Kentucky hoping worst is over

Posted 6:47AM on Thursday 14th March 2002 ( 23 years ago )

ST. LOUIS - After a tumultuous regular season, Kentucky is taking nothing for granted in the NCAA tournament. The Wildcats are seeded No. 4 in the East Regional. But they have had their share of turmoil, with four losses in the last nine games, and coach Tubby Smith is less than confident heading into Thursday's game against Valparaiso. ``It's been a tough year, probably my toughest as a coach,'' Smith said. ``We've had some issues and distractions, and I hope we're stronger because of it. ``I look at each incident and I think we've been able to recover in a positive manner.'' Kentucky-Valparaiso is the first game in St. Louis on Thursday, followed by No. 5 Marquette against Tulsa in another East game. In Midwest subregional games here that night, top-seeded Kansas faces Holy Cross, and No. 8 Stanford plays Western Kentucky. The lowlights for Kentucky (20-9) include the recent firing of athletic director Larry Ivy, and the suspensions of guards Gerald Fitch and Adam Chiles. Fitch has been suspended three times, for trying to use fake identification to get into a nightclub, for scuffling with teammate Cory Sears and for missing curfew. The third time knocked Fitch out for the opening game of the Southeastern Conference tournament, and Kentucky lost 70-57 to South Carolina. Chiles has been suspended for the rest of the season for violating unspecified team rules. Players are hoping for no more bad news. ``It's March Madness and it's a whole new beginning,'' guard J.P. Blevins said. ``Things have been a little rocky for us, but we've got a fresh start.'' Valparaiso is in the tournament for the sixth time in seven years, and reached the round of 16 in 1998. ``Nothing's easy when you get to this point,'' Smith said. ``The way we've been playing, we can't take anybody for granted. They've accomplished things we haven't, and we treat them with the utmost respect.'' Valparaiso (25-7) set a school record for victories and can draw on its NCAA experience. ``This year we've proved we can play with the top teams,'' guard Jared Nuness said. ``We're coming in as the underdog, but yet we've got confidence.'' Marquette, making its first tournament appearance since 1997, finished second in Conference USA behind Cincinnati and has one of the stingiest defenses in the country. The Golden Eagles rely on guards Dwayne Wade (17.8 points, 6.6 rebounds) and Cordell Henry (15.1 points). ``None of us have been here before,'' Henry said. ``This is what you come to college for, to play in March.'' Marquette and Tulsa are both 26-6, but Tulsa is more tournament-tested, making the field for the third time in four years. That's particularly impressive considering it's playing under its third coach in three years, with John Phillips following Buzz Peterson and Bill Self. ``It has been difficult,'' senior guard Greg Harrington said. ``The thing that really helps is we've had the same core of guys.'' Kansas became the first Big 12 team to go 16-0 in conference play, led the nation in scoring, had a school-record 11 100-point games, and won 16 games in a row before losing to Oklahoma in the conference tournament final. The Jayhawks have won 18 in a row in the NCAA tournament's first round. Holy Cross played Kentucky tough in the first last year before losing 72-68. ``I was really worried,'' Smith said. ``Ralph Willard is a great Xs and Os guy and a great motivator. I'd tell Kansas they've got to guard them.'' Stanford has lost three of its last five games. But the Cardinal are in the tournament for the eighth straight season and will be looking to make it eight straight first-round victories. Western Kentucky is the last Sun Belt Conference team to win an NCAA tournament game, in 1995. Chris Marcus, the Hilltoppers' 7-foot-1 center, is averaging 16 points and nine rebounds, and has played well since returning in February from a stress fracture that sidelined him for two months.

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