Duke aims to finish epic year with title

Steve Carp

Monday, March 29, 1999 | 9:44 a.m.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- So, how do you like your chalk?

They were favored to get to this point going back to last fall. They've been at the top of the polls one way or another since the season tipped off in mid-November. And by the time the nets come down tonight after the NCAA Tournament championship game at Tropicana Field, either Duke or Connecticut is going to reign supreme in college basketball.

Duke was the preseason No. 1 choice. But when the Blue Devils lost to Cincinnati in late November at the Great Alaska Shootout, UConn took over the role of No. 1. Then the Huskies stumbled Feb. 1, losing to Syracuse, and Duke regained the top spot.

The Blue Devils have been there ever since. At 37-1, Duke is 40 minutes away from writing the final chapter to what has been an epic season. A win would give Mike Krzyzewski's program three national titles in the '90s and would validate Duke as the team of the decade.

Tonight's game tips off at 6:18 p.m. (Channel 8).

"This is the last time this team will be together," junior Chris Carrawell said. "It's a great opportunity for us and I'm looking forward to it."

Connecticut, which is having a record season itself at 33-2, isn't lacking incentive in this, its first title game.

Jim Calhoun's Huskies were expected to get this far a long time ago. The motivation to earn their place in tonight's game began more than a year ago in Greensboro, N.C., when UConn was defeated by North Carolina in the East Regional finals.

"One thing we want to do is leave everything on the court," UConn junior Richard Hamilton said. "Before the tournament, coach said 'It's not a game, it's an effort.' We just want to go out there and have fun."

Calhoun said: "The way these kids have stood up to the pressure of getting here is remarkable. We're just looking forward to giving it our best because we have the opportunity that we really have looked for, worked for and asked for."

It's a game of similarities that run from the fact both teams have dealt with the pressure of being No. 1 and of being seeded first in their respective regions (Duke in the East, Connecticut in the West). Both like the up-tempo style of play and have deep benches.

And there's a healthy dose of respect each has for the other. It has the makings of an exciting game, though the oddsmakers have installed Duke as a big 9 to 10-point favorite.

Neither team played to its capabilities in Saturday's Final Four semifinals.

Duke had its hands full with Michigan State and shot 45 percent from the floor. But the Blue Devils' 68-62 win was due in large part to defense, as they limited the Spartans to just 37 percent shooting and kept star guard Mateen Cleaves in check with just 12 points on 5-of-16 shooting.

Connecticut's 64-58 win over Ohio State was a virtual mirror image of Duke's grinding win. The Huskies shot under 50 percent as well (47.3), but limited the Buckeyes to just 36.5 percent from the floor, 24 percent in the second half.

Tonight, the challenge is the same for both teams. Raise your level of play, keep the other team's offensive weapons in check, don't let your own offense get lulled to sleep and don't let the big guys beat you.

For Duke, it means making sure Khalid El-Amin and Richard Hamilton, UConn's two main offensive threats, don't have big games.

"We feel we're capable of beating Duke," El-Amin said Sunday. "We have a lot of scorers and a lot of answers. We present a different and unique challenge for Duke. We're going to attack them every which way and keep the pressure on them."

Hamilton said: "Everyone's talking about us having to stop them. They're going to have to stop us, too. There's no resting on defense for them because we have some pretty good offensive players, too."

UConn's dilemma is more complex.

Who do you try and take away first? Is it Elton Brand, Duke's ready-for-prime-time sophomore center? Or is it senior Trajan Langdon, the heart and soul of the team? Perhaps it's William Avery, who can create for his teammates or himself.

And if the Huskies are successful, how do they deal with the likes of Corey Maggette, who was sensational off the bench against Michigan State? Or 6-10 Chris Burgess, who can more than hold his own against center Jake Voskuhl, who figures to be severely tested trying to contain Brand.

"I'm sure Jim will have a plan to try and take Elton out of the game," Krzyzewski said.

Brand said: "I'm sure they'll have a new niche in their defense. I'm sure we'll adjust and hopefully exploit it."

Ricky Moore, who did such a fine job on Scoonie Penn Saturday, faces another challenge tonight in dealing with Avery. But the two know each other well, having grown up within a block of each other in the Sand Hill section of Augusta, Ga.

"He was younger than I was," Moore said. "I was the teacher. But I don't think he has seen the real Ricky."

Avery said he expects to hear a lot more on the court tonight from Moore.

"I think I can show him I'm as good, if not better and that he taught me too well," Avery said.

This may be UConn's only chance to grab the brass ring. Calhoun knows how much heartache he has endured just trying to get this far over his 13 years at Storrs. So he will leave it in the hands of those who got him to tonight -- his kids.

"If we don't play up to our capabilities, it's a lost opportunity," he said. "Is it a lost season if we lose? Of course not. It's been a remarkable season. Still, you get this far, you want to win it.

"We're used to being on Big Monday. But this is Big, Big Monday. We're trying to treat it as something special."