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TABLE OF CONTENTS
November 24, 2003 | Volume 99, Issue 21
Self's analysis: Get the ball inside to Wayne Simien and let him go to work
2002-03 RECORD: 30-8 (14-2, 1st in Big 12)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Syracuse in championship game
an opposing coach's view
15.8Scoring margin last season for the Jayhawks, who averaged 82.7 points and allowed 66.9, the best differential in the nation.
Still tasting a bitter defeat, the workmanlike Wildcats are out to settle the score
2002-03 RECORD: 32-4 (16-0, 1st in SEC East)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Marquette in Elite Eight
an opposing coach's view
19Wins against SEC foes last season, making 'Cats first team since 1951-52 to go unbeaten in league's regular season and tournament.
The Illini will rely on a swarming, pressing attack that won't let foes suffer in silence
2002-03 RECORD: 25-7 (11-5, 2nd in Big Ten)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Notre Dame in 2nd round
an opposing coach's view
.962Illinois's winning percentage (51-2) at Assembly Hall over the last four seasons, the best home record of any school in that span.
After flirting with the NBA, Chris Thomas returns to give the Irish a fighting chance
2002-03 RECORD: 24-10 (10-6, T3 in Big East West)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Arizona in Sweet 16
an opposing coach's view
4Freshmen who have led the Irish in rebounding since 1956. Torin Francis did it last year, joining Tim Kempton, LaPhonso Ellis and Troy Murphy.
With Brandon Mouton shootin', the deep Longhorns might get back to the Final Four
2002-03 RECORD: 26-7 (13-3, 2nd in Big 12)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Syracuse in Final Four
an opposing coach's view
18Wins, without a loss, when Texas gave up fewer than 70 points last season. The Longhorns were 8-7 when they allowed 70 or more.
Seasoned and talented in the backcourt, the Hawks will hit the floor running
2002-03 RECORD: 23-7 (12-4, 1st in Atlantic 10 East)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Auburn in 1st round
an opposing coach's view
551Points needed by guard Jameer Nelson this season to overtake Bernard Blunt as St. Joseph's alltime leading scorer (1,985).
After two Big Ten titles the Badgers have something new to deal with: high expectations
2002-03 RECORD: 24-8 (12-4, 1st in Big Ten)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Kentucky in Sweet 16
an opposing coach's view
10.4Turnovers per game committed by the Badgers last season, a school-record low and the nation's second-best average.
Do-it-all Josh Childress should help the Cardinal conquer its tournament troubles
2002-03 RECORD: 24-9 (14-4, 2nd in Pac-10)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Connecticut in 2nd round
an opposing coach's view
9Consecutive NCAA tournament opening-round wins for Stanford. Only Kansas (14) and Kentucky (12) have longer active streaks.
Inexperienced in the backcourt, the Sooners have a strong man to carry them up front
2002-03 RECORD: 27-7 (12-4, 3rd in Big 12)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Syracuse in Elite Eight
an opposing coach's view
.810The Sooners' winning percentage over the last four seasons, second in the nation behind Duke's .858.
The key to a guard-oriented offense will be a short power forward facing a tall order
2002-03 RECORD: 25-7 (11-5, 2nd in C-USA)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Butler in 2nd round
an opposing coach's view
22.7Personal fouls committed per game by the Cardinals last season, tops in Conference USA and fifth most in the nation.
Steady and always-ready Jason Maxiell is the heart of a team rebuilt with transfers
2002-03 RECORD: 17-12 (9-7, T4 in Conference USA)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Gonzaga in 1st round
an opposing coach's view
17Wins last season for the Bearcats, the fewest for a team coached by Bob Huggins since his Akron Zips went 12-14 in 1984-85.
Here are the other 45 schools that SI projects will get berths in the 65-team NCAA tournament field, which includes 31 automatic bids and 34 at-large selections
Look for blood, sweat and lots of tears as the stars of the class of '04 try to unseat powerful CONNECTICUT In their last go-round
1. Connecticut2. Duke3. Texas4. Kansas State5. Georgia6. Stanford7. Tennessee8. LSU9. Penn State10. Purdue
A pair of paisans at UConn share a passion for hoops that makes a perfect match of cocky coach and fearless player
More coverage of women's college basketball all season long, plus Frank Deford's Viewpoint every Wednesday, at si.com.
November 24, 2003 Mulling the MarlinsTom Verducci's Youth Is Served (Nov. 3) gave a detailed explanation for the Florida Marlins' victory. However, it is simpler to do the math: The team that won the World Series...
November 24, 2003 LETTERS•Please e-mail us at letters@si.timeinc.com or fax us at 212-467-4049. Letters should include the writer's full name, address and home telephone number and may be edited for clarity and space.
November 24, 2003 College Football
Ohio State's gritty win over Purdue sets up a showdown for the Big Ten title with the Buckeyes' bitter rival
The future power of the Big East? How about UConn, which improved to 9-3 after a 51-17 rout of Wake Forest. The Huskies have won 13 of their last 16 and have a new stadium and a strong recruiting...
Kid CanuckHigh-scoring rookie Jason King adds firepower to Vancouver's second line
League observers are wondering if Flames wing Jarome Iginla will find his scoring touch again. He had a league-high 52 goals in 2001-02, dropped to 35 last season and through Sunday had only four...
Sonic BoonRonald Murray, a throw-in to a deal last year, has been a steal for Seattle
On the NBA's offensive doldrums (at week's end teams were averaging 91.4 points, a drop of 3.7 per game from last season, and shooting 42.8%, a 1.4% decrease):
While Rudy Tomjanovich was undergoing treatment for bladder cancer last summer, three teams approached him about coaching jobs, and the Trail Blazers asked if he wanted to be their G.M. Though...
Kicking into GearWith Jake Plummer back under center, Denver beg its playoff push with an easy win over San Diego
Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback, every week at si.com/football.
TRADING E-MAIL WITH ...
Quincy Carter remembers his game last year against Carolina because it fell on his 25th birthday. Other than that, the first 55 minutes weren't too memorable for the Cowboys' quarterback. He was...
Dr. Z's Inside Football, every week during the season at si.com/football.
So, what would you say, trembling at the edge of an open airplane door at 13,500 feet with a videographer waiting on a ledge outside the plane and 10 world-class jumpers harrumphing for you to get...
NOVEMBER 20, 1985
As you can tell by the cover of this magazine (Ohio State freshman LeBron James, in vintage naval captain's uniform, peering through handheld telescope), we think the scarlet-and-gray are the best...
...maybe, sort of. Presenting baseball's new drug-testing program—it's easier to beat than the '62 Mets, but not nearly as funny
Has the NFL sacked the controversial Playmakers' second season?
When Major League Soccer snared 14-year-old U.S. prodigy Freddy Adu this week, the shock waves reached Europe's most storied teams. The most talked-about youth player in the world (SI, Aug. 25),...
$1 millionBonus promised U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, who set seven world records last summer, by swimsuit maker Speedo if he wins seven golds at either the 2004 or the 2008 Olympics.
November 24, 2003 TestedPositive for THG, a designer steroid that has recently come to the attention of antidoping agencies, four members of the Raiders. Defensive tackles Chris Cooper and Dana Stubblefield, center...
RetiredDaily Racing Form executive columnist Joe Hirsch, 74, the dean of turf writers. Hirsch is among the most popular figures in American racing, beloved from the backside barns to the owners'...
November 24, 2003 | Bill Scheft Good to be here. Just heard about David Blaine's next stunt: He's going to try and survive 48 consecutive hours in Butch Davis's doghouse.
At 44, the highest-earning bowler in PBA tour history ($3,151,571) rolls into this weekend's Empire State Open in Albany with 37 career wins—four shy of Earl Anthony's record.
November 24, 2003 To sign up for SPORTS ILLUSTRATED's free subscriber-only e-mail newsletter, go to sicustomerservice.com/siextra.
November 24, 2003 More college hoops scoops from Seth Davis, Grant Wahl and Stewart Mandel, plus complete scores, breaking news and rankings, at si.com/basketball/ncaa.
WHAT TO WATCH AND WATCH FOR
•Lavin's Debut New ESPN college basketball analyst and former UCLA hoops coach Steve Lavin is so easygoing that last year when it became obvious that he would be fired, he gave the school...
November 24, 2003 The Lineup Joe Torre puts on the field as Yankees manager has nothing on the one he assembled for a Nov. 12 benefit at the Ritz Carlton in downtown New York to launch his Safe at Home Foundation....
November 24, 2003 What do they say in the land of the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs? Just ribbit, baby. These young women were ribbin' it big-time in Fort Worth last Saturday as TCU moved to 10-0 with a...
November 24, 2003 Two biographies of 18-year-old LeBron James have been published since September.
November 24, 2003 BOBBY JOHNSONVanderbilt football coach, after students spent five minutes tearing down one goalpost, then 30 seconds tearing down the other, following a 28-17 win over Kentucky: "We're fast...
Can Chicago's Carlos Bocanegra stop San Jose's red-hot Landon Donovan in the MLS title game?
Three young MLS players caught the eve of the U.S. national coach
BC's 6'8" Mathias Kiwanuka is a top pass rusher and a grandson of a former African prime minister
Since retiring from the NHL, Patrick Roy has taken a hands-on approach with the junior team he owns
November 24, 2003 | S.L. price Taylor Dent has moved up in the men's rankings the old-fashioned way: playing serve-and-volley
With easily arranged lines of credit, likely draftees start living like pros after their last college game
One draftee used the cash from his loan to take care of his mom
This study of the final year of the Celtics' dynasty is so well researched, it's not just for Boston fans
A compelling look at the athletes who went to battle in World War II
November 24, 2003 Javarris James, IMMOKALEE, FLA.FootballJavarris, a sophomore running back at Immokalee High, rushed for 1,151 yards on 175 carries and scored 14 touchdowns this season to lead the Indians to the...
November 24, 2003 To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces.
This week's IRON BOWL game will divide a state that obsesses about it 52 weeks a year
For more about sports in Alabama and the other 49 states, go to si.com/50.
November 24, 2003 Cat WalkCincinnati's Jeremi Johnson manages to just break the plane of the goal line for the Bengals' first touchdown in their surprising 24-19 home win over Kansas City on Sunday (page 46).
Football is the only topic that matters when Alabamians talk sports
Alabamians weigh in on sports*
On a scale of 1 to 100, how would you rate your state's enthusiasm for sports, relative to other states'?88.8Rank: 1st of first 19 states polled
To read an essay by Auburn swimming great Rowdy Gaines (right), see every Bear Bryant cover or weigh in with your own Alabama sports memories, go to si.com/magazine/features/si50/states/Alabama
In 10 games under Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati has gone from NFL laughingstock to AFC playoff contender
The Chiefs' loss to the Bengals underscores how special the 1972 Dolphins were and how unlikely it is that another NFL team will go through a season and the playoffs unbeaten
Playing on reconstructed knees, Jason White stands atop the nation's passer ratings and has Oklahoma flirting with perfection
Larry vs. Jason (and Eli)
Forty years ago this weekend, as America grieved for President John F. Kennedy, stunned NFL players were told to take the field
Coming in shorter sizes and smaller shapes, today's college centers are using their skill and savvy in the middle to redefine the pivot position
EMEKA OKAFOR hits the books so fiercely he'll graduate a year early and blocks shots so ferociously he's the game's most feared defender
An instant guide to the players, coaches and games to watch this season
Each is a Top 20 team, but how solid—or shaky—is the program? SI has devised a way to find out
November 24, 2003 TOP 20
November 24, 2003 Hoop Thoughts by Seth Davis, Grant Wahl's Mailbag, Stewart Manael's Insider and profiles of this season's impact freshmen, plus scores and breaking news at si.com/basketball/ncaa.
The Huskies, led by a newly assertive Ben Gordon, have everything needed to win it all
2002-03 RECORD: 23-10 (10-6, T1 in Big East East)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Texas in Sweet 16
an opposing coach's view
7.7Blocked shots per game by the Huskies last season, including 4.7 by Emeka Okafor. Both numbers were tops in the nation.
The athletic Spartans will turn up the jets and try to run opponents off the court
2002-03 RECORD: 22-13 (10-6, T3 in Big Ten)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Texas in Elite Eight
an opposing coach's view
63Games, out of 66 in his career, in which Chris Hill had at least one three-pointer, including a streak of 47 games that ended last season.
Don't be surprised if this is the season the Zags zig their way to the Final Four
2002-03 RECORD: 24-9 (12-2, 1st in West Coast)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Arizona in 2nd round
an opposing coach's view
122Assists needed at the start of the season by senior Blake Stepp to pass John Stockton for second on the Zags' career list, with 555.
A precocious new arrival will have the perimeter-minded Blue Devils looking inward
2002-03 RECORD: 26-7 (11-5, T2 in ACC)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Kansas in Sweet 16
an opposing coach's view
9Games in which guard J.J. Redick scored 20 or more points last season, the most by a Duke freshman in the Mike Krzyzewski era.
Bigger and stronger, the Gators won't be muscled out of the title picture this time
2002-03 RECORD: 25-8 (12-4, 2nd in SEC East)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Michigan State in 2nd round
an opposing coach's view
1,329Three-pointers (on conference-best 372% shooting from beyond the arc) made by the Gators over the last four seasons, most in the SEC.
One player's emotional readiness is the pivotal factor in the Wildcats' success
2002-03 RECORD: 28-4 (17-1, 1st in Pac-10)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Kansas in Elite Eight
an opposing coach's view
85.2Points per game scored by the Wildcats last season, which made them the first Pac-10 team to lead the nation in scoring.
Even Roy Williams needs a healthy Sean May to get the Tar Heels back to the NCAAs
2002-03 RECORD: 19-16 (6-10, T6 in ACC)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Georgetown in NIT 3rd round
an opposing coach's view
.805Career winning percentage for Roy Williams (418-101 in 15 years at Kansas), best among active Division I coaches.
A workhorse senior helps guide the Tigers, who may be the nation's deepest team
2002-03 RECORD: 22-11 (9-7, 5th in Big 12)TOURNAMENT: Lost to Marquette in 2nd round
an opposing coach's view
195Rebounds needed by senior center Arthur Johnson to pass Doug Smith as Missouri's alltime leader.
With Carmelo gone, the Orangemen have to show they weren't a one-man gang
2002-03 RECORD: 30-5 (13-3, 1st in Big East West)TOURNAMENT: NCAA champions
an opposing coach's view
.909School record for free throw percentage in a season (90 for 99), set by freshman guard Gerry McNamara in 2002-03.
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