVP of the Big Eight tournament. The captain shoots 50 percent from the field and averages 21 points and six rebounds per contest. The Cornhuskers, paced by excellent outside shooting, score nearly 87 ppg. Season highlights: The Cornhuskers are on a roll, having won their first Big Eight tournament in school history by defeating rival Oklahoma, No. 3 Missouri and No. 23 Oklahoma State. They also knocked off top-ranked Kansas during the regular season. 7. Alabama-Birmingham Record: 22-7 At-large selection from the Great Midwest Conference Probable Starters: F: Robert Shannon, 6-8, Sr. F: Reginald Allen, 6-6, Sr. C: Clarence Thrash, 6-8, Sr. G: Corey Jackson, 6-2, Jr. G: Carter Long, 6-4, Sr. Key statistics: UAB is very dangerous from the outside, connecting on more than 38 percent of its trifectas. A dominant man-to-man defense is the Blazers' real strength, holding opponents to 38.1 percent from the floor. In 15 contests, UAB gave up 60 points or less despite a lack of height and rebounding. Coach Gene Bartow, with 617 career wins, is one of the best in the business with time to prepare, especially with an experienced bunch like this. Season highlights: The Blazers tied for second in the Great Midwest during the regular season, which included a win over Cincinnati. 8. Washington State Record: 20-10 At-large selection from the Pacific 10 Conference Probable Starters: F: Mark Hendrickson, 6-9, So. F: Isaac Fontaine, 6-4, Fr. C: Fred Ferguson, 6-9, Sr. G: Tony Harris, 6-3, Sr. G: Eddie Hill, 6-2, Sr. Key statistics: Harris shot 40 percent from long distance on his way to averaging 13.2 points. Hendrickson and Ferguson are a formidable presence in the frontcourt, averaging 10 points and seven rebounds apiece. Hill scored 12 per game. A very well balanced team, offensively. Season highlights: Beat Cal in the last game of the year and enter the tournament on a roll. This is the Cougars' first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1983. 9. Boston College Record: 20-10 At-large selection from the Big East Conference Probable Starters: F: Danya Abrams, 6-7, Fr. C: Bill Curley, 6-9, Sr. G: Malcolm Huckaby, 6-4, Sr. G: Howard Eisley, 6-3, Sr. G: Gerrod Abram, 6-1, Sr. Key statistics: Curley is the strength of this team, averaging 20 points and nine rebounds. He gets support from Eisley (16.2 ppg), who hit half of his three-point attempts. Huckaby and Abrams also score in double-digits. Season highlights: Swept Syracuse in the regular season, but fell to Georgetown in the first round of the Big East tournament. BC goes to the Dance for the first time since 1985. 10. George Washington Record: 17-11 At-large selection from the Atlantic 10 Conference Probable Starters: F: Marcus Ford, 6-7, Sr. F: Nimbo Hammons, 6-5, Jr. C: Yinka Dare, 7-1, So. G: Alvin Pearsall, 5-11, Sr. G: Kwame Evans, 6-6, So. Key statistics: Monster sophomore Yinka Dare is the focal point of this team. Dare, from Nigeria, scored 16 points and snagged nine rpg, in addition to being a solid defensive player. He has a tendency to be inconsistent, however. Hammons (15.0 ppg) and Evans (12.8 ppg) provide offensive support. Coach Mike Jarvis has built a winner out of GW and has compiled a 73-44 record. Season highlights: Won seven out of eight heading into the Atlantic 10 tournament, where the Colonials were a second-round loser to Temple. 11. Pennsylvania Record: 24-2 Automatic bid as Ivy champion Probable Starters: F: Barry Pierce, 6-3, Sr. F: Shawn Trice, 6-6, So. C: Eric Moore, 6-7, Sr. G: Matt Maloney, 6-4, So. G: Jerome Allen, 6-0, Sr. Key statistics: The Quakers, coming in with the nation's best record, are averaging 13.2 ppg more than their opponents as a result of extremely balanced scoring and defensive intensity. Maloney, Allen and Pierce, all first-team all-Ivy selections, average more than 13 ppg while Penn holds its opponents to only a 41-percent shooting from the field. Season highlights: Penn won the US West Cellular Air Time Tourney with wins over Washington and Georgia. The Quakers also handed Southern Cal their worst home loss in several years. Allen was named Ivy Player of the Year for the second straight season, only the third player to win back-to-back. Penn went 14-0 in the Ivy League, and has won 29 straight against the Ivies. 12. Ohio U. Record: 25-7 Automatic bid as American Conference tournament champion Probable Starters: F: Gary Trent, 6-7, So. F: Curtis Simmons, 6-4, Fr. C: Jason Terry, 7-2, So. G: Chad Estis, 6-0, Sr. G: Geno Ford, 5-8, Fr. Key statistics: Trent is the key to this team, scoring a gaudy 26 ppg and pulling down 11.4 rpg. As goes Trent, so go the Bobcats. Estis fired it up from outside against Miami-Ohio in the MAC championship game. Ford and Simmons also provide outside shooting support. Season highlights: Ohio beat Connecticut 79-76 in Hawaii, handing the Huskies one of their four losses. The Bobcats have won 13 games in a row. 13. Drexel Record: 25-4 Automatic bid as North Atlantic Conference tournament champion Probable Starters: F: George Hudgins, 6-6, So. C: Malik Rose, 6-7, So. G: Matt Alexander, 5-11, Sr. G: Brian Holden, 6-4, Jr. G: Jim Rullo, 6-2, Sr. Key statistics: Holden and Rose are a dynamic inside-outside duo. Rose provides the dunks and is a ferocious rebounder (12.6 rpg). He scores 14.3 ppg, but has a tendency to get into foul trouble. Holden is a slick outside shooter who averages 16.6 ppg. Rullo is the defensive stopper. Season highlights: Drexel won the North Atlantic Conference tournament after two near misses against archrival Delaware, which the Dragons swept in the regular season this year. Beat NCAA-qualifier Rider by 30. 14. James Madison Record: 20-9 Automatic bid as Colonial Athletic Association tournament champion Probable Starters: F: Louis Rowe, 6-7, Jr. F: Michael Venson, 6-5, Sr. C: Clayton Ritter, 6-7, Sr. G: Dennis Leonard, 5-11, Jr. G: Kent Culuko, 6-4, Jr. Key statistics: The Dukes shoot better than 50 percent from the floor and score an average of 84 ppg. Culuko is a dangerous scorer, especially from three-point range where he found the bottom of the net 45 percent of the time. He sank the game-winner in the final seconds of the CAA championship game against Old Dominion to ensure James Madison's reservation at the Big Dance. Season highlights: With its dramatic CAA tournament win over Old Dominion, Lefty Driesell finally brings his third team to the NCAAs after several years of final-second heartbreaks. 15. Rider Record: 21-8 Automatic bid as Northeast Conference champion Probable Starters: F: Tim Pennix, 6-6, Sr. F: Charles Smith, 6-6, Fr. C: Jabaar Jones, 6-7, Jr. G: Deon Hames, 5-9, So. G: Mark Wilcox, 6-1, Sr. Key statistics: Diaper-dandy Smith, the NEC Newcomer of the Year, led the Broncs in scoring, rebounding, blocks and yes?dunks. Rider shot nearly 50 percent from the floor on the season and averaged 77 ppg. The Broncs get balanced scoring, with four of five starters in double digits. The offense is formidable from the outside, having cashed in 40.8 percent of its trifectas. 16. Liberty Record: 18-11 Automatic bid as Big South Conference tournament champion Probable Starters: F: Darryl Williams, 6-5, Sr. F: Jody Chapman, 6-7, Sr. G: Jason Dixon, 6-9, Jr. G: Chris Toomer, 6-1, Sr. G: Matt Hildebrand, 6-3, Sr. Key statistics: Hildebrand is the leader of the Flames, scoring 18.2 ppg and dishing out 4.9 apg. He shot 92.5 percent from the charity stripe and made 39 percent of his three-point attempts. Dixon provides muscle inside, scoring 14 ppg and pulling down seven rpg. Season highlights: The Flames, from Lynchburg, Va., won the Big South tournament to clinch their first-ever NCAA bid. Only non-conference win against a Division I opponent was over Central Connecticut State.