UNLV finds itself playing David to Princeton’s Goliath

Steve Carp

Monday, March 9, 1998 | 9:26 a.m.

They've been giant-killers in the past. Just ask UCLA. They've scared the bejeezus out of teams. Ask Georgetown and Arkansas. They've run roughshod over the Ivy League for years. Ask Yale, Harvard, Columbia, Brown and the rest of the blazer-and-oxford set.

Funny thing, though. The giant-killer has suddenly become a giant itself. And how ironic is it that Princeton, once David to UNLV's Goliath, is the one without the slingshot and the stone come Thursday's opening round of the NCAA Tournament?

Ironic indeed. While the Rebels were going through suspensions, lineup changes and losing games, Bill Carmody's Tigers have one blemish on their entire dance card. And when North Carolina steps on your toes, there's no need to apologize for getting your foot in the way.

The Tar Heels prevailed 50-42 back on Dec. 15. Since then, 26-1 Princeton hasn't missed a beat. It sailed to the Ivy League championship with a 14-0 record and brings a 19-game winning streak into Thursday's matchup with the 20-12 Rebels, who have won six straight, in the NCAA East Regional at the Hartford (Conn.) Civic Center.

This is a team that leads the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 50.9 points a game. These are the guys who run the back-door cut to perfection and can make you look silly. This is also a team that can bomb away from 3-point land, witness the Tigers jack up 23 treys a game and hit 40 percent.

"At least we know what to expect," UNLV guard Mark Dickel said. "I've seen them play and I'm impressed with their structure and the way they run their offense."

The Tigers haven't played since beating Penn 78-72 last week. UNLV had to win four games over a five-day span to earn the right to face Princeton. The Tigers could be stale from sitting around, but at least they've got fresh legs from resting.

"We knew we were going to be playing a good team," Carmody said of the Rebels Sunday night. "If you look at the last six teams they've beaten, it's unbelievable."

Carmody said he watched Saturday's WAC title game with New Mexico, but he doesn't have a real feel for what Bill Bayno's club can do.

"I really don't know their personnel or their style," he said. "I know Bill's an eastern guy and he probably remembers us from when he was at UMass (Massachusetts). But there won't be any trickery involved."

Bayno does indeed know all about Princeton.

"We played them my last year at UMass (1994-95) and I scouted them," he said. "Nothing's changed."

Princeton's scoring is evenly distributed between Gabe Lewullis, a 6-5 junior forward who leads the team with a 14.1 average; Steve Goodrich, a 6-10 senior center who was the Ivy League's Player of the Year and is averaging 13.4 a game; and 6-2 junior guard Brian Earl, who averages 12.7. Mitch Henderson, a 6-2 senior point guard, and Jamie Mastaglio, a 6-4 senior forward, average 8.7 and 8.6 points, respectively.

Henderson is the team's leader in assists, averaging 4.6, and also leads Princeton with 2.2 steals per contest. Lewullis is the Tigers' best man on the boards, grabbing 5.4 a game. The Tigers shoot 50 percent from the field and hold their opponents to just 41 percent shooting from the floor.

Being the No. 5 seed, Princeton is the first Ivy League team to draw such a lofty number. Many believed the Tigers were worthy of a No. 4. But Carmody accepts his team's spot in the field of 64.

"The selection committee had a tough job," he said. "But I thought it (the No. 5 seed) was fair."